EDIT: Entirely new section was added at the end! It felt incomplete without showing some of the battle and how it went down.

Seeing Lyam bruised and battered, barely regaining consciousness tugged at every protective instinct within Maddox. Next to him is their ma, smoothing his hair back with one hand while wiping the blood off of his face. The pack doctor must have come in and reset his nose because the dressing is new and clean. His eyes flutter and look around before they land on Maddox and begin to water. Striding over, he rests his hand on his little brother's arm, needing to reassure him that he is there.

"I-I'm so so sorry. The ulfhednar-I couldn't" Lyam sobs, his words broken and the air feels like it was just sucked out of the room. Fia comforts Lyam, giving him pain medication and instructing him to sleep. Maddox is consciously keeping a rein on his emotions when he sees Elsie and Ulrik out of the corner of his eyes, whispering hurriedly to each other while she types rapidly on her phone and he has had enough.

"That is it. I'm done bein' fucking patient. Johansen's! What the hell do you know? I've let you keep your secrets long enough but it is MY MATE who was just taken and you're withholding information. So start fucking talking or so help me" Maddox growls, voice filled with full Alpha authority. He doesn't give a shit how irritated Elsie looks, this has gone on too damn long and heads are about to roll if he doesn't get what he asked for.

The couple shares a look and Elsie looks resistant but Ulrik simply whispers to her "It's time. We'll need the help. We failed by keeping quiet too long already." That seems to take the wind out of Elsie's sails who nods and gestures for Ulrik to go ahead and start talking.

"There are multiple layers so I ask that you are all patient and bear with me. It is all relevant, I assure you. At the heart of it all is the pendant that Amara and Carter both wear" that definitely gets everyone's attention and Carter is visibly willing himself to stay quiet as Ulrik continues "The symbol on that pendant was meant to be a forgotten one. It was once the emblem of our race but with time it was replaced. It was removed from our history and meant to be special. It is supposed to be used solely by the King and his children. It is a mark of their heritage that has not been publicly used for centuries. Unless you were in the King's inner circle, odds are you would never see it or know of its existence.

"No one knows this but, I was the last Kings head Enforcer. King Isaac Cann, the warrior King of the wolf shifter race. I considered him a brother and he thought of me as the same. When the war with the ulfhednar and their rogue faction came to a head, the King sent his young children off. His oldest was a boy named Carter and his youngest was a beautiful little girl named Amara, born the very night they had to flee."

Elsie squeezes Ulrik's hand in support and he clears his throat "The boy was sent off with Silas, the King's top advisor as well as the third mate in their triad bond. Somewhere along the way, Carter had to continue on his own so Silas could fight and buy the boy some time to get to safety. At some point, he ends up injured with no memories but his name and the pendant around his neck. You know his history after that. Amara was trusted to Amara and me. We raised her as nomads hoping to fly under the radar of any of the surviving faction.

"The king managed to kill off their Alpha and it was ultimately deemed a win for us but the King and his wife along with countless other shifters were still dead and any of the surviving ulfhednar could still go after Amara or Carter, especially since Amara was destined to be born Gifted. They wanted to seize power and getting to either of them would help them achieve it. It was agreed that it would be safer for Carter to remain with Onyx Moon once we tracked him down, while Elsie, Amara, and I would constantly travel.

"Silas and Danso, the King's brother, were made to promise they would not contact either one for fear of their safety. Especially considering it was a traitor within the King's ranks who let the ulfhednar in when our guards were down due to the impending birth. We had to join Onyx Moon because we knew something was brewing, not just because Maddox is Amara's mate. Having her and Carter in one place made it easier for us to keep an eye on both while following leads.

"Amara's gift had also begun to awaken, showing her visions of what is, was, and will be. She can't control them yet but possessing her would give either side an unbelievable advantage. Apart from loving her, the safety of our race also rested on our ability to keep out of their hands. We were hoping to stop things before any of this had to be revealed. It was foolish and has only caused additional issues. While away, we were tracking one of the ulfhednar to their home base. We don't know if that is where they will take her but our best bet would be a full-scale attack."

The silence at that moment was nearly deafening and Maddox's mind was running a million miles per hour, forming and discarding possible plans. Carter didn't know what to feel. Pissed, at having all of this hidden from him. Relieved at finally having answers to his past. Devastated at learning he has a little sister only for her to be kidnapped and her life in danger, he could lose her before even getting to connect.

"I'm sure we all still have questions but there will be time for that after. Min, Carter, get the forces ready. Elsie and Ulrik, coordinate with them and divulge any intel that could give us an advantage. We go in hard, no mercy. We end this shit, cut them off at the head. This will not be a repeat, there will be no survivors to try to put the pieces back together. I want them fucking obliterated" Maddox's command is final, spurring everyone into action.

In the best-case scenario, Amara is at their home base but unharmed and they can retrieve her but either way, the threat to his mate and pack brother can not be left alone. Maddox has to trust in Amara's wits and strength. She will have fought, he knows it because that is the woman he fell in love with. For now, battle plans need to be made.

Taking the ulfhednar's home base would require the element of surprise. They need to hit them fast and hard before they can have any chance to get their bearings and put together a cohesive counterattack. A small group of experienced Enforcers organized by Kane is left behind to guard the pack while the rest of Onyx Moon's fighting force is split up into five groups. Maddox, Carter, Ulrik, and Elsie each lead a squad while Min mans a three-man stealth team that infiltrates the compound and relays back the weakest entry points and the positions of any guards.

Maddox is barely keeping himself from going feral. The fight will be brutal and bloody which is what he needs. His wolf needs him to punish the vermin that would dare hurt his mate. Those fuckers will regret the day they decided to go after what is his. Min still has not found any sign of Amara and Maddox hasn't picked up her scent or presence. He wants to rage but this has to come first.

When everyone is in position, they flood in, completely silent. They tear through and take down the enemy mercilessly, spurred on by the need to deliver swift justice. When the alarm signaling an attack finally sounds, their forces have already been greatly diminished. Maddox is effortlessly switching between his wolf and human form to take down his opponents viciously. No one is a match for the rage-fueled Alpha. He moves like a predator and any who cross his path instantly realize they don't stand a chance.

Maddox hardly registers the blood, sweat, and mud covering his body. He catches a glimpse of Elsie, blades flying as she somersaults over one combatant, slicing into its flank while delivering a downward kick to another. Ulrik is in wolf form ripping a chunk out of someone's neck while Carter seems to be protecting a group of shifters that the ulfhednar must have been keeping hostage.

By the time the battle had ended, Maddox wasn't sure if he had been fighting for seconds or hours. He had lost himself in the midst of it fueled by his desperation to have Amara by his side once again. Carter's strong grip on his arm helps the Alpha center himself once again so he can assess the damage. His pack was mostly intact with minimal casualties, the wounded being treated by a couple of their combat medics. A few of the ulfhednar got away but the rest were taken down or tied up. It is a victory but a hollow one as their Luna is still nowhere in sight.

In the post-chaos stillness, the ringing of a cell phone cuts through as if it were a blaring alarm. Maddox makes eye contact with Elsie as she pulls it out of a secure pocket and answers. Everyone watches with bated breath hoping for some kind of news that will lead them to Amara. Maddox silently prays, ready to bargain every last thing he possesses if it gets him his mate back in his arms.