Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 36: Heading Back Home

**Theo's POV**

By the time everywhere had darkened, we heard the first signs of our men returning. The rhythmic and thunderous sounds of their horse hooves marching in the distance and there was a distant glow of torches that I could see from the inn's window, where I stood beside my father's bed where he slept, snoring lightly.

After dinner, I noticed my father seemed unusually fatigued. He retired to bed early, leaving me with a nagging worry that he might be coming down with something. The stress of the situation was taking a toll on everyone, but my father had always been strong in difficult situations so seeing him so tired was unsettling.

I decided to step outside and clear my head and use that opportunity to wait out for the soldiers. The cool night air was refreshing, and the stars twinkled brightly in the clear sky. As I walked towards the stable, I heard the sound of hooves and voices approaching to be louder than before. I hurried over, my heart pounding with a mix of hope and anxiety.

The soldiers who had gone back to the pack were returning, and to my immense relief, they all appeared unscathed. They seemed to be complete— even more than the number that had gone and I realized they had been accompanied by several additional soldiers, and they brought the protective gear we had requested.

"Welcome back," I said, greeting Marcus and the others. "I'm glad to see you all made it safely."

Marcus dismounted and approached me. "Nothing happened on the way back, thankfully. And we brought everything you asked for."

I nodded, glancing at the new faces among the group. "I see we have extra soldiers. Why the reinforcements?"

Marcus grinned. "Peter insisted we bring extra backup, just in case."

"Good thinking," I said, feeling a wave of gratitude towards Peter. "We'll move out tomorrow morning then."

The soldiers nodded in agreement, and I took a moment to check the gear they had brought. Everything seemed in order, and the additional backup would undoubtedly be beneficial.

"Get some rest," I told them. "Tomorrow will be another long day."

After ensuring the soldiers were settled, I made my way back to the inn. I needed to speak with the innkeeper about our plans and the potential danger her establishment might be in.

I found her in the kitchen, tidying up after the evening's service. She looked up as I entered, a warm smile on her face. "Good evening, gentleman. How can I help you?"

"We'll be leaving tomorrow," I said, getting straight to the point. "I wanted to thank you for your hospitality."

She nodded, her smile unwavering. "It's been our pleasure to have you here. Is there anything else you need?"

I hesitated, knowing what I had to say next might cause her concern. "Actually, there's something important I need to discuss with you. I took a walk in the early hours of the afternoon and encountered a rogue outside. We were able to kill it, but I fear things might not be safe here for much longer."

Her smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of worry. "What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath. "That rogue was a normal one, but we've recently discovered a new type of rogue. They're mutating, and their blood is poisonous. It's possible these mutated rogues could be lurking around the premises."

The innkeeper's eyes widened in alarm. *Poisonous?"

"Note that what I am about to tell you is privileged information," I said in a sharp whisper. "Even some high-ranking members of our pack do not yet know...*

"Okay?"

"If their blood touches a person, they develop a severe burning rash which spreads," I explained. "Also, if you kill them by any other means than decapitating them, they will regenerate back. Stronger.”

"Oh my," She gasped, placing her hand over her mouth. "What should we do? I'm not a full-blood wolf so I don't even have the energy to fight off these creatures."

"Well, at least it is not a mutated one. It was normal."

"Well, I'll thank the moon goddess for that," she mumbled with a sigh. "But there is still a probability we might have an attack soon."

She began sobbing which took me by surprise.

"I lost my son to the last attack," She sobbed. I had to reach out a hand to pat her back because I did not know how to console her.

"You should come with us then. Understand that you may not want to leave your business," I said gently. "But it's not safe here anymore. I recommend shutting down for a while and finding somewhere else to stay until we can ensure the area is secure."

She bit her lip, glancing towards the door where her daughter had just appeared. The young woman looked at us curiously, sensing the tension in the room.

"I'll discuss it with my daughter," the innkeeper said finally. "Thank you for warning us, kind sir."

"Of course," I replied. "Your safety is our priority. Please, take this seriously. We'll be leaving at first light, and I suggest you consider doing the same."

The innkeeper nodded. "We'll make arrangements. It is not necessarily the travel season so business might be a bit slow."

"Well, it will be nice to know if you'll be joining us. I hope you do."

As I left the kitchen, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The thought of those mutated rogues lurking nearby was unsettling, and I hoped the innkeeper and her daughter would heed my warning.

Back in my room, I lay awake for a long time, staring at the ceiling. My mind raced with thoughts of Tiana and my father.

The next morning, the inn was buzzing with activity as we prepared to depart. The soldiers were efficient, checking their gear and ensuring the horses were ready. My father joined us, looking more rested but still a little bit shed.

As I approached the innkeeper one last time, she gave me a nod. "We've decided to close the inn for a while.”