The sky outside was still a soft gray when I pulled myself out of bed, careful not to shift the mattress too much.
57
I often wondered if Russia ever seen blue skys at all? And on that note, I began to miss both the temperature and the clear skies back at
my own pack…
Home.
My home.
My sanctuary.
Nobody would dare to take that from me…
The room was quiet, still clinging to the last traces of sleep, and I wanted to keep it that way for her.
Tessa lay curled up beside me, a tangle of blankets wrapped loosely around her waist, her breathing deep and even. She looked peaceful, more so than I’d seen in days, and I hated the idea of disrupting that calm. We both needed the rest, but she’d needed the peace more.
Silently, I reached for the clothes I’d laid out the night before, moving through the room like a shadow. T–shirt. Jeans. Boots. I pulled each piece on with practiced ease, every motion careful, deliberate.
This wasn’t just a meeting. It was the start of everything.
Kion and I had work to do- plans to finalise, routes to secure, names to cross off lists. If we were getting out of here with the girls safely, and without alerting the council, then today was the first crack in the dam,
The moment we started moving, the clock would start ticking,
And the last thing I wanted was to drag Tessa into that chaos before she’d even had her morning coffee.
I glanced at her again as I shrugged on my jacket. Still sleeping. Good.
I moved to the door, rolling my shoulders out, forcing the tension from my muscles. My hand closed around the handle when-
“Kane?”
Her voice was quiet, but it cut through the stillness like a blade.
I froze.
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Chapter 116
“Kane, where are you going?” She whispered in her morning voice.
:
Turning slowly, I found her propped slightly on her elbow, hair messy, eyes still fogged with sleep. But alert. Watching me.
My gut clenched.
“Hey,” I said softly, stepping back into the room. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Her brows pinched, voice husky. “Where are you going?”
I hesitated. “Just heading to Kion’s office. I’ll be back before you know it. Go back to sleep, angel. You need it.”
She blinked at me, eyes narrowing as if trying to read between the lines of my calm tone.
57
“N–No… What’s going on? I don’t want you to go without me…” she asked again.
I huffed a quiet breath, moving to the edge of the bed. “I just wanted to get ahead of the game. Start early. That’s all. I would’ve came
back for you in an hour or two.”
Her hand reached out, fingers catching the edge of my shirt. “Just let me come with you? I’m up now?”
“Tessa-”
“No,” she said, firmer now, sitting up straighter as the blanket slid down her shoulder. “I don’t want to stay here wondering what’s going
on or what’s being decided without me. If we’re in this together… I want to be in it.”
I stared at her, jaw tightening.
She was awake now- really awake. And she wasn’t backing down either.
My wolf stirred beneath my skin, agitated but also impressed. She was our match in every way,
Perfect.
I reached up, brushing her hair behind her ear. “You don’t know what you’re getting in to…”
Her eyes didn’t waver. “I’ll be okay…”
I exhaled through my nose, closing my eyes briefly. There was no winning this with her today.
“Alright,” I said, voice low. “Go get dressed. But you’ll sit in the office quiet unless I need you for something. Things might move fast and
I don’t need extra distractions. If you want to act like a brave girl then now’s your chance…”
She gave a small, nervous nod, already pushing the covers aside to swing her legs over the edge of the bed before hurrying to grab
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Chapter 116
clothes.
:
57
And just like that, it wasn’t just my war anymore.
Her movements were quick but clumsy with sleep. She nearly tripped pulling a hoodie over her head, muttering something under her
breath that I didn’t quite catch. Probably cursing me. Probably cursing Russia. Probably cursing the fact that I was letting her come along
on what might very well be the first step into hell.
Still, I didn’t stop her.
I turned away to give her space as she entered the bathroom, dragging a hand down my face as I stared at the door. My jaw clenched. My
mind already ten steps ahead.
I could feel Kion pacing his office right now, ready to spit fire about the council’s latest games. And I knew- hell, I knew that the
moment we opened our mouths about what came next, there’d be no going back.
A soft shuffle behind me signaled that she was done getting dressed.
I glanced over my shoulder.
She was in joggers, and a hoodie, her hair pulled back into some messy knot at the base of her neck. No makeup. No performance. Just
raw, tired courage.
My girl.
I stepped toward the door again, this time slower.
“You ready?” I asked.
She nodded, looping her arm in mine,
The walk down the hall was quiet. Most of the packhouse was still asleep, the kind of eerie silence that came with early hours and heavy things hanging in the air.
“Any update on Sasha?” Tessa asked warily, as I nodded.
“She woke around an hour ago, they gave her some water and small bites of food, before she dozed off again. She’s just needing to sleep off the trauma.” I explain, as Tessa listens intently. “Erin was there when she woke too.” I add, as she smiles slightly at that.
Tessa stayed close to my side, and I could feel her glancing up at me every now and then, like she was trying to read me.
By the time we reached the end of the corridor that led to Kion’s private wing, I could already hear voices- low and clipped.
Kion wasn’t alone.
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…
19:05 Sat, Jan 31 M.
Chapter 116
Great.
I slowed my pace and turned to Tessa.
“You sure you’re up for this?” I asked, one last time. “You sit quiet. You listen. And if shit gets tense, you don’t flinch. Understood?”
She nodded once, jaw set.
“Good,” I muttered, and knocked twice before pushing the door open for myself.
Kion was standing at the head of the room, arms crossed, eyes like steel as he faced two of his inner circle. They all looked up as we entered, but Kion’s gaze immediately dropped to Tessa.
He arched a brow.
“She insisted,” I said before he could speak. “And I’m not about to start a war with my mate before we’ve even started the real one.”
Kion grunted, but he didn’t argue.
“Fine,” he said. “Close the door.”
$7
Tessa stepped inside quietly, her posture straight, her chin high even as she gravitated toward a chair in the corner of the room. She sat,
silent like I asked.
Kion didn’t waste any time…
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
