Chapter 137

I stared at the note, my heart pounding against my ribs. There was no question—it was the same handwriting as the notes left for Selene. My hands trembled, my throat constricting as if an unseen force had wrapped its fingers around my neck, squeezing tight. A cold shiver ran down my spine as I bolted toward the balcony, peering through the window. Nothing.

Whoever had done this was long gone. I suspected as much, but I had to check.

Wrapping my arms around myself, I tried to hold my unraveling composure together. The sense of vulnerability was suffocating. Someone had been watching me. How much had they seen? How deeply had they studied me? Had they lurked in the shadows nearby, unseen, unnoticed? Or were they still close, their eyes tracing my every move even now?

Whoever it was, they had to be someone with access to the pack’s territory. That much was certain. But considering the sinister tone of EH’s notes to Selene, I doubted he was the type to blend in seamlessly as just another pack member. No, it was more likely that he had a spy among us—someone feeding him information.

That realization twisted the situation into something even more terrifying. Anyone could be EH’s informant. Beta Ronan. Doctor Hazel. Saleswoman Charlotte. Even… Grandma Acacia.

No. Not her.

She was the only one I could cross off the list, though the mere thought of having so many potential suspects made my head spin. Who could I trust? The only thing I knew for sure was that EH was targeting vampires—specifically Hadrian, their king. Beyond that, he was a complete enigma. I had assumed his interest in me stemmed solely from my connection to Hadrian, but if that were true, there would be no reason for him to keep watching me now that I was living with the Blue Moon Pack. And yet, the note proved otherwise.

A shudder ran through me.

What did this man want from me?

Why did he insist on meeting me?

Who the hell was he?

There was only one person I could confide in—one person I trusted enough to share this with. Icarus. As for Kenzo… I hesitated. I wasn’t convinced he was involved, but after what had happened between us that morning, I wasn’t ready to face him yet. I needed time.

I glanced at the untouched dinner Grandma Acacia had left for me, now cold. But my gnawing anxiety had already stolen my appetite. Still, I couldn’t let EH, whoever he was, push me into neglecting myself. I needed to stay strong, stay clear-headed. I exhaled sharply, forcing my nerves to settle. I had to think rationally.

Then there was Varen.

I wavered. Should I tell him? I’d already dragged him into this mess when I first shared the notes with him, then left him at the palace with barely any protection. If he knew about this latest development, he wouldn’t stop until he uncovered EH’s identity—even if it put him in more danger. And while I knew his insight would be invaluable, I also knew one undeniable fact: if EH had managed to get this note to me, he could just as easily get to Varen.

The risk was too high.

I made my choice. Varen couldn’t know.

As the clock neared 9 PM, I rushed downstairs and out into the night, heading straight for the training grounds and the army camp. My pulse drummed in my ears as I approached Icarus’s tent and knocked against the metal frame by the entrance.

“Enter!” came his sharp, commanding voice.

Despite my nerves, a grin tugged at my lips. No matter how many times I heard it, I still couldn’t get used to the whole “Commander Kroos” persona. I pushed through the tent flap, clearing my throat—but the sight before me made me audibly gasp.

Icarus stood there, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants.

“Geez, Thalassa! I’m sorry!” he blurted out, scrambling for a tank top as color rushed to his face. “I thought it was Leander. He was supposed to bring me a report, and I didn’t check the time…” His voice trailed off, flustered.

I smirked. “Relax. I’ve seen those pretty abs before, and I don’t mind looking at them again,” I teased, arching a brow.

He let out a sigh, shaking his head, but I caught the grin that flickered across his face—one he tried, and failed, to hide beneath his serious commander’s mask.

He pulled a chair out for me, and I settled into it as he perched on his bed across from me.

“Tell me what’s going on, Icarus,” I demanded, my fingers curling into a tight fist.

His expression darkened.

“Before we arrived here with the army, General Larkspur and I compiled a list of potential targets. We ensured those vampire families had additional protection. Things were quiet for a few days… but yesterday, there was an attack. A brutal one.” He hesitated before continuing. “The Whittaker family—one of the wealthiest semi-noble vampire families—was targeted. They live in a mansion nearly as vast as the Kesslers’ castle, protected by close to two hundred guards and servants, not to mention one of the best surveillance systems money can buy. And yet…” He exhaled sharply. “Ninety percent of the people inside were slaughtered.”

My stomach lurched.

“Who did this? What happened?” I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper.

Icarus lifted his gaze to meet mine, his pupils darkening like an approaching storm.

“Degenerates,” he spat.

My breath caught in my throat. “W-what?”

His jaw clenched.

“A whole damn army of degenerates,” he growled. “Brutal. Bloodthirsty. Creatures with only one purpose: to kill.”

I swallowed hard. I had only witnessed the aftermath of a degenerate massacre once—but once was enough. The memory of that bloodbath was seared into my mind, an image I would never be able to erase. I could still see the bodies, the way Amara and the other girls had been slaughtered that night at the casino.

A chill ran down my spine.

“So… commoners bite people, turn them into some kind of vampire-zombies, and build an army that way?!” I blurted, my thoughts spiraling through the horrifying implications.

Icarus let out a bitter chuckle, his expression darkening. “If only it were that simple.”

My stomach twisted. “Then what is it?” I leaned in anxiously, bracing myself for whatever truth lay ahead.

He exhaled sharply, his features tightening. “We don’t know, Thalassa,” he admitted, his voice laced with unease. “These aren’t ordinary degenerates. They’re… enhanced. Stronger than the average vampire commoner. Stronger than even semi-nobles. Killing them is nearly impossible, and worst of all—there aren’t just a few. There are hundreds. Maybe even thousands.”

A cold realization settled over me.

Now I understood why Icarus had worn that grim expression when he entered the meeting room earlier. The Royal Army had finally seen the enemy. It was only a matter of time before whoever was behind all this stepped out of the shadows. And when that happened, the real war would begin.

I hesitated before speaking again, my fingers twisting in my lap. “Um…” I started, my voice uncertain. “Did the King tell you about the encrypted messages Varen and I decoded?”

Icarus nodded. “He mentioned that your name was on one of them.”

“Well…” I forced a nervous chuckle. “Today, I got a note. From the same person who wrote those encrypted messages. Someone left it on my pillow.”

“What?!” Icarus shot up, his entire posture shifting into alertness.

Wordlessly, I pulled the card from my pocket and handed it to him. He scanned the note, and I watched as his blood began to boil.

“You are not going anywhere,” he declared, his tone firm and absolute. “I’ll arrange for the best security, and you will remain inside the pack’s territory.”

I snapped my head up, glaring. “You cannot be serious! This is exactly what EH wants! Don’t you get it?! Someone broke into my bedroom, and you think I’d be safer staying here? I’d rather march onto the battlefield than sit around waiting for this bastard to decide it’s time for our ‘meeting.’”

Icarus exhaled slowly, his gaze shadowed with concern. He knew I was right. As twisted as it sounded, it was safer to go to war than to stay locked inside the pack’s lands, caged like a helpless target.

“I don’t know why EH is after me,” I admitted, my jaw tightening. “But I refuse to let him terrify me into submission. And if you believe, as I do, that EH is the one behind these attacks, then you must also suspect that someone inside the Blue Moon Pack is working for him.” A smirk curled at my lips. “That means we have a spy.”

Icarus narrowed his eyes, arms folding across his chest as he leaned toward me. “What are you planning, Thalassa?”

“Find someone you trust,” I said, meeting his stare head-on. “Assign them to watch me. If EH left a note today, he’ll leave another one soon. If we catch the person delivering it, we might finally get a lead on who EH really is.”

Icarus exhaled sharply, then raised his hands in surrender. “Fine. I don’t like it, but it’s the best plan we’ve got for now. I’ll arrange for someone to shadow you from the start of your next mission.”

“Thank you,” I said, rising onto my toes and pressing a quick peck to his cheek.

Icarus stiffened, stepping back so fast he nearly collapsed onto his bed. I snorted, biting back a laugh. Teasing him had definitely become the highlight of my day.

“Goodnight, Icarus,” I said, grinning as I turned toward the exit.

“…Goodnight,” he murmured, his voice tinged with something adorably flustered.

Still smirking, I made my way back through the training grounds, humming softly to myself—until I suddenly froze.

A pair of furious, blazing red eyes locked onto mine.

Kenzo.

“Good evening, Thalassa,” he hissed, his voice dripping with accusation. “Mind telling me what the fuck you were doing inside the Royal Army Commander’s tent at this hour?”