From Rejected Mate to Luna Chapter 67

Nathan's POV

I crouched low on the ridge overlooking Spring Valley territory, my muscles burning from holding this position for hours. Below me, Matthew Collins and his Beta James Parker coordinated their security teams with military precision, covering the northern perimeter like ants defending their hill.

"Eight warriors just along this stretch alone," I muttered under my breath, watching another patrol pass through the trees.

*Too many for a direct attack,* Shadow, my wolf, growled in my mind. His presence had grown stronger daily since I'd fled my pack, his voice more distinct, his influence harder to resist.

*We need another way.*

"I know," I whispered, my voice raspy from days of silence and exposure. The northern boundary was too well protected now. A frontal assault would be suicide, even with my growing Alpha strength.

*More power,* Shadow pushed against the boundaries of my consciousness. *We need help. We need her.*

I nodded, feeling the familiar surge of obsession at the thought of Julia. What had begun as resentment toward an unworthy mate had become something else entirely—a desperate hunger that consumed my thoughts.

*Find others like us,* Shadow pressed. *Abandoned. Hungry. They'll follow strength.*

I slipped away from my vantage point. I needed soldiers—disposable ones.

---

It took two days of careful searching through the wilderness to find what I needed. The first rogue I encountered was a wiry, scarred man named Dex who'd been expelled from a pack for challenging his Alpha.

"You smell like power," Dex said, circling me with wary interest, nostrils flaring. "But also like prey running from something."

My hand twitched, instinct urging me to tear out his throat for the insolence.

*Patience,* Shadow counseled. *He knows others. Use him.*

Through Dex, I gained access to a loose coalition of seven rogues—wolves who'd either left their packs voluntarily or been expelled. Their camp was an abandoned hunting cabin twenty miles from Spring Valley's border, reeking of unwashed bodies and desperation.

"What's in it for us?" a female rogue with matted blonde hair challenged when I proposed they help me.

I smiled, channeling the charisma that had once made me my pack's golden boy. "Food. Territory. Position. You help me take what's mine, and I'll give you places in my pack."

I watched hunger flare in their eyes—not just for food, but for belonging. They were pathetic, these outcasts, but useful for now. I had no intention of actually bringing these filthy creatures into my pack, but the lie served my purpose.

*They're desperate enough to believe anything,* Shadow observed with satisfaction.

---

On the third night, I unfolded a crude map I'd drawn of Spring Valley's patrol patterns. The seven rogues gathered around me, their eyes reflecting the firelight like animals.

"The Alpha and Beta have concentrated their forces here," I explained, pointing to the northern boundary. "They're expecting trouble from this direction."

"So we attack from somewhere else," Dex concluded, scratching his stubbled jaw.

"The southwest boundary," I confirmed. "It's their blind spot. My observations show minimal patrols there, especially during shift changes at dusk."

I assigned roles to each rogue, keeping my true objective—finding Julia—to myself. These disposable pawns didn't need to know I intended to kidnap a specific wolf.

"Create chaos," I instructed. "Draw their security forces away from the community center. That's all you need to worry about."

As they discussed the plan, I stepped outside the cabin. The cool evening air did little to clear my increasingly chaotic thoughts. Shadow's presence had grown overwhelming, constantly pushing for action, for dominance.

I closed my eyes, remembering Julia's scent—vanilla and something uniquely her. I could almost taste it on my tongue. Soon, I would have her power, the strength of a matebond to challenge my father.

---

The attack began. I led my ragtag group to the southwest boundary, using the gathering darkness as cover. The forest was quieter here—fewer motion sensors, fewer patrols.

*They still think the threat comes from the north,* I thought with satisfaction.

"Dex," I whispered, "take Marco and Lena. Create a distraction at the point we discussed. The rest will follow my signal."

The three rogues disappeared into the underbrush. Minutes later, howls and snarls erupted from the perimeter. I watched with cold calculation as two Spring Valley warriors responded, only to be ambushed by Dex's group.

Alarms echoed through the trees, followed by shouts and running feet. I nodded to the remaining rogues. "Now. Remember—maximum chaos."

As they charged forward, I slipped away, using the distraction to penetrate deeper into Spring Valley territory. My heart raced with anticipation as I moved silently toward where I believed the community center would be.

*It's working,* Shadow exulted. *We're inside.*

I froze suddenly, catching a new scent. Alpha and Beta—Matthew and James—approaching rapidly. I pressed myself against a large pine, controlling my breathing as they passed less than thirty yards away.

Through the trees, I watched Matthew barking orders, directing his warriors toward the breach. James followed a step behind, his expression grim but determined.

*Too strong together,* Shadow warned. *We can't face both.*

I agreed. Even with my growing power, challenging an established Alpha and his Beta simultaneously would be suicide. I needed to wait, to find Julia and escape before—

James stopped suddenly, his head tilting as if listening. I observed with predatory focus as the Beta's expression shifted from determination to distraction.

*A mindlink,* I realized. *He received a message.*

I watched James turn to Matthew, saying something I couldn't hear, but his body language told everything—tension, concern, divided attention. His hand unconsciously moved to touch his mate mark.

*His pregnant mate,* Shadow growled. *She needs him.*

This was the opportunity I needed. I gestured to two of the rogues who had followed me.

"The Alpha," I whispered. "Draw him away."

The rogues nodded eagerly, too stupid to realize they were being sacrificed. They moved away, deliberately making enough noise to attract Matthew's attention.

As Matthew turned toward the new threat, I shifted fluidly into my wolf form. With frightening speed, I launched myself toward the distracted Beta.

James sensed the attack a second too late. My powerful jaws clamped around his shoulder, driving him to the ground. Blood filled my mouth as my teeth tore through muscle and sinew, the hot metallic taste fueling my rage.

James fought back ferociously, managing to slam an elbow into my ribs, but I twisted and struck again, this time tearing at his throat.

A furious roar erupted from behind me. I released my victim and spun to see Matthew charging toward me, his human form abandoned for a massive silver-gray wolf twice my size.

*RUN!* Shadow screamed in my mind.

I didn't hesitate. I'd seen enough to know that Matthew's Alpha power far exceeded my own growing strength. I bolted into the forest, abandoning my rogue allies without a second thought.

Behind me, Matthew's anguished howl pierced the night. I pushed myself harder, ignoring the cuts from branches and thorns as I fled through the dense underbrush.

*Failure,* I seethed internally. *But not complete failure.*

I'd confirmed Julia was here—I could sense her presence in the territory. And I'd struck a devastating blow against the Spring Valley leadership.

I finally stopped when I reached a rocky outcropping several miles away, my sides heaving from exertion. From this vantage point, I could see the lights of Spring Valley in the distance, emergency vehicles moving along the roads.

As I licked my wounds, what struck me most powerfully was the memory of Matthew's face when he saw James injured—the raw fear and desperate rage in the Alpha's eyes.

*There,* Shadow whispered, a new strategy forming in our shared consciousness. *That's the weakness.*

I nodded slowly, understanding blossoming like a poisonous flower. Attacking an Alpha directly was nearly impossible, but hurting those an Alpha cared about? That was a much more effective path.

*Next time,* I thought, my mind already formulating a new plan, *I'll choose a more vulnerable target.*