Chapter 144- The Illusion of Control

Lexy

It is the morning of the celebration, and I woke up before the sun rose. I decided to take a quick trip and visit my pups in the hideout we had set for them. My mom and mama Sheera have been taking care of them along with their assigned warriors.

Seeing them put a huge smile on my face and it made me feel ready for what today brought us. While being with my triplets they kept circling my stomach with their hands. Every time they touched my belly I felt warmth and my unborn pup moving.

I did a 5-minute meditation with them and afterwards I felt stronger and my mind clearer.

I made it back as the sun began to rise and CJ had breakfast ready on the table for us. “Sit and eat muñeca and tell me how our pups are doing” CJ said sweetly.

I took a moment to savor the comforting aroma of the freshly prepared meal and the inviting warmth of CJ’s voice. As I settled into my chair, I felt the morning light caress my skin, bringing with it a sense of renewal.

"The pups are doing well," I replied, a smile playing on my lips. "They are full of energy and, as always, curious about the world. They already seem to have a special connection with their unborn sibling."

CJ's eyes sparkled with pride. "That's wonderful to hear, muñeca. They are going to be such protective and loving older siblings."

We shared a quiet moment of contentment as we ate, the bond between us growing even stronger. Each bite was filled with CJ's love and care, fueling me for the day ahead.

Once we finished breakfast, we began to prepare for the celebration. The day promised to be filled with challenges, but also with joy and unity. As I dressed in my ceremonial attire, I felt a surge of determination. Today was not just about celebration; it was about reclaiming our peace and honoring our strength.

Hand in hand, CJ and I stepped out to join our pack, ready to face whatever the day would bring.
Adrian

The walls of Lexy’s tribe didn’t bother me. If anything, I found them amusing.

I moved through their courtyards like a silent blade—seen, but untouched. Observed, but never challenged. The warriors standing guard watched him with veiled suspicion, but no one dared confront him openly. Not here. Not now. Not with the celebration so close and all eyes turned toward diplomacy.

Let them pretend this was neutral ground. Let them cling to their illusions of unity. I knew better.

Everything here pulsed with tension, and that suited me just fine.

For the past few days, I had remained mostly in my guest quarters—luxurious by tribal standards but still modest compared to my estate. I hadn’t summoned my lieutenants. I hadn’t requested updates from my scouts. My absence from communicating to my table was deliberate. Let Lexy wonder.

I didn’t need to play their game out loud. The real battle was happening beneath the surface.

And in that, I was winning.

I stood by the window of my chamber, watching the early morning light spill over the courtyard. Members of Lexy’s tribe passed beneath me—warriors training in silent formations, elders heading to meetings, servants preparing the grounds for the celebration. Everything was polished and ordered.

How quaint.

My reflection stared back at me in the glass—sharp jawline, cool eyes, posture composed. No cracks on the surface. No signs of the storm I was planning to unleash. Even here, in enemy territory, I was entirely at ease.

And why wouldn’t I be?

Tarria was still in my possession.

I knew that Tarria wouldn’t be found in the place I set for Kael to keep her and nourish her powers by messing with her mental state.

And it thrilled me.

“She’s still in between,” I murmured to myself. “Still searching for her balance.”

That made her vulnerable.

She might feel safe around Lexy, comforted by the tribe’s loyalty—but that comfort would be worn thin. The more they tried to shelter her, the more she’d start to notice the limits they placed around her power. Lexy feared what Tarria could become. I could see it in her eyes during every council meeting. That tight-lipped restraint. That calculated politeness.

Lexy didn’t want Tarria to flourish. She wanted to *hold* her back.

That would be her mistake.

I had said little over the past days, keeping my words measured and my demeanor unreadable. When I crossed paths with Lexy, I nodded with just enough respect to keep things civil. CJ, ever the shadow at her side, watched me like a hound waiting for a misstep. But I gave him none.

I didn’t need to growl or bark. My silence was enough.

Besides, the game had already moved past the surface.

Tarria was the key, and I had already left the door half open.

I knew Kael and her dad planted the seed of what she is capable of. Sooner or later. She would follow along, or I would make sure she does.

And when she did, I would be waiting—not as her captor, but as the only one who truly believed in what she could become.

A knock came at my door. Sharp. Hesitant.

I didn’t answer.

I didn’t need messages or invitations to meaningless gatherings. Everything about this place was a performance. Smiles stretched too wide. Swords held too tight. Even their laughter felt staged. I had no interest in playing along. The celebration will come. The masks would rise. The wine would pour. And while they all toasted a new alliance, I would watch Lexy.

That was all I needed.

I walked over to the table where I’d laid out the original sketch of the prophecy. The parchment was worn, edges frayed, but the markings were unmistakable: the symbol of dual flame. Light and shadow. Phoenix and void. And the line that mattered most:

**“The one who walks both paths shall stand above them all.”**

Lexy thought she could shape Tarria into a protector.

I knew better. Tarria wasn’t meant to protect. She was meant to *change* everything.

I closed the scroll and returned it to the hidden compartment beneath the floorboard—right under the noses of the great “peacekeepers.” They had no idea I had brought it. Just like they had no idea that one of the volunteers arriving for the exchange program was my plant.

I couldn’t help smiling knowing I had Tarria in my possession and Lexy would never find her.

The celebration was the perfect setting. A place where truths were cloaked in smiles and power danced behind pleasantries. I would keep my mask on. For now.

Let them believe I was retreating.

Let them misread my quiet.

The storm wasn’t outside the walls.

It was already here.

And I—patient, calculating my—moves.