234 Mara’s Resolve
Lucian
I stood and moved closer to Mara. “What you’ve said is valid. More than valid. And you’re right-we don’t have
time to waste. But you’re not going with us.”
Her brows shot up, lips parting in disbelief.
“I said you could be involved in military matters, and I meant that. But as a strategist. As a consultant.” I reached for her hand and held it gently. “You are not leading an assault. Not now. Not when you’re carrying
our child.”
She pouted, frustrated by the gentle firmness of my refusal.
I gave her a smile, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Mara, we need you here. You’ll run command
from the mansion. Secure communications. Coordinate with Rowan and headquarters. Hold the heart of the
operation steady while we hit Rockville.”
She hesitated, then finally gave a reluctant nod. She knew when a battle couldn’t be won-and she also knew
I wasn’t doing this to diminish her. I was doing it to protect everything we had built-her, most of all.
Darian cleared his throat. “So… what exactly do you plan to do in Rockville?”
I turned to him, the weight of command settling across my shoulders like an old cloak.
I smiled.
“We go in before dawn. Stealth entry. No announcement. We break their perimeter from the inside, capture or kill every ranking member, and turn the town into a message.”
I glanced at both of them. “I intend to do exactly what they did in that village in Driftwake,” I said coldly. “Wipe them out. Maybe keep a prisoner or two-if they’re useful.”
Darian didn’t flinch. He simply nodded. We’d both changed.
The war, the betrayals, the poisonings, the haunting silence in our mother’s hospital room-none of it had left us untouched. What once would’ve felt ruthless now felt necessary. This wasn’t vengeance. It was survival.
We used to hunt Chase.
Now we hunted anyone who stood with him.
He had shattered too much-our pack, our alliances, our peace. The blood of innocents had stained his hands long enough. And those who aligned with him… they had made their choice.
“Are you going to address the people?” Mara asked gently, her voice breaking through the silence that followed.
I turned to her and nodded. “Darian, put together a press conference.”
They needed to see me alive. Strong. In control. They’d been told I was kidnapped. Some probably thought I was dead. I couldn’t let whispers grow into doubt. I had to look them in the eye and tell them what really happened.
And I had to make it believable.
1/3
< 234 Mara’s Resolve
+8 Points >
Darian got to work immediately, moving with his usual quiet efficiency. It didn’t take long. I hadn’t planned to read off a sheet of paper-I didn’t need to. I was going to speak from the heart.
Let them feel the weight of everything we’d been through. Let them know this wasn’t the time for panic or protest. It was time for war.
When we arrived at the conference room, I was surprised by the crowd. The invite had gone out just ninety minutes ago, and yet the place was overflowing.
Journalists pressed up against the doors, camera crews jostling for space. Some looked breathless, others desperate-like they’d been camped outside waiting for something, anything, to happen.
“They must’ve been lurking near headquarters,” I muttered.
Darian had anticipated the overflow. Only a select group was allowed inside-reputable, relevant media
houses. The rest were left out in the hallway, hoping for scraps.
I stepped into the room, and silence fell like a curtain.
The lights snapped on.
Cameras turned.
Microphones leaned forward.
And every eye locked on me.
Lucian Nighthorn-no longer missing.
No longer silent.
Once everything was in place, I stepped up to the podium and let my gaze settle on the cameras.
The lights were blinding, the silence absolute.
I took a breath, and began.
“I’m grateful to be standing before you again-alive-after what can only be described as a life-threatening
ordeal.
First, I want to thank my Luna for holding down the fort in my absence. Her strength, along with the tireless
efforts of my Beta and Delta, kept this pack standing through a difficult time.
I’ve heard your cries. I’ve seen your frustration. And I understand your pain.
It’s no secret-Steel Corp has suspended its operations. And with it, livelihoods have been shaken. But I want
to make one thing clear: Mooncrest is not collapsing. We are under attack.
What we are experiencing is a form of terrorism-strategic, calculated, and meant to divide us. Certain packs and territories have aligned themselves with the enemy, making this battle more complex than it appears on the surface. But we will not rest. We will not fold.
Peace will be restored, order will return, and when that time comes, Steel Corp and every other vital structure will resume fully operational.
But we ask for your patience. We ask that you allow us to do our jobs.
Unlike your former Alpha, my tenure will be transparent. It will be accountable. There will be no more shadows-only truth. And that truth is this: we are fighting for you. Every single day.
2/3
Thank you for your strength. Thank you for your resilience. And thank you… for standing with us.”
The silence that followed was brief, interrupted by a flood of hands and shouted questions.
I answered fifteen.
They asked about everything-from my abduction, to Steel Corp’s timeline, to whether I blamed my father. I kept my responses guarded, factual. I gave them just enough truth to be credible and just enough vagueness to keep Chase in the dark.
Then I politely excused myself from the room and left the press buzzing behind me.
I didn’t know if my words would calm the storm. But it was the best I could give them for now.
Because this wasn’t about optics anymore. It was about survival.
As soon as I got to the hallway, I dialed Denis.
“Prepare the units,” I ordered. “We hit Rockville tonight.”
“Tonight?” he asked, surprised.
“No-we move tonight. The assault begins tomorrow afternoon.”
He understood immediately. Afternoon meant routine. Complacency. It meant people awake, distracted, out
in the open-vulnerable.
“They won’t expect it,” I said. “And I don’t want survivors. Chase needs to know-his war just turned.”
I ended the call.
No more mercy.
Rockville would burn.
And the message would be clear: the Nighthorns were done playing defense.
