Chapter 51: Have I ever offended you before?

"Starting tonight, before it gets dark, we must already be gathered together. No one dares to leave the pack," Cassian said in a low voice.

His gaze swept across all the pack members.

"Whatever you hear or see out there, do not act on your own."

"We will divide the night watch from now on. Everyone will take a turn guarding, no matter who they are. I will not make any exceptions, even for a weak Omega," Cassian added.

"Yes, Alpha," the members answered in unison.

"Young Alpha," Vera called out as she sat among the Betas.

"If that is the case, shouldn’t Liliana also take a turn guarding? Even though she is your younger sister, she is also a member of this pack. She is benefiting from being with us. You won’t make an exception for her just because she is your sister, will you?" she asked in a calm voice, as if it were a question that truly needed to be asked.

All the pack members lowered their heads and cautiously looked at Cassian. There was no one who did not know how much Cassian cared about Liliana.

Cassian looked at Vera with a cold smile. "Did you not hear what I said clearly, Vera? Do I have to repeat it and explain it in great detail until you understand?"

Vera looked at Cassian before clenching her fingers tightly. Embarrassment filled her until she could not find anything to say in response to Cassian’s words.

Cassian snorted before looking at the other pack members.

"Use your brains before you speak. Pack Draven does not let its members live uselessly without brains."

No one answered Cassian. Everyone lowered their heads.

"Do you hear me?" Cassian asked again in a voice filled with pressure.

"Yes, Alpha," the other members answered with their heads held high after hearing Cassian’s displeasure.

"Since all of our pack members can enter this secret realm, I will divide the night watch duties for tonight and the following nights," Cassian finally said.

"The watch will begin in one hour and end at six in the morning. Daytime should arrive at six in the morning. There are seventy of us. Each group will consist of five to six people," Cassian added.

Cassian quickly held a draw to determine who would be in each team and their watch schedules.

"All right, are there any other questions?" Cassian asked once the teams and watch schedules had been arranged.

Everyone shook their heads. "No, Young Alpha."

Cassian nodded in satisfaction. "Those who are on watch, prepare your positions. Those whose watch has not arrived yet can rest immediately. Tomorrow will surely be harder than today," he said.

"Ah... and one more thing. I suggest that you rest in your wolf forms. We still do not know how dangerous tonight will be. If something happens, we can leave this place quickly."

Everyone nodded and quickly shifted into their wolf forms as Cassian ordered, then searched for places to rest within the protection of the other members who were on watch.

Cassian brought Liliana to a place slightly farther away from the other members of his pack.

"Sleep here," Cassian ordered. "Do not turn your body into a wolf. We do not know whether the Crown Prince’s men are around us, watching or not," he said.

Liliana immediately stopped her body from shifting into a wolf.

"Brother, are you sure? You are asking me to sleep in my human body? What if there is danger like you said earlier? What should I do?" Liliana asked one question after another.

Cassian nodded. "The imperial family’s abilities are beyond the limits of our understanding. We can only take precautions. Do not worry about anything. Brother will protect you," Cassian said, reassuring Liliana.

Liliana swallowed. "But... if I shift, won’t I only turn into an ordinary gray wolf?" she asked, trying to negotiate.

"Do you know how powerful the Crown Prince is?" Cassian asked. "Just follow Brother’s order. Understand?"

Liliana finally gave up. She nodded and stopped intending to shift.

"Sleep with the Striped Tiger. He will keep you warm with his fur. He can also help you if something happens that we did not predict," Cassian added.

"Ehm," Liliana replied.

Cassian took off his academy robe and gave it to Liliana. "Use this as an extra layer. Do not think about anything and get some rest immediately. Tomorrow morning will truly be difficult for us."

Liliana accepted Cassian’s robe and immediately lay down on the grass. She curled up in the Striped Tiger’s embrace while using Cassian’s academy robe as an additional blanket.

The Striped Tiger seemed to understand Cassian’s intentions. He immediately spread his arms, allowing Liliana to lie in his embrace so she would not get cold.

Cassian looked at Liliana before lying down not far from her in his black wolf form.

He slowly closed his eyes.

Time passed quickly. Liliana opened her eyes and immediately stood up when her watch duty arrived.

Liliana turned to look at Cassian, who was still keeping his eyes closed. She had been assigned to guard at midnight tonight.

The Striped Tiger quickly woke up when he realized Liliana had awakened and followed her like a well-behaved pet.

The night air here was truly terrible. Especially with Cassian not allowing her to turn into a wolf.

Liliana gritted her teeth as they continued to chatter from the cold. She even thought that Cassian was teasing her here.

The pack members who had already been on watch immediately switched places with Liliana’s group and returned to their previous positions before closing their eyes without caring about anything else.

Liliana directed her steps toward her assigned watch position and sat down quietly.

The Striped Tiger thoughtfully lowered his body onto Liliana’s feet, trying to help reduce the cold.

Liliana stroked Belang’s head and immediately tightened her robe and Cassian’s robe, which were now draped over her back.

The night became silent again. There was no sound that could be heard. Only darkness as far as the eye could see.

"Liliana..." Vera called after the place had been silent for some time.

Liliana raised her head and looked at Vera, who had shifted into her human form and sat beside her without permission.

"Is there something you want to say?" Liliana asked bluntly.

Vera smiled sarcastically. "Did you deliberately refuse to shift into a wolf so that Cassian would give you his academy robe?" she asked with a meaningful sneer.

Liliana frowned and looked at Vera.

"What do you mean? Have I ever offended you before?" Liliana asked, displeased.