“I’ve been trying to reach you since, but my efforts proved futile. We received a letter of intended attack two days ago.”
“Letter of intended attack…? From who?”
Then, the dreaded words came.
“The rogue king, Rakur. He intends on restarting the war, and he has his eye out on starting with attacking us, as none of our neighbors received this same letter.”
Her trembling voice woke Damian, who then sat up to pay attention to her call.
Miranda didn’t mind him, but continued speaking to Orphne.
“What did the letter say? Read it out for me…”
***LETTER OF INTENDED ATTACK***
To, Alpha Miranda of the Lotus Pack
We write this message to inform the addressee mentioned above that we will be invading your territories to claim all that is available in seven days’ time.
We have been merciful in giving you prior notice because we believe that everyone should be given the chance to prepare to defend their lands, and thus, we implore you to do so.
You would also do well as a leader to avoid the chaos and suffering of your people by surrendering without having any need for war.
You have two days to give a response to this letter, or else, we will assume that you want to carry on with the war.
Signed,
King Rakur of the Rogue territory.
**********
“Two days’ time has already elapsed, and the rogue king will think I want to go ahead with the war,” Miranda gasped as she informed Damian of everything after ending the call.
“Of course, you didn’t plan on surrendering to him before, did you?”
“What choice would I have had? Wouldn’t it have been better not to have shed innocent blood?”
“That is not how an alpha speaks, Miranda. An alpha should never be scared to shed blood for the good of it.”
“Not everyone is like you, Damian. Not everyone knows how to cast personal feelings aside. I feel so much for my people, and the last thing I want is for them to enter another decade of suffering when I could have just avoided.”
“So, you think they would have been better living in captivity. Do you even know what kind of wolf Rakur is?”
With her silence, Damian realized then that this was the wrong thing to do. They should be taking action towards the message they’d just received, not arguing.
“Walden sent me a hundred soldiers earlier, but I refused them stating my position not wanting to be indebted to him in any way. I’m beginning to regret that decision now.”
Damian took both of her hands in his, “if it’s what your heart told you to do, then there’s no need to regret anything.”
“But my pack… we are not ready. We do not have enough soldiers on ground… I just became queen and…”
“Do not worry about that, Miranda. Remember that before love, our marriage was also borne out of an agreement. Now, it’s time to keep to my part which I promised you.”
“Thank you, Damian. Thank you for whatever support you are willing to lend us, but I think now, I have to return there. I cannot act as their leader from a distance.”
“But, Miranda… what if something happens to you????”
“I would rather go there, fight for them and die, than remain here in safety knowing I didn’t do anything. If I perish there, then let it be. Damian, you of all people as a leader, should understand this.”
He felt a teardrop slip from his face then. “I wish I could come with you…”
“I wish you could too, but at this time, the silver wolves also need their leader the same way the Lotus wolves do.”
He nodded, “yes, they do.”
“I’ll return and think of a way to help them, but for now, the only thing I can leave you with is my promise, that I will never let anything destroy our love.”
“Also promise that you’ll come back to me, Miranda. Promise me that you’ll protect yourself, and you won’t let harm come your way.”
She kissed him, “I promise you, my love.”
**********
Shortly after Miranda left, Damian thought to play his part too, so he called in Renard. It’s the first time he’s sending for him since the occurrence with Katrina.
“Yes sire?” Renard answered, entering the room.
“Katrina should have told you; I have withdrawn the former intentions I had. There will be no need for a wedding between you two, for now.”
“Yes, she did sire.”
“That’s not why I called you here though, we have a more urgent matter on ground. You are aware that the queen returned home this morning.”
“Yes, sire. We made sure to see her off.”
“Good. While she’s gone, we will keep to the part of the agreement which our union stands. We will be helping the lotus pack prepare their defenses.”
“Ok sire. So, what do I have to do?”
“I want you to send as many wolves as you can marching straight to the Lotus territory.”
“Like, how many wolves sire?”
“As many that are available for battle. Send all of them.”
Renard might not have had a problem with sending some of their battle soldiers, but all of them?
“Sire, if we send all the wolves we have to the lotus territory, what will we have here as our defenses?”
Damian brushed off his words, “We should be fine. Rakur has made his intentions known that he intends to start with the Lotus territory. We will still enough have time to prepare but they currently do not.”
“But sire…”
“Just do as you’re told Renard! And stop trying to impose your thoughts on me.”
“Yes sire.”
As Renard left, Damian tried to see some reason in what his beta was saying. Rakur might be an unpredictable man, but he’s also very cunning. He is evil, and loves to prey on the weak, that is why he wants to start with the Lotus pack, he’ll want to grow his army and power by adding a new territory to his collection, before heading on to face the bigger targets, but that won’t be happening, not on his watch.
His marriage with Miranda was based on a pact to protect her people when the war came, and he will ensure to keep to it, no matter how much it backfired on him.