Chapter 140 140
Venessa’s POV
He helped me out of my clothes after removing his, his hands gentle as he slipped the gown from my body. It was a free garment the hospital had given me clearly not a standard hospital gown. They must have dressed me in it to cover my body properly, and I knew immediately it had been my father’s instruction.
Denzel let the fabric fall away and lowered his mouth to my breasts, worshipping them with his tongue as I straddled him.
“Denz,” I moaned, my fingers tangling in his hair but he didn’t stop.
He took his time, teasing and building the heat until my body was aching, until I was soaked with need. Only then did I guide him inside me and begin to ride him, slow at first, then desperate, grounding myself in the moment and in him.
Later that evening, we went to dinner.
The elders commended us for surviving the attack, their relief evident. They asked for details, wanting to understand what had happened. Denzel spoke from his perspective, recounting the ambush and the silver dust but he left out my exchange with Eshera.
They didn’t need to know how close I had come to breaking.
“So,” Elder Craig asked, turning his gaze to me, “what do we do now?”
I smiled calmly.
“We stick to the plan,” I said. “We comb through the ranks, build an army, and train them properly. We will also reinforce and repair the shelters and move our people to safety, so the war won’t touch them and so they cannot be recruited.”
I continued evenly, “We’ll send scouts to search for Tremaine. I don’t believe any of her captured followers will reveal her location. These are no longer misguided individuals we’re dealing with devotees.”
The room stilled.
“These new traitors can’t be identified easily,” I added. “Eshera knows I possess the goddess’s sight, so she’s being cautious. These people know exactly who and what she is, yet they choose to serve her for selfish reasons or promised gain. They cannot be saved they’ve already sworn allegiance.”
I met each elder’s gaze in turn. “I urge you all to think of the greater good. No matter what Eshera promises, it leads only to doom for our world.”
They agreed without hesitation.
“You are truly a leader, Princess,” Elder Craig said warmly. “It is a blessing that Prince Denzel found you.”
I smiled, knowing he was right.
If not for Denzel, I would never have been reunited with my father. He was the one who took me to the king. He made everything possible.
“Thank you, Elder Craig,” I replied. “But I can’t take all the credit. My husband has been unwavering both as an Alpha and as a partner. My father has been everything I ever hoped for. And all of you have helped me reach this point. I couldn’t have done it alone.”
Denzel pulled me close and pressed a kiss to his mark on my neck. I had to suppress a moan it felt too good.
“How do we find Eshera?” my father asked. “Will we be searching blindly?”
Denzel cleared his throat. “Actually… no.”
I frowned slightly, curious.
“One good thing came from the forest attack,” he continued. “I realized something.”
He looked around the table. “Eshera hates sunlight. So do her minions.”
A few chuckles rippled through the room at his wording.
“The forest where we were attacked was deep and dark so thick that sunlight couldn’t penetrate it,” he explained. “They have no land or structures, and Tremaine especially needs protection from the sun. That means a dense forest is their best refuge.”
He went on, confident and precise. “Shifters rarely venture into such places unless they’re hunting. The land there can’t be cultivated, so it’s usually left alone. We need to send scouts to search those forests quietly.”
He shook his head. “They won’t be armed with only silver bullets. I’ve instructed my beta, Rayon, to have the engineers in Blood Moon Pack create ammunition infused with ultraviolet light.”
We laughed lightly.
“I’m not entirely sure how long it will take,” he admitted, “but they can design small, bullet-shaped ultraviolet bulbs.”
He shrugged. “The technology already exists it’s just a matter of adapting it.”
Then his tone hardened again. “The scouts will be fully armed so they won’t need to rely on their wolves if silver dust is used against them. They’ll wear protective masks and carry silver weapons to deal with devotees who don’t possess Eshera’s life force.”
It was a solid plan well thought out, strategic, and practical.
I understood then why Atabey had chosen him in both lifetimes. Why she had been adamant about keeping him alive.
Pride swelled in my chest. I leaned in and kissed him as the elders praised his quick thinking.
Eight days passed.
Dr. Dwayne completed the process of harvesting and freezing some of my eggs. The shelter plans were finalized and set into motion. My father assured me they would be ready within two weeks, and the relief I felt was immense.
Denzel combed through the ranks and officially formed the Lycan army, leaving the current Gamma and Delta in command. They were eager thrilled even to train. At the same time, there was a quiet fear among us all.
We knew some if not many would die in battle.
But it was for the greater good. And when they understood they would be fighting for the Moon Goddess herself, they were willing to give their lives without hesitation.
We returned to Blood Moon Pack to continue building our army and prepare the shelters.
And I was eager more than anything to finally meet my uncle.