know,” Cyan said.

I stared at him. THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP.

“The truth is…” He stopped. “There’s going to be a rebellion.”

THUMP– I think my heart stopped for a few precious seconds, and then started hitting harder than ever. “What?” I whispered.

“Ice Moon isn’t the most popular leader of all time,” Cyan said, “Ever since Kalim’s death, she’s been too grief-stricken. She doesn’t care about the pack. She only cares about her dead mate. So…some of us have decided it’s time to rebel.”

I was only half-listening. I flicked my gaze around the clearing. I had to get away. THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP.

“There are meetings, and…Jaydor and I are a big part of them,” Cyan continued, “And you need to know one thing…”

If he tried to attack me, was I strong enough to evade him?

Cyan said slowly, “Ice Moon is–”

With a wild cry I kicked him in the jaw, and sped away with my paws pounding into the ground. THUMPTHUMPTH-UMPTHUMPTHUMP. Memories flashed before my eyes of how my heart had been this terrified as Roan chased and caught me, whispering in his slithery voice that I was worthless and weak…

Panic screamed through my head as Roan’s and Soran’s voices followed me back to the cave and into the farthest corner of the sleeping chamber. I flattened myself against the wall until the memories had subsided, and then I slid down to the floor, gasping. The echoes of my past bounced around the room into my head, and it was all I could do not to tremble.

I moaned, I whined, I shuddered as my history seemed to roll down my eyes in waves, as I watched scenes of my life I had forgotten until now: waking up each morning with new cuts and bruises; practicing my howl and then being slapped so hard I thought Roan had broken my neck; listening to their eerie stories that made me so afraid of the dark; and on and on and on…

Biting tears nipped at my face, and I was immediately reminded of Ice Moon. Maybe she could help me. I didn’t really care if she was angry or not. I just needed someone who understood pain.

I picked myself up and stumbled out of the cave, memories still pricking at my brain and eyes. Clusters of wolves were spread out between Ice Moon’s cave and the pack cave, and I avoided them as I padded towards Ice Moon’s cave. I should have seen the gang of males sneaking up on me…but I didn’t.

“Where do you think you’re going?” one wolf said casually, blocking my path. I tried to barge past him, but there were more of them behind him, grinning as though they thought I was the most amusing thing they’d ever seen.

I backed up a few steps and took a deep breath. I couldn’t fight my way out of this.

“Is it any of your business where I’m going?” I said pleasantly.

The male gazed at me blankly as if I had asked him a trick question.

“I can tell you where I’m not going, though,” I told him, “Anywhere with you.”

His grin returned like the waxing of the moon. “Cool it, wolf-dog. You’re not going anywhere until I’ve had a good look at you.” He gawked at me with an almost drunken gleam in his eye. Now I felt my anger starting to boil over.

The other males had similar gluttonous looks as they slowly surrounded me, chuckling.

Suddenly I whirled around in a circle, slapping the leader of the group in the face with my tail. “There! You’d had your look!” I cried, “Do you want anymore? How about this?” I swiped one of the males with my claws. “And this?” I knocked another to the ground. “Are you sure that’s all you want? Because trust me, I’ve got more!”

The hungry look had dimmed slightly in the leader’s eyes, and his mouth curled into a silent snarl as he advanced towards me. His gang followed his lead, and my heart jumped around in my throat as I watched them approach. I was dead meat; for the umpteenth time in my life I felt like a caribou waiting to be slaughtered. I was the hunted, the rest of the world was the hunter. That hunter had chased me my whole life, and each time I had managed to escape. The experience never gets old, though.

Again I found myself thinking the same thoughts I did every time I was cornered and as good as gone: Is this it? Is it curtains for me? What will dying feel like? Where will I go after I’m gone? Dying will be a release from this life, but still…

“Big mistake, sweetheart,” the leader growled.     

“Kamotz! That’s enough!”

I looked up in surprise as Jaydor pushed through the males and stood between Kamotz and me.

“Does his Highness not approve of something here?” Kamotz said mockingly. Someone snickered.

“Watch your mouth and you might get off with a warning,” Jaydor snapped. He looked around at them all with disgust. “As for the rest of you. Get out of here!”

The gang grumbled and mumbled insults as they slowly dispersed.

Jaydor turned to me. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said automatically, though I was very surprised to hear something like genuine concern in his voice.

He shook his head. “Idiots. All of them. Sometimes I can’t believe most of them are my cousins.”

I felt my jaw drop. Was he actually being nice to me?

“Ice Moon requests an audience with you,” Jaydor said quietly, “Now.” He whipped around and started padding towards Ice Moon’s cave.

I hesitated. Now that I knew Jaydor actually had more personality than a rock, could I trust him enough to follow him?

He stopped and turned around. “Coming?”

Something moved inside me. I don’t know what it was, but I found myself trotting along beside him as we entered the pack leader’s chamber.

Ice Moon once again sat staring into space, her expression vacant, lost.

Jaydor cleared his throat loudly, and when his leader looked up he proclaimed, “Luna is here.”

“I’m not blind, Jaydor,” Ice Moon snapped, jumping off her throne of stone and landing before him. “You may go now.”

Looking a little insulted, Jaydor slunk away, but not before he looked back and gave me a comforting smile.

Something jumped inside me. Again, I couldn’t tell you what. It was the weirdest sensation.

“Luna.”

I turned back to Ice Moon, who was contemplating me with great interest.

“An interesting name. It means ‘moon’, does it not? Interesting, very interesting.”

“Why is it so interesting?” I asked, “I would bet any number of bones that millions of wolves have names that mean ‘moon’ or have ‘moon’ in them. Your name, in fact.”

Her golden eyes glittered. “It is interesting that you chose a name similar to mine because you have a very good reason to hat me, to not want to have anything to do with me. Do you know what that reason is?”

“You’re old and starting to go insane?” I guess slyly.

Ice Moon’s laugh was hard and sharp, like blocks of ice shattering on stone. “An accurate assumption, but no.”

I disliked the murderous gleam in her eyes.

She leaned toward me with a wicked smile. “You see, I knew your mother, Luna.”

I snapped to attention. “Aniu?”

Her laugh echoed around the cave, making me wince. “Yes, Aniu. She was a sweet little pup, but she should have never been born.”

“What?” I muttered.

Ice Moon bared her teeth in a sickening grin. “Her mother, Silver Snow –your grandmother– betrayed Kalim. She was supposed to be his mate, but then she ran off with this other wolf, Wildfire –your grandmother– and had pups by him, Aniu being one of them. Without your grandmother’s betrayal, I would have never become Kalim’s mate. But…Kalim didn’t deserve to be betrayed!”

I jumped at her wild cry, and started edging backward. Ice Moon saw this and seized me by the shoulder, her claws digging into my skin. As I looked into her crazy old face, for a second I thought I saw Roan leering at me, felt his nails under my skin, but then I realized this time it was Ice Moon who was attacking me.

I ripped myself away, but she clung fast again.

“Your grandmother was a traitor, and your mother was a bastard!” she cackled, “I should have killed Aniu while I had the chance! But no, she has continued her filthy bloodline, and any half-blood, bastard pup of hers deserves to have their dirty blood spilled!” Her golden eyes spun wildly.

I wrenched away from her and almost got away, but she fell upon me with such force that I was dragged down, flailing and trying to call for help. She sank her teeth into my back and watched gleefully as red bubbled up from my body. I hissed in pain and flung her off me.

I scrambled up and tore out of the cave, Ice Moon’s words ringing after me: “You carry Aniu’s blood, wench! With her blood you carry all her mistakes, her regrets, her burdens! I will never forget your grandmother’s and mother’s treachery, Luna! You deserve to die!…”

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP.

My heart and my feet beat to the same rhythm as I galloped across the clearing and out onto the tundra. I wanted to run forever.

Wind scraped down my throat and froze the dripping blood on my back, and I gasped in pain. I pounded on through the snow and wind, even though I could feel my gait slowing. My first day of pack life had been a disaster: the males were after me, the pack leader wanted to kill me, and underneath it all a rebellion was being planned. This life was no better than a life with Roan and Soran. I was tempted to think it was much worse.

I closed my eyes. The faces of Roan and Soran, Ice Moon and Jaydor, Cyan and even Kalim whirled in front of my eyes.

Icy coldness engulfed my body, and I opened my eyes to see I had fallen into the snow. Fine. Let me lie here. Who would care? Not me.

A voice drifted down the wind, but I didn’t even bother to look up when I realized who it was.

“Luna!” Crystal skidded to a halt at my side and hauled me to my feet before I could protest. “Luna, what happened? Ice Moon’s having a fit, and when I saw you run off I thought she had hurt you. Are you okay? Jaydor was a real jerk to leave you alone with her, no one can tell what she’s going to do next! Are you all right?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” I mumbled bitterly, “I’ve just been attacked by a crazy old wolf who wants me dead because of my mother’s and grandmother’s stupid