Chapter 89: Fight With Me

Without waiting for a reply, Rhea turned and walked down the center aisle. Her boots hit the stone floor in a steady beat that echoed through the empty hall. She kept her posture straight, her gaze fixed on the doors ahead.

The oak doors parted, and the cool night air hit her face, carrying the scent of pine, damp earth, and distant smoke.

Rhea paused on the stone steps, taking a deep breath to settle the heat stirring in her chest. River prowled near the surface of her skin, her claws digging into Rhea’s consciousness with restless energy.

"One down," River grumbled. "Many more fools to go."

Rhea looked up and down the quiet cobblestone road, searching for someone who could guide her to her next target.

A shadow moved near the corner of the wall. A warrior stood against the stone, an iron-tipped spear held loosely in his grip.

Rhea walked over to where he stood, her steps deliberate. "Take me to Alpha Jaxon."

The guard nodded, his jaw set as if he had been waiting for her. "Follow me, Luna."

Her heart hammered against her ribs as she fell into step behind him. They moved through narrow alleyways where shuttered windows hid watching eyes. The silence of the village pressed heavily against her skin.

Soon, the path opened into a wide courtyard of what used to be the playground for the young pups of the pack.

"Wait here," the guard said, leaving her side to cross toward the main house.

Rhea stopped in the centre of the yard.

The empty stone benches and worn training posts pulled memories from the back of her mind. She remembered Eli laughing as he raced across the grass, bonfires burning beneath the stars, hunting songs filling the night.

Now, there was nothing. No laughter. No fires. No songs.

Only silence.

"Luna Rhea," a voice called from behind her.

Rhea turned around. Alpha Jaxon stood on the porch, his tall frame outlined by the torchlight. He looked at her with a mix of disbelief and awe.

"Alpha Jaxon," she said softly.

"I can’t believe it’s really you," Jaxon murmured. He walked down the wooden steps, closing the distance between them. Taking her hand, he pressed his lips to the back of her knuckles in the traditional sign of honor. His touch was warm, sending a brief spark of familiarity through her cold hands. "Please, come inside."

Rhea followed him into the house. The interior smelled of parchment, dried herbs, and polished cedar.

"Please, sit here," Jaxon said, pulling out a high-backed chair near the hearth for her.

Rhea sank into the seat, letting out a soft sigh. A genuine smile touched her lips as she looked at his familiar face. The deep respect they shared when they fought side by side had not been burned away by the threat of war. "It is good to see you, Jaxon."

Jaxon pulled up a stool across from her, his amber eyes searching her face. "When word reached me that you had returned, I wanted to find you myself. I needed to ask why you came back at a time like this."

Rhea leaned forward, placing her forearms on her knees. She held his gaze without flinching. "I came back to fight for our home," she said, her voice low and steady. "I came to ask for your help."

Jaxon shook his head. "Ironfang no longer exists, Rhea. The pack is broken."

"Yet the name is still carved into the gates," Rhea countered smoothly.

Jaxon shook his head. "That does not matter. The warriors are angry. No one will fight to keep Kaleb on the throne," he explained.

"They do not need to fight for Kaleb," Rhea said, her silver eyes flashing. "They need to fight for Ironfang."

Jaxon reached out, taking her hands in his. His grip was broad and warm, calloused from years of wielding a sword. "A war is coming, Rhea. Whoever wins will claim this territory, and Ironfang will disappear from the maps. If that happens, I intend to protect my bloodline. I want to be the one sitting on that throne when the dust settles."

Rhea studied him. "And what good is a throne if there is no Ironfang left to rule?" She locked her gaze onto his. "And what will you tell your children when they ask about their roots?" she asked quietly. "What songs will you teach them when the old stories are forgotten?"

Jaxon went silent, his grip tightening slightly on her hand. His jaw flexed as her words found their mark, stirring something deep within his wolf.

"You are fighting for a crown," she continued, "while everyone around you is fighting over the pieces of the kingdom beneath it."

Jaxon still remained silent.

"We don’t need to fight each other in this war," Rhea pressed, leaning closer. Her voice carried an earnest edge that filled the quiet space between them. "We need to unite and drive out the threat to our borders. That is what we have always done. So what do you say, Jaxon? Will you stand with me?"

Jaxon stared at the floor for several seconds. "You always did know how to make a man question his choices," he muttered.

Rhea said nothing.

Finally, he lifted his head. "You are right. I am ready to stand with you."

A breath Rhea had not realised she was holding escaped her.

"But first," Jaxon added.

Her posture stiffened.

"You will have to convince the others," he said. "If they agree to march behind your banner, I will pledge my sword and shield to Ironfang."

Rhea nodded slowly, her mind already racing with a strategy.

Jaxon tilted his head, studying her. "The real question is, can you pull this off? How are you going to convince half a dozen proud Alphas to lay down their greed?"

River lifted her head inside Rhea’s mind, her eyes narrowing.

Rhea was silent for a moment. Then a slow smile touched her lips. "I do not need them to surrender their greed," she said.

Jaxon frowned. "Then what do you need?"

Rhea rose from her chair. "I need to give them something they want more than the throne."

Jaxon stared at her.