Chapter 303

Chapter 303
Elias pov

I sit cross-legged on the cold forest floor, watching Everett pace back and forth. His boots crunch the dried leaves, and the sound is grating on my nerves, but I don’t say anything. Ethan, on the other hand, lies sprawled on his back, staring up at the sky like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Typical Ethan.

“We need a plan,” Everett says, his voice sharp and agitated. He’s always been the most serious out of us, the one who acts like he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. “We can’t just sit here doing nothing.”

“Relax, bro,” Ethan says with a lazy grin. “The rogue’s out there doing the hard part. Let’s give him a minute.”

Everett stops pacing and glares at Ethan. “You think this is a joke? Do you even understand what’s happening right now?”

“I get it,” Ethan says, sitting up and brushing dirt off his hands. “Bad guys, big plans, blah blah blah. Look, I’m just saying there’s no point stressing out until we know what we’re really up against.”

I lean back against a tree, closing my eyes for a moment. They’ve been bickering like this for hours, and it’s starting to wear on me. “Enough,” I say, my voice firmer than usual. Both of them go quiet, which is a rare miracle. “We agreed to let the rogue scout ahead. Let’s trust him to do his job.”

Everett mutters something under his breath, but he sits down next to me, running a hand through his hair. “I just hate waiting,” he says. “It feels like we’re wasting time while everything is falling apart.”

I get it. I really do. The weight of what’s happening presses down on me too, but I know panicking won’t help.

Time stretches on, and the forest around us grows quieter. The occasional rustle of leaves or distant bird calls does little to ease the tension around us.

Ethan starts humming to himself, some off-key tune that only he seems to enjoy. Everett groans but doesn’t tell him to stop.

Finally, footsteps startle us and the rogue emerges from the shadows. His face is grim, his movements quick and purposeful as he approaches.

“Well?” Everett asks, standing up immediately. “What did you find out?”

The rogue takes a moment to catch his breath, wiping sweat from his brow. “It’s worse than I thought,” he says. “The hunters aren’t the only ones moving against the kingdom. Kaiden’s attacking too.”

I feel my stomach drop. “Kaiden?” I echo. “What do you mean? How do you know?”

The rogue nods, his expression dark. “Everyone’s talking about it. The hunters, the rogues - word is spreading fast. Kaiden’s not just sitting around anymore. He’s gathered rogues on his side, and they’re preparing to strike.”

Ethan whistles low, standing up and brushing off his pants. “Well, that’s a twist. The mad prince is finally making his move.”

Everett’s face hardens, his jaw clenched tight. “Why would rogues follow him? What could he possibly offer them?”

The rogue crosses his arms and looks between us, his voice low but steady. “Revenge. Power. Those are the two things rogues like me crave the most. We’re tired of being treated like trash, like we don’t belong anywhere. Kaiden promises a new world, one where we don’t have to hide in the shadows anymore. For some, that’s enough.”

I narrow my eyes at him, trying to read his expression. “And you? Do you believe him? Do you think he’ll deliver on those promises?”

The rogue shakes his head slowly. “I’m not stupid. I know Kaiden’s using them to get what he wants. But not everyone sees it that way. To most rogues, he’s a symbol of hope, even if it’s a dangerous one. They’re willing to take the risk if it means finally having a place under the sun.”

Ethan scratches the back of his head, his grin gone now. “Sounds like a whole bunch of rogues are ready to go all in. How many are we talking about here?”

The rogue hesitates, then sighs. “Hundreds. Maybe more. Every outcast, every stray who’s been beaten down and left to fend for themselves - they’re flocking to him. And they’re angry. Angry at the packs that rejected them, at the kingdoms that ignored them. They want blood.”

Everett crosses his arms, his face unreadable. “And you’re sure Kaiden is leading them? You’ve seen it yourself?”

The rogue nods. “He’s the one pulling the strings. He’s promising them everything they’ve ever wanted - power, respect, revenge. And they’re eating it up.”

I exchange a glance with Everett. This is bad. Worse than bad. Kaiden’s always been dangerous, but with an army of rogues behind him? It’s a nightmare waiting to happen.

“So what’s the plan?” Ethan asks, breaking the silence. “Do we try to stop him, or do we let the kingdom deal with their own mess?”

Everett glares at him. “This isn’t just the kingdom’s problem. If Kaiden succeeds, it won’t stop there. He’ll tear everything apart, and no one will be safe - not the kingdom, not the packs, not us. And most importantly, definitely not Ash.”

“Great,” Ethan says with a sigh, throwing his hands in the air. “So we’re supposed to stop an army now? Just the three of us?”

I shake my head. “We’re not stopping anything yet. First, we need more information. We need to know exactly what we’re up against.”

The rogue nods in agreement. “I can keep digging, but we’re running out of time. Kaiden’s moving fast, and the hunters are gearing up too. If we don’t act soon, it might be too late.”

Everett looks at me, his eyes serious. “Then we act now. We follow the rogue, find out where Kaiden’s forces are gathering, and figure out a way to stop this before it gets worse.”

Ethan groans. “Why do I feel like this is going to end with us nearly getting killed?”

I ignore him, focusing on the rogue. “Can you take us there? Show us where Kaiden’s forces are?”

The rogue hesitates for a moment, then nods. “I can, but it won’t be easy. If we get too close, we risk being spotted.”

“Then we stay quiet,” Everett says. “We move carefully, and we don’t engage unless we have no choice.”

Ethan claps his hands together. “Oh, this is going to be fun. Sneaking around a bunch of angry rogues? What could possibly go wrong?”

I give him a look, but he just grins. Typical Ethan, always making jokes, even when the world is falling apart.

“We leave at first light,” I say, standing up and brushing off my pants. “Get some rest while you can. It’s going to be a long night.”