233 The Weight of Knowing
Lucian
I left the house with Mara by my side, both of us still reeling from the shock of seeing Martha awake-alive. But we didn’t speak of it. Not yet. The moment was too fragile, and the air too heavy.
“Let’s eat out,” I said quietly. “I don’t trust the mansion’s kitchen right now.”
She gave a solemn nod, understanding immediately. With the poisoning still unresolved and the culprit roaming free, I wasn’t about to take any chances-not with her, not with the baby.
We met Darian just outside the mansion. He slipped into the car without a word, and we drove through the city in silence, all of us watching the chaos unfold outside.
The protests were worse today. Louder. Angrier.
Placards waved in the air. Faces, twisted with rage and betrayal, shouted demands. My name, my father’s name-they weren’t calling for our help. They were calling for blood. I gritted my teeth and kept driving. I would address them soon-personally. But not yet. Not until we were ready.
We had breakfast at a quiet restaurant tucked away from the madness. It wasn’t much, but it gave us a moment to breathe. It was private, and we had entered through the back door. Darian delivered our food order, so no one saw me. After that, we headed straight for headquarters.
I noticed Mara’s posture shift as we approached. She was alert, eager. Being here, surrounded by the mission, gave her purpose. I could feel her energy building, and it fueled my own resolve.
As we walked toward my office, Darian brought me up to speed. He shared everything he’d learned from Justin-the prisoner-and it was solid enough to act on. Chase’s pack location. Their network. Their rhythm. We finally had something to strike.
“We need to launch a full assault,” I said as we neared the door. “No mercy. No warning. Chase needs to feel the heat. We take it to his doorstep.”
Darian nodded, but something about his silence told me he was holding back. So I waited.
Once we were in my office, I locked the door. Mara sprawled comfortably on the three-seater couch, her hand resting over her belly. Darian sat in the chair across from me, guarded.
“Spill,” I said, leaning forward, eyes locked on his.
He shifted, clearly uncomfortable. “I kept this from Mara,” he started, glancing at her, “so don’t hold it against her. She’s been under pressure already, and I didn’t want to add more.”
I tensed.
Whatever this was, it wasn’t small.
“We’ve lost most of our military support, Lucian,” he said, eyes finally meeting mine. “Only six territories are
still with us.”
The words slammed into me. “What?”
He let out a breath. “We couldn’t meet the payment obligations. Some got partial funding, others got nothing.
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233 The Weight of Knowing
They pulled out.”
+8 Points >
Mara, to my surprise, didn’t react with the same level of shock. She sat quietly, absorbing everything. Her expression calm. Controlled.
“They’re traitors. Every last one of them,” she said coldly, her voice firm but eerily composed.
I blinked. “You’re not surprised.”
Darian asked the question I was thinking: “You knew?”
She turned her gaze to me, unapologetic. “Yes.”
I stared at her. “When were you going to tell me?”
She shrugged. “Eventually.”
That struck something inside me.
“Eventually?” I repeated. “Mara, this is war we’re talking about.”
“I’m aware,” she said evenly. “But you had enough on your plate. I didn’t see the point in panicking you while you were trapped in Mistwood. Besides, I already started contingency plans with Rowan.”
The room fell silent.
I looked at her-this woman who had carried the weight of the pack while I was gone, who had shielded me even when she was breaking inside.
And for a moment, I didn’t know whether to be furious or proud.
Maybe both.
“I didn’t see it as a loss,” Mara said flatly, sitting up on the couch. “In fact, I saw it as an advantage. Fewer wolves to equip. Fewer territories to defend.”
I looked at her, stunned by the simplicity of her logic. It was bold-but cold.
She sighed and continued, folding her arms as if anticipating resistance. “No matter what might they think they have, superior weapons will tip the scales in our favor. Wolves without firepower are just muscle. Rowan’s already procuring state-of-the-art weapons for our forces. Chase may have stolen from us, but he still doesn’t have the financial depth we do. He swayed those territories with pennies-and those same pennies will bury them.”
She stood now, pacing as her thoughts sharpened. Her eyes glittered with resolve.
“Why waste our treasury on allies who would abandon us for scraps?” she added. “We’ll use that money to outgun and outsmart them. Chase’s raids on our arsenals weren’t just for intel-he was looting to equip the wolves he couldn’t afford to support. But unfortunately for him, Alpha Vander’s laziness worked in our favor. No real stockpiles, no big wins for him.”
She turned to us fully, her voice steadier now.
“They’ll come at us with numbers and brute strength, But we have muscle and brains. We have funding, and soon, we’ll have unmatched firepower. The size of our army isn’t the problem. The real task now is taking Rockville-and forcing Chase out within three days.”
I blinked, speechless for a moment.
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+8 Points >
Mara might not have worn a uniform, but Goddess, she would’ve made one hell of a military commander.
“Why the rush?” Darian asked, raising an eyebrow.
Mara stopped pacing, her face tightening with urgency. “Because we don’t know Chase’s exact movements or how many informants he has. If he returns to Mistwood and learns what we did there, he’ll disappear. Again. And we’ll be back to square one-hunting shadows.”
She paused. “We need to strike now. Tomorrow. We lead the assault ourselves.”
That was where I drew the line.
