Chapter 124

Thorne’s POV

“Do you want to join the meeting?” I ask, leading Aurora toward the living room. Jace linked me to let me know that King Grayson and Queen Elizabeth have arrived, and that Sanders is almost here.

“Do you need me there?” Aurora asks. Ever since we scheduled this meeting, I could feel her apprehension about it. She doesn’t want to be in the fight against the Black Knight Pack, but she also wants them to be punished for what they did to her and to her family.

I shake my head, “If you don’t want to be part of the discussions, or part of the upcoming war, you can sit out. You’re my mate and my Luna, but that doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to be uncomfortable and take on this fight.”

With her still having nightmares, I’d prefer that she stay far away from all things to do with the Dark Knight Pack, but it’s her choice. I won’t push her to do anything she doesn’t want to do.

“Thank you, Thorne. I… I think I’ll stay out of the meeting unless I’m needed,” she whispers, squeezing my hand. I squeeze back, a little show of support that seems to help her focus.

When we reach the living room, I bow, “Welcome to the Blackwood Pack, King—”

“Thorne, you can drop the formalities with us,” King Grayson interrupts. He reaches out and grips my shoulder before tenderly patting Aurora’s cheek. A wave of nerves runs through my mate, but not the kinds that cause worry.

She still doesn’t know how to react to her parents, but I can feel the hope that rises in her each time she sees them—like now.

“Aurora, how are you?” Grayson asks, turning to his daughter.

“I’m good,” she says softly before looking at her mother. “How are you feeling? Did you get to rest well over the past two days?”

I can feel Aurora’s nerves fade as Elizabeth smiles at her. “I’m doing fine, honey. Would you like to stay with me while your father and mate discuss war matters?”

“I… I’d like that,” Aurora stutters, offering a smile of her own. Her reactions are cute yet sad at the same time. The hesitation and hope mix together, and I lean down to kiss her temple.

“We’ll be in the office if you need anything,” I whisper, then press a soft kiss to her mark. “Just relax and get to know her.”

“I will. Just focus on ending this, please,” Aurora requests before pulling me close by the front of my shirt and kissing me. I lean into the kiss, loving that she initiated, as I wrap my arms around her waist.

The familiar feeling of her touch jolts through me.

Someone clears their throats, and I pull back to see Sanders standing in the doorway, “Do we need to give you two some privacy?”

Aurora ducks her head, her cheeks turning pink at Sanders’s joke.

“We’ll just be in the kitchen,” she mumbles, grabs her mother’s hand, and dashes off to the kitchen. Saying anything about the kiss will probably only embarrass Aurora more, so thankfully, no one calls out to her as she flees. I chuckle and shake my head before motioning the men to follow me.

When we reach my office, Jace already waits there with extra chairs set up.

Grayson and Sanders introduce themselves to each other, and he’s amazed. “I never thought I’d cross paths with the Grayson Ashford,” he says, shaking Grayson’s hand. He also bows, and I can see the awe on his face.

Most Lycans don’t come to the werewolf territories unless they’re needed for something, so I doubt he’s ever met a Lycan before.

“Remember, Sanders, that we’re all here for a reason,” I announce, pointing to a chair. “We’re here to protect our packs and form alliances that can destroy one of the stronger Lycan packs around.”

“Right,” he mutters, sitting. Grayson takes the seat next to him, seemingly unbothered, but I can see the way his jaw ticks or the way his fingers thrum against his thigh. He’s either worried about his mate or can’t wait to see her after we’re done.

“I think the sooner we find the Black Knight Pack, the easier it will be to strike,” I say, diving right in. I don’t have the time to waste, especially if I want to keep Aurora safe.

Grayson agrees, clasps his hands together, and adds, “Did you have a plan already?”

I nod, “With our three packs involved, we will have enough protection to cover each pack as well as go after the enemy. I’m sure Grayson can confirm this, but I don’t believe the Dark Knight Pack is large enough to fight enemies on three fronts.”

“Not anymore. Years ago, they could have defended themselves, but not now.”

“So, we’ll split up,” Sanders says, leaning in. “Do we know where the Black Knight Pack is hiding?”

I glance at Grayson, but he shakes his head. “I haven’t seen them around the location where you saved Aurora. They’ve moved on and are surely hiding somewhere where they can recuperate and not be caught.”

I had asked Grayson to check the areas surrounding his pack as well as the area I found the Black Knight Pack when I saved Aurora. I knew they’d left, but it didn’t stop me from hoping that they were stupid enough to go back.

They weren’t, so now we need to find them.

“Sanders, I remember you were training scouts for stealth missions. Have they gone out?”

He grins, “They’ve been on several missions for the council that were highly sought after. And no. They’re not currently out anywhere.”

“Good. I’d like you to send out a group to search for the Black Knight Pack. I’ll give you the location where we last saw them, and Grayson can provide the former locations of the pack,” I offer, knowing that my men are more suited for fighting.

“Once we find the Black Knight Pack’s current location, we’ll need to strike as quickly as possible,” Grayson says. “Fast and hard. We can’t give them a chance to attack first or to gather their strength.”

“And when we find them, what will we do?” Sanders asks curiously.

Grayson sits up, his hand balling into a fist, “We kill their Alpha—”

“And that damned doctor,” I growl. “For their crimes, they die. The rest of their pack can live if they don’t resist, but they will need to be disbanded to keep from rising up again. They can’t—”

I stop, a sense of anxiety and distress filling me. However, it’s not my own fear. It comes from the mate bond, sliding toward me like ice.

Aurora.

I’m on my feet before anyone can say another word, and as I make it to the stairs, I hear crying.

“Aurora!”

She jumps up from the couch and runs to me, throwing an arm around my neck.

“H-He…”

Her hands tremble as she lifts her phone to show me the message from an unknown number.

Lycan King Grayson is to surrender himself to me or watch everything and everyone he loves be destroyed. Including you, little princess.