Chapter 231

Words : 751 Updated : Jun 24th, 2025

Micah was the one to respond this time, arms crossed over his chest. "That's the point, isn't it? Keep everyone in the dark long enough to move undetected. She probably knew we'd catch on eventually, so she built this army as a distraction. A shield. While we're too busy fighting off her hybrids, she makes her move." Alec nodded, his face grim. "Exactly. She probably wanted to unleash her army when she was ready to free Kaden. While everyone else is still reeling from the appearance of a new species and fighting to stop them, there wouldn't be anyone to stop her from freeing Kaden." My heart beat faster at the name. The fear I'd buried began to creep back to the surface. Kaden wasn't just powerful was beyond any of us. A demigod. And the fact that Xena was tied to him made everything a thousand times worse. "I don't think we can afford to underestimate her," I said. "She is smart and calculated. If I am right and Kaden is her mate, then she's not only powerful but dangerous. We all know the lengths people go to for their mates." I didn't mean to, but my eyes moved to Alec. I remember very clearly the lengths he went to when he thought I'd cost him Lola. Guilt flashes in his eyes. I guess he was thinking the things. I pulled my eyes from Alec and turned them to Raven, voice steadier than I felt. "We need to fix this. We need to find a way to stop the confinement spell from draining the pack without breaking it or weakening it. After that's done, we find a way to reinforce it and make it stronger so Kaden will never get out." I took a deep breath. "I don't care what it takes, Raven. We can't afford to mess this up." She gave a grim nod, and I knew she understood. Jason leaned against the edge of the table. "What do we do with Brian?" "He's healed now," Micah noted. "Stronger. He could've escaped by now if he wanted to. But he hasn't." "He wants something," Alec muttered. "Maybe to gain our trust. Maybe to redeem himself." "We'll arrange for him to be taken to the council," Corra said. "They need to know about hybrids, and he is the proof we need to convince them that they are real." "No," Alec said sharply. "That's a mistake. If we parade Brian around, they'll want to dissect him, lock him away, and make him disappear. That doesn't help us. What helps us is preparing for what's coming." Orion frowned. "You want to use him?" "Yes," Alec said. "Our warriors have never gone up against hybrids. They don't know how they move, how they think. Brian does. We'll train. We'll get stronger and we'll use him to our advantage." I nodded slowly, liking the idea more by the second. "I'll have my warriors join the training, too. My warriors have gone against them. They've hunted and killed hybrids. They know how to fight them. Let them help train yours. Let Brian help,ptoo. He may not have his memories, but he's still a weapon. We use that." Micah cracked a knuckle. "I'm in." "Same," Jason said. "The more we prepare, the better." The elders still looked unsure, but none of them argued. They didn't have better answers. They remained silent, clearly uneasy and shaken. Good. They needed to be. "I'll speak with my warriors," I said. "Alec, you coordinate with yours. We need to be ready." Raven stood. "I'll do what I can about the spell. I won't lie- it's going to be hard. But if there's even a sliver of hope, I'll find it." The elders exchanged quiet words among themselves, then rose as one. "We'll continue our search, one said. "For answers. For anything on Kaden... Do what you must; we won't stand in your way."' They left the room with heavy steps, their skepticism slowly eroding under the weight of truth. Jason and Micah stood as well. "We'll gather the warriors," Jason said. "I'll brief them myself," Micah added. "They'll be ready." When they were gone, the room fell into a hush again. Just Alee and me. Alone.

Chapter 231

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