34. "I love you Michael."

Michael and Lucas stood hovering over the map of the territory. The pack leaders listened carefully as to what Michael had to declare before the twilight. The sun was on the verge of setting. The purple, red, orange and yellowish clouds were turning to black and the birds started finding a way back home.

Meanwhile, they're busy with their plan. All sorts of ideas and schemes were made in order to vanquish the Midnight Crescent pack, specially William and his brothers.

"We should attack in two halves, one led by Michael and one by me. They wouldn't be expecting us to divide and attack." Everyone seemed to support Lucas's decision except Michael, he was lost in his own train of thoughts.

"Michael?" Lucas slightly shook his shoulder to bring him to reality. This was so unlike Michael to be behaving this way in such a state of crisis.

"Asher must've told William about you. He knows we're going to attack and he wouldn't show up empty handed." Michael looked him straight in the eye, "He's planning something big." He ended with a terrible sigh.

They went over the plan again and again until their souls were satisfied. This was their one in a million chance and they're bound to give their hundred percent to it, there was no place for any slip-ups.

At last when the plan was good enough and ready to work with, they coiled up the map. Michael who was on his way out was interrupted by a few chatters in the hall. He didn't mean to eavesdrop but it was hard to keep the voices out when you're an alpha, especially your pack member's thoughts.

"Is something wrong?" Michael muttered out loud in an alpha tone.

Everyone began looking at each other's faces, trying to find the courage to speak but it appeared as though some force had their lips sealed shut. Michael grew irritated as no one was willing to speak until someone did.

"They're curious to know if the alpha will truly exchange for his mate's life." Lawson stated behind his half smile as a loud gasp escape from the crowd.

Michael glared at the boy. He really had some guts to speak to him like that.

At some point Michael did understand his pack's trouble with this decision. They always trusted him with everything but the choice of choosing someone else's life over your mate was a shock to their werewolf sides. To a werewolf, nothing came first then his mate. But they hadn't known Michael yet; he had some deep secrets, one of which was Evelyn was his and would always remain his treasure.

"I know some of you have grown attached to my mate and some of you dislike her because of her blood." Michael looked at his pack and for the first time in forever, he held a softness to his gaze. "It was a challenge for me too to except her at first but being her mate, I gave in easily. I can assure you, if you all are by my side, we can not only defeat our enemy but take our previous luna back safe and sound without letting a harm come my mate's way."

Michael looked determined at his pack and waited for a response. After he finished, consequently a series of howls of 'we're with you alpha!' broke among the crowd and the wolves chanted it together in delight.

"We're not just a pack, not just a kingdom, we're a family that thrive on love and support from our own and cries of misery from our enemies!" Michael announced and everyone followed him out to the training hall to get ready for the fight.

******

Evelyn sat feeling lonely, wandering outside of her window. Little by little the night had crowded in and so had the war. If one had thought Michael was going through chaos and inner struggle, Evelyn's condition was worse.

She thought noiselessly to herself, no one could hear her. She sought to know the consequences regarding the war, the good and bad coming along with it. No one had ever gained nothing from war apart from tears and bloodshed; how could it be a solution to anything?

'Why couldn't they just grow up and sit together and resolve this with peace just like the real grown up men?' Evelyn cursed in her mind. Her breathing was altering now and then with the thoughts of her beloved ones lying lifeless on the battlefield.

She wouldn't want William to survive what was coming his way but she didn't want Oscar or his mate to die in the process. She wanted her cousins and aunties to live despite her wish for her uncles' deaths. She wanted Michael to live through it and build a future with her here in the Moonstone pack. She wanted Lucas and Anastasia to reunite happily and her mother . . . though it was a hard task, she wanted to keep Mrs. Osborne alive.

But it was so obvious that she knew a happy ending like that could only exist in the pages of a book. Michael must think that his plan was sorted out and they're ready for the unknown but Evelyn knew better. She could guess William's crooked ways and losing wasn't one of them.

Tonight a lot of events would take place; she prayed to Moon Goddess to give her strength to go through with it.

When she stood near the window looking out, she saw the pack gathering in the giant front porch. Many of them were already in their wolf form, women and men all looked worked up; some scared to take another step whilst some angry to see some bloodshed. Upon witnessing that sight, she couldn't help but let out a helpless yelp.

This was no mirage but her true fate.

"Evelyn." The voice sounded so soft and void of any ill intentions. For a moment Evelyn actually fell for the warmness in his tone but quickly adjusted herself. She twisted around to see a man ready to cross seven seas and kill any number to take back what belonged to solely him.

She gazed Lucas up and down without giving him anything in particular to dwell over. She gave him a meek smile unsure what to do or where to go with an unplanned conversation.

"Are you ready?" He asked and Evelyn wanted to laugh at him right away. She could probably be prepared for her death but not this.

"Ready to see my whole family getting slaughtered? No I'm not ready Lucas." She said amidst the sobs. She shut her eyes close to prevent any tears. She didn't want to look weak now.

Without warning a pair of arms wrapped around her. She tensed then relaxed and opened her eyes with him still holding her in a hug.

"Just as I said before Eve, no matter what happens, you are a family and we do not betray family at any costs." Lucas looked her straight in the eye, not giving her any opportunity to escape his stare. She had no choice but to nod with his statement.

"Don't worry. I don't hate Michael." She said lightly wiping the tears away from her cheeks, "I simply am scared of tonight." She admitted.

"Dad." This voice wasn't Lucas's, it was his.

Evelyn tensed at how harsh he sounded but shook her thoughts away. She knew he could hear them and she didn't need that.

Michael seemed to be mind-linking Lucas after which he left, leaving the couple alone in the tension. The air around them appeared thick with the secrets but Evelyn wasn't in the mood to talk to him. She just wanted to avoid him until they had reached near the territorial line.

But apparently that wasn't his plan. He advanced towards her after shutting the door behind him. Evelyn felt a sudden weight around her heart; she was mad at him for earlier.

"You don't have to explain anything." She retorted before he could even start.

He gave her a slightly disappointed look before continuing to close the proximity between them. He was getting closer to her and she didn't like the idea to be touched by him anymore. With a strict face she held her hands up to stop him on his tracks.

He was taken by surprise at her sudden gesture but was swiftly just as angry.

"You're mad because I chose my mother over you?" He barked at her, sounding like an alpha would.

Evelyn shook her head side to side as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm not mad at you Michael. I'm mad at myself." She admitted through gritted teeth. "Mad for letting you touch me when I knew our future was not entwined."

Michael looked at her in disbelief as if he couldn't believe she really admitted that to herself. They're destined to be together at the Goddess's will. They belonged together. But he wasn't mad at her knowing it was his fault and tried to be reason with her.

"No." She said firmly holding her hands up to stop him again. She took a deep breath before she began to speak, "Your pack is ready to go. Let's not keep them waiting." She said before storming out the door. She didn't want to have to do anything with him right now.

"You won't even let me explain?" He asked and he sounded so weak that for only a moment in her heart she'd forgiven him.

She wanted to make her message clear this time, so she turned around, looked him in the eyes and spelled each word carefully, "I love you Michael." A thick tear drop ran down her cheek as she harshly wiped it away, "Come and take me back when you're ready to say those exact words to me—until then, don't bother me."

She didn't wait for a response as she ran down the stairs to the hall of wolves waiting to shoot dagers at her side by their mere gazes.