Chapter 136

The afternoon assault nearly broke us completely.

Giana had spent all morning testing our defenses like a cat toying with wounded prey. But when the sun hit its peak, she unleashed hell itself.

Professional soldiers crashed against our barriers in endless waves. Siege engines turned centuries-old walls into rubble. Magic-enhanced weapons sliced through our defensive enchantments like butter.

I watched our people fall and felt each death tear something inside me. These people weren't anonymous soldiers. They were Sarah from the bakery, Jason who fixed our fences, elderly Tom who told stories to the children. People who'd looked me in the eye and trusted me to bring them home.

"Eastern wall's compromised!" Kane's voice cut through the chaos as he directed forces to plug gaps. "We need reinforcements now!"

But we didn't have reinforcements. Every able body was already bleeding somewhere else. Our reserves? Gone hours ago.

Raymond appeared beside me with blood streaming down his face but determination burning in his eyes. "Aurora, we need to consider falling back to the inner compound."

It made tactical sense. The estate's core was more defensible than these outer walls. We could establish tighter positions and force Giana into prepared kill zones.

Except retreat meant abandoning the civilian shelters we'd set up in outer buildings. Families with kids. Elderly pack members. Wounded fighters too broken to move fast.

"We don't abandon anyone," I said firmly. "If we fall back, everyone comes with us."

"That's impossible under fire," Kane interjected. His tactical brain was already calculating the nightmare of moving non-combatants while under assault. "We'd lose more lives attempting evacuation than holding position."

The commander's impossible choice. Save the fighters to continue resistance or sacrifice strategic advantage to protect civilians. No right answer existed.

That's when the war horns changed their tune.

Strange horns cut through the battle noise. Kane jerked his head up like he'd been slapped. I knew that look—he recognized something.

"Those are royal signals," he said, voice carrying sudden hope. "The Alpha King's forces."

From the western hills, banners appeared. Royal banners topped the hill in flawless lines. Talk about perfect timing. But wait—who was that leading them? A woman with silver hair moved like she owned the world. It took me a moment before I recognized her.

Kane's expression grew complicated. "It’s Elsa."

I looked at Kane, surprised that he knew her name.

“She’s the Alpha King's sister.” Kane explained, adding to my confusion.

The mysterious woman who taught me how to destroy the artifact was the Alpha King’s sister?

Before I could get a word out, Elsa’s voice boomed across the field. Magic made it loud enough to wake the dead.

"David!" Her call carried pain and fury in equal measure. "I know you can hear me! Come face the truth you've been running from!"

The attack faltered as even Giana's professional soldiers turned toward this new voice. Something in Elsa's tone suggested personal stakes that went beyond political allegiance.

"People of all territories!" Elsa continued, addressing everyone within hearing. "You're fighting the wrong war! David—your so-called Rogue King—isn't who you think he is! Dark magic twisted him into this monster!"

You could've heard a pin drop. Our own fighters forgot they were holding weapons, ears practically stretching to catch every word.

"David was my true mate before Giana stole him with forbidden magic!" Elsa's voice cracked with ancient pain. "She corrupted him with stolen artifacts, turning love into obsession and justice into conquest!"

Giana's response echoed from enemy lines, her voice carrying defensive fury. "Lies! David chose power over weakness! Chose strength over sentiment!"

But Elsa wasn't finished. "Destroying one artifact won't stop him—he still has his army and Giana's magic binding his mind! There's only one way to try to stop this madness."

The pause stretched like a held breath.

"Someone must confront him directly, one-on-one, to break the magical hold."

The implication was clear and terrifying. Another potentially fatal confrontation, this time with the most powerful enemy we'd faced.

I was still wrapping my head around it when both of my idiots moved at the same time.

"I'll handle this," Kane said, sounding like he meant business. "You're not throwing your life away. Not when I just got you back."

"Absolutely not," Raymond interrupted, his Alpha authority coloring every word. "She's MY Luna. This is MY responsibility as her Alpha."

The argument exploded between them while battle raged around us. Months of tension finally erupting at the worst possible moment.

"Your responsibility?" Kane's voice turned dangerous. "Where was that responsibility when you were torturing your own pack members? When you nearly got her killed?"

"I was under magical influence!" Raymond shot back. "But she's still my wife! My mate! It’s my duty to protect!"

The Alpha King chose that moment to arrive at our position, his presence immediately commanding attention from everyone within sight. His elite guard spread out in professional formation while he assessed the situation with calculating eyes.

"Personal feelings must be set aside for the greater good," he announced, his royal authority cutting through the argument. "We're here to end this war, not debate relationship dynamics."

But the damage was done. The complex dynamics between the three of us had been exposed in front of the highest authority in werewolf society. I could see him observing our triangle with growing concern.

Kane glanced at the Alpha King, then locked eyes with me. His whole face changed—like a man about to jump off a cliff with no parachute.

"I love you." The words cut through the silence like a blade. "Always have. Guess it's time everyone knew."

The words nearly toppled me over. Not just the declaration, but the timing—in front of everyone, during crisis, with his career on the line.

Raymond's face went purple. He took a step toward Kane, hands already curled into fists. "We were fine before you showed up with your poison!"

"She was never yours," Kane replied with deadly calm. "You married her so that you could be with Giana on the side! You have a business arrangement, not a marriage."

"You destroyed our marriage!" Raymond snarled, stepping closer to Kane with his fists clenched. "Everything was fine until you started filling her head with lies!"

"Everything was fine?" Kane's voice turned dangerous. "She was miserable! You were cruel to her long before I arrived!"

I stepped between them as they moved toward each other. "Stop! This isn't the time—"

"When IS the time, Aurora?" Raymond demanded, his possessive fury boiling over. "When he's convinced you to abandon everything we built together?"

"We built nothing together!" I shot back, my own anger finally exploding. "You ignored me, humiliated me, and chose Giana over me at every turn!"

Kane bristled. "Don't you dare pin this on her when you're the one who screwed up!"

"I screwed up?" Raymond's voice cracked with rage. "I was under magical influence! But you? You betrayed her by choice! Used her when it was convenient and abandoned her when things got difficult!"

The accusation hit Kane like a physical blow. His professional composure shattered completely. "Yeah, I messed up. But I never dragged her to an altar damn near against her will!"

"And I never crawled into another woman's bed when she needed me most!"

The brutal reminder made Kane flinch visibly. "Pretty sure you did. And I was trying to protect her—"

"By breaking her heart?" Raymond's laugh was bitter and cruel. "Some protection."

"Stop it!" I yelled, but they both stopped listening. They circled each other, ready to tear the other's throat out.

Months of tension and buried resentment crackled between them while the battle raged around us.

Elite guard members were watching the spectacle with growing concern. Our own fighters stood frozen, unsure whether to intervene between their leaders.

"You want her?" Raymond snarled at Kane. "Then prove you won't run again when she needs you most!"

"I'll prove it by keeping her alive," Kane shot back. "Something you've failed at repeatedly!"

Here we were, enemies breathing down our necks, and these two morons wanted to duke it out over relationship drama.

The Alpha King's expression grew thunderous as he took in the scene. Our people needed leadership, and instead they were watching their commanders tear each other apart over romantic drama.

This was exactly what our enemies wanted—division when we needed unity most.