His Shadow Luna

Chapter 7: Shadows-1

Elene wrapped her arms around screaming Morgan, spinning mid-air to position her own body as a shield against the impending collision. Flames licked at their backs as they tumbled towards the unforgiving forest below. The roar of a second explosion fading into the rush of wind.

The helicopters blew up one after another before Elene hit the first thick tree branch, losing air from her lungs and shifting her attention to her own survival.

She clenched Morgan tighter as they hit another branch and then a couple more. Clothes torn, bruises formed, leaves scattered — until they finally reached the dense bed of undergrowth that mercifully cushioned their descent.

Sprawled atop the forest floor, Elene sucked in her first sharp breath, feeling how Bia started her healing.

"Morgan—" she called, her voice unusually hoarse.

"I'm — fine," the girl groaned, and Elene realised she was still holding her. Probably tighter than was necessary.

"Thank you, Fenrir," the Princess whispered a quick prayer and let go.

Morgan carefully pushed off her, scanning her saviour and gulping when she saw all the fresh cuts Elene got while shielding her.

"You saved me," she whispered, guilt in her voice.

"You are welcome." The Princess tried to smile through pain, knowing the child probably needed to see she was fine for reassurance.

"Are you okay?" The girl bit her lip, scrambling to her feet.

"Been better, but I'll survive." Elene stood up as well, quickly assessing herself.

Do you hear anything? She asked Bia.

I don't think anyone else survived. Her wolf confirmed the heartbreaking truth, but a few people are closing in on us. They are too fast to be injured.

"F*ck!" the Princess swore, and Morgan looked at her with her big green eyes.

"What is it?"

"We need to move," Elene said, grasping the girl's hand. I think assassins are after us."

"Assassins?" Morgan stuttered.

"Don't worry. I will not let them hurt you," Elene murmured, though her breath came in ragged gasps. "Just hold on."

They began to run as fast as they could. The thickets clawed at their skin as they barrelled through the woods.

Two wolves, two in human form, Bia informed her of what she could sense.

That's not that bad. Elene was happy to hear this.

They definitely called for backup. Bia did not let her relax. You have minutes to turn this all around.

Elene tensed, hectically thinking of what she could do. The grim realisation sunk in as she looked at the girl again — Morgan's life was definitely the priority right now. Not only was she innocent, but she could save millions of lives by preventing the war.

Kai and Savvy would be sad if Elene died, but that would be about it.

Returning to the East wasn't an option. The desert was merciless, and she still needed to figure out if she could trust King Devoss. After all, he was the only one who knew about the direction of her flight. Going deeper into the South would be a suicide. They were clearly warned about them.

"Right," the Princess smiled, finally making her decision. "Morgan, I need you to listen to me carefully."

"Okay," the girl nodded, determination on her face.

"We chose our route carefully today," Elene said. Although we are in the Southern territories, this is very close to the Northern and Western Lycan Kingdoms' borders, respectively. You will only be safe in one of them right now. We need to do everything to get you there."

Morgan pursed her rosy lips, not liking how that sounded.

"Same as you, right?" She furrowed her red brows.

"Sure." Elene did not find it in herself to tell her the truth. "But to increase our chances, we will have to separate. You will go first, and I will catch up with you later."

The corners of Morgan's lips tilted downward. At such a young age, she had already been through too much to believe such evident lies.

"I want you to listen to me," Elene went on. "You are not fighting anyone. Your only task is to run. You do everything I say, when I say it. Got it?"

"Yeah…"

"Good."

The Princess pointed at the nearby tree. "Do you see where the moss grows on the trunks? It faces the North, so use it to guide you because this is exactly where you need to get by the end. Either the North or the West. Away from the South and the East."

"Okay—" Morgan did not sound so sure anymore.

"Listen," Elene brushed her palm over the girl's cheek. "You've been through a lot and survived. You will survive this too. You are a fighter. I knew it the moment I saw you back in that room."

Their eyes locked, and Elene tried to look as confident as possible.

"I will be right behind you, okay?" She smiled. "Now, take off that uniform and give it to me. We need to make them work harder, searching for us."

To her credit, Morgan obeyed with no complaints.

"Did you have your first shift yet?"

"Yes," the girl answered quietly. "My wolf is not very big, though."

"That's because you are still a pup," Elene reassured her. "But wolf's legs are still faster than your human ones. Now, shift."

Morgan hesitated, but Elene couldn't waste any more of their time. She tore the maid's dress, gesturing for the teen to speed up her transformation.

She tried not to look, knowing the process was probably painful for the girl. It took wolves years to perfect the shifting and make it last seconds instead of painful minutes.

Soon, a little red wolf stood before her, and Elene nodded in approval, trying not to be distracted by how adorable the creature looked.

"You are small indeed," she smirked. "But that's a good thing now. It will be harder to spot you."

The Princess lowered to the ground and took a fistful of mud, rubbing it into Morgan's fur. The little beast growled, and it made the princess chuckle.

"We are making you invisible, remember?" She tried to cover her in the dirt as much as possible. "This will kill your scent and give them other directions to pursue. Be good."

She tore the rest of Morgan's maid's dress and threw a few pieces between the branches of a nearby bush.

"Now, listen to my directions carefully," Elene told the girl, who looked at her with heavy eyes. "I can sense that there is a small river down the hill. You get to it and go with the flow for a few miles. Paws in water at all times. If you see anything in the air above you — hide. Then, use the moss and head for the North. Run until you cross the border. Be smart. Remember your end goal."

The wolf whimpered. She clearly did not want to go alone.

Elene ignored the sentiment and took a necklace off her neck, followed by her belt.

"This is a northern star royal seal," she explained, wrapping the chain around the belt and using it as a collar for the little wolf. "When you cross the border, ask for asylum and show this. Then, demand to speak to King Gideon or King Kai. They will listen to you if they see this. Tell them everything that happened. You can trust both of them."

The wolf let out another sad sound again, but this time, branches crackled right next to them, alerting them of intruders.

"Go!" Elene commanded.

Morgan hesitated, and the Princess exhaled heavily, knowing she had no choice. Mustering all her strength, she used her Alpha tone, "Go! Do everything I told you! Don't stop until you are safe!"

Luckily, it was enough for the teen to sprint in the right direction.

Elene watched her for a few seconds before noticing a shadow in the bushes. She decided not to wait and charged at them first, her sharp claws finding the neck of the assassin before he could block them.

One done, three to go, Bia praised her, but Elene did not have time to enjoy it. She started running, too, choosing the opposite direction and leaving little pieces of fabric everywhere she could to mess with the one hunting them.

She needed to stall them, do anything to divert their attention from one little red wolf.

Once again, she thought of how great it would have been if she had been blessed with a special power like others. Something like this would have come in handy now.

Don't forget that you are a royal lycan, Bia reminded her. We still have the best card up our sleeve.

True, she agreed and shifted because the two wolves were already closing in on her, their scents dangerously close.

Bia charged for the nearby hills, hoping to lead the assassins in the wrong direction as far away as possible. She wanted them to tell their backup where to concentrate, their attention on her rather than Morgan.

However, the race ended abruptly and sooner than she had hoped when she found herself at the end of a steep cliff.

If we jump, we die, Bia informed her.

Then we fight. Elene was determined. Time to stretch that royal lycan form, don't you think?

About time. Her companion agreed. If anyone helps us walk out of this battle alive, it would be that beast.

Two wolves finally caught up, snarling at her. They took their positions like experts, cutting her off from the only possible exit.

As if she was going anywhere.

Elene waited for them to get closer. She did not want them to run away, either. A part of her was enjoying the moment because the two assassins sent to kill a child had no idea they were the prey in this game.

Her bones cracked as the muscles on them tripled their size, and her whole body elongated into a tall, menacing form before the enemy realised what was going on. She stood on two feet, towering over them both. The poor things never realised they were against a royal lycan, not just a regular northern warrior.

Now, it was too late for them.

She tore the head of the bigger one in mere seconds and then, in one swift move, ended the second wolf by snapping his spine.

She could feel the beast inside her gloating, happy with the victory, but Bia was still there as the voice of reason.

Careful, she warned. It's not over yet.

Right, Elene agreed, inhaling the air with her nostrils. Someone else was watching her.

Elene snarled loudly, her patience wearing thin.

Is it me, or did it just get darker here? Bia asked.

Now that she mentioned that, Elene realised that too. Darkness enveloped her so much she could barely see the lines of the forest anymore.

"A Princess!" A female voice sounded at a distance and she charged in that direction, only to find it empty. "Can't say I’ve killed a princess before!"

A giggle echoed around her.

"There is a first time for everything," the mystery woman said. You did so well, Princess Elene. They really did think you died in that helicopter and were clearing the woods to erase traces of what really happened. You could have pulled this off and escaped if I hadn't transferred here today."

Elene tried to follow the sound, diving into the shadows again finding no one behind them. Suddenly the darkness formed into a sharp blade pierced her in the stomach.