Chapter 153 The warning 1

Chapter 153: Chapter 153 The warning 1

Talia’s POV

Dawn broke over Blackmoor Valley, pale and cold.

I was still lying in Kaelen’s arms, but neither of us had slept. The fire had burned down to embers, and the room was dim. The first light of morning filtered through the window, gray and soft.

Then a knock came at the door.

It was urgent, fast and hard. Not the gentle tap of a servant bringing breakfast.

Kaelen sat up immediately. "Enter."

The door opened, and a scout stood in the hallway. His face was pale, and his chest was heaving, like he had run all the way from a battlefield.

"The army is coming," he said, breathing hard. "Viktor is leading them, and they might be here by nightfall."

Kaelen’s jaw tightened. He climbed out of bed and walked to the scout.

"Go to the Warriors’ Gate," he said. "Tell the guards to sound the alarm for war preparation."

The scout nodded. "Should I inform the warriors?"

"No." Kaelen’s voice was firm. "I will mind-link my beta, Cain. He will gather the warriors, the guards, and all able-bodied wolves immediately."

The scout bowed and ran.

Kaelen turned to me. "Get dressed. We need to go to the Gathering Hall."

The Gathering Hall was packed when we arrived.

Wolves stood shoulder to shoulder. Their faces were hard, and their eyes were bright with fear and determination. There were elders, warriors, servants, and even the young wolves who were too small to fight stood with their parents.

Grandfather Aldric was at the front, and his gray eyes were sharp. He nodded at Kaelen.

Kaelen walked to the front and stood beside his grandfather. He raised his hand, and the room went silent.

"Viktor is coming," he said. His voice carried across the hall. "He wants to destroy our home, he wants to kill our families, and he wants to take everything we have built."

He looked around the room. "But we will not let him."

The wolves cheered, their voices loud and fierce.

Kaelen gave orders. Warriors were assigned to positions, the young and old were sent to the safe rooms, supplies were gathered, and weapons were sharpened.

I stood beside him the whole time. I was not hiding, and I was not in the back. I was at the front, where a Luna belonged.

Later, Kaelen and I met with Cain in the war room.

Cain spread a map across the table. His finger traced the lines of the valley, the walls of the stronghold, and the gates and towers.

"The east wall is the weakest," he said. "Viktor will likely attack there first."

Kaelen studied the map, as his gray eyes moved across the paper, sharp and focused.

"Place our strongest warriors there," he said. "Double the guards."

Cain nodded. "What about the north gate?"

"Our defenses there are weak," Kaelen said. "But the terrain is rough. So, Viktor might avoid it."

I looked at the map. Something did not feel right.

"What if he does not?" I asked.

Both men looked at me.

"Viktor is not stupid," I said. "He will expect us to protect the east wall. He might send a small group to distract us there while the main force attacks somewhere else."

Kaelen stared at me for a moment, then he nodded.

"She is right."

Cain looked at the map again. "Where would he strike?"

I pointed to the west side of the stronghold. "The forest is thick there, so he could hide his army in the trees and attack without warning."

Kaelen and Cain exchanged a look.

"Move more warriors to the west," Kaelen said. "Do it quietly. Do not let anyone see."

Cain nodded. "I will see to it."

The rest of the day passed in a blur.

Warriors trained in the fields. Their swords clashed, and their voices shouted. Blacksmiths worked through the afternoon, hammering blades and repairing armor. Servants carried supplies to the safe rooms, and healers prepared bandages and medicines.

The sun climbed higher, then began its slow descent toward the mountains. I lost track of time, as every hour felt like a minute, and every minute felt like an hour. The warriors trained until their arms shook, and the blacksmiths worked until their hands blistered. No one complained, and no one stopped, because everyone knew what was at stake.

I helped where I could.

I was not as strong as the warriors, and I was not as skilled as the blacksmiths. But I could carry water, I could hand out bandages, and I could look a scared wolf in the eyes and tell them everything would be alright, even if I was not sure myself.

So I carried water to the warriors, I helped Nora pack supplies, and I checked on Piper, who was helping the healers.

Everywhere I looked, wolves were preparing for battle.

And through it all, Kaelen was at the center. Giving orders, making decisions, and holding the pack together.

I watched him from across the field, and my heart swelled with pride.

Soon, night fell over Blackmoor Valley.