Chapter 167 CHAPTER 167
The night in Red Valley had grown quiet by the time Alpha Reed and Luna Irene retired to their chambers.
The house they occupied was not as grand as the palace in Mooncrest, but it was spacious and sturdy, built of thick timber and stone. The windows were open just enough to let the cool valley air drift in, carrying the faint scent of river water and distant woodsmoke. Somewhere far off, a night bird called once and then fell silent.
Reed removed his outer coat slowly, the weight of the day still sitting heavily on his shoulders. He had spent hours in discussion with the king and Commander Liam about the missing boys. The absence of answers troubled him more than he liked to admit.
Across the room, Irene sat at her vanity, brushing her hair in slow, deliberate strokes. She watched him through the mirror without turning fully toward him.
“Did the king say anything more tonight?” she asked, her tone light but carefully measured.
Reed glanced up briefly. “About what?”
“About the boys,” she clarified. “About how they are going to be rescued.”
Reed exhaled and set his coat aside. “We are still gathering information. There isn’t a final plan yet. The king, myself, and Commander Liam will decide together once we have something concrete to act on.”
Irene’s hand paused mid-brush. “So he came all this way without a practical plan?”
Reed frowned slightly. “He came because our sons are missing. That alone is reason enough.”
“Yes,” Irene replied, her voice calm, “but good intentions do not bring children home.”
Reed walked toward the bed and sat down, unlacing his boots. “We will bring them home,” he said firmly. “But we will do it properly. Rushing into the forest without knowing what we are facing would be foolish.”
Irene resumed brushing her hair. “Speaking of Commander Liam,” she said casually, “what was that about earlier today?”
Reed’s movements slowed. “What are you referring to?”
She turned slightly now, meeting his eyes through the mirror. “Don’t make a fool out of me, Reed. You know very well what I am talking about.”
He straightened. “If the king did not find it necessary to discuss something with us openly, then I do not believe it is right for us to keep probing.”
Irene set the brush down.
“I do not know,” she said carefully. “Maybe we should probe. He is a wolf. How is it that he can conjure magic?”
Reed’s jaw tightened. “We do not know the full story.”
“Exactly,” Irene replied quickly. “We do not know. And I remember what happened seventeen years ago.”
Reed looked at her sharply. “What do you mean?”
Irene rose from her seat and walked slowly across the room, folding her hands together. “The queen came here once,” she said. “She was pregnant with the princess. She brought a witch with her. She called her a friend.”
Reed said nothing.
“And now,” Irene continued, “the princess is here again. And she has brought a human with her. A human living among wolves. And suddenly, the commander also carries magic.”
Her eyes searched his face. “Do you not see the pattern?”
Reed stood. “You are reaching.”
“Am I?” Irene asked softly. “Our boys are missing. Witches are moving in the shadows again. A human lives inside the palace walls. And now a wolf bends magic like a witch.”
Her voice lowered. “The circle feels familiar.”
Reed’s expression hardened. “Careful.”
“I am only thinking aloud,” she insisted. “What if they know more than they are telling us? What if they are simply taking us for granted?”
“Enough,” Reed said sharply.
His voice filled the room with sudden authority.
“Do not ever question the king’s loyalty in front of me,” he continued. “He has been nothing but honorable and generous to this valley and to this kingdom. How dare you suggest that he could have something to do with abductions or deaths?”
Irene did not flinch at his raised voice. She only looked at him steadily.
“I am not accusing him of murder,” she said calmly. “I am saying he has overlooked things that a king should not.”
Reed’s nostrils flared slightly. “Such as?”
“Such as allowing a human to live within the heart of the kingdom.”
“That decision belongs to him,” Reed replied. “Whoever the king chooses to shelter is his business, not yours.”
Irene tilted her head slightly. “It may be his business, but the people talk.”
Reed’s gaze sharpened. “What is that supposed to mean?”
She walked back toward the window and looked out into the dark valley below.
“I have heard whispers,” she said quietly. “Some of the council members are not entirely pleased with how things are being handled.”
Reed felt something tighten in his chest. “Be specific.”
Irene did not turn. “The king may believe that blood alone secures a throne. But if the people feel unheard, if they feel unsafe, there is always the possibility that that throne becomes… unstable.”
Reed stepped forward. “Who has been saying this?”
She folded her arms loosely. “I hear things.”
“From whom?”
A pause lingered between them.
“I heard Elder Vaughn and Elder Rufus have begun discussing the matter of protocol,” she said at last. “They believe certain traditions are being ignored. That the king should be reminded of the proper way to rule.”
Reed’s expression shifted subtly.
“And if he refuses?” he asked quietly.
Irene’s shoulders rose and fell in a small shrug. “Then consequences tend to follow stubborn leaders.”
Silence filled the room.
Reed stared at her for a long moment, searching her face for exaggeration, for drama. Instead, he saw calm certainty.
“Why are you telling me this?” he asked finally.
She met his gaze now. “Because our sons are missing. Because I do not want to sit quietly while the kingdom drifts into chaos. And because whether you like it or not, you sit close enough to the throne that what happens next will affect us.”
Reed turned away from her slowly and walked toward the bed. He sat down heavily, his thoughts turning in ways he did not enjoy.
Elder Vaughn.
Elder Rufus.
He had known they were traditionalists. He had not known they were organizing.
“You are letting fear guide you,” he said quietly.
“Perhaps,” Irene admitted. “But fear is not always foolish.”
Reed leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“I will not betray the king,” he said firmly.
“I did not ask you to,” Irene replied.
He looked up at her sharply.
She held his gaze without blinking.
“I am simply saying,” she continued, “that if you are not aware of what moves beneath the surface, you may find yourself standing on ground that no longer exists.”
Reed fell silent.