Chapter 17 Hold the line!

Chapter 17 Hold the line!
Scarlette’s POV
My phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
I groaned and turned, dragging the pillow over my head. I had barely had any sleep and so whoever it was could wait.
It rang again.
The more it rang, the more annoying the sound.
I cursed under my breath, reached out blindly, and knocked it off the bedside table. The sound jolted me. I leaned over, grabbed it, squinting at the screen.
I had barely even registered the name om the screen when I answered the call.
I answered, my voice rough. “Hello?”
“Your Majesty,” a deep voice said. “It’s Steve.”
I sat up immediately. “What happened?”
“We caught him,” he said. “The one who sold us out during the last rogue attack.”
My chest tightened.
“You’re sure?” I asked.
“Yes. It’s one of the guards that mount the East border. Rome is his name.”
“We noticed some shady behaviours and decided to track him down. Turns out they were already planning another attack.”
I swung my legs off the bed. The cold floor bit into my feet. “Hold him. I’ll be there soon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The call ended.
I stared at the phone for a moment, my heart already racing.
Sleep was gone.
I checked the time. Still early. Too early for my head to already feel this heavy.
I dragged a hand down my face and sighed.
Kael should’ve been back last night.
So should the other two of my guards that stayed back with him.
They were all trying to track down who was responsible for all those shady letters.
I grabbed my phone and called him before I could change my mind.
He answered on the second ring. “Your majesty?”
“You’re awake,” I said.
“Barely,” he replied. “What’s wrong?”
“Steve just called,” I said, standing up. “They caught the one who sold us out during the rogue attack.”
There was a pause. “Really? I’ll be there soon.”
“Did you find anything? About the letters?” I asked quickly.
Silence stretched for a bit too long.
My fingers tightened around the phone. “Kael?”
“We’re still working on it,” he said carefully. “Some cameras were wiped. Whoever’s doing it knows the system.”
Of course they do.
“When do you intend to leave for the meeting?” Kael asked.
I glanced at the clock. My head throbbed.
“Tell them to shift it to evening,” I said. “I have things to handle first.”
“You sure?”
“Yes,” I snapped, then softened. “Just do it.”
“Alright then,” he replied. “I’ll inform him now.”
I ended the call and dropped the phone on the bed.
The shower was hot.
Too hot.
I stood under the water longer than necessary, letting it hit my shoulders, my back, my head. Letting it blur everything for a moment.
I turned off the water, wrapped a towel around myself, and stared at my reflection.
Today, I’d get answers.
One way or another.
They had him tied to a chair.
His face was already bruised. Lip split. One eye swelling shut.
I stopped a few steps away and looked at him.
He lifted his head slowly when he sensed me. Fear rolled off him in waves.
“Your Majesty,” Steve said beside me. “We caught him trying to cross the southern border.”
I said nothing.
The boy swallowed hard, his hands trembling against the restraints.
“What’s your name?” I asked calmly.
“R-Remy,” he stuttered.
“Why?” I asked.
His brows pulled together. “Why what?”
“Why did you sell us out?” I said.
Silence.
I leaned forward slightly. “You know what happened that night. You know people could have died.”
His breathing sped up. “I didn’t think—”
I slammed my palm against the table.
He flinched violently.
“You didn’t think,” I said quietly. “That’s the problem.”
Tears filled his eyes. “They threatened my sister.”
My chest tightened despite myself.
“Who?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. They wore hoods. Never showed their faces.”
Again.
Always hoods.
“They said if I didn’t help them,” he whispered, “they’d kill her.”
Steve cursed under his breath.
“Did they mention letters?” I asked suddenly.
Remy looked up, confused. “Letters?”
My stomach sank.
“Take him to the holding cells,” I said. “No visitors. Guarded at all times.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As they dragged him away, my hands shook slightly.
One traitor caught.
Another still hiding.
By evening, the sky burned orange.
We were on the road back to Full Moon Pack.
My guards rode ahead. Two behind. The engine hummed steadily beneath me.
I stared out the window, my reflection faint against the glass.
Too many threats.Too many loose ends. The road narrowed.
Trees closed in on both sides.
Something felt off.
I straightened.
The air changed. Heavy. Thick. Wrong.
My instincts screamed.
“Slow down,” I told the driver.
He obeyed.
The guards ahead raised their fists, signaling trouble.
I leaned forward, squinting through the windshield.
There was a fallen tree blocking the road.
My heart dropped.
Figures burst from the trees, weapons raised, snarls tearing through the silence.
I reached for the door, power surging through my veins.
“We’ve been ambushed!” I said.
The words barely left my mouth before chaos exploded.
“Protect the Alpha!” someone shouted.
The car jerked to a stop. Metal screeched. Glass shattered.
I didn’t wait.
I kicked the door open and stepped out, the night air slamming into me. My wolf stirred instantly, angry, awake, ready. I felt her claws scraping under my skin, begging to be let loose.
Too many scents.
Rogues.
They came from everywhere. From behind the trees. From the dark. Faces twisted. Eyes wild. Weapons raised like they’d been waiting for this exact moment.
Of course they had.
So this was the plan.
One of them lunged at me.
I shifted halfway, strength flooding my limbs, and sent him flying with a single hit. He crashed into a tree and didn’t get back up.
“Hold the line!” I ordered.