Chapter 170 One Step Forward

“You really believe that?” I ask. “That we can actually fix this broken world?”“I have to.” Kael’s voice stays low but steady. “If I stop believing it’s possible, then why build anything? Why fight these wars? Why hide our son in a cursed place and pray we can bring him home to something better?”I nod slowly. “Okay. So where do we start? We’ve got a rebellion to end, alliances to repair, and a clock that’s already ticking too fast.”“Ironwood,” Kael answers without hesitation. “They’re the biggest fire right now. If we pull them back in or take them out, every other pack watching will get the message.”“Donovan won’t back down easy,” I say. “He’s in too deep. Too proud.”“Then we don’t give him a cho

Chapter 171 Heavy Silence

“Because it means she’s worried enough about what we’re building that she’s actively trying to tear it down.” He smiles.We ride back to Moonstone in silence.Not the easy silence of two people who understand each other.This is the heavy kind. Kael rides beside me, close enough that I feel his presence, far enough that the space between us feels like a canyon.His wolf is hurt. I can see him favoring his left side the whole way.There is dried blood on his clothes. I try not to look at it.And he is missing a wolf. They left with six. They came back with five.“We need to talk,” he says through the mind link.“Do we?” My answer comes out cold.“Three days ago you didn’t seem to think talking was necessary.”“Sophia—”“Not here.” I cut the link. “Not until we are behind closed doors.”The rest of th

Chapter 172 Root of the Wound

Kael keeps holding my hand. His palm is warm but rough from the road.I do not pull away, but I do not relax into it either.“You say Seraphine once believed in peace,” I say, my voice quieter now. “So why is she trying to burn everything down?”“Because the rejection broke her completely.” Kael answers. “The person I met told me her original vision was good. She wanted to stop the endless fighting between packs. She wanted real harmony with other magical races. She even tried to build bridges with human mages. But someone refused her. Not quietly. Publicly. They called her ideas dangerous. They pushed her out and left her alone.”I frown. “So she decided to destroy the whole world as payback?”“Not simple payback,” Kael says. “She now believes the only way to create her version of pe

Chapter 173 Six Months

“What about Alaric?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.“You went north. Toward the Black Realm. Did you check on him?”“He’s safe.” Kael tightens his grip on my hand. “The person protecting him is keeping his word. But Sophia, there is something else. Something I learned while I was there.”“What?”“Crimson Moon knows about the Black Realm,” he says. “Not the exact details. They do not know Alaric is there for sure. But they know someone has found a way in. And they are investigating.”“How long do we have?”“Months. Maybe less.” His eyes darken with worry. “They are being careful. The Black Realm’s reputation keeps most wolves away. Although eventually they will either find a way in or find someone desperate

Chapter 174 United Front

The question hangs in the air. Everyone waits for an answer.Kael looks at me. I nod once. We are doing this together now.“First, we stop the bleeding,” Kael says. “Ironwood is the immediate threat. Their rebellion is pulling in other packs. We need to cut that support before it grows.”“How?” Theron asks.“We hit their supply lines and their messengers,” I answer. “Not a full battle yet. We make it expensive for anyone to join them. At the same time, we offer real talks to any pack still on the fence. Show them the Lupine Kingdom can offer stability, not just fear.”Erica steps forward from the corner. “What about Shadowpeak? Lydia is already spreading the story that we made Alaric disappear.”“We deal with that head-on,” Kael says. “I will send a p

Chapter 175 The Plan

We spend the next two hours working through everything.Ironwood comes first. They are the immediate threat. The ones actively trying to rip the kingdom apart. We need to either pull them back in or destroy their ability to fight.Next, we shore up our alliances. Shadowpeak is shaky, but other packs can still be secured. We have to rebuild trust and show strength without being brutal.We also need to watch Crimson Moon’s investigation. Erica’s sight will be key here. She can track magical traces near the Black Realm and warn us if they get too close.Then we prepare for the extraction. When the time comes to bring Alaric home, we must have a clear path. A safe way to enter the Black Realm and pull him out before Crimson Moon figures out exactly where he is.Under all of it runs one constant task: investigate Seraphine. We need to learn her real goal