CHAPTER 110: CHAPTER 110

Chapter 110

Astrid’s POV

The Grand Hall, a space I had only ever seen prepared for celebration, had transformed into the nerve center of a great, panicked migration. The soaring ceilings, which usually echoed with laughter and music, now held the muffled sounds of quiet fear: the shuffling of feet, the hushed, anxious whispers of parents, the whimpering of tired children overwhelmed by the sudden upheaval of their lives. The air was thick with the smell of damp coats, strong coffee, and the savory, comforting aroma of the chicken soup simmering in massive cauldrons set up by the kitchen staff.

This was my world now. For the past twenty-four hours, I had been living and breathing the logistics of survival. The cool numbness afforded by Elara’s tonic was a blessing I hadn’t known I needed. It held my own terror at bay, encasing it in a layer of ice so that I could function. I could look at the raw fear in a mother’s eyes as she clutched her child’s hand, and instead of being paralyzed by empathy, I could see what she needed: a warm blanket, a bowl of soup, a calm voice telling her which cottage was hers and that her family was now safe.

"Luna," Lila’s voice was steady at my side, a welcome anchor in the controlled chaos. She pointed to a large, color-coded map of the compound spread across a banquet table. "The last of the families from the North Ridge district have arrived. We’ve housed them in the Aspen Creek cottages. That leaves only the West End apartments unaccounted for. Alpha Kaeleen has sent an escort of warriors. They should be here within the hour."

"And the single shifters? The ones without families?" I asked, tracing a line on the map.

"We’ve opened up the two guest lodges near the training grounds," Lila confirmed. "They’re designed for visiting warriors, so they’re secure and practical. Morale is... tense, but they understand."

I nodded, my mind already moving to the next problem. "Food supplies?"

"Stocked. The kitchens are prepared to feed everyone for at least a month, longer if needed. Your idea to have them prepare travel-friendly meals for the escort teams was brilliant. They left with hot food."

I gave her a small, tired smile. It felt strange to be praised for something that felt so instinctual. This wasn’t about being brilliant; it was about seeing the cracks and filling them before anyone could fall through.

Just then, a familiar voice cut through the din. "Well, if it isn’t the queen in her castle, commanding the troops."

I turned to see Yvonne standing there, a travel bag slung over her shoulder. Her artist’s eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, were wide as she took in the scene. She looked from the families huddled on benches to Lila directing volunteers, and finally to me, standing at the center of it all.

A wave of genuine relief washed over me, so strong it almost breached the tonic’s calm. "Yvonne!"

"Missed me?" She asked with a laugh.

"I saw you some days ago." I told her.

She rolled her eyes. "Mehn, I’m awesome so I know you missed me."

"Who are we missing?" Serena asked suddenly.

I turned and gave her a hug. "It’s good to see you." I told her.

"You too."

"I never thought you’d come though." Yvonne said to her.

"Of course I will," she said, dropping her bag and pulling her into a hug. "Kaeleen put out the call. Said anyone who felt vulnerable should come home. I mean, I don’t feel vulnerable and I can take care of myself but, again, better aafe than sorry right?" She pulled back and then turned to me, her eyes scanning my face with unnerving perception. "You... you look like you haven’t slept in a year."

"I’m alright," I said, the automatic response feeling hollow even to me.

"She looks better compared to before." Yvonne spoke up.

"Really?" Serena asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I’m fine really. It’s just everything about this that’s putting me on edge." I told her.

"If you say so." she said but I knew from the look in here eyes that she didn’t believe me one bit.

I couldn’t tell her about the whispers, about the curse, about the little bottle of black liquid that made this all possible. So I gave her a piece of the truth.

Serena’s expression softened, "Okay, boss," she said, her tone shifting to one of brisk efficiency. "I’m here to help."

"Me too." Yvonne said "I’m here to help. What do you need? I can sketch portraits of lost luggage, compose a ballad about the tragedy of lukewarm soup, or I can do something actually useful."

I felt a genuine laugh bubble up inside me, the first in days. "Something useful, please. We need to make sure the cottages are comfortable. Not just stocked, but feeling like a home, even a temporary one. Extra blankets, toys for the children’s rooms, maybe some of your art to hang on the walls to make them less sterile?"

"Consider it done," she said with a mock salute. "Operation Cozy Cottage is a go." She gave my arm a squeeze before turning to Lila to get her assignment. Seeing her, so vibrant and alive and ready to help, was like a splash of bright color in a world that had turned grey.

The main doors of the hall swung open, and a gust of cold night air swept through. Kaeleen entered, flanked by Alex. They both looked like thunderclouds, radiating an aura of lethal fury that made the very air around them crackle. The pack members in their path instinctively quieted, their gazes a mixture of fear and reverence for the power striding through their midst.

Kaeleen’s eyes found mine across the crowded room. He walked directly to our command table, his focus entirely on me.

"The last transport is five minutes out," he said, his voice a low, gravelly rumble. "Everyone will be accounted for."

"Good," I breathed, a knot of tension I didn’t know I was holding finally releasing.

"We have a name for the device," he continued, his jaw tight. "Our sources have confirmed it. It’s called the ’Cerberus System’."

"Cerberus," I whispered, the name landing like a stone in my gut. "The three-headed hound of hell. Guarding the gates to the underworld."

"Fitting," Alex muttered grimly from beside him. "It’s designed to turn our own senses against us, to herd us like cattle for the slaughter. It’s a device created specifically for our kind."

My blood ran cold. This was a weapon designed not just to kill, but to terrorize. To make us prisoners in our own skin. It was Leon’s cruelty given technological form.

"My fight is with him, Kaeleen," I said, my voice low but firm, meeting his intense gaze. "Mine and his."

"He has made it the pack’s fight," Kaeleen countered, his anger a palpable force. "And that was his final mistake." He took a deep breath, his focus shifting slightly. "I’m preparing to meet with the Council. This... this proves that our old ways are failing. The autonomy of the packs has become a vulnerability. We’re isolated, easy targets. The Council has grown complacent, content with their power while the world changes around them. I’m going to change the rules. I’m going to consolidate our power, unite us, whether they like it or not."

I saw it then. The true scope of his ambition. It wasn’t just about protecting our pack; it was about protecting our entire species. He was going to war on two fronts: a covert one against Leon, and a political one against the ancient, stagnant leadership of our people.

He placed his hand over mine on the map, his touch a brief, grounding pressure. "You’re doing good work here, Astrid. You’re holding us together." His eyes held a deep, burning pride that warmed me more than any fire.

Then, as quickly as he had arrived, he turned and swept out of the hall, Alex at his heels. They had a war to plan.

I had a pack to care for.

Later that night, after the last family was settled and a weary quiet had finally descended upon the Grand Hall, I walked through the compound. Lights glowed in the windows of houses and cottages that had been dark and empty just yesterday. I saw the silhouettes of families gathered in their living rooms, the flicker of televisions, the shape of a parent reading a child a bedtime story.

This was my cage. The place I couldn’t leave. And tonight, it was a sanctuary for hundreds. The irony was not lost on me. I had been so focused on my own confinement that I had failed to see the strength of the walls around me.

My own battle was still waiting for me in the quiet of my own mind. Leon was still out there, pulling on a chain I couldn’t see. But looking at the warm, glowing lights of the homes around me, I knew I wasn’t just fighting for myself anymore. I was fighting for them. I was the Luna. And the wolves of Emerald Glade were now under my protection.