Chapter 195 We Move
Coban’s POV
Day seven of the tournament was supposed to feel routine, but there was nothing routine about it anymore. By the end of today, sixty men would have finished their second run, exhausted and tested beyond what they thought possible. We’d been pushing them hard, running drills late into the night, all to make sure that if Clarence made a move, we were ready.
We were in the arena viewing area, plates of food from the palace kitchen spread across the table. The children were scattered around the room. Cassian, Atlas, and Kael in one corner, tumbling and laughing as if oblivious to the tension around them, golden energy practically radiating off their small hands. The others were quieter, playing near the edges, casting occasional curious glances at us adults.
Caden and I were leaning over our plates, eyes flicking toward the arena below. My jaw was tight, my muscles coiled. I could feel the weight of every second, every decision.
Darien finally broke the silence, sliding his laptop across the table toward us. “You’re going to want to see this,” he said, his tone tight with urgency.
I frowned. “What is it? Damn, it's just one thing after another." I say as I shake my head.
Darien pressed play, and my stomach tightened immediately. The footage was from last night. Clarence. Stephan. Gregory. Every movement deliberate. The minefield around the front yard was once an untouchable wall of death. But now it's cleared, well a large enough path for him and his men to get out. Sparks of controlled detonations flickered across the screen, a narrow corridor carved perfectly through the deadly grid. My eyes tracked Clarence’s every step, each one precise, calculating, leading his men as they followed in perfect discipline.
Caden leaned closer, his lips were tight. “They’ve done it. The corridor’s clear. They can move freely now.” He was in just as much disbelief than I am.
I exhaled slowly, letting the tension coil in my chest. “Which means they will strike. Any second now, they could emerge, and if we aren’t ready.” My gaze snapped to the arena below, imagining the scale of the battle. “We bring this fight out there, on our terms. Out there, we control positioning, timing, and the terrain. We minimize casualties at the palace.”
Darien tapped the screen, pointing to segments of the footage. “The corridor funnels them naturally. These exit points here, here, and here are predictable. We can anticipate where they’ll appear and place our strike teams accordingly. Flanks covered, rear secured, choke points ready.” He said with certainty.
I let my gaze drift to the children again. Cassian and Atlas were rolling around in a tangle of golden laughter, Kael clapping wildly, their energy almost surreal in the midst of impending war. For a brief second, I allowed myself to smile. Even now, the boys reminded me what we were fighting for.
Caden’s eyes were sharp and calculating. “We hit them in that corridor. Out there, they’re forced into our strategy. They have the advantage of knowledge, but we have the advantage of preparation. Timing, terrain, coordination. We dictate the battlefield.”
I nodded, elbows on the table. “Two strike teams. One intercepting the main force, one securing the rear. Runners fully rested, all positions accounted for. Clarence may think he’s clever clearing that corridor, but he can’t predict every angle we control.”
Darien closed the laptop decisively. “I’ll finalize team assignments, mark the choke points, and coordinate timing. Once they emerge, we hit them exactly where we want. Minimal casualties for us, maximum disruption for them.”
Caden smirked lightly as he watched Cassian and Atlas tumble together, golden light flickering. “And the kids? Tactical morale. They’re glowing like little beacons. Can’t let Clarence steal all the spotlight.”
I let out a short, rare laugh, tension easing just slightly. “Exactly. Morale first. Strategy always. Lunch done, plans set, and before they can move, we strike. On our terms.”
The boys’ laughter continued to echo through the room, golden light spilling across the walls, while our eyes stayed sharp on the arena and the palace grounds. Clarence had cleared a path. He could move freely. But now, he was about to walk straight into the trap we were preparing. We can't let it come here. Every Alpha in the Kingdom is here at the palace. We can't risk it.
"Kevan, get the ghosts back out there for tonight. We need to buy time atleast until tomorrow. We have to make sure they don't head here during the night." I said as I looked over at the boys.
"Hell yeah. That will definitely hold them off for the night." Mark said as he was chewing a bite of food.
"So, then are we striking when?" Kevan asked as he stared straight at me.
"We all meet in the sitting room tonight. We go over every detail. We need to move tomorrow night. Hopefully that's doable."