Free Web NovelChapter 160: Episode 160.
The war room slowly emptied after the final agreements were made.
Human generals gathered their parchments carefully and moved toward different exits beneath the underground fortress.
Two weeks of constant and heavy planning fixed a lot.
Despite the confidence shown during discussions, every human inside that chamber understood exactly what stood against them.
Werewolves.
They were not soldiers, and not ordinary enemies, but creatures capable of tearing through steel with bare hands and healing from wounds that would kill humans instantly.
Fear existed in the room.
Ambassador Stephen remained seated longer than the others. His fingers tapped once against the wooden armrest while his gaze followed the movement of soldiers through the chamber.
Across the room, several large maps had already been replaced with newer ones of wolf territories, marked routes, supply lines, and places already infiltrated quietly over the past few months.
The planning had gone too far to fail now.
Near the northern wall, a group of human blacksmiths stood beside one of the experimental weapons laid out across a long table.
They were silver-lined restraints, suppression darts, and modified arrowheads.
One soldier tested the mechanism attached beneath a crossbow. The silver chamber clicked into place with careful precision.
Another human beside him swallowed nervously. "You truly believe these will stop them?"
The blacksmith wiped sweat from his brow. "Not permanently." He inhaled deeply to rest. "But long enough."
Humans no longer needed to overpower wolves physically. They only needed enough time to weaken them first.
At the center of the chamber, physicians stood around glass vials filled with pale liquid.
They were vials of the newest suppression dosage that have been improved, and stronger.
One older physician lifted a vial carefully toward the firelight. "The instability period has shortened," he explained quietly. "The wolves collapse faster now."
Another physician frowned. "And the mortality rate?"
"Lower."
That answer visibly relieved everyone around the table.
Months ago, most wolves died quickly during testing, as they had used extreme dosage on them.
Now they survived long enough to remain conscious, and long enough to be controlled.
Stephen watched silently from afar.
Humans had suffered for centuries beneath wolf dominance. If only the wolves never stole those beautiful part of the world, it would have been theirs.
Also, creatures like these should never exist. They’re of the devil.
Now for the first time, they possessed something capable of changing the balance entirely. He hoped they would be able to wipe the earth clean of these aliens who weren’t fully humans.
Across the chamber, Alpha Ashmere stood near one of the burning braziers.
The firelight carved sharp shadows across his face. Even among humans, his presence remained unnerving, large, and cold.
Several human commanders still avoided looking at him directly despite their alliance. Even humans feared wolves while planning their destruction.
Ashmere’s gaze moved toward the physicians briefly. "The dosages?"
"They are stabilizing," one answered carefully.
"And the border movement?"
A commander stepped forward immediately. "Three divisions have already repositioned near the eastern territories but a park of wolves prevents them from going further in."
Another added quietly, "The wolves remain distracted internally."
That pulled the faintest smile from Stephen. Everything was unfolding beautifully.
The prophecy girl had become the center of an entire kingdom’s paranoia.
While wolves screamed at each other and demanded executions, humans organized armies in silence.
Ashmere’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Do not underestimate them."
"We aren’t," the commander replied quickly.
Stephen finally rose from his seat. His movements were calm and smooth as always. "The Alpha is correct," Stephen said lightly, almost mocking. "A wounded wolf is still a wolf."
The room quieted slightly around him.
Stephen adjusted the cuffs of his coat before continuing. "But kingdoms divided by fear become blind."
No one argued with that.
The wolves were watching the wrong threat, and Ashmere knew it too.
That was why he had carefully encouraged the chaos surrounding Aire without directly participating in it himself.
Stephen understood the brilliance behind it now. He glanced toward Ashmere again.
The Alpha stared into the flames silently. For a moment, the fire reflected in his pale silver eyes.
Stephen tilted his head slightly. He smiled faintly.
The chamber slowly continued emptying afterward until only a few trusted commanders remained behind.
Some carried crates filled with silver weapons toward underground storage halls and others rolled large barrels across the stone floors carefully.
Everything smelled like metal, ash, and war.
Ashmere reached toward the nearby brazier. The flames exploded higher instantly. Several humans startled violently.
Stephen watched the movement with interest.
The Alpha had not touched the fire physically. Yet it obeyed him anyway. The flames twisted upward almost unnaturally before finally settling again.
The room became warmer immediately.
Clementine remained seated near the far side of the chamber, quet, still, and beautiful. She had barely spoken throughout the entire meeting.
Her silence intrigued Stephen more than conversation ever could. Most women tried too hard around powerful men.
Clementine did not.
She simply watched them, sharp-eyed.
Stephen found himself drawn toward her before fully deciding to move.
Ashmere’s wolf noticed immediately.
Stephen crossed the room slowly.
Clementine finally lifted her eyes toward him properly. For a second, Stephen forgot what he intended to say, because she truly was breathtaking.
Not merely beautiful, but rare. Her purple eyes, and dark hair gave her the kind of beauty men ruined kingdoms over. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Stephen stopped beside her chair before reaching into the inner pocket of his coat. He withdrew a small velvet jewelry box.
Clementine frowned faintly.
Stephen opened it carefully.
Inside rested five rare stones beneath the firelight. A sapphire, an emerald, a topaz, a diamond, and gold.
The gems gleamed brilliantly against the dark velvet interior. Stephen’s gaze lifted toward hers again slowly.
"I’m thinking of having one of these stones fashioned into a piece of jewellery," he said smoothly. "A gift for you."
Clementine stared at him silently.
Stephen smiled faintly.
"Tell me, my dear," he continued softly, "which one pleases you the most? The sapphire, the emerald, the topaz, the diamond... or the gold?"
For one strange second, Clementine’s eyes turned distant, and foggy.
She had stopped hearing the room entirely. She spoke imwardly now. "What is he trying to do?" she asked sharply in high Danish toward Ashmere. "Doesn’t he know I’m your mate?"
Ashmere finally spared Stephen a glance. Cold amusement flickered briefly across his face.
"He’s human," Ashmere replied inwardly. "They never stop being sly."
Clementine’s gaze narrowed faintly afterward.
Stephen noticed the subtle shift in her expression immediately.
He leaned slightly closer. "None of them?"
Clementine finally looked down toward the stones briefly.
"They are beautiful," she admitted carefully.
"But?" Stephen prompted.
Her eyes returned to his. "I do not wear gifts from men whose intentions I do not understand."
Stephen laughed softly beneath his breath.
Ashmere watched the interaction in silence. Though internally, his wolf had already begun pacing from instinct.
Humans were dangerous in ways wolves often underestimated.
Stephen closed the jewelry box slowly. "You wound me."
"I doubt that easily."
Across the chamber, one of the commanders quietly excused himself and left.
Another followed shortly after. Eventually only the four of them remained near the firelight.
Ashmere, Clementine, Stephen, and silence.
Stephen finally slid the jewelry box back into his coat since Clementine rejected it.
"My king wishes to strengthen alliances further."
Ashmere’s gaze lifted toward him instantly.
Stephen continued smoothly. "He believes unity between humans and wolves would solidify long-term peace."
Clementine frowned immediately.
Ashmere’s expression darkened slightly.
Stephen noticed both reactions. "A marriage alliance," he clarified calmly.
The room went completely still.
Clementine stared at him like he had spoken insanity aloud. "A human?" she asked slowly.
Stephen nodded once.
Ashmere’s voice came out colder now. "Impossible."
Stephen remained perfectly calm beneath the Alpha’s stare. "Times change."
"Not that much. This is absurd."
Stephen studied Ashmere quietly for a moment before speaking again.
"My king believes a werewolf queen beside him would strengthen trust between our races."
Clementine nearly laughed in disbelief.
A human king? With a wolf wife?
No wolf kingdom would ever allow it.
Stephen observed their reactions carefully. He adjusted one of his gloves calmly.
"History changes faster during desperate times." He advised. "Nothing should be impossible."
