Chapter 139: Declare War (Part 2)

The warning letter demanded the surrender of the escaped royal alphas. It also ordered the non-royal alphas to surrender and serve the kingdom.

Bastards!

I couldn't hold back my anger when I learned that Nana, Cassie, and Gema had been brutally slaughtered by Wanda - and their heads sent as a warning.

Tobi, Victoria's grandson, was just as angry. Victoria's head had also been sent.

"I'm joining the fight! I must avenge my pack!" Tobi's voice trembled with emotion.

"We will—but we need a solid plan. We can't just storm the palace," Jeremy said. "Any news of Elijah?"

No, there was still no sign of Elijah in Pinecrest. I had no idea what route he took or how he traveled. Or worse, had he been captured?

But if Elijah had been captured, we would have heard about it by now.

It was as if he had vanished into thin air. Where was he?

"Are you sure you told Elijah to come to Pinecrest, Queen Delilah?" Riddick asked.

The non-royal alphas already knew I was a descendant of the Crescent Moon, so they addressed me accordingly.

The royal alphas didn't know that yet. But since they saw me as Elijah's Luna, they called me that.

"Yes, I told him," I replied. "But I don't know what route he took or how he traveled."

"We were short on time, so we didn't discuss much else."

"I hope King Elijah is safe. If he's traveling on foot from Alderwood, he should arrive tonight or early tomorrow morning," one of the royal alphas said.

Michael cleared his throat and looked around the crowded living room. The room felt crowded, even with only a few royal wolf representatives.

"We should start planning our strategy now, Alpha Jeremy. Waiting for Elijah would be a waste of time," Michael said.

"Why are you calling him by name?" one royal alpha frowned. "He's your king, Michael."

Michael jumped and immediately looked at me. So did Jeremy.

The non-royal alphas had sworn to keep my identity a secret, even from their pack members.

But Michael had been careless. Calling Elijah by name, without his title, was an act of disrespect. What excuse would Michael make? That he had forgotten?

Oh, I wanted to punch him in the head!

"All right, let's not waste time on trivialities," Jeremy cut in. "We're not royal wolves, so if Michael's talking like this, it's not a problem."

The royal alphas tensed but nodded weakly. They had no choice but to follow the rules here.

"Now, before the kingdom attacks us, we need to take out their supporters—one by one," Jeremy continued.

"But many of our packs are already under the kingdom's control!" protested a royal Alpha. "We don't know who their true loyalties are."

"Any names? Who has the most influence?"

The Royal Alpha replied immediately. "Camden, Orson, Fergus, and Orson!"

"Camden will probably stay in the palace with Wanda. That means we must take out the other three first," Jeremy explained.

"Who do we start with, Alpha Jeremy?"

"All three. We take them out simultaneously."

We didn't know when the kingdom would attack, so Jeremy quickly decided to take down the three most influential royal alphas—Fergus, Arlington, and Orson—within the next three days.

Everyone in the pack was busy preparing for the trip to Alderwood. The attack would be covert, making it easier to ambush the targets.

But what worried me most were the close patrols of the rogue wolves. Can we cross the borders of the kingdom without being detected?

And what made me even more anxious was that Elijah still hadn't arrived. Where was he?

We were mates. I had even opened the mind-link, but there was no vision, no communication from him.

It was frustrating.

A knock on my door snapped me out of my thoughts, followed by Jeremy's voice.

"Delilah? May I come in?" he asked.

"Come in." I put Arthur in the crib, having just put Aurora to sleep.

"We have just decided that you will not join the attack on the Royal Alphas. Nor will you take part in the battle when we attack the castle," Jeremy explained.

"But...why?"

"It's too dangerous, Deli. With how impulsive you've been, you're not thinking about your future! You were lucky to get Elijah out of prison."

"No, Jeremy! I have to go!"

"For what? Once Wanda is taken down, you can claim your throne! The royal alphas won't dare oppose you anymore."

"That's not it!"

"Then what is it? Why are you so determined to come?"

"Because I don't want any more lives lost."

Jeremy looked confused. He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh.

"There are always going to be casualties, Deli. This is war," Jeremy said firmly.

"No! When the royal alphas know I'm Queen Aurora, they'll surrender! They'll stand up to Wanda! I'm sure of it!"

"And what if they go after you instead?"

"I need Elijah by my side."

"And what if Elijah turns against you in the end?"

I shot a sharp look at Jeremy. "He won't. Because Elijah and I are mates."

Jeremy's expression froze, shock flashing across his face, followed by disappointment.

"Oh...is that so..." He cleared his throat. "No wonder you risked your life to save him."

"I'm sorry, Jeremy."

"No, I understand now. That's something I could never do—defend you." Jeremy smiled bitterly. "And that's the fate I have to accept."

"So... about the attack plan?" I quickly changed the subject.

"Alright. I'll take your suggestion to the other Alphas. If it can really help reduce casualties, they might agree."

"Thanks for understanding, Jeremy."

Jeremy gave a slight nod, then turned to leave. But before he could step out, he almost collided with Michael.

Michael's face was filled with shock. "Deli! Alpha! Elijah is here! He's arrived at Pinecrest!"