LORRY SPRINGSTONE'S / KELLY THOMPSON'S POV
"What's going on Eliott ?" The Alpha King Jason Bentley asked with gravity.
His eyes widen in shock as he takes in the panicked expressions of his gamma and the royal warriors.
"Explain," he demands tersely, his body tensing for action.
The gamma swallows hard before responding.
"Your Majesty, the North Pack has launched a full-scale attack. Hundreds of their warriors in wolf form have crossed our borders and are converging on the royal palace. We were caught completely off guard."
Jason curses under his breath. In the aftermath of rescuing me and dealing with Eden's revelation, he had let his guard down, forgetting the threat posed by the wounded and humiliated Harry.
"How long until they reach the palace?" Jason asks, his mind already racing through defensive strategies.
"An hour at most, Your Majesty," one of the warriors replies grimly. "Our outer defenses are already engaged, but they're vastly outnumbered."
Jason's face hardens with determination. "Sound the alarm throughout the pack. I want every able-bodied warrior mobilized and at their defensive positions within the next 15 minutes. Evacuate all non-combatants to the underground shelters immediately."
He turns to me, his eyes intense. "Kelly, I need you to take Eden to the secret bunker beneath the palace. You'll be safe there."
I nod, already moving to gather Eden in my arms. The young prince looks frightened but tries to put on a brave face.
"What about you, Daddy?" Eden asks, his voice trembling slightly.
Jason kneels down to look his son in the eye. "I have to lead our warriors, son. But I promise I'll come back to you and your mother as soon as I can."
He places a gentle kiss on Eden's forehead before turning back to his gamma. "
"Eliott, I need a full status report. How many of our warriors are combat-ready? What's the status of our magical defenses?"
The gamma quickly relays the information as Jason listens intently, his mind formulating battle plans. I can see the weight of leadership settling on his shoulders as he issues rapid-fire orders to fortify the palace defenses.
As the warriors rush off to carry out Jason's commands, he turns back to Eden and me. His eyes soften slightly as he looks at us.
"Kelly, there's an emergency pack in the bunker with supplies and medical equipment. Use whatever you need to keep Eden stable." He hesitates for a moment before adding, "And...thank you. For coming back, for saving our son. I know we have much to discuss, but right now..."
I nod in understanding before uttering as an encouragement "Go. Do what you need to do to protect our people."
At the very moment, the head housemaid Tina comes in, panic visible on her features.
Jason turns sharply at Tina's urgent voice. "What is it, Tina?" he asks tersely.
Tina wrings her hands anxiously as she reports, "Your Majesty, My Luna - we've just received word that former Luna Betty has been spotted among the attacking North Pack forces. It seems she may be leading them alongside Alpha heir Harry."
Jason's face darkens with fury at this news. "So she shows her true colors at last," he growls.
I gasp in shock. "Betty is with them? But why would she align herself with our enemies?"
"Revenge," Jason says grimly. "And a bid for power, no doubt. She must have fled to the North Pack after I drove away over suspicion of mistreatment of Eden."
He turns to me, his eyes intense.
"Kelly, this changes things. Betty knows about the secret passages in the palace. The bunker is no longer a haven. I suggest you, Eden and Tina run away to England. If I survive the war against our arch rival, I will come to look for you," Jason tells, leaving us in disbelief.
"Flee through the lake at the backside of the castle. There's a canoe hidden in the reeds near the old willow tree. Take it and row across to the far shore. From there, head east through the forest until you reach the train station in the human town. Use these to buy tickets to England."
The Alpha King Jason quickly retrieves a pouch of gold coins from a hidden compartment and presses it into my hands. His touch lingers for a moment, his eyes searching mine.
"Keep Eden safe," he says softly. "And Kelly... take care of yourself!" he then adds.
My heart clenches at his words. Despite everything we've been through, the connection between us still burns strong. I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.
Eden clings to his father, tears streaming down his face. "I don't want to leave you, Daddy!"
Jason kneels down to embrace Eden tightly. "I know, son. I don't want to leave you either. But right now, the most important thing is keeping you safe. You need to be brave and go with your mother. Can you do that for me?"
Eden nods tearfully, trying to put on a brave face. "I'll be brave, Daddy. I promise."
Jason kisses Eden's forehead. "That's my boy. I love you so much, Eden. Never forget that."
He stands and turns to me, his eyes intense with emotion. For a moment, it seems like he might say more, but instead he simply asks us to leave.
"Go now. There's no time to lose." He declares with a tightened throat.
With a heavy heart, I gather Eden in my arms and follow Tina towards the secret passage that will lead us to the lake.
As we hurry through the winding corridors, we are surprised by a call.
"Wait!" The deep voice growls.
We turn to see Jason striding towards us, his face set with determination. In his hands he carries the golden scepter - the symbol of his power and authority as Alpha King.
My breath catches as Jason approaches Eden. Surely he doesn't mean to...
But Jason kneels before our son, holding out the scepter. "Eden, my boy," he says solemnly. "As my heir and the future Alpha of our pack, I entrust this to you. Keep it safe until I can reclaim it from you."