Chapter 136 The Second Seal

Chapter 136 The Second Seal
~ Allene's POV ~

I kept thinking about everything that had happened over the past few days as I left the administration building with another box of medical supplies in my hands. The letter that had reached Duno remained unknown to us, and for the moment I was grateful that I knew nothing about it.

Morning had already brought dozens of people to Dravik's community center. Some came for medicine, while others needed food, temporary housing, or simply someone willing to listen.

I spent most of my days helping the volunteers organize supplies instead of sitting in meetings about my Moonbound bloodline. The more time I spent with ordinary families, the more certain I became that compassion mattered far more than ancient titles.

Being Moonbound had changed many things in my life. It had not changed the person I wanted to be.

For years I had believed my greatest strength came from my work as a diplomat. Now I understood that my greatest strength had always been caring about people regardless of where they came from.

An elderly human woman approached my table carrying several documents against her chest. She looked uncertain as she stopped in front of me.

"Excuse me," she said quietly. "I was told you might be able to help."

"I'll do everything I can," I replied. "Please tell me what's wrong."

She explained that her family had been displaced during one of the recent rogue attacks. They had struggled to receive assistance because several agencies still viewed them as living too close to wolf territory.

I listened without interrupting until she finished speaking. Years of negotiation had taught me that people often needed to be heard before they needed answers.

"We'll find temporary housing today," I said. "After that, I'll contact the agencies directly and make sure your application is reviewed again."

The woman's shoulders relaxed almost immediately. Relief appeared across her face before she thanked me.

"I wasn't sure you would even meet with me," she admitted. "Some people still say you've chosen wolves over humans."

"I've never stopped helping people," I replied. "That has never depended on whether someone is human or a wolf."

She smiled before leaving with one of the volunteers. Watching her go reminded me how much had changed since the peace summit.

Months ago, many humans had looked at me with suspicion after learning about my bond with Caelen. Now more of them judged me by my actions instead of my bloodline.

That change had not happened quickly. It had taken patience, honesty, and countless conversations.

Later that afternoon, several wolf families arrived with children who had been frightened by a recent rogue attack near another territory. The adults remained calm, but the younger children stayed close to their parents.

One small boy began crying as another volunteer tried speaking with him. The noise in the room seemed to overwhelm him.

I walked over slowly and knelt beside him without saying anything at first. Within a few moments, his breathing became steadier.

"You don't have to be afraid right now," I said softly. "You're safe here."

The boy looked at me for several seconds before wiping his eyes. He reached for his mother's hand without crying again.

His mother watched the exchange with surprise. She lowered her head respectfully after thanking me.

"You calmed him faster than anyone else could," she said. "He's been frightened for days."

"I only spoke with him," I answered. "He did the rest himself."

She smiled, but I could tell she did not fully believe that explanation. More wolves had begun noticing the effect my presence had on frightened people.

Before I could return to my work, raised voices came from outside the building. Two adult wolves argued beside one of the supply trucks while several others watched.

I stepped outside with another volunteer following behind me. Neither man noticed me at first because they remained focused on each other.

"We're wasting time arguing," I said. "People still need those supplies."

Both wolves turned toward me together. The anger on their faces slowly faded as the silence settled around us.

One of them let out a long breath before lowering his voice. The other nodded without offering another argument.

"We'll finish unloading everything," the older wolf said. "There's no reason to delay it anymore."

They returned to work almost immediately. Several volunteers exchanged surprised looks, but nobody questioned what had happened.

Stories like that continued spreading beyond Dravik. Visitors arrived almost every day asking for guidance, reassurance, or help with problems they believed I could solve.

I never understood why they expected so much from me. I only tried to do what I believed was right.

By evening, I finally returned home feeling tired but satisfied. Caelen was already waiting on the porch when I arrived.

"You've been busy again," he said. "I heard the community center stayed full all day."

"It did," I replied. "People needed help."

He smiled before taking my hand. We remained standing there quietly for several moments.

"I worry every time you leave," he admitted. "I can't stop thinking about what happened when Magnus took you."

His honesty surprised me because he rarely spoke about those memories first. I gently squeezed his hand before answering.

"I know why you worry," I said. "I remember those days too."

"I almost lost you," he replied. "Sometimes it still feels like it could happen again."

I stepped closer until only a small distance remained between us. Looking into his eyes, I could see how much fear he had hidden behind his calm expression.

"You can't protect me from everything," I said. "And I don't want you to spend the rest of our lives trying."

"I know," he answered quietly. "It's harder than I expected."

"I've become stronger," I continued. "You have to trust that strength as much as you trust your own."

He looked away briefly before meeting my eyes again. I knew he was thinking carefully about every word.

"I do trust you," he said. "I'm still learning how to live without expecting the worst."

"I'll keep choosing this life with you," I replied. "But I won't let fear decide how we live it."

He nodded slowly as though accepting something he had struggled against for a long time. The tension in his shoulders eased little by little.

"Then we face everything together," he said. "Not with one of us standing behind the other."

"Together," I agreed. "Always beside each other."

He wrapped his arms around me, and I returned the embrace without hesitation. For the first time since the mountain house, our future felt like something we would build together instead of something we would survive separately.

The quiet evening ended when Kieran arrived carrying several sealed reports. His expression told us the news could not wait until morning.

"We've received reports from multiple territories," he said. "Someone has been breaking into hidden archives."

Caelen accepted the documents while I moved beside him. We read through each report together.

"They're only taking Moonbound records," I said. "Nothing else is missing."

"The thefts are too careful," Caelen replied. "Whoever is responsible knows exactly what they're looking for."

I read every page a second time, hoping I had overlooked something important. The pattern remained clear but offered no obvious answers.

"This doesn't feel like Duno," I said. "He usually chooses direct attacks instead of quiet ones."

"I agree," Caelen replied. "Someone else is searching for something connected to the Moonbound bloodline."

That night, I finally fell asleep with the reports still fresh in my mind. My dreams carried me somewhere I had never been before.

My mother stood a short distance away, looking exactly as she had in the old photographs my father had kept hidden for so many years. She met my eyes without hesitation, and this time her voice was calm and unmistakably clear.

"Do not let them find the Second Seal before you do."