Chapter 236
RAMON’S POV
I stood at the edge of the training grounds, the rhythmic thuad of lists hitting punching bags echoing in the crisp morning air. Warriors moved around me. their bodies taut with purpose as they honed their skills Normally, watching them train was calming, something about the structure and discipline steadied my thoughts. But not today.
Today, my mind was elsewhere.
Loren
The name had become a curse, a shadow looming over everything we’d built. It didn’t matter that we thought we’d dealt with her, that we believed her to be gone. She was back, and she wasn’t just angry, she was organized, calculated, dangerous.
I clenched my fists, my nails buning into my palms. How had we let this happen! How had I let this happen?
“Ramon.
The sound of Sonia’s voice behind me pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to find har standing a few feet away, her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes, always sharp, were even more intense today, blazing with a mix of frustration and determination
“Where have you been?” she asked, her tone laced with impatience
ure our warriors are ready.
“Here,” I replied, gesturing to the training grounds. “Making sure
“That’s not enough” she snapped, stepping closer. “Lorena’s not going to wait for us to be ready, Ramon. She’s already moving, already planning her next attack”
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my own frustration in check. “And what do you want me to do, Sonia! Rush in blind? Because that’s exactly what she wants
“She’s not waiting for us to figure things out!” Sonia’s voice rose, drawing the attention of a few nearby warriors. I motioned for them to keep training, then turned back to her.
“I know that,” I said, my voice low but firm. “But we can’t just act without a plan. If we do, we’ll be walking right into her trap
“And if we wait too long, she’ll have an army so big we won’t stand a chance,” she countered, “Do you want to be responsible for that? For every life we Jour because we liesitated?”
Her words hut me like a blow, and for a moment, I couldn’t respond. My mind flashed to the faces of our pack, the warriors, the elders, the pups. The thought of losing any of them was unbearable.
“Sonia you:
u need to
to rest, you’re pregnant I began, my voice softer now. “I’m not saying we don’t act. I’m saying we need to be smart about it. If we rusda in without knowing what we’re up against, we’ll lose more than we can afford”
The pups are fine. And if we do nothing, we’ll lose just as much,” she said, her voice trembling slightly.
Her vulnerability was like a knife to my chest. I stepped closer, reaching for her hand, but she pulled away.
if you don’t trust me,” she said, larr voice barely above a whisper.
at’s not fair” 1 replied, my own frustration bubbling to the surface. “You know I trust you. But this isn’t just about you or me. It’s about the entire
Then why do it feel like you’re fighting me on this?” she asked her eyes searching mine
you’re not thinki
king dearly! The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted it
Cfare hardened, the volia ratality replaced by something caller. “Not thinking clearly?” she repeated, her voice sharp. “Do you have any idea
like tocarry this weight, Hamour To know that every decision I make could mean life or death for this pack, for our children?”
I swallowed hard, the wright of her words sinking in Of course I knew I felt that same weight every day. But heating her say it, hearing the raw
emotion in her voice, madr
“I know what you’re feeling” I said, my lone gentler now. “I feel it too. Every day. But we have to be strong for them, for everyone. We can’t let our
11:02 AM
Chapter 236
fear drive us,
“It’s not fear,” she said, her voice breaking, “It’s responsibility. And if we don’t act soon, we’re going to lose everything”
She turned and walked away, leaving me standing there with the words I couldn’t bring myself to
o say.
Later that evening, I found myself in the study, the map of the territories spread out before me. I traced the borders with my finger, my mind racing with possibilities.
t, too calculated. If we smart,
She was right. Lorena wasn’t waiting for us to catch up. But Sonia wasn’t seeing the full picture either. Lorena was too str played her game, we’d lose,
The door creaked open, and 1 looked up to see Cade limping into the room. His face was pale.
“You look like bell.” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
He gave me a weak smile as he sank into a chair. “Feel like it 100.
We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the crackling of the fire.
“She’s right, you know” Cade said finally, his voice rough
“About what?”
“About Lorena,” he replied. “She’s not waiting. She’s already two steps ahead of us.”
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “I know. But rushing in without a plan isn’t the answer either
“No,” Cade agreed “But sitting here isn’t going to stop her.
an a hand through my hair, the weight of the day pressing down on me. “What would you have me do, Cade! If we act too soon, we lose. If we
too long, we lose. Either way, we’re screwed.”
He didn’t answer right away, his gaze fixed on the fire. “You’re not going to find the right answer sitting here,” he said finally. “You and Sonia need to figure this out together. If you don’t well. Lorena’s the least of your problems.”
I nodded, the truth of his words settling heavily in my chest.
When I returned to our room later dat night, Sonia was already there, standing by the window. The moonlight illuminated her face, highlighting the weariness in her eyei.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, closing the door behind me.
She didn’t turn around, but I could see her shoulders tense. “For what?”
carlier,” I said, stepping closer. “For making you feel like I don’t trust you. Tha
That’s not true, Sonia. You’re the strongest person
person I know”
She turned to face me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I’m scared, Ramon, she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m scared of making that wrong chrace, of losing everything we’ve buili. I’m scared for the twins, for the pack, for you.”
used the mom in two strides, pulling her into my arms. “We’ll figure this out,” I said, my voice firm. Together.”
Star rested her head against my chest, her tears soaking into my shirt. “Promise me,” she whispered. “Promise me we won’t lose.”
“I promise.” I said, dough the weight of that promise felt like a mountain on my shoulders.
er stood there, holding e
each other in the silence of the night, I knew one thing for certain, we couldn’t afford to
Not to Lotena. Not tre anyone
my mind quivered. Lorens was dangerous, but there was something else, a sluadow of doubt I couldn’t shake. Something was missing, and if 1 didn’t figure it out soon, it right cost us everything
