Chapter 209
Nyssa pov
Attack.
:
79
55 vouchers
My eyes widened at the word, and I sat straighter on the seat beside Darius’s throne. In that moment, I instantly realized that what the goddess had mentioned might have something to do with the rogues.
Darius had told me a week ago that Zayn, the renowned, talented doctor everyone respected was actually the leader of the rogues, a man who had long disguised himself to infiltrate the king’s pack. At first, I had been shocked, unable to believe it. Even though I wasn’t exactly close to him, he had helped me twice before: once when he aided my escape from the Emberfang guards, and another time when he helped me avoid being seen and guided me to the dungeon. Naturally, I had held a good impression of him, planning to repay his kindness whenever I could.
But I could never have imagined that he was the terrifying man everyone feared, the one who led the notorious rogues who looted, killed, and committed unspeakable acts. The same man who had helped Kieran attack my pack in my past life, leading to my father’s death and countless others. The one responsible for my own death, when the rogues had claimed someone had ordered me to be brought to them.
The fact that I had spoken to him, laughed with him, left me disgusted. But since Darius had promised to track him down and end his reign of terror, I hadn’t dwelled on it… until now. After the goddess’s words, I was certain something bad was about to happen, and it had to do with Zayn.
As I stared at the elder who had spoken, fear written plainly on his face, I could feel Darius’s gaze harden on him, making the man instinctively flinch. I turned to Darius, raising a brow, and almost immediately he blinked and avoided my eyes, clearly aware of what he had done.
Yes, I knew Zayn was the leader, but Darius hadn’t told me he had a feeling Zayn might attack the pack soon. And now, with rumors circulating that I hadn’t yet heard… it was clear he had purposely kept it from me.
Darius still avoided my gaze, looking everywhere but at me. When I narrowed my eyes, he cleared his throat and turned to the elder who had spoken before responding.
“Ahem. Don’t feed into rumors. I do not know if he will attack or not, but it is only necessary that we put the proper precautions in place. He has been in this pack for a reason, and he would have left for a reason. It is only smart to strengthen our pack’s defenses while we have the chance, before he is caught.”
As he spoke, almost immediately the other elders‘ expressions relaxed, clearly relieved at the reassurance, though still on edge at the possibility of a rogue attack. I couldn’t blame them. There probably hadn’t been a war since Darius shut off the borders from the outside world, and the pack had likely been peaceful since the time of their ancestors. Now, with the threat looming… this was war, and they were only beginning to understand it.
It was understandable.
“But even if there is war,” Darius continued, his voice calm and steady as all eyes remained fixed on him, “we will fight with every ounce of our strength to protect our pack, our people. That is our duty. That is why we are here. We must be ready to lay down our lives for the weak, men, women, and children alike. We fight to keep them safe, even if it costs us our own lives, because in the end, it is our responsibility.”
11:01 Mon, Sep 29
Chapter 209
279
E55 vouchers
As he spoke, I inhaled sharply. Though the thought of an actual war frightened me, hearing him say those words made my heart flutter, and a soft smile tugged at my lips. This was truly the man I had fallen in love with, the one who would do anything for his people, the one who understood the weight of the crown he
bore.
I could feel the tension in the air as Darius pinned his gaze on the elders. I watched the shock on their faces slowly melt into determination. Then he asked,
“Do you all understand?”
Almost immediately, every elder fell to their knees and shouted, their voices echoing through the throne
room,
“Yes, Your Majesty! We understand! We will fight for the people, die for the people, and live for the people!”
They all repeated the pack’s army slogan, and a soft laugh escaped me as I watched the corner of Darius’s lips curl into a small, proud smile.
But at that exact moment, as the atmosphere in the room seemed to settle, the doors to the throne room burst open. Every head jerked toward the entrance as Cassian strode in, his expression grave, his steps hurried. The instant I saw him, a cold, heavy feeling settled deep in my chest, and I went rigid, I’d never seen Cassian look this serious before.
He passed the elders and stopped in front of Darius, the air in the room shifting immediately. Even Darius’s smile faltered, replaced by an icy, tense expression. Cassian dropped to his knees before him, lowering his head as he spoke.
“My king… I have urgent, serious news to report.”
My heart pounded as I watched Darius frown, his voice sharp as he commanded,
“Speak.”
Cassian didn’t hesitate.
“My king, I have just received word, the pack has been breached. The rogues have entered.”
The moment he spoke, the room froze. Eyes widened in shock, and soon voices rose in overlapping fear.
“Oh goddess… the pack is really under attack! How did they bypass our defenses?”
“What’s happening? How is this even possible?”
A shaky breath escaped me as I listened, and I turned to Darius, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. No… no. Was this what the goddess had warned me about? Was this what was coming? Would this attack tear us apart?
I stared at Darius, watching his expression remain cold and unreadable for a moment before he asked,
“Have they begun attacking the people?”
Cassian paused, his voice heavy with sorrow, then nodded.
11:01 Mon, Sep 29
Chapter 209
“Yes, my king… they they are already attacking the civilians.”
宙
