Page 202 of A Warrior's Fate

Both Maeve and Cesar seemed to hold their breath.

Her heart sank. She should’ve been there with him. They were somewhere in front of the hall, she assumed. Either before the gates, or they’d been opened to allow the reporters in.

As Kai continued, urging everyone not to panic, recounting the longevity of their bloodline, and the challenges all won by his ancestors in the past, she watched the hard emotion pass over Maeve and Cesar’s faces. He spoke of what was being done to handle the rogues from days prior. The ones that had been captured and were being questioned, and ensured everyone that they would be safe because though it was unlikely the rogues would strike again as they had, there was an even heavier presence being placed at those borders.

A presence—resources, Isla realized—that had been taken away from around the Wall.

“We’ve been dealt a heavy hand these past few months,” Kai finished. “But we are resilient, and we will prevail against all else. There is light for us at the end of this, I promise you—and I don’t just mean the lanterns of the Equinox.”

His voice had lightened with the quip, and even Maeve, her eyes lined with silver, managed a chuckle. But Isla had to steel herself. Because she knew what he meant by that light, she felt it. He’d told her.

Kai called for any last questions.

Amidst the raucous roar of questions from pack reporters, Isla heard the cracking of flashbulbs.

Another voice came through the speaker. “Is it true that this rogue Brax is claiming he is responsible for the deaths of Alpha Kyran and Alpha Heir Jaden?”

“Yes, it’s what he claims.”

And it wasn’t true.

A new voice. “Continental law states that the Imperial Alpha needs to be in witness of the challenge. Will he be coming to the pack?”

Isla went rigid, her breath hampering. What?

She hadn’t heard that and certainly wasn’t prepared for Kai’s answer of—

“Yes.”

CHAPTER 42

Imperial Alpha Cassius was coming to Deimos.

Isla felt one with Maeve and Cesar in their shock. One with the crowd in their uproar, faint but audible through the speakers.

How long had Kai known that condition and neglected to mention it?

Not only that but—

“And a few other members of the Imperial Council as well.”

“What?” she whispered, drawing the attention of the other two in the room. She didn’t care.

Was he kidding?

Isla’s mind was whirring too fast for her to keep up with, so much so that she missed the final lot of questions, and only came to when the radio had become nothing but white noise. With her gaze drilled on the floor, fingers constricting and loosening, wrinkling her dress, she tried to settle her breathing.

There were a few choices for her now—

Go kill her mate if he’d known all along and not told her about their upcoming visitors.

Rush to a phone in the hall to call Adrien and Sebastian and ask if they’d heard of the approval, and if they’d find a way to Deimos, too.

Or go to Jonah, finally, to have one part of the day go as planned.

Right now, Isla craved routine. Answers. No more surprises.

So, she picked herself up off the chair, grabbed her jacket, thanked and bid Cesar farewell, and asked Maeve to guide her to the library.

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