Cecilia POVJulian's reprimand rendered Freeda speechless. "This is your final warning. Defy orders again, and you're out of Ashfall!" Julian snapped.Freeda glared at me, her voice filled with venom. "Don't get too smug, Cecilia. You only won by luck. "On the battlefield, it's strategy and experience that matter. You better pray you survive Ashfall!" She kept cursing as Vahn dragged her away, but I paid no attention.Then, at the worst possible moment, my stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten dinner yet."Did the fight make you hungry?" Julian chuckled. "Come on, let's get you something to eat."As we began to walk, Julian turned back and raised an eyebrow at Lamar and Zara, who were following us. "Why are you two tagging along?"He then pointed to the shirt I was wearing and asked Lamar, who was naked from the waist up, "Is this your shirt?""Let's go. Give the couple some privacy." Before Lamar could respond, Zara ran off with him in tow. Once they le
Julian POVAfter leaving the field hospital with Cecilia, I asked her to return to her room while I went to speak with Mario alone.Cecilia's initiative to fight on the frontline during the ambush a few days ago won her some of Mario's respect. However, that was not enough to make Mario change his stance about her.He continued to oppose my relationship with Cecilia."Send the video of Freeda torturing the Rogue prisoners to the two captives who have returned to their families after retirement."Mario looked puzzled. "Why would you do that?""The two rogues who were tortured will share the video with the leader of the enemy forces camped outside Ashfall," I explained, filling him in on the information we had gathered from the injured Rogue earlier that evening."You want to tell the enemy that their target should actually be Freeda and her subordinates, don't you?" Mario's eyes widened as he caught on."Yes.""I'll get someone on it right away."After Mario walked away, I hea
Julian POV"Was it that obvious?" I asked Cecilia with a grin."That little trick works well on her, but why set it up like that?" she asked."Tonight, I had the video of Freeda torturing the captives sent to two of the Rogues she tortured. Shortly after, the enemy launched an air raid. Do you really think that's a coincidence?""Definitely not. The enemy leader must've seen the video and decided to strike. That's why you made Freeda the vanguard. You're serving her up to them, aren't you?" Cecilia's sharp mind pieced it together instantly."I believe that the Rogues and warriors from the Northern Territory are here for revenge and not to hurt the commoners. Otherwise, they would not have camped outside without doing anything until now. "Their goal is to avenge their tortured comrades—especially Spencer, Jackson's son. I've sent the culprits their way. Maybe we can avoid a full-scale war and save the people of Ashfall from suffering.""I hope you're right. Still…" Cecilia sighe
Freeda POVI was captured. I had been so close—just a few feet away from the enemy leader. If I had caught him, I would've erased the humiliation of losing to Cecilia. Every wolf in Valdora would have seen me as the true Alpha Female, not her.Vahn tried to race after me, but he was stuck battling for his life against a group of Northern Territory soldiers. "Freeda, stop! Don't go after him! Freeda!"His voice echoed behind me, making me turn to look at him. Still, at the thought of the humiliation I had recently suffered, I decided to charge deeper into the desert with my men. 'Vahn, I'm sorry for disobeying orders, but I need to prove myself,' I thought.When I leaped onto the vehicle with the enemy leader, bullets suddenly started raining down on me. I looked around me and found a large wave of enemy troops appearing from behind the rocks of the desert. "Don't panic!" I shouted to my men. "Once we have their leader, we'll be rewarded with promotions!"We fought hard.
Freeda POVThey dragged me to a doorway, and when it opened, the brightness of the light stung my eyes.I squinted, adjusting to the glare, only to see 13 werewolves bound and stripped in front of me, their bodies covered in wounds. Unlike mine, their faces remained untouched.I soon spotted Alex and a few familiar faces. "Freeda?" Alex's voice was hesitant.I knew I looked terrible right now. The shame made me turn my head away from them. I did not answer him. The Rogues shoved me forward until I stood beside the others. My former subordinates looked at me in disbelief, whispering amongst themselves."Freeda!" Alex called out to me once more. I glanced at him, tears welling up. As they rolled over the deep gashes on my face, pain shot through me like fire."Don't you know who she is? She is the only Alpha Female of Valdora! How dare you do this to her!" Alex shouted at the Rogues. I felt a flicker of gratitude for his defense, but it was short-lived. One of the Rogues re
Cecilia POVAfter arguing with us, Vahn still insisted on leading his men to rescue Freeda. Just as they were about to leave the camp, Ethan intervened, and Julian had Vahn locked up in his room.It was clear that Vahn genuinely cared about Freeda, which earned him a sliver of my respect. At least he had some backbone.Julian tasked me with rounding up and counting the Rogue captives and warriors from the Northern Territory we had. There were 11 captives—an eerie coincidence.I had a few reliable warriors keep watch over the captives in order to prevent history from repeating itself. In war, once the spark of hatred appeared, it would slowly spread through everyone. I did not want an endless loop of revenge. Julian sent a message to the enemy, requesting a trade of captives and a ceasefire. We received their reply the next evening—they agreed to the trade, but it would take place in the desert, the Rogue's territory."This must be the enemy's trap. They're luring us in to slau
Cecilia POV"Y-You're not a wolf. Just what are you?" Vahn stumbled backward in surprise. Layla grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the ground effortlessly."You're a Shadow!" I exclaimed in shock. That face was just the same as the Shadow I had interrogated in the Lotus Pack. Her face was a twisted mash of beast and human. 'Just how did she become a Shadow?' I wondered."What? Did I scare you?" Layla didn't bother to put her veil back on. She stood there boldly, her disfigured face exposed for all to see."I look like this because of your mate," she said, sneering at Vahn. "You care about her face, but what about mine?" She kicked him hard as he lay on the ground."What are you talking about? What is a Shadow? What does Freeda have to do with any of this?" Vahn was completely lost, his confusion growing with every revelation."Vahn, don't waste your breath! Kill her!" Freeda suddenly screamed, breaking her silence. Her voice was raw with agony. "She didn't just
Layla POVI looked out at the horizon of the desert. In autumn last year, I witnessed a similar sunset that seemed to bleed across the sky. Back then, I sat on my mother's old bed. Even though I was light, it groaned beneath me. The house was filthy, with dust and grime clinging to the walls from years of neglect.The sunset outside painted my mother's still face with the hue of blood.It had been three days since she died.Her body was starting to decompose, and the stench of death filled the air.The entire three days were spent in silence. The only sounds of life came from behind our tattered door. For three days, I sat there, thinking. How was I supposed to survive without her? I wasn't even 18 yet, and the slums were unforgiving to the weak. And without her, I felt weaker than ever.Suddenly, there was a frantic knock at the door. My heart raced, a whirlwind of fear and hope swirling inside me.I slowly got to my feet and wiped my tears away with the back of my hand