Chapter 110

Chapter 110
Ivonne's POV

The weight of responsibility sat heavy on my shoulders as I stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching our warriors push themselves to the limit. The tension in the air was palpable—everyone knew that war was coming. Darius's attack had been a warning, a message that he wasn't done with us yet.

"Alpha," Leo's voice broke through my thoughts. "The scouts have returned. They have news."

I turned to face him, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Bring them to me."

Leo signaled to the returning scouts, and within moments, three warriors emerged from the trees, their faces smeared with dirt and exhaustion. One of them, a young woman named Mira, stepped forward.

"We found their camp," she reported, her breathing heavy. "Darius and his rogues have set up just beyond the eastern ridge, near the old ruins."

Tobias, who had been standing beside me in silence, cursed under his breath. "That close?"

Mira nodded. "They're preparing for something. We counted at least fifty of them, but there could be more."

A cold shiver ran down my spine. This wasn't just a raid. This was an organized attack.

"We need to act now," Tobias said, turning to me. "If we let them strike first, we could lose everything."

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to think rationally. "We can't afford to rush in blindly. We need a plan. Call a war council. Everyone needs to be informed."

Leo nodded and disappeared into the trees, his swift movements sending a clear message—there was no time to waste.

The war council gathered in the main hall an hour later. The atmosphere was grim, faces set in hard lines of determination. Tobias stood beside me, his arms crossed over his chest, his golden eyes scanning the room.

"We all know why we're here," I began, my voice steady. "Darius is preparing to strike, and we need to be ready."

"Why don't we attack first?" One of the warriors, Garrett, suggested. "Catch them off guard before they catch us."

"Because we don't know their full numbers," Tobias answered before I could. "And we can't afford to be reckless."

"But we also can't sit and wait for them to come to us," Claire, my sister, spoke up. Her eyes locked onto mine, filled with worry but also determination. "Ivonne, we need to take control of this situation before it's too late."

I nodded, understanding their frustration. "We're going to do both," I announced. "Leo, you'll lead a scouting party tonight. Get as close as you can without being seen. I want to know everything—numbers, weapons, weaknesses."

Leo gave a sharp nod. "Understood."

"Tobias and I will reinforce our borders," I continued. "We need to make sure no one gets in—or out—without our knowledge. And I want all warriors on standby. If they attack, we'll be ready."

The meeting continued as we went over battle strategies, every decision weighing heavily on my shoulders. But this was what I had trained for. This was what I was meant to do.

As the council dispersed, Tobias stayed behind, his expression unreadable.

"You're carrying a heavy burden," he murmured, stepping closer.

I exhaled slowly. "I don't have a choice. If I don't, who will?"

He lifted a hand to my face, his fingers tracing along my jawline. "You don't have to do it alone."

I leaned into his touch for a moment, allowing myself that brief comfort. "I know."

That night, the air was thick with tension as Leo and his scouts disappeared into the darkness. Tobias and I patrolled the borders, our senses sharp, waiting for any sign of movement.

"I don't like this," Tobias muttered, his hand tightening around his weapon.

"I don't either," I admitted. "Something doesn't feel right."

Minutes stretched into hours, and still, no word from Leo's team. The night was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of the forest muted.

Then, a howl shattered the silence.

I spun around, my heart leaping into my throat. The sound had come from the direction of Leo's scouting party.

"They're in trouble," Tobias growled, already shifting into his wolf form.

Without hesitation, I followed suit, my body morphing into the powerful beast within. Together, we sprinted toward the sound, the wind whipping past us as we moved.

The closer we got, the stronger the scent of blood became.

When we arrived, chaos greeted us. Leo's team was locked in battle with a group of rogues, their bodies clashing in a vicious struggle.

I launched myself into the fight, my fangs sinking into the nearest rogue, tearing him away from one of my warriors. Tobias was a whirlwind of fury beside me, his claws slashing through enemies with lethal precision.

But it wasn't enough. There were too many of them.

Then, I saw him.

Darius.

He stood atop a fallen tree, watching the fight with a smirk on his face. His scarred features twisted in amusement as his eyes met mine.

"Ah, Ivonne," he drawled. "I was hoping we'd meet again."

I growled, stepping forward, my wolf instincts demanding that I tear him apart.

But then, he lifted a hand. And the fighting stopped.

The rogues backed away, their snarls quieting as they awaited their leader's command. Our warriors hesitated, breathing heavily, their bodies tense with anticipation.

Darius tilted his head. "Let's not waste any more time. You know why I'm here."

I shifted back into my human form, standing tall despite the exhaustion creeping into my limbs. "You want a war," I said coldly.

Darius chuckled. "War is such a strong word. Let's call it... a reunion."

Tobias moved beside me, his body still in wolf form, ready to strike at any moment.

"What do you want, Darius?" I demanded.

His smirk widened. "To finish what we started."

Anger flared inside me. "You lost the last time we faced each other. What makes you think this time will be any different?"

"Because this time," he said, his voice dropping into a deadly whisper, "I'm not alone."

At his words, figures emerged from the darkness. More rogues, yes—but also something else. My breath caught as I recognized them.

Hunters.

Human hunters, armed with weapons designed specifically to kill our kind.

Tobias let out a low growl. "You're working with them?"

Darius spread his arms. "Times are changing, my dear. I suggest you do the same."

My mind raced. This was worse than I had feared. If Darius had allied with hunters, our pack was in greater danger than ever.

I clenched my fists. "You'll regret this, Darius."

He only laughed. "I look forward to it."

Then, as quickly as they had appeared, the rogues and hunters vanished into the night.

Leaving us with the chilling realization that the battle ahead would be unlike anything we had ever faced before.