The Ivory Queen
Chapter 101

*** Aurora’s POV***

I’m stunned. “What?”

“I don’t know the details,” Wesley explains. “Javier just said to prepare for a fight. I brought as many soldiers as I could. We should be enough to fight off a Lluvia Blanca and Amethyst Lake army and I’ve already sent a civilian warning to Jade Crescent and B***d Moon.”

Carter’s eyes fog over as he starts mind linking orders.

“I’ve alerted the guards, especially those stationed at the Lluvia Blanca border and the northern border. My advice is we send a distress call for more guards from our allies. We know how Lluvia Blanca fights but we know nothing about Amethyst Lake and their war tactics. We are running in blind and we need to be ready,” Carter says.

I agree with him. “Send the signal. We need all the help we can get. I want every non-warrior in the safe house while we go to the ceremony-“

“You’re still planning to go?” Celina snaps.

“Nah-uh. This trip is cancelled,” Evan steps in, shaking his head at me. “The circumstances have changed and you’re no longer safe. You can’t go there knowing there will be an attack.”

“We’re going,” I command. “That’s an order. Miguel wants war, not Javier. He warned us which means he’s still on our side. He can turn this whole thing around.”

“That could be a trap,” Evan warns. “Javier is not exactly trustworthy.”

“Perhaps not,” I shrug. “But I know one thing for certain,” I say stepping over to Celina. “Javier would never hurt his Luna.”

Celina blushes and scowls at me. “I am not his Luna.”

“You are his mate, Cel. It’s time to stop pretending like you don’t want him. Moon Goddess gifted you this bond for a reason,” I say, softening my face. “Javier will not hurt you,” I murmur, holding one of her hands. “I’ve seen it in his eyes. He’s deeply in love with you.” I sigh and turn to Wesley and his soldiers. “We will go and present the treaty to Javier. Once he takes the oath, he is Alpha and thus decides the future of his pack. He can stop the fight. As Lluvia Blanca’s future allies, we need our soldiers on standby, ready to fight alongside them because Goddess knows Amethyst lake will be furious with Javier’s betrayal. In the meantime, I want my pack members in the safe-house and I want the Allies alerted.”

Evan shakes his head disapprovingly at me and I frown.

“We will take every precaution but I will not give up the chance to fix things with Lluvia Blanca. We are going, Ev and I need you by my side. Can you do that for me? Can you be my warrior?”

His face turns serious. “Without question, Luna. I serve you.”

“Good.”

I bring everyone to the dining room and we start our plan.

“There’s an old tree by my house back at Lluvia Blanca. It’s quiet and secluded. I’ll have Mia meet us there after Javier takes the oath and we’ll make our way to the Lluvia Blanca amphitheater together. Now we need to discuss how to protect River Moon’s borders if an attack happens.”

“Well our weakest points are the northern border. There are no packs there so Amethyst Lake could easily try to sneak in through there,” Carter explains. “There’s also the Maple Moon border and the Desert sky border down south.”

“I highly doubt Amethyst Lake would try to trespass neutral pack territories,” Wesley interjects. “If they plan on unifying the region, they wouldn’t blatantly disrespect potential allies.”

“Perhaps that’s more reason to worry,” I interject. “Like you guys said, we don’t know anything about Amethyst Lake and their tactics. We don’t know if they actually want to unify the region peacefully. What’s to stop them from taking over forcefully?” I ask. “I think for now, we need to assume the entire Western and northern borders are potential attack points. Send an alarm to Maple Moon and Desert sky as well. I don’t want our potential allies getting hurt in the aftermath and perhaps they can even offer help.”

“I’ll triple security along the north just in case,” Carter says before mind-linking his orders. “So how many soldiers do you want accompanying you to the ceremony?”

I think for a minute. Bringing too many would be a sign of hostility but not enough could leave us open to attack and while I am strong, my powers were still underdeveloped.

“20 total,” I respond. “10 from River Moon and 10 from Cerulean Sea. You and the rest of the soldiers protect the pack.”

“You want me to stay behind?” Carter snaps. “I am the Beta!”

“Which is why I need you here overseeing the preparations for an attack,” I reply sternly. “You are the only person I trust right now with this responsibility. I need you to watch over my pack should things get ugly. If something happens to me, you and Rosalie are next in line to command-“

“Don’t even say that. I am not meant to be alpha,” he hisses at me. “This is Oliver’s pack. It’s not mine to lead.”

“Then help me protect this pack.”

He scowls at me but I will not back down. I need him here.

“Fine,” he says.

After discussing a few more details, I call Mia and we wait patiently for her signal. I have the witch brought in.

“I finished the barrier spell,” she announces, pleased with her work. “This house is officially protected. Tais and Ira won’t be getting in without my knowledge.

“How good is your fighting?” I ask and Carter snaps at me.

“You want her to go with you but not me?”

“No,” I sigh. “I want her to help protect my pack should the Amethyst Lake wolves break into our territory.”

Carter rolls his eyes but does not argue with me.

“Unfortunately, I’m not as strong as Tais and Ira and I’ve already used quite a bit of energy cleansing your house and casting the barrier spell. I’m afraid my hand to hand combat is also quite pathetic,” Gwen laughs sheepishly. “I’ll try my best to be useful though.”

“Thank you,” I say. “That’s all I can ask for.”

“Perhaps I can work on deciphering Tais and Ira’s plans while you negotiate with those wolves. Can I see the letter again? There’s a chance I may have missed some clues.”

I once again hand her the letter and she starts to read it carefully, mumbling every word to herself whilst pacing back and forth. As she reads, her brows furrow in thought and she nibbles nervously on a gold chain hanging from her neck.

I ask Valentina, Diego and Danny to join my soldiers in protecting the safe house from attack and they readily leave to join the team.

My phone rings. The time has come to face Lluvia Blanca

“You ready Luna?” Wesley asks, holding up the treaty in his hand.

“Let’s go.”

Wesley nods and I proceed to open a portal to the Lluvia Blanca courtyard. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves.

There’s no going back now.

***Carter’s POV***

I watch Aurora and the gang disappear into her portal, anxious for this whole ordeal to be over. I did not like that she went to the ceremony without me, but Aurora was as stubborn as they come and I had no right to question her. I could only hope things to turn out alright at the ceremony.

From the corner of my eye, I see Rosalie run her hands over her belly nervously and panic rises in my chest. I rush to her side, hoping to comfort her and the baby.

“You okay, Rosie?” I ask, wrapping my arms around her swollen belly from behind. “Just relax. Everything is going to be fine,” I murmur in her ears.

Rosalie giggles as I k**s her neck before grabbing my hand and placing it on a very active spot on her stomach. I feel the kicking and my heart flutters with a flurry of emotions.

“They like it when you hold me,” Rosalie smiles contently. “I like it too.”

“How far along are you?” Gwen asks, looking up from the letter she’s been studying intensely.

“9 weeks,” Rosalie chirps.

Gwen smiles warmly at us. “You’re half way done, then. Do you know the s*x?”

Rosalie shakes her heads. “No, we want to be surprised,” she replies, nuzzling her head under my chin.

The witch hums quietly and stares intensely at her belly. I grow uneasy and push Rosalie behind me, snarling at the witch.

The witch looks amused by my reaction and peers back at Rosalie. “Is he always this tense?” She chuckles.

“Don’t test me, witch. Aurora trusts you. I don’t. Stay away from my wife and my baby,” I snarl.

The witch rolls her eyes and turns back to the letter. “I gain nothing from hurting your mate or the child. Trust me, if I wanted to hurt them, I would have done so already and with ease.”

I’m about to argue when William’s mind-link interrupts my thoughts

“Beta, we hear some activity along the northern border. What do we do?”

“What’s the ETA on the ally soldiers?” I ask.

“Ten minutes away, sir.”

My mind swirls in a frenzy. Our allies have yet to arrive and the Ivory Twins are not in the vicinity. If it’s the Amethyst Lake wolves though, we need to move quickly. We can’t wait for back up.

“Take a team and investigate. Alert me as soon as possible as to what it is, even if it’s just a f*****g squirrel,” I order.

“Yes sir.”

“Carter, what’s wrong?” Rosalie asks.

“Something’s up at the northern border. I don’t know what it is, but I’m not taking any chances. I need you to go to the safe house now-“

“Oh no!” Gwen gasps, her hands trembling as she stares blankly at the letter. “The Soul of Insanity…Why didn’t I think of that?”

“What the hell are you muttering about?” I snap.

The witch turns to me, her face pale and fear swimming in her eyes.

I don’t like this one bit, my wolf, Darren says.

“They have the Soul of Insanity! Oh gods, this can’t be happening!”

The Soul of Insanity? Why did that sound so familiar…?

“What’s the Soul of Insanity?” Rosalie asks, clearly lost and the witch begins to explain.

“The Soul of Insanity is an ancient evil, a sword cast by War God. It is said to give its wielder the power to summon and command an army of creatures created by Moon Goddess.”

“So Tais and Ira want to raise an army? What for?”

Gwen shrugs. “Why else but to have unbelievable power? Imagine commanding an army of werewolves, elves, faes, witches, vampires, and demons or any of creature of the Moon. You would be unstoppable! You could rule the entire mortal world with that kind power!”

I rack my brain until I finally remember where I’ve heard the name. “But the blade is just a myth!” I cry out, recalling the gruesome tales my grandfather used to tell me of the deadly sword. “People have searched for centuries but no one has ever even seen it! It’s not real.”

Gwen laughs bitterly. “Oh it’s no myth, wolf. That sword exists alright.”

“How do you know?” I snap. “What are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding anything you stupid wolf. The Sword exists because We exist. War God thrives off of the pain in war and conflict and what better way to create that than to start a race for absolute power?” Gwen snarls. “As you said, many have searched and in the pursuit for power, thousands have been slaughtered… and many more will perish when Tais and Ira unleash its curse.”

That sword is a myth, I think to myself. It can’t be real.

“What do you mean ‘when they unleash it’s curse’,” Rosalie whimpers, wrapping her arms around her round belly protectively.

“Its sinful blade craves souls to fuel its power. It’s why it called the Soul of Insanity. In order to keep command of their army, the wielder must constantly feed the sword with the souls of those it kills,” Gwen shutters. “The wielder is said to lose their mind trying to satisfy the sword’s hunger and sustain its power.”

Rosalie trembles in fear at the thought of all the bloodshed and I pull her into my arms.

“It’s just a myth, Rosie. A tall tale to keep us up at night. Nothing more,” I hum, rubbing her arms and kissing her forehead. “That’s enough from you,” I glare at the witch and she shakes her head in disbelief.

“For the last time, its not a myth and your Queen is in danger!”

My ears perk up instantly. “What do you mean?”

“Beta, we need back up! Its rogues!” William shouts.

I raise my hand at Gwen to stop her from spewing more nonsense so I can think on who to send. I check in with the guards at the gates. It seems our allies are now just arriving but it will take a few minutes for them to reach the northern border.

I need to act now!

I mind-link Eric and he comes running in.

Rosalie tenses up in my arms. “Carter, what-“

“You need to get to the safe house. There are rogues at the northern border. I need to go help. The allies are a few minutes out and there’s no time to waste,” I turn to Eric. “Take Ro to the safehouse and make sure she stays there.”

“What about Gwen and her spell?” Rosalie snaps. “This house is probably safer-

“Do not argue with me over this,” I mind link her. “I do not trust this witch and her spells! Our wolves will protect you!”

Rosalie frowns at me, mulling over my words. “Fine,” she huffs. “Gwen come with me.”

“Gwen stays here.”

“We can’t leave her here!” Rosalie protests.

No way a witch is going to the safe house.

“The safe house is for River Moon members only!” I snap.

The witch purses her lips in indignation while Rosalie stomps her feet and pushes me away.

“Gwen come with me,” she huffs, grabbing hold of Gwen’s hand.

“Rosie-“

“She’s coming with me. We brought her here. We protect her too!”

There’s no time to waste so I pull Rosalie into my arms and k**s her square on the lips. She fights me but within seconds melts into the k**s and wraps her arms around me.

“Fine, you win,” I mutter, kissing her one last time. “Take the witch and go.”

Rosalie smiles triumphantly. “Please be safe. Our baby needs their father,” she says, peeling herself away from me and pulling Gwen along with her.

I mind-link a few more guards to meet me at the door.

“Beta… the rouges!” William shouts, his voice ringing in my head.

“What about them?”

“Sir… it’s Oliver who’s leading them.”