All Chapters of Alpha Rex.: Chapter 171 - Chapter 178

(Rex’s POV)The footsteps echoed through the Heart.Slow.Steady.Unhurried.Whoever was coming wasn’t afraid.The chamber fell completely silent. Even Eira stopped speaking.Another step.Then another.The cold spread across the floor, chasing away the warmth that had welcomed Orion and the others only moments before.Darius raised his sword.“Stay behind me.”“No,” I replied, stepping in front of Isabella instead. “I’ll protect her.”Darius glanced at me for a second before giving a small nod.“I expected you to say that.”The footsteps stopped.A tall figure appeared at the entrance of the chamber.He wore a long black coat that almost touched the ground. His silver hair rested against his shoulders, and his face looked surprisingly young despite the calm wisdom in his grey eyes.There was no weapon in his hands.Yet everyone instinctively became tense.Orion’s face turned pale.“It can’t be…”The man smiled faintly.“It’s been a long time, Orion.”“You should be dead.”“So should y

(Rex’s POV)The garden became my favorite place inside the Heart.Not because it was beautiful.Although it was.Not because it was quiet.Although that helped.It was because Isabella always found her way there.Over the next few days, life settled into something none of us expected.A routine.Every morning, Orion and Cassian taught us about the ancient history of the Heart. Lyra spent hours studying the changes in its structure, often arguing with Cassian over theories that had been accepted for centuries. Astra and Selene explored the new paths that appeared almost every day, carefully mapping them so no one would get lost.Darius trained with me.He was older, stronger, and far more experienced than I was, but he never made me feel small.Instead, he corrected every mistake I made.Again.And again.And again.After I was knocked onto my back for what felt like the hundredth time, Darius offered me a hand.“You rely too much on strength.”I accepted his help and stood.“I’ve hear

(Rex’s POV)No one spoke.Cassian’s words lingered in the air, pulling everyone’s attention toward Isabella and me.He looked unusually calm.Almost too calm.“What do you mean?” I asked.Cassian folded his hands behind his back before answering.“Walk with me.”I frowned.“Why can’t you tell us here?”“Because this isn’t everyone’s story to hear.”I glanced at Isabella. She looked just as confused as I felt.Orion gave us a reassuring nod.“Go.”“We’ll be here.”After a moment, Isabella and I followed Cassian out of the training grounds.He led us through a narrow stone path lined with silver flowers until we reached a quiet hill overlooking the Heart. From there, we could see the gardens, the streams, and the glowing trees stretching as far as the eye could see.Cassian stopped walking.For a while, he simply admired the view.“It never looked like this before,” he said quietly.“You’ve been here before?” Isabella asked.“Many times.”He smiled faintly.“But never after it had heale

(Rex’s POV)The horn echoed through the Heart a third time.Every conversation stopped.The peaceful garden that had witnessed our confession only moments ago was suddenly filled with hurried footsteps. Guardians rushed toward the outer gates while the glow of the Heart brightened around us, as if it had awakened alongside us.I looked at Isabella.Neither of us let go of the other’s hand.This time, there was no reason to hide it.Cassian smiled quietly.“Go.”We nodded and ran toward the others.By the time we reached the entrance hall, everyone was already waiting.Orion stood before a large stone archway covered in ancient carvings. Lyra was beside him, her hands resting on the glowing symbols etched into the walls. Selene and Astra were distributing weapons to anyone who needed one, while Darius stood at the front with his sword resting against his shoulder.Eira’s voice filled the chamber.“The first group has reached the outer gate.”“How many?” Orion asked.“Three hundred and