RECAP: Maverick escapes with the help of Luna Opal's warriors (Sam and Miles). They fight off Dracs as they try to escape the Drac's hideout. Maverick happens to fight Lyssa (the vampire in charge), learning what she all did to Elora. Sam dies and Miles and Maverick walk out of the hideout to a full blown battle.

Song(s) for the chapter:
Not Afraid Anymore by Halsey
Ready or Not (feat. Esthero ) by Mischa "Book" Chillak

**Warning: Violence and mentioning of suicide (brief but still wanted to warn - I will mark it with a *!* a couple sentences prior)

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|| Elora ||

I watched as the life drains from his eyes.

I cried out to the moon goddess.

"Take me instead!! Please!!"

My breath hitched, something constricting my lungs from the inside. My heart felt as though someone softly clenched it: delicate fingers squeezing the life out of me.

I looked up towards the sky as I collapsed to the ground; it was full and extremely bright. The cries and yells from the battle seemed to dissipate as I stared up at the moon. It was the last thing I saw before my vision darkened.

I think she heard me.

...
( a couple hours prior)

"We need to get her somewhere where she won't hurt anyone else..."

"Hurry ... she's starting to regain consciousness."

"The school is the closest option... no one should be there at this hour." I felt my insides churn; it felt as though I were falling from the sky.

Was I falling from the sky? I still felt the warmth of someone still holding onto me...unless they were falling too...

"You hold onto her. I'll break the doors down."

I felt my body being shifted from someone with rough, large hands to someone with small yet softer hands.

A loud crash sounded before I felt warm air hit my skin, contrasting from the cold air moments before.

"In here! Tie her up with those around that beam."

I felt something snake around my torso, my back was pressed up against a hard surface.

The weight my eyes felt seemed to lighten as I attempted to open them. I noticed we were in my school's gymnasium; my back was tied up against the main beam that split the gym in half.

I slowly scanned my surroundings, seeing the familiar faces of Selene and Damianos. Their wings were spread out and their stances were ones of caution.

"I won't hurt you...please untie me..." Was that my voice? It sounded strange: too rough and low.

Selene and Damianos exchanged a look before Selene spoke up.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Elora."

A growl emerged from the back of my throat before I screamed, "Now!!"

Just as I screamed, Damianos and Selene began to sing, harmonizing as they did so. I felt as though I knew the song; I was entranced at how beautiful they sounded. As I slightly swayed my head to the song, a third voice joined them.

My own voice.

It didn't sound like my normal voice, but it did sound eerily familiar.

The voices got louder and louder. The key of the song shifted to a minor key, giving me an unsettling feeling. My head pounded; it were as if someone was trying to crawl deeper into my mind...or, perhaps, they were trying to stay in my mind.

I felt my body convulse as my eyes began to wildly open and close.

Every time my eyes closed, I saw the image of a dark being; the demon. His eyes were a bloodshot red and his fangs dripped with blood.

"I won't let them get rid of me. They can't, baby."

I felt myself take a step forward towards the demon, tired of trying to cower and run from it. The voices were but an echo in my mind.

"I know they can't. But I can." I charged towards it; it's face morphed into that of shock before getting into a defensive stance. I shifted into my wolf, whom I had thought was long gone, before digging my claws into the demon's torso. Dark liquid oozed from it before I dug them further into its abdomen.

The demon began to scream. The scream was bloodcurdling, but fueled my wolf and I to finally finish it. Digging my claws out of its abdomen, I went for the throat, letting each of my claws slowly dig in. The screaming stopped.

"I swear if you ever sink your claws into my mate or I, you will have to deal with me again. Good riddance... baby." The demon's eyes gave me one final look before it slouched completely to the ground; it was gone.

And I got rid of it.

*flash*

Just as I killed it, memories, but not of my own, flashed before my eyes.

I saw Millie, a frown on her face and tears filling her eyes as she gazed down towards my feet. At my feet laid a dead Alpha Alek. Blood was on my hands and all around me.

*flash*

"I-I loved him, Mav." Millie's voice was soft yet full of pain: her cheeks stained with tears.

"He was hurting you...I-I only did it to protect you." I heard Maverick's voice. He sounded broken. I could also feel the guilt he was feeling.

"He was my mate, Mav. You crushed my heart. I-I don't think I can ever forgive you..." She began to cry before running in the opposite direction.

Her cries were covered by Maverick's.

*flash* (*!*)

"Millie...can I come in? Everyone is getting worried...You're not eating or talking to anyone. I understand you need to greive, but please don't punish yourself. I love you, sis."

There was no answer; I knew why but I still felt the anxiety as Maverick broke down the door, seeing his sister hanging from the ceiling. He fell to his knees, shaking with silent cries of sadness and guilt.

"Millie...I'm so sorry-"

*flash*

"Mavy, don't let it consume you. Millie wouldn't want that-" Faye began to say, lightly rubbing my mate's arm, affectionately.

"Stop! I don't want to hear it!!!" He yelled, shrugging his arm away from her touch.

"She died! Millie is dead! It's been two years...it wasn't your fault!" She yelled back at him.

"When did we put a time limit on grieving? And as for the yelling...I am your alpha now!! Show me respect!!"

"I'll show you respect when you start respecting yourself! You've let her death change you. You're not the Maverick I grew to love." She brought her eyes downward before walking away.

*flash*

"Sweetheart, your father and I are worried about you. You've been acting strange since Mill-" Maverick's mother, Maureen, began to speak until he cut her off with a low growl.

"DON'T SAY HER NAME!" he roared back. Maureen stumbled backward, appalled and scared. She shook her head as tears flowed.

"Don't expect your father or I to show up to any pack dinners from now on. I love you, Maverick... but I don't love who you're becoming."

She walked away too.

I felt my heart hurt for Maverick even more.

I wanted to yell at them; tell them that it wasn't his fault... this isn't him...it was the demon.

*flash*

"Ian...I said to fax those files out to Alpha Belrose...we have to confirm the territory boundaries by the next pack meeting-What the-Hold up, I'll let you go...someone rear-ended me."

I watched as a panicked Dante hastily ran out of the car and towards Maverick. He began to apologize profusely. Maverick's vision went from Dante to ...me.

I saw myself looking at him for the first time; our mate connection drawing us closer together.

I looked so young and innocent...and that wasn't too long ago.

"And what is your name?"

I watched my dumb self stand there in awe of our mate.

"Uhh what? I'm sorry..." Wow. I forgot how awkward and embarrassing I was in this moment.

"I asked what your name was. I'm Maverick."

I clasped my hand in his outstretched hand and began to shake it as I said, "Elora. Elora Waters."

I watched as my eyes widened upon the small spark I had felt when we first touched. I could feel part of Maverick's pain lessen upon our first touch.

"It's nice to finally meet you, mate," Maverick said before the memory faded away and I was brought back to an empty room.

*flash*

Bright lights flashed, and I felt myself squint before the faces of Selene and Damianos appeared again.

I rubbed my head, a headache already forming. "How long was I out?"

Selene was the first one to hug me. "I knew you were strong enough to defeat the demon. I knew it!" She squeezed me tighter as I hugged her back.

Damianos stared at us, his eyes full of respect. He crouched down at my level, patting my head lightly. "You were out for a solid fifteen minutes. We saw the demon leave you ... but you were out for a little longer...what happened?"

Selene let go of me, sitting herself down next to me on the hardwood flooring.

"I-I think I witnessed snip-its of Maverick's memories...like when he first became alpha up to when he met me a few months ago. I felt his emotions and pain... it seemed to lessen when we first touched." I rubbed away the tears that slipped down my cheeks, not even realizing I was crying as I told them.

"I will never truly know or understand as I am a siren and not of the were-kind, but it is said that the power of a mate bond is one of the strongest things of this world. I do believe you are a lot stronger than you realize. Having the strength to rid of such a demon of that size is incredibly difficult...and you did it. Maverick is blessed to have you in his life."

Her words brought tears to my eyes, and I hugged her. "Thank you Selene-" I looked up towards the male siren as I pulled back from Selene, "and thank you Damianos. I know I couldn't have done it without your help and that song you both sang."

Damianos smiled, for what seemed like the first time ever. "The song we sang, which we call, "Canticum Lunam" is supposed to help show the strength and power the children of the moon have. It's an ancient song."

"Strange...I know I have never heard it before, but it felt familiar..."Damianos turned his head out towards the large windows of the gymnasium, his eyes set on the full moon.

"It's said that all the children of the moon have the song embedded in their minds, but many don't know of it or use it today as it can give one too much power and be used for bad rather than good." I nodded along to his explanation. It made sense; there are so many werewolves that wouldn't use the power wisely.

I thought of Maverick and if he ever used it...I could see him using it, if he knew about it.

Speaking of Maverick...he's still locked up at the Drac's hideout.

"W-we need to go save Maverick! The Dracs have him and t-they-" I began to panic, thinking of how my mate was locked up. They probably were torturing him at this very moment. The thought sent me through a whirlwind of emotions.

I felt Selene lightly rub circles on my back; it helped soothe and calm me down some. "We will rescue him... but, you'll need to help lead us there. Do you happen to remember some of the way?"

I nodded, feeling numb. "Yes. I remember most of the way."

Damianos stretched out his hand for me to take. I grabbed it, and he helped pull me up to my feet. "Let us get a move on then." We all made out way out the the gym, looking back at the school I couldn't help the sad smile that spread across my lips.

Never did I imagine any of this happening when I first started my school year here. I was even against the ideas of mates, and here I am, that same person who couldn't fathom life without my mate.

I even unleashed him from his demon, taking it as my own before defeating it.

"Elora, climb on my back." Damianos' voice shook me from my thoughts. His and Selene's wings were outstretched; both were ready to take flight.

"Okay. Not too high please... I have a slight fear of heights." I hesitantly got on his back, snaking my arms tightly around his neck while making sure I wasn't interfering with any of his feathers.

"You would have had a heart attack if you realized how high we were flying with you before." He let out a low rumble of a laugh, with Selene giggling as well.

"That makes me feel great. Thank you," I said sarcastically back, clinging on tighter just in case he decided to fly higher.

We took off, going higher and higher, and with each foot we got higher, I felt my stomach drop even more. We were flying above the trees, and I could see houses intertwined within patches of the woods.

"Does anything look familiar?" I heard Damianos ask over the wind. If we weren't in the situation we were in, I would have relished in the feeling of the cool breeze on my skin and flowing through my hair. 

Just as he asked, a large rotting building caught my attention. It felt familiar. And that's when I saw in the neighboring open patch of land, a large battle. "I-I think there. That's it."

"Who is at battle? Surely it can't be your pack?" Selene asked as we began our descent. I could hear the battle cries get louder as we got closer to the ground.

"I don't know..." Once we landed, I felt him. I felt my mate through the mate bond. "Maverick."

I began to run towards him. It was a strange to feel him this strongly through the mate bond. I guess I didn't realize how much the demon clouded it. I could even feel some of his emotions.

Anger.

Remorse.

I even felt his pain.

I continued running towards the battle, ignoring the calls of Selene and Damianos.

My heart was beating fast as I neared the open field where Dracs and werewolves were fighting. Most of the werewolves were still in their human form while most of the Dracs were already in their mutant wolf form.

Someone flew back, nearly knocking me off my feet. I swiveled around to see a bloodied Drac lying a few feet from me; his eyes slowly glazing over.

"Watch out!!!" I ducked just in time as another Drac flew over my head; a dagger was shoved in its chest. The warrior that must have stab him helped me up, bowing his head slightly before running towards the Drac. He, most likely, was going to finish it off.

I continued to run, letting the mate bond pull me towards Maverick. I felt his emotions strengthen.

"I must be getting closer," I said to myself, now crouched under a bush. Just as I was about to get up, a hand aggressively grabs my shoulder, pulling me up.

I give the person a glare until realizing what it was. "Opal? Opal!" I shrieked happily, hugging her. She hugged me back before she pulled away. 

"I was beginning to think we lost you ...I thought they brainwashed you to kill." 

"T-they did-"

She took a step back, getting into a defensive stance.

I widened my eyes. Shaking my head, I quickly said," "not anymore though! It's a long story which-" I looked around us before looking back at her, "-I don't think I have time to tell. D-do you know where Maverick is? Is he okay?" 

She nodded. "He should be okay. Two of my best men went to retrieve him. I assume he's fighting with us now. I would think he is closer to the building more." She grabbed my arms again, her eyes staring intently at me. "Be careful. If you were to die, I don't think Maverick could handle it...and I sure as hell don't want to deal with him like that." 

I knew she was partly joking, but just as serious as her, I said, "he still needs to learn more about powerful women...I can't die yet." She smirked whilst patting my shoulder. 

"Good luck, Luna Elora." She smiled. 

I watched as she began to run off towards a large group fighting. "Good luck, Alpha Opal!" She turned briefly towards me, smiling before she turned back around. 

I shifted my vision from her retreating form to the area closest to the building.  That's when I saw him. His beautiful, golden wolf was surrounded by five other Dracs. 

I started sprinting towards them. He was outnumbered. I watched as they each took jabs at him, one even managed to wound him. 

"Maverick!!!" I screamed out. His head whipped in my direction. Just as we locked eyes, another Drac tackled him down, throwing him off balance. 

I shifted into my wolf, springing myself onto one of the five Dracs. I caught it off guard as I dug my claws into its abdomen. Letting out a low growl, I tossed it aside. 

Another tried tackling me, but my wolf quickly turned, snapping our jaws on its neck. Digging my canines further into its flesh, the Drac let out a gurgle of a whimper before I tossed it to the side. 

I saw Maverick had taken down the two other Dracs as their lifeless bodies laid on either side of him. 

Look at our man, my wolf said. We both watched as his wolf circled the last Drac. 

The moonbeams seemed to cast down on him, making him look like the most regal and majestic creature of the night. 

In a flash, something threw him off from behind. The other Drac stepped back, obviously thrown off by the strange flash. 

Maverick's wolf looked around before being slammed down to the ground, a familiar hand wrapped around his throat. 

It was Lyssa. Before I could get to him, she already dug her fangs into his neck, draining the blood from him. Without thinking I ran towards them. Just as I was a few feet away, the same Drac that Maverick was about to fight off, tackles me to the ground. Bearing its fangs while digging its claws into my chest. 

Its claws dug deeper and deeper as it had me pinned down. 

Growling, I snapped at its snout, causing the Drac to lessen its grip on me. With that, I managed to flip us so I was towering over the Drac. I dug my claws into its sides, letting the blood seep out. After seeing its breath slow, I tossed it to the side. 

I noticed Mav was still fighting Lyssa, but it looked like Maverick was tiring. With her ability to move swift, I could tell it was hard to counteract her attacks. 

"Elora...what a pleasant surprise." A familiar voice said behind me; a voice I was hoping to never hear again. 

I lowly growled upon seeing his face. 

Ian. 

"Didn't I tell you to meet at the back of your old packhouse in two hours? And now you're fighting off your own kind? The beast just goes after everyone now?" He let out a laugh. "Looks like I'll have to kill you." 

I narrowed my eyes at him, wishing he would just shift into his wolf form and fight me. 

As if he heard me, he shifted into his wolf, bearing his teeth at me. 

My wolf stalked closer towards him. "I wouldn't be so cocky, Ian. You are only just a Gamma whereas I'm a Luna." 

He snarled. "Don't call me Gamma, bitch! I'm not part of your pack anymore!" 

"Well...you still are. Just not for our pack anymore. Still third in command with the Dracs." I lunged at him. We both rolled together whilst biting and clawing at each other. 

His claws found my throat and dug deeper into my fur and flesh. "Would a Gamma be able to take you out like this?" I felt my vision slightly blur, only fueling my anger. 

I began to close my eyes, feeling the blood seep out of my wounds. Then, I remembered the song Selene and Damianos sang to help give me strength. I began to hum to it in my head before singing it. The song enveloped my soul, and my wolf began to finally feel all of her strength. 

She was much stronger than the Omega I thought we were. 

I opened my eyes, seeing Ian's wolf still over mine. 

Flipping him over, so he was under me, I said through the mindlink, "No...because I'm a Luna." 

I dug my claws into his chest, causing him to howl in pain. The song was very prominent in my mind as I awaited for his final words before I'd take him out. "Anything you'd like to say before I crush your heart?" 

His eyes met mine. "Fuck you, bitch."

"Aww you're too sweet, Ian." I clawed his heart out, watching as his eyes rolled back in pain. The echo of his last howl hung in the air for a few moments. 

Upon his death he shifted back to his human form. Like I've said before, it was a shame that he was such an asshole because he was quite handsome. I then felt some guilt at the fact that I killed someone's mate...

Eh, they deserve better anyway, my wolf said. I nodded in agreement. Yeah, whoever they may be, they definitely deserve better. 

I looked around for Maverick, spotting him still fighting Lyssa. There was no way he could defeat her. She needed to be staked through the heart...or at least that's what I remember reading. 

I searched for a stick large and thick enough to take her out. 

There! One right beside that large, dead tree! My wolf exclaimed. We swiftly ran over and retrieved it. 

If I wanted to be precise in killing her, I had to shift back to my human form. I began to hum "Canticum Lunam" in my head again, letting myself human form come forth. I found a dead warrior with clothes still on. Hesitating, I took off his large top, slipping it over my form so I wasn't completely bare. 

"You should just quit, Alpha Maverick. You're just tiring yourself out," Lyssa said menacingly, her movements swift as she dodged my mate's attacks. 

Maverick's wolf growled before jumping at her again. She didn't move this time, but, rather let him cling on as she sunk her fangs in his neck. I could see her sucking the blood out of him. His claws, which were sunk deep into her shoulders were relaxing as she drew more blood from his neck. 

This was the perfect opportunity to kill her from behind. 

I snuck up behind her, carefully watching for anymore Dracs that may be lurking in the shadows. 

I froze in my place as I felt the energy being drained from my mate. 

"Say your final prayers to your stupid moon goddess, Alpha." 

I ran with all my force, aiming right for her heart. As I plunged the stick through her with all the force I could muster. The song I was mentally singing helped a significant amount. 

"Aghhhh!!!" her screamed pierced through the forest. She dropped Maverick's seemingly lifeless body to the ground as she threw her hands to her chest. The stick stuck out on both ends of her body. She swiftly turned around, her face began to whither away. 

"You!! I-I changed you!! H-how?!!" 

"That's something for me to know, and for you to never find out," I said as she dropped to her knees: finally collapsing completely to the ground. Her body turned to ash with the stench of her stale blood still lingering in the air. 

"Maverick," I said as I rushed over to his side. He had shifted back to his human form, his tanned skin shining brilliantly under the moonlight. 

He slowly opens his eyes, smiling. "E-elora?" 

I felt the tears fall. "Yes. I need to get you back to the packhouse. I'll have Selene and Damianos help heal you and-"

He reached up to my cheek, slowly caressing it. "I love you. I hope you know that."

I grabbed his hand in mine, loving the feel of his touch. "Of course. And I love you."

I watched as the life drains from his eyes.

I cried out to the moon goddess.

"Take me instead!! Please!!"

My breath hitched, something constricting my lungs from the inside. My heart felt as though someone softly clenched it: delicate fingers squeezing the life out of me.

I looked up towards the sky as I collapsed to the ground; it was full and extremely bright. The cries and yells from the battle seemed to dissipate as I stared up at the moon. It was the last thing I saw before my vision darkened.

I think she heard me.

----------------

*Unedited* 

**Canticum Lunam translates to "Moon song"** (according to google lol)

***One more chapter until the Epilogue! Also this is one of my longest chapters with over 4000 words!! :) Thank you all for supporting and reading!! Much love to you all! <3 ~Madelyn Joy***