Chapter 341: Arrival

Kaden’s POV

​It was already late at night by the time the door to my private office opened and Logan stepped inside. I looked up from the reports spread across my desk, and from the careful look on his face, I already knew what he had come to tell me.

​"The selected candidates are all gathered in the main hall," he said, resting a hand on the leather folder he was holding. "The last group arrived about ten minutes ago."

​I closed the folder in front of me and leaned back in my chair. "Is Rebecca among them?"

​Logan paused for half a second before shaking his head. "No. She hasn’t shown up."

​I wasn’t sure whether I felt relieved or surprised. After the way she had suddenly appeared in my office earlier, demanding an explanation, announcing that she was coming whether I liked it or not, and disappearing before I could even understand what had just happened, I had fully expected her to keep her word. Apparently, there was still a small chance she had listened to reason. Or perhaps she had realized that showing up in front of forty warriors after I had already rejected her wasn’t going to change my decision. Then again, maybe I was giving Rebecca far too much credit.

​"If she comes, you know what to do," I said firmly.

​"Yes." Logan nodded.

​"She isn’t part of this unit, Logan. I was clear about that."

​"I know, Kaden."

​I stood, adjusted the sleeves of my black shirt, buttoned my jacket, and walked around the desk. There was no point in discussing Rebecca any further when she wasn’t even here. I had forty warriors waiting downstairs and less than twenty days to prepare them for a war none of us completely understood yet. "Good. Let’s go down."

​The main hall was filled with quiet conversations when Logan and I entered. Forty gifted wolves from different packs across the realm were sitting or standing in rows, talking among themselves while some carefully watched the other warriors around them. Several traveling bags and weapon cases were lined against the stone walls. Kane was already standing near the front with two of my senior commanders, while armed guards stood near the double doors. The moment someone noticed me, the conversations stopped, and within seconds, every warrior in the room was on their feet with their heads bowed in respect.

​"Alpha King," they greeted together.

​"Please, sit," I said, gesturing for them to take their seats as I walked toward the front of the room. Logan took his place beside me, and I allowed my eyes to move over the people gathered before me. Some were young and eager, while others were older warriors who had clearly seen their share of battles. There were Alphas, Betas, high-ranking warriors, and a few hybrids. They came from different packs, held different ranks, and had very different abilities. But for what we were about to face, none of those titles mattered.

​"First, I want to thank every one of you for coming," I began. "I know most of you received your acceptance notices less than twenty-four hours ago, which gave you very little time to prepare. Some of you traveled through several territories to get here tonight, and I appreciate that."

​The room remained completely silent, every pair of eyes focused on me as I continued. "You already know why you’re here. Six werewolf territories are currently under the control of the Tiger Kingdom. Hundreds of our people are trapped behind Dark Fire, and we have less than twenty days before the tiger shifters begin the full war they have promised us."

​The mood in the room immediately became more serious. I rested my hands against the podium and looked across the rows again. "You were not selected because of your family, your bloodline, or the rank you hold in your pack. You were selected because each of you has an ability that could help keep this team alive and help us fight this war. But I want to make something very clear before training begins tomorrow."

​I allowed my gaze to settle on some of the younger warriors sitting near the front. "Being selected does not mean your place in this unit is guaranteed. I don’t care how powerful or rare your ability is. If you cannot control your gift, follow orders, or work properly with the people around you, you will be sent home. This is not a place to show off. If you’re here because you want attention or praise, you’re in the wrong place. Our goal is to get through Dark Fire, bring our people home, and stop the Tiger Kingdom."

​Several people nodded, and I could see some of the confidence disappear from a few faces. Good. I needed them to understand what they had agreed to. This wasn’t some training competition where the strongest warrior earned a prize. One mistake during the real mission could get someone killed.

​"Training begins tomorrow morning at six sharp. Tonight, you will be given rooms in the east wing. Tomorrow, we’ll begin by testing each person’s ability before deciding which powers work best together. After that, we’ll start..."

​I stopped when the air in the middle of the hall suddenly moved. A strong wave of Fae energy swept through the room, making the heavy curtains near the windows move, and a second later, the space in the middle of the aisle seemed to bend. Someone appeared out of nowhere.

​Rebecca.

​She stood in the middle of the aisle with a large leather traveling bag hanging over one shoulder. She was dressed in dark combat boots, fitted jeans, and a leather jacket, looking every bit as stubborn as I remembered. The entire hall went silent as every head turned toward her. Some of the candidates stared with wide eyes while others immediately began whispering to the person beside them. Even a few of the older warriors looked surprised. Long-distance teleportation wasn’t an ability most wolves saw every day.

​Rebecca didn’t seem bothered by the attention. Her eyes moved through the crowd until they found mine, and then she gave me a small, polite smile.

​"Sorry I’m late."

​Of course. Of fucking course.

​I should have known better than to believe Rebecca would listen to me simply because I had told her no. Still, I didn’t frown or raise my voice, and I refused to let my expression show what I was thinking. Instead, I turned toward Logan and gave him one look. He understood immediately and stepped down from the platform, motioning for two guards to follow him as he walked toward her.

​"Miss Rebecca."

​"Beta Logan," she replied.

​"You were not selected for this unit."

​"I know."

​"Then I’m afraid you’ll have to leave."

​Rebecca tightened her grip on the strap of her bag but remained exactly where she was. "I want to join."

​"I understand," Logan said calmly, "but your application was rejected."

​"I understand that too."

​Logan stared at her for a moment, probably wondering why they were having this conversation when she clearly understood everything he was telling her. "Then I’m not sure what we’re discussing."

​A few quiet laughs came from the warriors sitting near the back, but Rebecca only glanced toward them before turning back to Logan. "I’m joining the unit."

​"No, Rebecca. You’re not."

​That was enough to make the whispers around the hall grow louder. People were beginning to ask who she was, why someone capable of long-distance teleportation had been rejected, and whether she was a hybrid. I could already feel a headache starting. Rebecca heard them too, and from the slight lift of her chin, their comments were only making her more determined.

​"Miss Rebecca," I said, and my voice immediately silenced the room.

​Her eyes moved from Logan to me.

​"Please leave. We have already chosen our team."

​"No."

​Several heads turned toward her again, and a female warrior sitting near the front leaned toward the man beside her. "Did she just tell the Alpha King no?"

​Yes. Yes, she fucking did.

​Logan rubbed a hand over his face before stepping closer to Rebecca. "Rebecca, please. We don’t have to make this difficult. Just leave."

​He reached toward her shoulder, probably intending to guide her toward the doors, but Rebecca closed her eyes for a second and disappeared before his hand could touch her. Logan’s fingers closed around empty air, and surprised gasps immediately filled the hall. A second later, the air shifted directly in front of me, and Rebecca appeared again, this time only a few feet from me.

​For a moment, neither of us said anything. I stared down at her while she stared right back at me, and I could feel the attention of every person in the hall on us.

​"I want to join," she repeated. "I am joining." 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

​My jaw tightened. "And my answer is still no."

​Her hands tightened into fists at her sides. "Kaden."

​"Rebecca."

​"I am joining this unit."

​"No." My Alpha power filled the air around us as I held her gaze. "You are not."

​The whispers behind her immediately started again, and I had had enough. Whatever argument Rebecca wanted to have with me, we weren’t going to have it in front of forty warriors I was supposed to be leading. Logan seemed to realize the same thing because he turned toward the candidates and raised his voice.

​"All right, everyone. Please stand and follow Alpha Kane through the side doors. Your room assignments will be given to you in the east wing dining hall. Let’s go."

​The warriors hesitated, and it was obvious that most of them wanted to stay and see what happened next. Kane stepped forward and gave them a look that quickly changed their minds. One by one, they stood and began leaving the hall, although several still glanced over their shoulders at Rebecca and me on their way out.

​Within a few minutes, the last candidate walked through the doors. The heavy doors closed behind them, leaving Rebecca and me alone in the large, quiet hall.