Chapter 160

After my conversation with Icarus, the restlessness within me only grew. The helplessness gnawed at me, a slow, merciless consumption from the inside. He had told me to trust in the King's strength, to believe in the unparalleled skill of the Royal Army’s finest warriors—but I had seen the flicker of fear in his eyes. The same fear that was rooted deep within me.

I knew Hadrian could take on ten men, perhaps even a hundred. But thousands were coming. And together, their power was not something to be dismissed. In the end, it all came down to strategy, and EH was not losing in that regard.

Yet, amidst all of this, my thoughts kept circling back to something else. The messages I had received from Hadrian—were they truly from him? I knew it was selfish, maybe even foolish, to dwell on such things at a time like this. But the “what if” dug into me like a thorn that refused to be ignored.

What if Hadrian never meant to say goodbye?

What if he wasn’t the father of Selene’s child?

What if… Selene wasn’t even pregnant at all?

The thought struck me like a revelation. Had she really conceived at the most opportune moment? That child was her golden key—to the royal vault, to the wealth, to the power. And all she had to do was make an announcement. Her personal doctor had been the one to confirm it, after all. A few words, some carefully crafted documents—wasn’t that far easier than actually carrying a child? Selene had always had her loyal followers, people willing to believe her even if she claimed the sky was green and the grass was blue.

Was it possible that she had faked it?

Or… was I simply grasping at straws, twisting logic in my mind to erase the possibility that Hadrian could be the father?

One way or another, I had to clear my head. There were too many tangled threads in my life, and I needed to start unraveling them. Before stepping onto the battlefield, there was something I had to do first. I needed to talk to Kenzo.

I stormed toward my hotel and headed straight for his room, praying he was still there. My heart pounded as I knocked on the door.

"Come in." His voice carried through the corridor.

The moment I stepped inside, I spotted him speaking with Ronan. Kenzo sat on the bed while Ronan stood before him, a map of the Southern Moon Pack’s territory spread out between them. Various points were marked—potential targets, I assumed. Kenzo’s eyes remained fixed on the map, only flicking to me briefly when I entered. Ronan greeted me with a nod, his lips curving into a slight grin.

I returned a brief smile, silently hoping he was just about to leave. I needed Kenzo alone.

I stood by the door, watching as Kenzo gave his Beta a few final instructions. My hands stayed pressed against my thighs to mask the slight tremor running through them, though my fingers twitched restlessly against my jeans. Inside my head, words—sharp, volatile—clashed and tumbled, each fighting to be spoken.

“Thalassa, come sit with me,” Kenzo said, flashing an easy smile as he gestured me over.

"I'd rather wait until you’re done," I replied stiffly.

His brows knitted slightly as he studied my face, while Ronan shifted awkwardly, sensing the sudden shift in the air.

"I'll go prepare my team," Ronan murmured, excusing himself before slipping out of the room.

With the door shutting behind him, the tension thickened between me and Kenzo. He was watching me now, trying to read the unease in my expression. But I wouldn’t let him.

Finally, he exhaled heavily, arching a questioning brow.

"Kenzo... I need you to be honest with me," I said, stepping forward cautiously.

"Of course," he replied. There was an edge of indifference in his tone, and I forced myself to push past the irritation it sparked in me.

I inhaled deeply. "Did you try to leave your mark on me last night?"

"Yes." His arms folded across his chest, his gaze locking onto mine.

"And yet, I don’t have it," I said, searching his face for a reaction.

"I was afraid it wouldn’t work on you," he admitted, his tone calm, unshaken.

I narrowed my eyes, studying him, but his expression remained unreadable.

"Hazel told me the possible reasons why it didn’t take," I pressed. "She said it could be because I regenerate too quickly… because I’m immune to wolf bites."

"I already suspected that might be the case," he said simply. "But that doesn't change—"

"Or maybe there's another reason for it," I cut him off, my fingers curling into a fist as I steadied myself to say, "The mark won’t remain on someone who isn’t your mate."

He rose to his full height, towering over me, his gaze darkening as a deep frown settled between his brows.

"How can you not trust me like that?" His voice carried the weight of hurt, as though my words had wounded him.

"Kenzo, I just don’t feel it. I—"

"But I do!" He snapped, gripping my arms just below my shoulders. "I feel the bond pulling me toward you! I feel it for both of us!" His fingers tightened, the pressure growing uncomfortable.

"You’re hurting me!" I pushed against him, forcing him to let go.

He stepped back immediately, his expression twisting with regret. "I’m sorry... but don’t you see? You’re driving me insane."

I searched his eyes, and the raw pain I found there struck something deep within me. It wasn’t something that could be easily faked, and yet... that familiar sense of unease returned, curling in my gut. Guilt clawed at me, but it couldn’t silence the voice inside me whispering that Kenzo was hiding something—that he wasn’t telling me the whole truth about this mate bond he claimed to feel.

"I won’t deny that I’m drawn to you, but I’m afraid, Kenzo." My voice wavered, the weight of my emotions pressing against my ribs. "I fear that I’ll never feel for you the way you want me to." I took a breath, steadying myself. "When I heard that Hadrian is missing—"

"Thalassa, please." He reached for me again, pulling me against his chest before pressing a gentle kiss to the crown of my head. "I know this is hard for you, but you have to accept that there’s nothing tying you to the vampires anymore."

His words sent a shiver down my spine.

"Think about it," he continued, his voice dipping into something softer, something coaxing. "You were created to bear the most powerful werewolf. The goddess made you this way for a reason. You were meant to sit beside me, to be my queen—to be the mother of our child."

His tone was soothing, designed to wrap around me like silk, to strip away my resistance. Even my rational mind wavered beneath the weight of it. And yet, that lingering doubt remained. That unshakable feeling that Kenzo and I were not meant to be. A voice in the back of my mind urged me to wait—just a day, a week—before letting myself sink any deeper into a fate that didn’t feel like my own.

I took a step back, inhaling deeply before offering him a small, deliberate smile.

"I need you to do something for me," I said at last.

Kenzo’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Anything," he answered, a teasing grin flickering across his lips.

"I want to fight alongside the Royal Army when we enter the Southern Moon Pack’s territory."

His smile vanished. "Absolutely not."

I exhaled, already anticipating his refusal. "It makes more sense this way. You’ll all be fighting in wolf form on an open battlefield. I’ll only slow you down if I’m on foot. The vampires' strategy is different—more human-like, despite their strength and speed. I can keep up with that."

Kenzo remained stubbornly opposed, though I knew his resistance had little to do with strategy and everything to do with one particular vampire. He hated the idea of me fighting alongside Icarus. It took nearly an hour of reasoning, of explaining how I’d be more of a liability among wolves, how he wouldn’t be able to protect me while leading an entire army into battle.

Eventually, he relented—but not without conditions. I had to save his number and call him with a detailed report at every checkpoint.

When I broke the news to my group, they took it with understanding, though I caught hints of disappointment in their expressions. There were, of course, exceptions: Bopha, who let out a relieved sigh, and Leif, whose frustration over losing his fighting partner was… a little odd. I offered him an apologetic smile before heading toward the Royal Army’s fleet.

The black vans waiting in ten long rows reminded me of the ones used by the Blue Moon Pack. As I approached, my eyes immediately found Icarus. He was leaning casually against one of the vehicles, arms crossed over his chest, his dark sunglasses concealing his eyes. A smirk tugged at his lips when he spotted me.

There was something about him—the sharpness, the confidence—that made my breath hitch. In his dark grey combat pants and tight black V-neck shirt, he looked every inch the commander. And undeniably, infuriatingly attractive.

"Ready to kick some werewolf ass?" he drawled as I reached him.

I snorted at his choice of words, but before I could reply, I felt the weight of a stare drilling into the back of my head. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Kenzo.

He had made his displeasure over my decision abundantly clear. Yet, as each second passed, I only felt more assured that I had made the right choice. Without hesitation, I blew Kenzo a kiss before shifting my attention back to Icarus.

"Let’s go, Commander Kroos," I teased.

His smirk widened as he stepped aside and pulled open the front passenger door. I arched a brow.

"You’re sitting next to me," he stated firmly. "There are two front seats, and I’m not letting you squeeze into the back with those lustful vampires."

I huffed a laugh. "Are you serious?"

"Deadly." He nodded, his expression unyielding. "Besides, I promised the King I’d protect you." His smirk deepened as he extended a hand to help me in.

I hesitated but eventually sighed and accepted.

Minutes later, the vans were filled with warriors, the engines roaring to life as we departed from Wineville.

We were heading toward the territory of my father’s pack.

Toward the past I had spent years trying to escape.

Toward the fear that had poisoned me for far too long.

And this time, I would face it.