The Lunar Queen Chapter 53

Cole POV

He’s escalating. He wiped out an entire pack , and the weight of that realization sits heavy in my chest, sharp and unforgiving.

“Alpha, the warriors arriving are from Black Moon Pack,” Dom says. “They say their Alpha sent them as they were being invaded. They were only able to get some of the women and pups out before the first blast hit,” he adds , his voice tight, controlled, but I can feel the anger simmering underneath it.

“Whoever is in charge, bring them to my office,” I say, walking toward the packhouse , my mind already moving three steps ahead, calculating, planning, preparing.

“Why is he escalating? I thought we had more time,” Lyric says , and I can feel the unease rolling off her through the bond, thick and suffocating.

“She said after the pups,” she adds , quieter now, like saying it out loud makes it more real.

When we get to my office—

“Selene, I need answers. Get down here now,” she shouts.

“Princess, it doesn’t work like that,” I say softly.

She glares at me. “Selene,” she says more firmly , her power brushing the edges of the room, demanding, pulling.

“My daughter, what can I do for you?” Selene says.

“Explain. You said we had more time. We didn’t even get to warn the packs—he’s already escalating,” she says.

“He has made some new discoveries that have caused him to move things up,” Selene says.

“What did he discover?” Lyric asks.

“He knows who and what you really are. He also knows about your pups,” she says softly.

“How?” I ask.

“My blood,” Lyric says in almost a whisper , and the moment the words leave her mouth, the tension in the room spikes.

“Yes, and it seems some of his agenda has changed. Find the runes before your council does. And be careful who you trust—there are traitors among you,” she says before disappearing.

“How many fucking people in my own pack are betraying me?” I snarl , rage snapping through me, sharp and immediate.

There is a knock at the door and Dom walks in with Caleb, my parents, and two men.

“Beta Matthew,” I say, clapping his shoulder.

“My king, I wish we were here under different circumstances, but we had to run to seek refuge. I tried to get out as many pack members as I could. Our Alpha… he fell with the pack,” he says , his voice breaking just slightly, grief barely held together.

“Winter, I need you and Juliet to come to my office,” I link Winter.

“Yes, Alpha,” she links back.

Five minutes later, there’s a knock.

“Come in,” I say.

“I need you two to set up rooms and any empty houses for everyone that is seeking refuge. Prepare extra rooms and houses—there will be a lot more,” I say , already knowing this is just the beginning.

“Yes, Alpha,” they both say.

“Coordinate with Shannon so the omegas can start getting food prepared for them,” I say.

“Yes, Alpha.”

“Caleb, I need you to find Elias and prepare the warrior barracks because we will be getting more displaced wolves. Find space in the Elite building also. We will be training twice a day from now on. Incorporate all the warriors from the pack we will be taking in,” I say.

“Dominic and Caleb stay—everybody else out. Winter, show the Beta and his pack members to the dining room and let them eat while you get them situated,” I say.

“Yes, Alpha,” Winter says as they all head out.

Once the door shuts behind them, I sit at my desk and pull Lyric into my lap , needing her close, needing to feel that she’s here, that she’s safe.

“Look, all of our mates are pregnant and things are escalating. Lyric and I spoke to Selene—we have traitors,” I say.

“Wait, more than one?” Caleb says.

“Yes,” I say , the word landing heavy in the room.

“We have a meeting with the council later to discuss Lyric becoming Queen,” I say.

“Speaking of, we need to do your coronation and induct you and your siblings and Winter into the pack,” I say to Lyric, resting my hands on her stomach , grounding myself through her, through them.

“Dom, I need you to reach out to every pack in our kingdom and let them know what is going on. The smaller packs that are in between larger packs need to make sure they have an escape route to whichever pack is closer. Caleb, send 100 warriors to each pack for support and extra manpower. We don’t know where he will strike next—he already destroyed Ironclaw and Black Moon,” I say.

“Princess, call Hunter and let him know so they can prepare and let him know we are sending warriors,” I say to her.

While she makes that call, I turn to the guys.

“Any conversation is had over link if we are not in here. Let Elias and Xavier know what is going on,” I say.

“Up the patrols. Switch the rotation and the routes. Make sure there are no blind spots. Nobody in or out of the palace that isn’t an omega or someone who lives here,” I say.

“Whoever the traitor is, we can’t afford for them to know anything. The patrols should never be the same. It changes every day—we work in shorter shifts,” I say , tightening every possible weakness.

“Go do that. We will talk more tomorrow. Dom, the Alphas first,” I say.

“Yes, Alpha,” he says as he and Caleb walk out.

I hold Lyric close in my arms, her warmth seeping into me like a balm , easing the edge of the storm inside me just enough to breathe. I carry her gently to the couch, easing her down onto the soft cushions before locking the door.

Returning, I settle back and draw her into my lap, her body fitting perfectly against mine.

“Talk to me, princess,” I murmur, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“Your emotions are giving me a headache,” I add softly , the bond humming with everything she’s trying to hold in.

She sighs, her eyes meeting mine. “I just feel so uneasy, Cole. Everything is happening so fast, and I haven’t even had the chance to breathe. We haven’t even had a chance to introduce me to the pack—it’s been problem after problem. We barely had time together.”

I shift her gently, grounding her, anchoring her , reminding her she’s not alone in this.

“Please, my king,” she whispers. “I just need to feel you close.”

"Anything you need, my queen," I reply, my tone husky with devotion, lifting her effortlessly. I tug my shorts down, freeing my cock, then raise the hem of her dress, my hand sliding across her core. She's soaking wet, her arousal coating my fingers, and it sends a rush of heat through me.

I position her over me, guiding her down slowly onto my cock, inch by inch, savoring the way she envelops me. I grunt in pleasure, the tight warmth of her pussy gripping me perfectly. "Hm, princess, I missed this," I breathe, as she starts moving her hips, grinding in slow, sensual circles that make me hiss with delight.

My hands grip her ass, pulling her deeper into my thrusts, our bodies moving in a gentle rhythm within her wetness. "Oh, Cole, just like that," she sighs, bouncing on my cock with quick, eager movements, her breath hitching.

Her tits bounce enticingly in my face, and I capture one, sucking her nipple into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the hardened peak. "Oh yes, my king, I love you so much," she gasps, her voice trembling with emotion.

I grip her hips tighter, feeling her walls clamp around me, that telltale flutter signaling her rising pleasure. My thumb finds her bud, rubbing small, deliberate circles as I pick up my pace, thrusting steadily to match her.

She places her hands on my shoulders, anchoring herself, her nails lightly pressing into my skin. "Let go for me, Lyric," I growl softly, the command wrapped in affection.

Her walls grip my cock fiercely, and then her orgasm shatters through her, her body shuddering in my arms as waves of release pulse around me. I grab her hips with both hands, thrusting up to meet her grinding, and with a low groan, I burst inside her, ropes of my seed filling her deeply.

She collapses onto my chest, her head resting against my heartbeat, and we sit like that, wrapped in each other.

“I love you so much, Cole,” she whispers.

“I love you too, my queen,” I reply, pressing a kiss to her forehead, my hand splaying protectively over her belly. “And our pups.”

For a moment, the world stills around the two of us , like the chaos outside doesn’t exist, like nothing can touch us here.

Then—

A frantic knock at the door.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha, but there is something you need to hear—it was dropped at the gates,” a guard says on the other side of the door.

Lyric looks concerned , her body going tense instantly, like she already knows this isn’t good.

She climbs off me and fixes her dress. I pull my shorts up and open the door.

The guard hands me a tape recorder.

I press play.

“Cole. I hope you are starting to take my threats seriously. Bring me your queen in two weeks where the unclaimed territory and neutral territory meet… or the next pack will burn. All their blood is on your hands, my king. Tick tock, cousin.”

The silence that follows isn’t empty—it’s heavy, suffocating, pressing in from every side as the meaning of his words settles in, because this isn’t a threat anymore, it’s a countdown, and for the first time since this started, it feels like we’re not ahead of him… we’re reacting to him.