Chapter 366: Tonight

Rebecca’s POV

I barely slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, my mind went back to everything waiting for us at Plant Pack. The Dark Fire. The Tiger shifters. The thousands of warriors who would be marching with us. And now, thanks to Rola, I also had the image of thirty identical versions of Kaden’s wolf running through my head.

By the time morning came, I gave up trying to sleep and got out of bed. The palace was already busy when Rola and I left our room. Warriors moved through the hallways carrying weapons and supplies, while healers and witches hurried in different directions. Commanders were already shouting instructions outside, and everywhere I looked, people were preparing for what would happen tonight.

After weeks of training and testing our abilities, this was finally it.

Tonight, we were going to war.

Rola and I ate a quick breakfast before heading to the main training grounds, where all forty-two candidates had been ordered to gather. By the time we arrived, almost everyone was already there. King Melvin and Alpha Kane stood near the front with several commanders, while Logan was going through a stack of papers with one of the warriors.

Kaden wasn’t there, and I noticed immediately, which annoyed me because apparently, even on the morning of a war, part of my brain was still keeping track of where that man was.

Focus, Rebecca.

I moved with Rola toward the others, and once everyone had arrived, Kane stepped forward.

"Yesterday, the Alpha King explained the general plan," Kane began. "This morning, we’re going to tell you exactly where each of you will be and what you’re expected to do."

Melvin stepped forward beside him and looked across the forty-two of us. "You will be divided into seven groups of six," he explained. "Each group has been arranged based on how your abilities work together. This isn’t about who is stronger. Every person in your group has a purpose, and if one person ignores the plan, you could put everyone else in danger."

One of the commanders began calling names, and slowly, the forty-two of us separated into our assigned groups. I wasn’t surprised when Rola’s name was called with mine. Four others joined us. One was a witch who could create temporary shields, another was a wolf with enhanced senses strong enough to detect supernatural energy, while the remaining two had abilities useful in direct combat.

Once the groups were complete, Kane walked toward the large map spread across a table.

"Each team will approach Plant Pack from a different position," he explained, moving his finger across the map. "The main army will remain behind you until we create openings through the Dark Fire. We’ll pressure the barrier from several directions at once and force the people maintaining it to divide their attention."

Melvin took over, his sea-blue eyes moving toward our group. "Princess Rola will attempt to suppress the Dark Fire around your entry point," he explained. "Rebecca, if she weakens it enough, you’ll use your teleportation to help move your team through. But nobody assumes the barrier is safe simply because the flames weaken."

"Understood," I replied with a nod.

"But you will not teleport through fully active Dark Fire," Kane warned, looking directly at me. "We already saw what happened when Rola’s suppression interrupted your teleportation during training. If you feel resistance, stop."

"What if I’ve already started?" I asked, glancing between him and Melvin.

"Return to your original position if you can," Melvin answered. "Whatever happens, don’t try to force yourself through."

I didn’t particularly like the uncertainty in that answer, but I understood why they were being cautious. None of us knew exactly how my teleportation would react to the Dark Fire, and tonight wasn’t the time to find out the hard way.

For the next hour, Kane and Melvin went through the remaining groups and explained what would happen once we managed to weaken the barrier. Some teams would attack the Dark Fire directly, while others would protect the gifted fighters. The witches would reinforce any openings we created, allowing the main army to enter.

The plan was much bigger than any one person. We weren’t going into Plant Pack simply to rescue prisoners. We were going there to take back an occupied territory and destroy the center of the Tiger Kingdom’s defense. If the information from our scouts was correct, bringing down the generals and magicians inside Plant Pack could weaken the Dark Fire surrounding the other five territories too.

Kaden’s role wasn’t written beside any group on the map because it didn’t need to be. He was going to make himself the distraction, and after what Rola had told me yesterday, I finally understood how.

He could create dozens of identical copies of his wolf and force the enemy to waste time trying to find the real one. The problem was that every injury those copies suffered would weaken him.

I pushed the thought away. Logan was right. Today wasn’t the day to let whatever I felt about Kaden distract me.

When the briefing ended, everyone began separating to prepare. Rola touched my arm and told me she was going to speak with one of the witches about the suppression field before walking away. I had barely taken a few steps in the opposite direction when Melvin called my name.

"Rebecca," Melvin called as he approached me.

I turned toward him. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"No," Melvin replied, stopping in front of me. "I just wanted to say something before things get too busy."

His expression became serious as his sea-blue eyes held mine. "I really like you, Rebecca. I know I’ve made that obvious over the past year, and I know you’ve turned me down more than once."

"Then perhaps you should take the hint," I replied with a small smile.

Melvin smiled too. "Unfortunately for you, I’m stubborn. I’m not asking you for an answer today, but after this war, I’m going to pursue you properly. And believe me, I’m not backing off that easily."

"Melvin..." I started, unsure what to say.

"You don’t have to say anything," Melvin assured me with a small smile. "Just survive tonight."

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away to join the commanders. I watched him go before releasing a quiet breath.

I turned around and immediately stopped when I saw Kaden standing several feet away.

I had no idea how much he’d heard, but his expression gave nothing away as he walked toward me.

"I need to speak to you about tonight," Kaden said, completely ignoring what had just happened with Melvin.

"Okay," I replied.

"Your position puts you close to the Dark Fire," Kaden explained. "Wait until Rola weakens it and your commander confirms it’s safe before you teleport. If you feel resistance, stop immediately."

"Kane and Melvin already told me," I reminded him.

"I know," Kaden replied calmly. "I’m telling you again because I know you. If someone on your team gets into trouble, you’re going to want to force your way through."

I couldn’t exactly argue with that. "I know what I’m doing, Kaden," I said.

"I know you do," Kaden replied. "That’s why you’re going."

His answer caught me off guard. Three years ago, he probably would have tried to lock me somewhere rather than allow me near a battlefield like this, but he wasn’t trying to stop me now. He trusted me to do my job, and for some reason, realizing that made me think about what Rola had told me the night before.

"How many duplicates are you planning to create tonight?" I asked.

"As many as I need," Kaden answered.

"That’s risky," I pointed out.

"I never said it was safe," Kaden replied calmly.

I frowned at him. "Rola told me every injury they take weakens your real wolf."

"Yeah, but don’t worry. I’ll be fine," Kaden said simply.

There wasn’t much else I could say. Asking him not to make himself a target was pointless when that was exactly what the plan required him to do.

"Just don’t be stupid," I finally told him.

Something close to a smile appeared on Kaden’s face. "I’ll try."

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. There were still things between us that needed to be discussed, especially after the night we’d spent together and our argument afterward, but neither of us brought them up. Logan was right. Whatever happened between Kaden and me could wait until after the war.

"I need to meet with the commanders," Kaden said, taking a step backward.

He turned to leave before stopping and looking back at me. "Be careful tonight, Rebecca."

"You too," I replied quietly.

Kaden held my gaze for another second before walking away. I watched him disappear among the warriors, then forced myself to turn in the opposite direction. Apparently, Logan hadn’t needed to worry about me distracting Kaden. Kaden was doing a perfectly good job of distracting me all by himself.

The rest of the day passed quickly. We checked our weapons, went over our formations one final time, met with our commanders, and listened to the healers explain where the emergency medical teams would be positioned.

By evening, the palace grounds were filled with hundreds of warriors standing beneath the banners of their different packs, dressed for battle and carrying weapons. Commanders moved between them, checking formations, while witches and healers prepared everything they would need once the fighting began.

The forty-two of us joined our assigned groups, and for the first time since training began, everything felt completely real.

Some of the people standing around me might not return tonight.

I tried not to think about that as Rola came to stand beside me, her silver-blonde hair pulled back tightly and her usual relaxed expression gone.

"Nervous?" I asked her.

"Very," Rola admitted before noticing my surprise. "What? You thought Lycan princesses don’t get scared?"

"I wasn’t going to say that," I replied.

"You were thinking it," Rola said with a small smile.

"Maybe a little," I admitted.

Her smile quickly faded as she looked toward the army. "I’ve never tried suppressing anything like Dark Fire before. I don’t know if it’ll work."

"We’ll find out together," I assured her.

Rola nodded just as movement near the front caught everyone’s attention. Kane appeared with Logan and several commanders, while Melvin joined them moments later. Then Kaden walked out, and the conversations around us gradually disappeared as he moved toward the front of the assembled warriors.

Something about seeing him standing there made the man I had spoken to only hours earlier seem almost like a different person. This wasn’t Kaden standing in his bedroom arguing with me or the man whose chest I had fallen asleep against.

This was the Alpha King, and thousands of lives depended on the decisions he made tonight.

"We’ve spent weeks preparing for this," Kaden began, his voice carrying across the grounds. "Tonight, preparation ends. The people occupying those territories believe the Dark Fire makes them untouchable. They believe hiding behind magic gives them the right to take our lands, imprison our people, and decide which pack falls next."

Kaden looked across the warriors before continuing. "Tonight, we remind them that it doesn’t."

A roar spread through the army, but Kaden raised one hand and waited for everyone to quiet down.

"Stay with your units, follow your commanders, and protect the people beside you," he ordered. "Nobody breaks formation because they think they can win this war alone. Tonight, we take Plant Pack back."

The response from the army was loud, and my heart pounded as everyone began moving.

By the time we reached the outskirts of Plant Pack, night had completely fallen. The closer we came to the territory, the quieter everyone became until the only sound around us was hundreds of footsteps moving through the darkness.

Then the trees ahead began glowing, and at first, I thought it was ordinary fire.

As we moved closer, I realized how wrong I was.

The Dark Fire stretched across the territory like a massive burning wall, its black and deep-red flames twisting together and rising high into the night. Heat pressed against my skin even from where we stood, but the magic beneath it disturbed me more. It felt dark and heavy, and something inside me immediately pulled back from it.

"Goddess," Rola whispered as she stared at the flames.

"For once, we completely agree," I muttered, unable to take my eyes off the barrier.

Figures moved beyond the flames, and it didn’t take long to realize they were Tiger shifters waiting on the other side.

They knew we were here.

The commanders immediately began moving everyone into position, and my team headed toward our assigned section while the main army remained behind us, waiting for the openings we had been ordered to create.

My eyes moved toward the front and found Kaden already there. He removed his shirt and handed it to Logan before stepping away from everyone else. Nearby, Melvin handed his weapon to one of his men and moved into an open space.

Melvin’s body began changing almost immediately. His human form grew rapidly as powerful wings spread from his back, and within moments, the man who had spoken to me that morning was gone. An enormous dragon now stood in his place, towering above the warriors as he spread his wings. A deep growl rumbled from his chest before he turned toward the Dark Fire.

I had always known Melvin was a dragon, but knowing it and actually standing there watching him transform were two completely different things.

There was no time to stare, though.

Around me, the witches were already preparing their spells, while Rola flexed her fingers beside me and focused on the barrier.

My attention returned to Kaden just as he stepped forward and shifted into his wolf. Last night, Rola had told me what he could do, and tonight, I was finally going to see it.

For weeks, we had trained for this moment, studying the Dark Fire, testing our abilities, and planning every possible way of getting through it. Standing in front of the real thing was different. There were no practice battles here and no one to stop the fight if something went wrong.

If any of us made a mistake tonight, people could die.