167

167


I needed a moment to absorb Gareth's words. With everything that had transpired, I had been too caught up in the chaos to ask either Gareth or Hadrian what had happened when they lost communication—or how they had managed to reach Crimsonville.

I turned to Hadrian. The warmth that had filled his eyes just moments ago had vanished, replaced by a blazing crimson intensity. His expression had hardened into something fierce and unreadable, a stark contrast to the tenderness he had shown me.

"How much time do we have before they reach the town?" he asked, his voice tight with barely restrained fury.

"Three hours, tops," Gareth responded without hesitation.

Hadrian reached for my hand, pulling me closer. "Kenzo needs to accelerate his healing. We need every one of his wolves ready to fight. Call the meeting in fifteen minutes," he commanded, his voice firm and unwavering.

Gareth nodded before disappearing down the corridor. Hadrian stood in silence for a beat, processing the weight of the situation, then turned to me. He cupped my face in his hands, his touch achingly gentle compared to the battle-ready steel in his demeanor.

"I want you to stay out of this fight," he said.

I covered his hands with mine, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I'm stronger than you think. Stronger than most of Kenzo's warriors," I declared, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination.

His hands slid to my arms as he leaned back, scanning me carefully before his brows furrowed. "I'm serious, Thalassa. Normal degenerates are mindless, but these creatures are different. They're fully conscious. They’re not weakened by light. They're designed to kill in the most brutal and primitive ways, and there are thousands of them."

"Which is exactly why you need every capable fighter," I countered with a smirk. "And you have me."

His jaw clenched. "I'd rather have you alive."

"I promise I’ll still be alive after we kick those degenerates' asses," I grinned, feigning innocence.

"Thalassa…" He sighed heavily, his eyes darkening with concern.

"You need me, and you know that. Stop fighting me on this." I rose onto my toes and placed a quick kiss on his lips.

With a frustrated groan, he pulled me into a tight embrace. "I'm not fighting. I'm trying to protect you."

"Hadrian…" My voice wavered. "I nearly lost my mind when I thought you were dead. I can’t just sit back and wait for you to return when I know what’s out there. Please… let me stand beside you."

His lips brushed the crown of my head. "These creatures are stronger than you can imagine. Many of our soldiers won’t make it through this battle. The ones who survived their last encounter are afraid to face them again."

"Then they’ll need you—their King—fighting beside them. And what if their future Queen stands with them, too?" I wrapped my arms around his waist, trailing my fingers along his back.

A low growl rumbled from his chest. "You’re ignoring my concerns and playing dirty."

"I gave you a reason to let me fight," I whispered. "And I just got you back. I won’t let us be separated. War or no war." My hands slid lower, teasing over his firm backside.

He groaned. "You’re lucky we don’t have time for this, or I’d have you naked on this table in two seconds."

I giggled against his chest. "You can have me anywhere you want—after you let me fight beside you."

His lips brushed against my neck. "You’re a ruthless negotiator, my Queen."

I smirked. "You have no idea."

It took another ten minutes of arguing, but he finally relented—on one condition: I had to remain within his sight at all times. I could live with that.

By the time we arrived at the town hall’s meeting room, Gareth had already gathered the high-ranking warriors and strategists. Hadrian reluctantly released my hand as we entered, and I took a seat in the front row while he joined the commanders at the long table.

The room quickly filled with wolf warriors and Royal Army soldiers. Then, Ronan entered, bowing his head slightly in acknowledgment as he passed me. It was only then that I noticed Kenzo trailing behind him.

My breath hitched. I hadn’t seen him since Hadrian defeated him. He looked pale, his shoulders weighed down by more than just his injuries. His pride had taken the deeper wound. As he passed, I wondered if he would offer an apology. Instead, he gave a brief nod without so much as meeting my gaze. I sighed but chose not to dwell on it. There were bigger things at stake now.

Once Hadrian gave Gareth a nod, the meeting began.

"Let’s start with the good news," Gareth announced, clearing his throat. "We’ve reestablished communication. Our teams located and destroyed the jamming devices hidden outside the town. They were similar to the ones that cut off our King before. These devices were planted by operatives working under EH—the leader of the degenerates."

He took a deep breath. "Now for the bad news. Our intelligence confirms that an army of degenerates is advancing on Crimsonville from all directions. The largest force is coming from the west, directly toward the human-inhabited district."

I stiffened. That part of the town was home to people who had no idea supernatural creatures even existed. Whoever orchestrated this attack didn’t just intend to slaughter—they wanted chaos. A nightmare unfolding in real-time, where humans would face vampires, werewolves, and an army of bloodthirsty degenerates all at once.

"To fight them, you need to understand what we’re dealing with," Gareth continued. "These are not mindless monsters. They are intelligent, ruthless, and incredibly strong. In many ways, they resemble vampire commoners—except they aren’t weakened by sunlight."

A murmur of unease rippled through the room.

Icarus had warned me that these creatures were different, but I hadn’t grasped just how dangerous they truly were. If degenerates were created using commoners’ blood, how had they evolved past their weaknesses?

Gareth hesitated before revealing the final blow. "The truth is… these creatures also possess wolf-like traits. They have lycan postures and jaws lined with razor-sharp teeth."

His words sent a shockwave through the assembly. Mutters of disbelief mixed with growls of anger. My heart pounded. Now I fully understood why Hadrian had wanted to keep me out of this. None of us had ever fought enemies like these. Not even Hadrian himself.

"So, what the fuck are we fighting?" Kenzo snapped, breaking the tense silence.

Gareth glanced at Hadrian, waiting for approval. With a curt nod from the King, he exhaled sharply before answering.

"We believe this army is composed of second- and third-generation hybrids."