Chapter 152 The Calm before

Chapter 152: Chapter 152 The Calm before

Talia’s POV

The night after the meeting, Kaelen returned to the room late.

I was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for him. The fire had burned low, and the shadows were long on the walls, but I had not moved from this spot for hours, and my mind would not stop racing.

He walked in, and his face was tired. Dark circles hung under his eyes, and his shoulders were heavy. But his gray eyes were still sharp.

"What did the elders say?" I asked.

He sat beside me on the bed and took my hand. His fingers were warm, and they wrapped around mine.

"They agreed with the plan," he said. "Warriors are in position, and scouts are watching the border. We have done everything we can."

"Now we wait," I said.

"Now we wait," he repeated.

We lay in bed together, but neither of us slept.

The fire crackled in the hearth, and the room was warm. Kaelen’s arm was around my waist, and my head was on his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat beneath my ear, steady and strong.

But my own heart was pounding.

"Are you scared?" I asked.

He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Yes."

I had never heard him admit that before. Kaelen was always strong, always steady, and always the Alpha who never showed fear.

But tonight, he was just a man. A man who might lose everything tomorrow.

"I am scared too," I said.

He pulled me closer, and his arms tightened around me. "We will get through this."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because we have survived everything else." His voice was low. "Rogue battles from the past, the rogues in the forest, the trials, and Vivienne at Mooncrest Hall. We survived all of it."

"This is different," I said.

"I know." He kissed the top of my head. "But we are still together. That is what matters."

We talked about the future.

It felt strange, talking about tomorrow when we did not know if we would live to see it. But it also felt right, like we were holding onto something good, and something worth fighting for.

"What will you do when the battle is over?" I asked.

Kaelen was quiet for a moment. "Sleep," he said. "For a week."

I laughed. It was a small sound, but it felt good. "That is not an answer."

He smiled. It was a real smile, that felt soft and warm. "What do you want me to say?"

"The truth," I said.

He was quiet again. Then he said, "I want to build something with you. I want to build a life, and a family." His hand moved to my stomach, and his palm pressed flat against it. "And maybe, pups, someday."

My heart swelled. "You want pups?"

"I want everything with you." He looked at me, and his gray eyes were soft. "Growing old, watching our children run through the forest, then teaching them how to fight, and how to be strong."

"You are thinking very far ahead," I said.

"Someone has to." He kissed my forehead. "You are too busy worrying about tomorrow."

"Someone has to do that too," I said.

He laughed, and the sound felt soft, warm and real.

We lay in silence for a long time after that.

The fire crackled, and the shadows danced. Kaelen’s hand traced slow circles on my back, and I listened to his heartbeat.

I thought about Vivienne. About her cold eyes and her cruel smile. About the way she had looked at me at Mooncrest Hall before she was dragged away, like she wanted to tear me apart.

I thought about Viktor, the rogue Alpha. I had never seen his face, but I had heard his name again being whispered in the hallways, as I walked around during the day. Wolves said he was brutal and merciless. Some said that he had killed Alphas before, and he had destroyed packs.

I thought about Serena. I did not know yet what she was planning, but I had seen the way she looked at me. I had seen the jealousy in her eyes, and the hate filled her face.

She wanted what I had, and I did not trust her to sit still.

"What if we lose?" I whispered.

Kaelen’s hand stopped moving. "We will not lose."

"You cannot know that," I said.

"I know that I will not let anything happen to you." His voice was firm. "I will die before I let anyone hurt you."

"Do not say that." I sat up and looked at him. "Do not say you will die."

He reached up and cupped my face, and his thumbs brushed across my cheeks.

"I will not die," he said. "And neither will you. We will survive this, together."

I wanted to believe him, and I wanted to trust his words. But the fear was still there, cold and heavy in my chest.

I lay back down and pressed my face against his chest. His arms wrapped around me, and I felt safe. For this moment, I felt safe.

But the battle was coming, and I knew that wolves would die, and friends might fall.

I thought about Piper, about Nora, about Jax and Silas and Cain. I thought about all the wolves who had accepted me, who had bowed to me, and who had called me Luna.

Some of them might not survive tomorrow, and the thought made my stomach turn.

"Talia," Kaelen said.

"Hmm?" I answered softly.

"Stop thinking," he said.

"I cannot," I replied.

"Try." He kissed the top of my head. "Just for tonight, and just for a few hours, please let yourself rest."

I closed my eyes and tried to push the thoughts away, but they would not leave.

The hours passed. The fire burned low, and the room grew cold. The shadows on the walls stretched and shrank as the flames flickered.

Neither of us slept.

We just held each other, waiting for dawn, waiting for the battle, and waiting to see what the morning would bring.

Kaelen’s hand found mine under the blanket. His fingers laced through mine, and he squeezed.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," I whispered.

The words hung in the air, heavy and warm.

I stared at the ceiling and listened to his heartbeat. Somewhere in the darkness, the enemy was gathering, rogues were sharpening their claws, Viktor was planning his attack, and Vivienne was smiling.

But here, in this room, I was not alone.

Kaelen was beside me, Lyra was warm in my chest, and I felt ready.

I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, but my mind was racing.

Tomorrow, the battle would begin, and nothing would ever be the same.