**ANTONIO**

"You can't be serious, right? No, there's no way you're serious. How could you even think about something so dangerous and trivial as that? I don't even have anything on Lucian yet, so how can that be possible?" Amelia asked, gritting her teeth, and I took my time to study her face before transferring my line of sight to Damien, who looked at me sceptically.


It was too bad for the three of us that their opinions didn't matter in this particular decision.

"Are you questioning my authority?" I asked slowly and lowly, resting my gaze on Amelia as we stared at each other in the eye.

"And what if I am?" She challenged me, and I stood up, staring down at her while she shuddered visibly in fear but managed to mask it with a courageous look.


"Amelia!! Are you questioning my authority?" I asked, but this time with a more stern voice.

If our eyes shot bullets, then we would both have some bullets lodged in our foreheads by now.


"Not exactly; I'm just saying that it's crazy for you to think that we would embark on two battles without having any basic information. That's like 10 hours from now!" Amelia yelled, and I just tapped on the table slowly.

"I don't know if it's the madness of getting Leila back that is making you want to take such rash decisions, but dad, we need time to think and strategize if we won't come back as failures." Amelia was stressed, and I nodded my head in understanding.

"I agree with you. We all need time to think, and that's why we all have approximately 10–11 hours to think about everything we need and plan."

"Amelia, I'm repeating this just one more time. Find out all you can about Lucian and Damien, do a head count on the armies, and divide them into two equal parts. Once Amelia gives us feedback and needs on Lucian within 9–10 hours from now, you'll be leading half of the armies to rescue Leila, and I will lead the other half to find Alpha Xander." I instructed, and they both looked at me with disbelief in their eyes.

"Dad! Can you hear yourself? Two major battles!!! We might end up making a mess of ourselves, and I wouldn't be surprised about it." Amelia complained, and I just smiled.

"Quit whining!! If you think that we would mess everything up, then the only way to avert that is to begin your findings now. The earlier, the better it is for the both of us. The rule is: we must find Leila tomorrow." I ordered, and Amelia sauntered out in anger while Damien trailed her behind.

That's what I thought.

We must find Leila tomorrow.

It was the break of dawn, and Amelia was nowhere to be found, which got me worried.

I knew how Amelia could act, especially when she was pressured to do something, but I really hope that what was clicking in my head wasn't what had happened.

Damien had already arranged the guards for formation, and all we were waiting for was Amelia, who was nowhere nearby.

I tried using Mind Link, but she had shut out everyone so no one would be able to communicate with her, and as the minutes flew by, my patience flew along with it.

"So no one in the pack knows where Amelia is? Damien? You don't even know where your mate is?" I asked with gritted teeth, and he shook his head in negativity.

"I'm right here." We all heard her voice from behind, and I swerved to behold her with a heap of files on her hands.

"Don't you think you're a tad too late, Amelia?" I questioned her as she approached me, and she rolled her eyes at what looked like exhaustion and irritation coupled with it.

But now wasn't the time to even think of her facial expressions or features, as rescuing Leila was at the top of the of the list and nothing was going to get in the way.

"Would you rather prefer that I didn't show up at all?" She said she was clicking her tongue, and I just sighed.

"Thank you; it's just like I expected. You shouldn't say a word. Anyways, I found out what I could about Lucian's pack in such a short time, and I really hope that it's enough, but even if it isn't, nobody can blame me because I did my absolute best." She said as she started laying out the files she was holding on the table while she started explaining Lucian's pack situation, his guards posts, how many guards were on duty, and everything we were supposed to do.

"Are you sure this is all?" I questioned her after listening carefully to her explanation.

"Like I said, I found out what I could not know—that it was everything that was needed to know. Now if you can't work with this, then maybe you can consider postponing the battle that you have impromptu planned." Amelia stated, and I shook my head in negativity.

"No! I think this is enough. Damien," I called, pulling out the map that would serve as their source of direction.

"I guess this should be enough, but if it isn't, find a way to make it enough. Don't return without Leila." I ordered, and he took the mp, bowed, and marched off to his warriors that were waiting, and they fell into formation, filing out.

While I stood up, I ordered the warriors that were to come with me, and we filed out too.

Amelia had gone with Damien because she was the one who brought the information, so she would be able to lead them more effectively.

Alpha Xander wasn't in his pack today. I was going to make sure that I found him and retrieved the artefact while also ending his life so there would be no one to stand in my way anymore.

We were far deep into the brambles, using the route that my spies inside of Xander's pack had given, and I'm no distant time; I knew that we were somewhat close to Alpha Xander.

What certified my claims was that as we got closer, I could hear the voices of soldiers and warriors. It seemed that Alpha Xander had stopped for a rest or something, but that would be the biggest mistake that he would ever make.

It didn't take long for his armies to know that there were intruders—like they would call us—around, and they had picked up their swords and stood in a defensive position, but these minor guards weren't the people that I would waste my energy on.

"Alpha Xander." I called out when I couldn't find him amongst the armies, and I heard a strange rustling before the guards paved way for Alpha Xander, who was standing at the end of the line.

"Isn't it cowardly for your warriors to put you under cover even at the sound of the fluttering wings of a bird?" I asked rather sarcastically, and he just stuck out his tongue.

"Are you saying that, by any chance, you're a bird?" He countered with twisting words, and that made my blood boil.

Let's see how long he can keep up with his sense of humour before his head is rolling on the floor.

"A little birdie told me that you're about to restore the artefact that would help in your bonding with your mate, and that's why I'm here. Because I want it." I voiced it out, and Xander scoffed, glaring at me.

His eyes held a pain that only his missing mate could cause.

"Why would you want the artifact? Unless you have Leila?" He stated, and as realisation dawned on him, his eyes widened, and he drew out his sword while his warriors followed suit.

"Where is she?" Xander growled, and I smirked.

The game was just getting started anyway.