06

Chapter 6

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the yard as Ryull’s voice cut through the quiet. “Curtis, the border’s crumbling. We need to act, and fast. Are you seriously expecting Faolan to be any help guarding the gate?”

Curtis, his face etched with worry, exchanged a look with Skoll. “If this continues, more will breach the border, putting countless lives at risk. But what about the days ahead? Can’t you convince Alruna to let you return?” Skoll’s question hung heavy in the air.

I remained inside, listening from behind the door, the weight of their words pressing down on me. I knew their concerns were valid. The border, once a formidable shield, was weakening.

Curtis’s low voice carried to my ears, “Skoll, the twins aren’t even a year old. We have three omega children at home, and Alruna carries the burden of their care. I have a family too.” I’d learned that Curtis had spent his formative years at the border, a child soldier who’d grown into a legendary warrior.

He was just ten when he first joined the war, a small boy defending civilians. He’d won countless battles, his name whispered with a mixture of awe and fear across the land. His absence from the border had sent ripples of concern even to the king himself. Daily, the border’s leader pleaded with him to return.

I couldn’t bear it any longer. With a clenched fist, I flung open the door, the sudden movement silencing their conversation. Their gazes snapped to me.

“Curtis,” I said, my voice steady despite the tremor in my heart, “Do you want to go back to the border?”

Panic flared in his eyes. He started towards me, but I held up a hand.

"No, I—" he began, but I cut him off.

"Curtis!" My voice was sharper now, stronger. "I need to hear your answer. Do you want to return to the border?" The fear in his eyes was palpable, a stark contrast to the steely warrior I knew.

He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. The words came out in a rush, a torrent of emotion unleashed.

“I’m the son of farmers, ordinary people in this kingdom. Outsiders murdered my parents. My younger sisters were victims of the rogues that plagued our land. I swore, by their graves, by the memory of my family, to protect this kingdom, to protect the home they left behind.” His gaze locked with mine, unwavering, filled with a fierce determination.

“I need to return to the border, Alruna. Not just to defend our kingdom, but to build a peaceful future for our children, for us.”

A wave of emotion washed over me, softening the hard lines of my face. I took a step closer, my heart aching with empathy. Given his reasons, what choice did I have?

“Give me a month,” I whispered, the words barely audible. “A month to prepare, to gather what Curtis needs, and to speak with the village leader.”

My demand for protection followed swiftly after Curtis's declaration. "I need two trained female betas to help care for the children," I stated, my tone firm.

Narah, predictably, was the first to object. “Why so many demands? You’re even asking for financial support from the village leader! What do you think you are, some kind of princess?” Faolan’s other women murmured their agreement.

My smirk was cold. “Narah, don’t test me. If Curtis doesn’t return to defend the border next month, it will fall under Faolan’s incompetent leadership, and the king will have all of you beheaded.” I leveled my gaze at Narah. “Are you in any position to argue?”

The village leader intervened, silencing Faolan’s omega. “Financial support is manageable, but providing trained female betas will be difficult,” he conceded.

Narah scoffed. “Female warriors are rare in our pack. Do you really think it’s easy to convince them to guard a low-class omega? What makes you think you’re entitled to such a thing?”

A woman stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension. “If the village chief permits, I will stay to protect the Conan family.”

Narah’s surprise was evident. The volunteer, Eris, was one of the pack’s most skilled warriors. Another woman, equally formidable, joined her. “I’ll stay too,” she declared. One of Faolan’s women protested, arguing that they were essential at the border, front-line fighters. They were, in fact, the pack’s best warriors aside from Curtis.

The village chief silenced the dissent. He hadn’t expected this. He and the king had offered them positions in the palace, but they’d refused. “Why the sudden change of heart?” he asked.

Eris shrugged, her eyes flashing. “This village’s alpha is useless. Let’s face it, we’ll all die if Curtis doesn’t return. And I certainly don’t want to go back to the border under Faolan’s command.”

A ripple of suppressed laughter went through the assembled villagers. Narah sputtered about disrespect, but the village chief remained silent; Eris had spoken the truth.

Skoll, placing a hand on Curtis’s shoulder, announced, “If Eris and the other warrior are staying, Ryull and I will return to the border with Curtis.” A murmur of hope spread through the hall. “We can win this war. We can reclaim the east.”

The village leader saw the shift in the villagers’ demeanor. Six years ago, Ryull and Skoll had abandoned the border, choosing to defend the village instead. Their return would significantly bolster the kingdom's defenses. Their skills were nearly equal to Curtis’s; they’d once defended the gate against thousands, often with only one other person to assist them.

I raised my hand, commanding attention. “Before we celebrate, I have something to add.” The village leader looked at me expectantly. “I need a house and a small plot of land near our home.”

The village chief’s face fell. “Alruna, your demands are excessive. Land, money, and manpower—it’s too much.” He rose from his seat, his disapproval evident.

“Let me ask you this, village chief,” I said, my voice laced with icy calm. “Has Curtis received any recognition for his years of service? For the battles he’s won?” The chief stammered, explaining that as a beta, Curtis received little credit, the glory always going to the alpha.

My patience snapped. I stood, removing the veil that partially concealed my face and tossing it to the floor. The collective gasp of the villagers was deafening. I glared at the chief, my anger burning.

“Chief, there’s nothing left to discuss. I won’t allow you to diminish my husband’s sacrifice, his dedication to this kingdom, simply because he wasn’t born an alpha. Do I look like I'm joking when I said I'll go to the capital and speak to the king about this?!” I pointed at him, my voice ringing with fury.

“The beta you want at the border has three young omega children and two cubs under a year old to care for. Even the king won't ignore that!” A murmur went through the crowd.

“Three omegas? Curtis is truly blessed,” someone whispered. I wanted to keep the triplets a secret, but knew it wouldn't last, especially with my plans to enroll them in school—a plan the village chief would grant, whether he liked it or not.

One of the village officers spoke, “Chief, the king will be furious if he learns about this. Grant the omega’s request.”

Curtis’s voice, quiet but firm, cut through the tension. “Alruna, why didn’t you tell me about these demands?”

My response was flat, devoid of emotion. “Why? You would hold me back?” The unspoken threat hung in the air. In this village, nothing was more valuable than Curtis's life, and Curtis didn't know that. I felt that this village would fall if Curtis was gone, and the children and I would end up in the black market.

Curtis suggested writing to the king. I was surprised. Skoll, however, was not. “You don’t need to go to the capital, sister-in-law. If Curtis writes, the king himself might come here, and you might even be granted a house in the capital.”

Curtis's influence stunned me. He could summon the king to this small village?

“Would you want to live in the capital?” Curtis asked. “It would be safer for you and the children, free from injustice and have an good life.” The temptation was strong, but…

I clenched my fist, my gaze averted. The village chief approached, his voice pleading. “Alruna, let’s discuss this calmly. You don’t need to involve the king.”

“I thought you disagreed?” I challenged him.

Curtis’s hand found mine. “This village is close to the border, and the house… it’s your parents’ inheritance. We won’t leave. We’ll stay here and wait for you.”

I looked at the chief, my voice steely. “Let’s proceed to the real business, village chief. We have much to discuss, and agreements to be made.” The house, I knew, was Curtis's safe haven. Without its sentimental value, the capital would hold no appeal.

Curtis's grip tightened. “As your omega, I will always be your support, always behind you.”

His words were more than a promise. That very night, I began to heal his old wounds, and Ryull’s as well, preparing them for the battles ahead. I used acupuncture, opening their meridians, strengthening their inner wolves.

Skoll cried out in pain and relief as I reset his long-injured foot. “Dad!” Kara’s voice pierced the night.

I found Curtis, exhausted, half-naked on the floor, his wolf form finally released.

“Good,” I said, “You managed to maintain your wolf form for seven days.” Ryull’s eyes widened. “Can we do that?”

“Not yet,” I replied. “I’m not finished clearing your meridians and removing the blood clots from your training.”

Curtis’s feat amazed me. I’d calculated he could only manage three days, yet he’d doubled that. But then, he was my husband. I expected excellence from him.

For the next month, Curtis and the others trained relentlessly, accepting my methods without complaint. They still believed I was experimenting, but their cooperation was unwavering.