Chapter 90: Let’s Remind Them

"I do not want to spill our own blood, Jaxon," Rhea said, her voice tight with conflict. "If I can just speak to them, I will make them realise that destroying Ironfang means destroying their own chance at power. They need to understand what they stand to lose. I have a real chance to end this war before it even begins."

Jaxon let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. He shifted his broad frame, the scent of fresh pine and leather drifting off his skin. "I want to believe you, Rhea. But these men are drunk on blood and power right now. Their wolves are restless, and I do not think you can pull them back from that edge."

Rhea nodded slowly, her pulse hammering in her throat. "You may be right," she murmured, her silver eyes steady. "But I have to try."

Jaxon studied her for a long moment, watching the fierce resolve etched into her face. Finally, he gave a gruff nod. "If your mind is set, then tell me what you need."

Rhea stepped closer, her brows pulling together as her expression turned sharp. "I need them in one room. Gather the commanders and the Alphas. Give me one meeting with them. That is all I ask."

"It will not be easy," Jaxon said, his dark eyes searching hers. "But I will do my best to make it happen."

"Thank you," Rhea said softly. She reached out and placed both of her hands over his, her skin warm against his calloused knuckles. A brief spark of shared history passed between them, grounding her frantic thoughts. "We send word now. If those men still carry any respect for me, they will show up."

Jaxon nodded. He walked over to a dark wooden desk near the corner, pulling out sheets of heavy parchment and a quill. "You write it. Your seal carries more weight than my word ever could."

For the next half hour, the room was silent except for the scratching of the feather against paper.

Rhea drafted each letter with care, sealing the folded sheets with dark red wax.

When she finished the last letter, Jaxon picked it up, inspecting the damp wax. He handed it directly to his top scout, a nimble warrior standing by the door. "Deliver this straight to King Aaron. Make sure it lands in his hands, not his father’s."

The scout bowed his head and vanished into the shadowed night.

Jaxon turned back to Rhea, placing his large hands firmly on his hips. The firelight flickered across his face, throwing deep shadows over his sharp jawline. "Have you thought about what happens if they ignore the summons?"

Rhea exhaled, her shoulders dropping a fraction as the weight of the moment pressed down on her chest. "If they do not come, then I have no choice. We settle this on the battlefield." She paused, her gaze locking onto his. "Tell me the truth, Jaxon. Will you stand beside me under the Ironfang banner if they do not show up?"

Jaxon went quiet. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Then he took a slow step forward and gave a firm nod. "For you, Rhea, I will fight. Only because I trust you."

A wave of profound relief washed over her, untying the knot in her stomach. "Thank you, Jaxon. Now we just have to pray the others feel the same way."

Jaxon began to pace the length of the hearth, his heavy boots thudding against the stone floor.

"There is one more person who needs a letter," Rhea said quietly, her voice cutting through his heavy footsteps. "We need to send word to the mountains."

Jaxon stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face her, his eyes wide with shock. "You want to invite Kaleb? To a peace meeting where you are trying to earn the trust of angry men?"

Rhea pressed her lips into a tight line, holding her ground. "I know they hate him. I know what he did. I don’t trust Kaleb either. But Ironfang cannot be reclaimed without dealing with the male who once ruled it."

"It is a terrible idea, Rhea," Jaxon snapped, his tone laced with frustration. "Kaleb showing up will ruin your credibility. No one trusts a male after the Grand Council stripped him of his title and banished him."

"I know, Jaxon!" Rhea said, stepping closer until she could feel the heat radiating from his chest. "I know what he is! But we can deal with his right to rule after the borders are secure. Right now, we have to stop Veyne from taking total control, and you know it."

Jaxon exhaled a long breath through his nose, his broad shoulders rising and falling. "Alpha Veyne is not the male he used to be. Power turned his blood cold overnight."

"I saw it in his eyes when I met him," Rhea agreed softly. "He is dangerous. But if we pull the other Alphas to our side, Veyne will stand alone."

Jaxon stared at her for a long moment before letting out a defeated growl. "If you are certain this will not destroy everything we are trying to build, write the message. But I still say it is a mistake."

Rhea moved back to the table, her hands steady as she wrote a brief, blunt message to Kaleb. She folded the parchment and pressed her ring into the wax, sealing it shut.

"It is ready," she said, handing the scroll to Jaxon. Her silver eyes flashed with a cold light. "I just hope he won’t be a coward this time."

Jaxon took the scroll and handed it to a runner waiting in the hall, giving explicit orders for the mountain trek.

When the door closed, Rhea looked at Jaxon and offered a small, weary shrug. "Now, we wait for midnight."

As the hour approached, they moved outdoors to a secluded stone ring surrounded by tall ironwood trees. A central fire crackled, throwing orange embers into the cool night air. The scent of pine resin and burning wood filled the small clearing.

They sat opposite each other near the flames, waiting in silence.

Rhea tapped the heel of her boot against the dirt, the rhythmic thud keeping time with her racing pulse. Inside her chest, River was pacing like a caged beast, her claws scraping against Rhea’s mind as the tension stretched thin.

"They will come," River growled softly in her thoughts, her ears pinned back. "No one wants to face our fangs on the field.

Rhea squeezed her eyes shut for a brief second, forcing her breath to slow down.

Everything rested on this single night. If the Alphas failed to show, peace was dead, and the mountains would run red with the blood of her people.

Then a howl sounded somewhere beyond the trees.