CHAPTER 121: THE COUNCIL’S CHAMBER.

Twelve hours. That’s how long it would take to reach the Moonblood Council’s hidden location upstate. Twelve hours of exposure, of vulnerability, of hoping Maren’s enforcers hadn’t anticipated this move.

Angela stared out the window. Her reflection in the glass showed the damage from the textile mill fight, her bruised cheek turning purple, split lip, eyes hollow with exhaustion and fear.

"You should rest," Marcus said from the seat across from her. He’d cleaned the blood from his face, but his shirt was torn and she could see claw marks across his shoulder through the fabric. "We won’t arrive until evening."

"I can’t," Angela said quietly. "Every time I close my eyes, I see that enforcer coming at me. I see Jonathan standing there watching, satisfied that his trap worked."

Marcus was silent for a moment, then pulled out his phone. "Three of my people made it out of the mill. Two are in critical condition but alive. One..." He paused. "Cara didn’t make it. She was the one who tackled the enforcer off you."

Angela’s throat tightened. "I didn’t even know her name until now."

"She was Carla’s friend. They trained together before the war started." Marcus’s voice was rough with grief. "She volunteered for today specifically because she wanted to protect Carla’s sister. She knew the risks."

"I’m sorry," Angela whispered, though the words felt inadequate.

"Don’t be sorry. Be ready." Marcus leaned forward, his expression intense. "The Council is going to question everything. Your evidence, your story, your connection to Bella. They’re cautious to the point of paranoia because that’s how they’ve survived this long. You need to be prepared to defend every detail."

Angela pulled the USB drive from her pocket, turning it over in her fingers. "What if they don’t believe me? What if they think this is Maren’s trick, that I’m somehow compromised?"

"Then I’ll vouch for you. My word carries weight with the Council." Marcus’s jaw tightened. "But Angela, you need to understand something. Even if they believe you, even if they mobilize immediately, storming Whitethorn Academy will cost lives. Many lives. The Council won’t commit to that lightly."

"Bella’s life is worth it," Angela said fiercely.

"I agree. But the Council will weigh one Moonblood against the potential casualties of open warfare with Maren’s forces. They’ll want to know if there’s another way, a surgical extraction instead of full assault."

Angela looked down at the USB drive. "Then we convince them there isn’t. We show them what Maren’s planning, the ritual, the chamber, everything. We make them understand that if Bella dies, it’s not just one life lost, it’s Maren gaining unlimited power."

The train lurched slightly as it took a curve, and Angela gripped the armrest. Marcus’s phone buzzed. He checked it, his expression darkening. "Message from one of my scouts at Whitethorn. Maren called an emergency assembly this morning. All students and faculty required to attend."

"What for?"

"Unknown. But the timing is suspicious, right after the textile mill ambush." Marcus typed a response. "She might be tightening security, or she might be making a move on Bella."

Angela’s heart seized. "Can your scout protect her?"

"My scout is a janitor who can’t shift and has no combat training. He’s there to observe and report, nothing more." Marcus’s voice was grim. "If Maren decides to act against Bella directly, there’s nothing he can do to stop it."

"Then we need to move faster." Angela stood, pacing the small compartment. "Is there any way to get to the Council sooner? A car, a plane, anything?"

"A car would take the same time and leave us more exposed on the roads. A plane requires going through airports with security that Maren likely has people watching." Marcus shook his head. "The train is our best option. We’re anonymous here, just two more passengers in a crowd."

Angela wanted to argue, to demand they do something, but she knew he was right. She sat back down heavily, her body aching from the fight and the tension. "Tell me about the Council. What should I expect?"

Marcus considered for a moment. "There are seven members, the survivors of the oldest Moonblood families. They meet in a location that changes regularly, right now it’s an old estate upstate that belonged to one of their ancestors. Security is intense, you’ll be searched, questioned separately from me, probably tested to ensure you’re human and not some shapeshifter trick."

"Tested how?"

"Some methods I don’t fully understand. The Council has resources most Moonbloods don’t, ancient knowledge preserved from before the purges." He pulled out a small vial from his jacket. "They’ll also verify the evidence on your USB drive before they even look at it, scanning for viruses or tracking software."

Angela nodded slowly, trying to absorb it all. "And if they believe everything, if they agree Bella needs to be rescued, how long before they can mobilize?"

"Optimistically? Three days to gather forces and plan the assault. Realistically? A week, maybe more." Marcus’s expression was apologetic. "The Moonblood resistance is scattered, Angela. We’re not an army with standing troops. We’re survivors in hiding who need time to coordinate."

"Bella doesn’t have a week," Angela said flatly. "She has three weeks until her birthday, and Maren’s already accelerating. Those counseling sessions, whatever Maren’s doing to her during those, it’s preparation for the ritual."

"I know." Marcus’s phone buzzed again. He checked it, then swore under his breath. "My scout just sent photos from the assembly."

He turned the phone so Angela could see. The image showed a large auditorium filled with students. On stage stood Maren, imposing and elegant, with Mallory Woods beside her and three other figures Angela didn’t recognize.

Marcus swiped to the next photo, and Angela’s blood ran cold. It was a close-up of four boys sitting in the third row, Cassian, Rafe, Luca, and someone else she didn’t recognize but assumed was the fourth member of Bella’s protective group.

"They’re marking them," Marcus said quietly.

The third photo showed Bella herself, sitting alone several rows back, her expression carefully neutral but her hands clenched in her lap. Even in the grainy photo, Angela could see the white marks on Bella’s arms, partially visible beneath her sleeves.

"She looks so isolated," Angela whispered.

"She is. Maren’s been systematically separating her from anyone who might help." Marcus closed the photos. "Which is why the Council needs to act quickly. But I won’t lie to you, Angela, getting seven cautious, paranoid survivors to agree on rapid military action is hard as hell and dangerous."

The train pulled into another station, Angela watched through the window as passengers disembarked and boarded. Normal people living normal lives, completely unaware of the supernatural war happening around them.

"What happens if the Council says no?" Angela asked quietly. "If they decide Bella isn’t worth the risk?"

Marcus met her gaze steadily. "Then we go in anyway. You, me, and whatever allies I can scrape together on short notice. It’ll be a suicide mission, and we’ll probably all die, but we go."

Angela felt tears burning her eyes, the first she’d allowed since the textile mill. "Why? Why would you risk everything for a girl you’ve never even met?"

"Because I promised Carla I’d protect her family if anything happened." Marcus’s voice was rough with emotion. "Your sister saved my life twice during the first purges. She could have run, could have saved herself, but she stayed and fought so others could escape. I owe her a debt I can never fully repay. Protecting Bella, protecting you, it’s the least I can do."

Angela wiped her eyes, wincing as her hand brushed the bruise on her cheek. "Carla never told me about any of this. I didn’t even know werewolves existed until a few weeks ago."

"She was protecting you. Keeping you ignorant kept you safe." Marcus looked out the window. "But that safety was always temporary. Maren’s been hunting every connection to the Moonblood bloodlines, and eventually she would have come for you just for being Carla’s sister."

The train picked up speed, leaving the station behind. Six hours left until they reached the Council’s location. Six hours of waiting, hoping Maren didn’t make her move on Bella before they could organize a defense.

Angela’s phone buzzed, making her jump. A text from an unknown number: Aunt Angela, are you okay? I heard something happened this morning. Please respond so I know you’re safe. —B

Angela stared at the message, her heart racing. "Marcus, look at this. How would Bella even know about the textile mill?"

Marcus took the phone, studying the message carefully. "She wouldn’t. Unless..." His expression darkened. "Unless this isn’t Bella. It’s Maren or one of her people, fishing to see if you survived the ambush."

"Exactly. I think so too. Bella stopped texting me a long time ago. Something about them not being able to use their phones in that God forsaken school. Should I respond?"

"No. Any response confirms you’re alive and gives them data to potentially track your location." Marcus deleted the message. "From now until we reach the Council, you’re silent. No calls, no texts, nothing that could compromise our position."

Angela nodded, Marcus was right, they couldn’t risk it.

The train rattled on through the afternoon, and Angela finally allowed herself to close her eyes to sleep. She needed to be alert to prepare for the argument she’d need to make seven Moonblood survivors believe that saving one girl was worth the risk.

And if the Council said no, if they refused to help, then Angela would do what Carla would have done. She’d fight anyway, even if it killed her.