Matthew's POV
As the last light of dusk faded, the desert sky abruptly darkened, as though night itself rushed in from every corner to consume the remaining daylight.
Looking up, I saw the moon suspended in the sky, its faint, cold glow spilling across the desert.
It dawned on me—Deborah was summoning the moonlight for us!
I felt a jolt of surprise. When had Deborah's magic become so advanced?
She could actually manipulate the sky, summoning the moonlight to aid our transformation and battle against the swarm of giant scorpions.
Sensing her intent, we didn't hesitate; we began transforming immediately.
After the painful transformation we had endured last full moon, this one came more easily; we could even run while shifting, with our strength and speed increasing as we changed form.
Once the transformation was complete, the five of us turned to face the relentless swarm of giant scorpions and charged.
We moved in perfect coordination, weaving through their ranks, each of us targeting their massive pincers and snapping them off with a single bite.
Our attacks were quick, precise, and deadly.
But despite our efforts, the scorpions kept coming, countless as the waves, seemingly endless.
Then, suddenly, Deborah appeared among us—she had teleported right into the heart of the battle!
Without missing a beat, she cast a fire spell, flames bursting forth and consuming the scorpions around her. The scorpions scurried in every direction, clearly terrified of the flames.
But the fire alone wasn't enough to hold them back completely.
In the midst of the darkness, she stood with her arms raised, as if commanding the very elements to bend to her will. Her voice pierced the silent desert—"Tempestas!"
She pointed to the sky, and thick, roiling clouds gathered above us, layered and heavy, bearing down with an almost suffocating weight, as if they could crush the entire sky.
Bolts of lightning tore through the clouds, illuminating the desert. Thunder boomed, shaking the earth, filling the air with the acrid smell of charred air and an electrifying energy.
She turned to us and shouted, "Get to the fire circle! I set a barrier there!"
John, Alex, Jac, and Jim bolted toward the fire circle, where Deborah's protective shield encircled a young boy.
But I couldn't bring myself to leave her. How could I let her face this swarm of monsters alone?
Deborah caught my hesitation and shouted again, "Go! Don't worry about me! I'll teleport back!"
Reluctantly, I turned and ran to the fire circle, fighting against the pull in my heart, knowing I'd only be a hindrance to her if I stayed by her side.
The moment I stepped into the fire circle, I felt the protective barrier envelop us.
Once again, I was taken aback by her power. Deborah's magic had indeed grown, far beyond anything I'd imagined.
Lightning struck one after another, flashing so brightly it hurt to keep my eyes open, while the thunder crashed so loudly it echoed in my chest.
I watched Deborah in awe.
She stood at the heart of the storm, a master of lightning, radiating an aura of strength so powerful it was as though the entire force of the heavens responded to her will.
With each incantation, each flash of lightning struck with precision, hitting the ground and engulfing the scorpions, filling the air with the sickening smell of scorched flesh.
As lightning illuminated the sand, it felt like daylight; the scorpions' shadows writhed on the ground, twitching as they succumbed to the electric onslaught, before collapsing in silence.
The sound of the wind and thunder seemed to disappear, leaving only the furious roar of the storm.
I was completely absorbed by the spectacle before me, feeling as though I could sense the raw power of every bolt, each peal of thunder crashing through my soul.
In that moment, as I watched Deborah, a surge of reverence and admiration overwhelmed me.
She was so powerful, so fearless, like a deity descended upon this wasteland, wielding her will against all odds.
And she simply stood there, breathing steadily, her gaze resolute, showing no sign of retreat.
Beside me, the young boy was clapping his hands and cheering wildly, his eyes fixed on Deborah with undisguised awe.
He shouted, "Debbie's the best!"
Debbie? Did he just call her "Debbie"?
A sharp pang of jealousy hit me, bitter and fierce, making it hard to keep my composure.
This kid had the nerve to call her that, while I'd never dared to be so familiar. His smug grin only fueled the jealousy searing through me.
I knew, deep down, that the werewolf blood in me amplified my emotions, turning something as simple as a nickname into a trigger that nearly set my heart ablaze with envy.
I could barely control the surge of jealousy.
The fallen scorpions began to stir, twitching as if not entirely defeated, despite the relentless lightning strikes.
Finally, they seemed to hesitate, slowly retreating.
Thank goodness, they were retreating!
As the last scorpion vanished into the darkness, Deborah staggered and collapsed to the ground.
In that instant, the sky cleared, the moon shone peacefully, and both the fire circle and the protective barrier faded.
I rushed over to her, only to realize that I was still in my wolf form.
My companions and I dashed to our packs, shifting back into human form, and hastily pulled on our pants.
The one drawback of the transformation—no exceptions.
Returning to Deborah's side, I saw the boy kneeling beside her, gently holding her, his arms wrapped around her with a tenderness that churned my stomach.
He leaned down, his gaze focused and soft, his fingers lightly brushing her hair, as if afraid of hurting her, his expression almost reverent.
In that instant, a fierce anger surged up from deep within me, impossible to control.
It was as if a fire blazed in my chest, burning so hot it made my whole body heat up.
Why him?
Why did he get to touch her so freely, while I was left standing there, forced to watch?
The anger was like a sharp blade, driving me forward. Without hesitation, I stepped in, reaching out to shove him aside.
He stumbled back, falling to the ground and looking up at me in shock and anger, his eyes full of confusion.
But I didn't care.
All I could think of was getting Deborah out of his arms and back into mine.
Carefully, I gathered Deborah into my arms, holding her close and feeling her cold skin against me.
Her face was pale, clearly exhausted from the toll her magic had taken on her.
I looked down at her, my arms instinctively tightening around her, as if only by holding her this close I could calm the fire raging within me.
In that moment, nothing else mattered.
"Are you out of your mind?" the boy glared at me.
"She's my Luna," I replied coldly.
"Luna? What Luna? Her name is Deborah!" he protested, clearly bewildered.
Clenching my jaw, I asked, "You know her name is Deborah, so why are you calling her Debbie?"
The boy shrugged dismissively. "What's it to you? She's my savior; I'll follow her for life!"
It was only then that I noticed his eyes—they were golden, too.
A young werewolf, clearly unaware of what the bond between an Alpha and a Luna meant.
"You're a werewolf?" I asked.
He lifted his chin defiantly. "Yeah, so? Are you the only ones who get to be werewolves?"
"Are you eighteen?" I questioned.
The boy rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. "Who are you, and why should I tell you?"
I gave him a cool look. "I'm Deborah's Alpha."
The boy frowned, unimpressed. "Don't care, don't want to know."
Just then, John cut in, "It means they're a couple, so maybe stay out of it."
The boy narrowed his eyes at me, an edge of disdain in his gaze. "A couple? And yet you left her to find the underground cities alone?"
His words were like knives twisting in my chest.
So, Deborah really was searching for the other underground cities.
The boy continued, "I don't see her as anyone's Alpha or Luna. She has no ties to anyone. She told me she'd take me on a journey to find the remaining cities and free all the humans and werewolves still trapped."
Hearing this, my heart thudded with realization. Deborah was indeed on a quest to uncover the fate of those imprisoned below, including the enslaved werewolves.
I pulled her closer, gently pressing a kiss to her cold forehead.
Her face was pale, her energy completely spent.
The boy glared at me, indignant. "Hey! What do you think you're doing, kissing her? She's passed out, and now you're claiming whatever you want? Maybe she doesn't even know you; maybe you're just taken with her looks, acting all possessive!"
Alex scoffed, casting the boy a sidelong glance. "Kid, sounds like you're the one taken with her looks."
Swallowing my irritation, I turned to Jac. "Start a fire. Let's warm up."