Connor was well aware that the Nimbria Pack was in dire straits. They had lost their Luna, leader of warrior, and many other warriors in the battle against the Frostholm Pack. The number of severely wounded warriors was too great to count. However, this did not deter him from his desire for quick revenge.
The reason was simple. Connor was certain that the Frostholm Pack was in a similarly dire situation. Though they had won the war, they too had suffered great losses. So, he believed that just as he was intent on restoring the Nimbria Pack, Kendrick would do the same.
The recent battle had drained the energy and resources of both packs, leaving deep physical and mental scars. But here Connor saw an opportunity. He understood that in this state, both the Nimbria and Frostholm packs were vulnerable to a sudden attack.
Connor’s intentions were not grand; he didn’t plan to attack the entire Frostholm Pack. While he often acted recklessly and made decisions based on impulsive desires, this time was different. His mind was clear, allowing him to assess the situation accurately, even if it hurt his ego as an Alpha known for his ruthlessness.
The simplest reason was that Connor no longer had a reliable lead warrior. Ronan’s death was a great loss, and he had no choice but to promote the deputy leader, Gilbert Ramos, as Ronan’s replacement.
But that didn’t mean the Nimbria Pack was completely powerless. Their strength may have been shaken, but Connor was confident that they were still more than capable of taking the life of a member of the Frostholm Pack.
“Just one of the Frostholm pack,” Connor muttered, his body shaking with suppressed rage. His fists clenched tightly, pressing down on the table. “That one person is the only one we have to kill.” His face hardened and his teeth clenched. “I have to kill Ivan, no matter what.”
Marcus nodded, saying nothing as he understood the vengeance that consumed Connor. Bethany’s death was Connor’s deepest wound. It was only natural that he wanted to kill Ivan. “Understood, Alpha. I will have Gilbert gather the chosen warriors.”
Marcus left and Connor didn’t wait long. The elite team of Nimbria Pack warriors had gathered. There were twenty of them, ready to carry out the mission.
Days passed. Connor was forced to be patient as he waited for information from his spies within the Frostholm Pack. He had to be sure of the perfect time to kill Ivan. His priority was to find an opportunity where Ivan would be alone and far away from the pack. That way, no one could help Ivan and no more war would break out.
Connor’s waiting bore sweet fruit. That morning, Marcus received information. It was reported that Ivan was acting unusually-he had cleared his schedule. It was strongly suspected that Ivan was planning to go somewhere far away from the palace.
Marcus confirmed that Ivan’s destination was Amerotha Forest. He told Connor and they prepared. The attack was led by Connor himself.
As Connor had hoped, Ivan was alone. The moment he had waited for had finally arrived. The opportunity to avenge Bethany’s death lay before him. A sneer formed on his face as he looked at Ivan with a hate filled gaze.
Marcus motioned to the elite team. The warriors of the Nimbria Pack quickly surrounded Ivan. They moved with precision, blocking all exits, aware that Ivan was not a werewolf to be underestimated.
“We meet again, Ivan,” Connor said as he stepped forward, his gaze sharpening like a promise to tear Ivan apart. “I hope you’re not too surprised.”
Ivan’s mouth remained tightly shut. He could already guess Connor’s intentions. He had suspected and somewhat understood that Connor had a personal grudge against him. But he had never expected Connor to act so quickly.
Ivan had thought that Connor would focus on rebuilding the Nimbria Pack after the defeat they had suffered. But that wasn’t the case, and so he had no choice. He had to defend himself as best he could.
Unfortunately, there was one thing that clouded Ivan’s resolve, something that made him curse himself over and over again. He shouldn’t have called for Rowena, shouldn’t have shouted her name. He didn’t want Rowena to get involved in this fight.
Ivan hoped that Rowena hadn’t heard his earlier call. He hoped she would stay home. But fate had other plans.
Moments later, Rowena appeared. She emerged from the darkness, rushing forward with hurried steps. Her face was pale, her lips trembled, and tears were welling up, ready to spill.
“Ivan!”
Rowena couldn’t control herself. She didn’t care that there was a pack of ruthless and dangerous werewolves there. Her safety could be in danger. But for her, Ivan’s safety was more important than anything else.
“No!” Ivan shouted quickly. His heart sank in Rowena’s presence. He knew that the situation would be much more complicated now. He knew that Connor wouldn’t hesitate to use Rowena as a tool to take advantage of his weakness. But above all, his greatest fear was that Rowena might get hurt because of him. “Get out of here, Rowena!”
Ivan’s yell was like a light bulb going off in Connor’s head. A broad grin spread across his face. Now the situation was much more favorable than he had expected. He was sure that Rowena was to Ivan exactly what Bethany had been to him.
Connor had found Ivan’s weakness. He was sure that Ivan would lose his concentration. He would defeat Ivan easily. Moreover, he would like to take revenge in the same way Ivan had done to him. Ivan made him lose Bethany so he could make Ivan lose Rowena.
On the other hand, common sense was not enough to make Rowena leave. She ignored Ivan’s orders. Her worry made her feet unwilling to move. She wouldn’t leave without Ivan.
Rowena shook her head. “No. I’m not leaving,” she said, unconsciously holding her stomach. Her natural instinct made her do it reflexively. “I’m not leaving you, Ivan.”
Ivan’s body tensed. His eyes were fixed on Rowena’s unusual behavior.
Ivan couldn’t breathe. His heart was beating uncontrollably. He stared at Rowena without blinking or speaking.
Rowena bit her lower lip. Then she nodded.
Ivan was stunned. All the chaos around him suddenly vanished. At that moment, a flash of the past crossed his mind.
“Ayla, are you okay? Why did you suddenly become silent?”
*