Chapter 136

Kenzo clasped my hand and guided me to the seat he had chosen for me on his left, of course. As expected, Beta Ronan occupied the seat to his right. With a gentleman’s grace, Kenzo pulled out the chair for me, his smile warm, his gestures effortlessly smooth. Yet, his kindness toward me had an unintended consequence—a sharp, icy wave of hostility came crashing from across the table, where she sat.

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to ignore the irritation curling in my gut, but the golden-eyed woman in front of me looked as though she was bracing for a fight. Her simmering fury was both blatant and senseless.

Turning away from the glare of her silent challenge, my gaze landed on two unoccupied seats. I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Ronan’s eyes were locked on the same spots, his expression shadowed with concern and growing impatience. Someone was late.

Kenzo checked his watch, inhaled deeply, and then said, “We’ll wait.” His words were directed at Ronan, but his voice carried across the table. “In the meantime, I’ll introduce Thalassa.”

The moment my name left his lips, the golden-eyed woman shot to her feet, slamming her palms flat against the table.

“What is she doing here?!” she snapped, jabbing a finger at me as if my mere presence was an insult.

“Bopha, sit down,” Beta Ronan thundered.

Kenzo’s gaze darkened, his eyes smoldering with a silent but unmistakable warning. The sudden shift in his demeanor made Bopha shrink back, and after a brief, stiff hesitation, she dropped back into her chair.

“This is Thalassa,” Kenzo continued, his voice edged with unwavering authority. “Daughter of Alpha Cassius Marwood and Alpha Calliope Drayton. She was born human, but don’t let that fool you—her alpha blood makes her a formidable fighter.”

Bopha scoffed at that, her lips curling with open skepticism. It wasn’t surprising. From the way she had reacted to me, it was clear that her problem wasn’t just with what I was—but with me existing at all.

Kenzo, however, didn’t grant her the satisfaction of a response. Instead, he intertwined his fingers with mine and placed our joined hands on the table for all to see. My stomach tightened. I shot him a sharp look, attempting to slip my hand free, but he only clicked his tongue and tightened his grip. Resisting him was pointless. I gave up.

Across from us, Bopha stiffened. Her face twisted, and for the first time, something raw and painful flickered in her golden eyes. The intensity of her reaction sent a quiet warning through me. Who was she to Kenzo?

Gamma Alistair, seated beside Bopha, noticed it too. He immediately leaned forward, offering me an awkward smile as if trying to shield her from my scrutiny. But Kenzo? He remained impassive, seemingly indifferent to the agony written across her face.

“Thalassa will be joining our quest,” Kenzo announced, his smirk tinged with pride. “I’ve personally tested her abilities, and I have no doubt she will be an invaluable asset.”

No one at the table dared to challenge his decision. A few silent nods followed, signaling their reluctant acceptance.

Bopha lowered her gaze, her shoulders slumping as if in surrender. For a fleeting second, I felt sorry for her—until she snapped her head back up, her mask of grief shattering, replaced by a glare dripping with spite. The jealousy in her eyes was blinding.

Seriously?

Before I could dwell on it further, the door swung open.

Icarus entered, followed closely by his second-in-command, Leander. Both men approached Kenzo, nodding respectfully before Icarus spoke.

“We apologize for our delay,” he said. “An unexpected situation arose in vampire territory.”

Kenzo barely hesitated. “Fine. Sit.”

As they took their seats, Icarus spared me a brief nod—one that carried the weight of barely concealed unease. I studied his face, catching the subtle tremors of restrained anger. It wasn’t directed at anyone in this room. Something had happened. Something bad. Anxiety coiled tight in my chest as my thoughts turned to Freya and Varen. Were they safe? But I forced my concern aside. The meeting came first.

Kenzo shifted his focus to Alistair. “Report.”

Alistair’s jaw tensed. “The Southern Moon Pack has conquered seventeen packs in total. The weaker ones were either enslaved or slaughtered, while the stronger ones were absorbed into Marwood’s army. Their expansion is accelerating, and they’re becoming more reckless. Two days ago, they attacked the Blood Sea Pack—a pack we had previously offered protection to, but they refused. The Southern Moon Pack didn’t engage their warriors. Instead, they targeted the town, luring the fighters away with false intelligence before launching a full-scale massacre. By the time the warriors realized the deception and returned, it was too late. The town had surrendered, and the Southern Moon Pack executed everyone.” His voice turned thick with disgust. “Even the children.”

My stomach twisted violently.

A sickening silence settled over the room, pressing against my ribs like a weight I couldn’t shake.

I swallowed hard, forcing the bile down my throat.

“Cowards,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

I already had enough reasons to hate my father, but this? This was beyond power-hunger. It wasn’t just about dominance. He reveled in destruction. He found pleasure in the blood of the defenseless.

And for that, he deserved to die.

Around the table, restrained fury simmered. Kenzo’s pupils burned with restrained wrath, but he remained composed, even as murmurs of outrage stirred among the war council. Their blood was boiling.

Alistair finally took his seat, his fists clenched.

Kenzo turned to Ronan. “How are the preparations?”

“We can leave in two days, Alpha,” Ronan responded without hesitation.

Kenzo nodded once before shifting his gaze to Icarus. “Commander Kroos?”

Icarus met his stare head-on. “The Royal Army is ready to depart as early as tomorrow.”

Alpha Kenzo gave a firm nod, acknowledging the responses. "We leave at dawn the day after tomorrow," he declared, straightening in his seat. "The attack will begin from the east—Dark Valley Pack territory. They are the strongest allies of the Southern Moon Pack. Once we take them down, the remaining packs on our path to Crimsonville will either submit or remain neutral, allowing us passage through their lands."

His words carried the weight of an unquestionable leader—unyielding, decisive. There wasn’t a trace of hesitation in his voice, nor did he leave room for doubt. His presence alone demanded absolute obedience. But what unsettled me more than the strategic discussion was the way he held my hand, his grip unwavering, firm yet not forceful. No one at the table seemed to pay it any attention—except for me, the one who could feel the energy coursing through his palm.

It was then that I realized something peculiar. It felt as though he was drawing strength from my touch, as if my presence grounded him in some way. The moment that realization struck, I stopped trying to pull away. There was something unexpectedly comforting about it—about being needed.

Kenzo continued discussing strategy with the council, detailing the plan with the precision of someone who had lived and breathed war. Icarus soon joined in, offering tactical suggestions that were accepted without hesitation. Meanwhile, I remained silent, focused on absorbing every detail, committing each move to memory.

When it came time to divide the forces, Kenzo assigned warriors and Royal Army legions into smaller, strategically placed groups to avoid detection. The plan was to strike from multiple directions at once. Unsurprisingly, I was placed in Kenzo’s unit—though, much to my dismay, so was Bopha. It was clear neither of us was thrilled by this arrangement, and I had no doubt she would find new ways to make her distaste for me known.

Still, I resolved to ignore her, at least until she gave me a reason not to.

By the time the meeting finally adjourned, my mind was overloaded with information, and hunger clawed at my stomach. If not for the coffee I had downed during the discussion, I might have collapsed from sheer exhaustion. The only other thing keeping me awake had been Bopha’s constant glares—her silent hostility just sharp enough to keep my pulse from slowing.

Even so, fatigue pressed down on me like a heavy blanket, and I longed for nothing more than the solace of sleep. But there was still one more thing I needed to do.

"Icarus!" I called out as I spotted him heading toward the army camp.

He halted, turning as I jogged to meet him. There was something dark in his expression—something that made the unease in my chest tighten.

"What happened? Is the palace safe?" I asked, my mind instantly going to Freya and Varen.

"The palace is fine," he assured me with a sigh.

"But?"

He hesitated, then stepped closer, lowering his voice. "It’s war now, Thalassa. The rest of the Royal Army has been mobilized, along with every other vampire family's forces. They're all preparing for battle."

My breath hitched. "W-what? A war against who?"

Icarus glanced around, then leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Meet me on the training grounds after sundown. I’d rather not discuss this here."

His secrecy only made my anxiety spike, but I nodded. We agreed to meet at nine, near his tent on the west side of the grounds. As soon as we set the time, a loud growl from my stomach reminded me of my more immediate concern—food.

Thankfully, Kenzo was still occupied with last-minute discussions, allowing me a chance to slip away unnoticed. The moment I stepped inside the mansion, the rich, mouthwatering scent of a freshly prepared meal greeted me.

"Dinner's already in your room, hon," a warm voice chimed as an elderly woman passed by.

"Thank you!" I called after her, nearly ready to cry from relief. "Wait—um…" I hesitated, realizing I didn't even know her name.

She chuckled. "Everyone calls me Grandma Acacia, so you can too."

I grinned. "Thank you, Grandma Acacia!"

Without wasting another second, I bolted up the stairs, the tantalizing aroma guiding me like a beacon. But the moment I reached my room, every instinct screamed at me to stop.

The door swung open, but I didn’t rush toward the meal waiting on my table. Instead, my gaze swept the space, my senses sharpening. Something was off.

The balcony window.

I was sure I had left it closed. Now, it stood slightly ajar, a faint draft whispering into the room. A scent lingered in the air—faint, unfamiliar, yet carrying a power that made my skin prickle with unease.

My breath hitched as my eyes landed on my bed.

A small card lay on my pillow.

Swallowing hard, I stepped closer and picked it up.

The front was blank, save for a handwritten note.

"You never cease to amaze me, Thalassa. With each passing moment, my excitement grows. I can’t wait to meet you."

My heartbeat pounded in my ears, blood rushing like a roaring river. Then, with a sinking feeling, I turned the card over.

"Yours, EH."

A shudder rippled through me.

Whoever they were, they had been in my room. And they wanted me to know it.