Chapter 181- Ashes Before the Storm
Lexy
The parchment slipped from my hands, its words searing themselves into my mind long after the ink left my sight.
“An attack,” I murmured, more to myself than to CJ who stood across the table, his fists braced against the wood.
“Not an attack,” he corrected grimly. “An attempt. And a failed one at that.”
His tone should have steadied me, but the pit in my stomach churned all the same. I pressed my palms flat against the table, grounding myself against the swell of emotions. Relief that the alliance pack had survived mostly unharmed. Rage that Adrian’s people had the audacity to strike when they knew we were preparing to bring the fight to them. And grief—sharp, unrelenting—for the single life lost despite everything we had done to be ready.
I closed my eyes for a moment. One casualty. One name soon to be etched into memory, carried by their family long after the dust settled. We had prepared, trained, and fortified. I had sworn to myself that no more blood would be spilled needlessly under my reign. Yet here we were.
“Tell me everything,” I said finally.
CJ handed the parchment back. “The scouts were right—Adrian’s men came in small numbers, trying to slip past the perimeter. They underestimated what the pack had done since the last battle. Walls reinforced, patrols doubled, signals sharpened. They were met at the borders, and most of them didn’t even make it past the first line of defense. Our wolves tore through them.”
My chest swelled with pride for our people, for their vigilance, but it was shadowed by the weight of loss. “And the casualty?”
“A young warrior,” CJ said quietly. His gaze softened, though his voice remained steady. “He was on rotation when the first wave broke. Took a blade meant for another. He didn’t survive.”
I inhaled sharply, holding my breath as if it might cage the pain. It didn’t. I let it out slowly, forcing myself to stand taller. My people looked to me for strength, for vision, for hope. I couldn’t let them see me falter now, even if inside my heart was bleeding for the boy whose life had been stolen.
“They’ll call this a failure,” I said, my voice sharper than intended. “Adrian’s men failed to breach, failed to take more lives. But even one is too many.”
CJ circled the table, his hand brushing mine in quiet reassurance. “It could have been worse, Lexy. Much worse. Because of the measures you demanded, the pack was ready. They knew what to expect. They fought like the alliance we’ve worked so hard to build.”
I met his eyes. Strong, steady, unwavering. He believed in me, even when I doubted myself. And he was right—our preparations had worked. Without them, the casualty count would have been higher. Adrian’s strike might have been a massacre instead of a blunder.
Still, the thought of Adrian sent a fire rippling through me. He had tested our defenses once, probing for weakness. He would not stop there. He was daring me, pushing me, reminding me that the longer we waited, the bolder he would grow.
No more.
I straightened, pulling the parchment closer to the maps spread across the table. My gaze locked onto the marked ridge where Tarria had found his encampment, the glowing crates, the growing threat. Every report, every whisper pointed to the same truth: Adrian was not only gathering strength—he was desperate. And desperation made him dangerous.
“We move forward,” I said firmly.
CJ nodded. “Then we gather the alliance.”
The council filled the room quickly, summoned once again by urgent word. Faces I had come to know—some weathered by decades of war, others young but hardened by necessity—sat around the fire, their expressions a blend of curiosity and dread.
I rose before them, the weight of leadership pressing heavily on my shoulders. Yet the fire inside me burned brighter than the doubt.
“Adrian struck,” I began. The murmurs rose instantly, but I raised my hand for silence. “He struck, and he failed. One of our packs stood ready, prepared by the measures we have all agreed upon. They fought back and held strong. Adrian’s men were scattered.”
Relief flickered across the room, but I did not let it linger. “But we paid for that strength with one life. A young warrior fell. His sacrifice saved another, and his courage must never be forgotten. We will honor him.”
A solemn murmur of agreement rippled through the leaders. I let the moment hang, giving weight to the grief before pressing forward.
“This attempt proves what we already knew. Adrian is not licking his wounds. He is testing us. Probing. Looking for weakness. And he will not stop until he believes he has found it.”
I gestured to the map spread across the table, the northern ridge circled in red. “We can no longer afford to wait. He has chosen his ground, built his camp, gathered his supplies. But while he thinks himself hidden, we have eyes and knowledge. Thanks to Tarria’s scouting, we know where he stands. And thanks to this failed attack, we know he is not ready for a full war—not yet.”
The leaders leaned closer, their gazes sharp. I felt their fear, their hunger for direction, for hope.
“Our plan to invade Adrian’s territory begins now,” I declared. “We will not march blindly into his stronghold. Instead, we will split into two forces. The first, a strike team led by myself and CJ, will infiltrate the ridge and destroy his supplies. The glowing crates, the weapons, the heart of his preparations—we will reduce them to ashes before he can wield them against us. The second force will remain behind, guarding our people and our alliance packs. If Adrian retaliates, he will meet walls stronger than ever before.”
A younger leader frowned. “And what if it’s a trap? What if he expects us?”
I met his doubt with steel. “Then we face him head-on, together. But I will not allow him to keep growing stronger while we sit and wonder. Every day we delay gives him another chance to strike. Tonight’s failed attack is proof enough of that.”
CJ stepped forward, his voice booming. “We’ve trained for this. We’ve bled for this. Lexy and I will lead, but it is the unity of this alliance that will end Adrian’s reign of terror. Each of you has a part to play. Each of you has warriors who stand ready.”
The firelight flickered across determined faces. Some are still hesitant, but none unwilling. Slowly, one by one, they nodded.
I exhaled softly, the weight in my chest easing just slightly. We had direction. We had resolve.
“Then it is decided,” I said. “We march soon. Adrian dared to test us. He will not make that mistake again.”
When the council dispersed, leaving only the glow of embers behind, I sank onto the bench beside CJ. For a moment, I allowed the mask to slip, letting him see the grief still etched into my heart.
“One life,” I whispered. “And I still feel as if I’ve failed.”
He took my hand, warm and steady. “You didn’t fail. You saved countless others by preparing them. You can’t carry every death as your own, Lexy.”
But I could. I always would.
I squeezed his hand, lifting my chin. “Then I’ll carry it into battle. For him. For all of them. Until Adrian and Kael are nothing but ashes.”
The fire crackled, spitting sparks into the darkness. Tomorrow, the invasion will begin.
And I would not falter.
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