Chapter 18 A Debate With The Strategist

Chapter 18 A Debate With The Strategist

ARDEN

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Miss Loveson cleared her throat, abruptly robbing me of the chance to retort to bwhat /bElias had said. Instead, a deep sigh of frustration escaped my lips. Why were these Alphas making everything so unbearably annoying?

“Silver Quill is looking for twenty new members from the freshmen,” Miss Loveson announced with a smile, her benthusiasm /bbradiating /bthroughout bthe /broom.

“Yes,” she continued, her tone growing more earnest. “There are many eager candidates bwho /bbwish /bto join our club, bbut /bnot everyone will make the cut. Silver Quill is meant for the best band /bbrightest bminds /bamong the Elite.”

“It’s a prestigious opportunity,” she added, her voice filled with pride. “Wepete with numerous schools across the globe. rivaling some of the most esteemed institutions. I hope youprehend the significance of this.”

I surveyed the broom /band noticed bthat /bmost of my peers had a fiery determination ignited in their eyes. They weren’t nervous -they were bready /bfor the challenge ahead. In fact, they even appeared excited.

My gaze drifted to Elias, who wore azy smirk that suggested he believed he belonged to an entirely different leaguepared to the rest of usb. /b

If Tessa’s words held any truth, then perhaps he truly was. She’d told me that Elias Rue was one of the most formidable strategists in the East, with a reputation dating back to his youth, bwhen /bhe had devoured an entire library’s worth of books.

“Aside from our limited number of members, we also maintain certain standards that you must uphold,” Miss Loveson went on, her demeanor still inviting. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing btoo /bbdaunting/b. You simply need to maintain a grade of 88% in all of your bsses /band achieve ban /bbaverage /bof 90%.”

“I imagine that bwon’t /bbe btoo /bchallenging for an Elite student, will it?” she chuckled lightly.

“Now, let’s dive right in. This will be a swift process bsince /bwe have another batch waiting. I’m going to present you with a scenario, and you all will convey how you would respond if ced in that situation.

“Given that we are werewolves, the focus will be on our survival band /bharmony. Always remember to act as a leader,” she concluded, the room falling into an attentive silence as bthe /bbweight /bof her words settled in.

“Alright,” she

said, her smile returning, “Here’s the scenario: You and your pack are under attack. Twenty members of your bgroup /bare cornered. Your mate bis /bbvaliantly /bholding back the enemy, allowing bthose /btwenty members a chance to flee. You need to buy time; your mate is the bonly /bbone /bbwho /bbcan /bbstall /bthe attackers

Then, with a serious expression, she added, “What will you do? Choose your swer carefully.”

Immediately, one student raised his bhand/b, bearning /bdisappointed nces bfrom /bbthose /baround him who were eager to answer

first

“I’ll let her stall them,” he dered without hesitationb. /b“Your bmate /bes bonly /bonce in a lifetime. But your pack–they are byour /bresponsibility. You owe it to them to ensure their safety.”

A few bheads /bnodded in agreement. bMiss /bbLoveson /boffered bno /breaction, maintaining her neutrality.

Then, banother /bwerewolf stood up. I couldn’t help bbut /bbfrown /bbas /bI brecognized /bwho it was. bSienna /bbwas /bhere bagain/b. Well, the two of us were best friends for a reason, each drawn to simr interests, band /bshe also branked /bamong the top students during our

chool byears /bshe stole a bnce /bmy bway/b, clearly wanting to bimpress /bme.

“Tid bsave /bmy bmate/b,” bshe /bsaid bsupply/b, a proud smile stered bacross /bher bface/b. “Twenty bpack /bbmembers /bfor a leader isn’t a bad Diade. In this case, it’s not about the bquantity /bof lives bbut /bthe bquality /bof the people we choose to bprotect /b

I frowned, sensing the bimplications /bof her statement. It carried a distinctly ssist undertone, bsuggesting /bthat the life of an Alpha held more value than that of twenty others.

Vet, a few individuals nodded, seemingly in agreement with her perspective.

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Chapter 18 A Debate With The Strategist

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As the conversation unfolded, most followed suit, delivering variations of sacrifice and stoicism, as if spouting lines from a tragic tale where heartbreak was the noble price of power. Words like responsibility, necessity, and duty were tossed around with rming ease.

Then, Elias clicked his tongue sharply

The sound sliced through the murmur of conversation, prompting everyone to turn their focus toward him. I, too, found myself intrigued by what he would say.

“Everyone here is still thinking emotionally,” he said. “Let’s break this down properly.

“You’re outnumbered. You don’t bhave /bthe advantage. Your mate can stall, yes, but not indefinitely. The priority is to protect the twenty; bthat’s /byour responsibility. And that means getting them out–fast and far. Where are they escaping to? Is there terrain you bcan /bbuse/b? Trees to mask btheir /bscent? A river to break pursuit?”

He took a slow, deliberate breath, collecting his thoughts.

“A leader is not someone who gets to have everything. A leader has to choose–and endure the consequences of those choices. The benemy /bbis /bing now. You can’t gamble with twenty lives to save one, beven /bif that one means the world to you. bThe /bcost is simply too bhigh/b.”

Then came the final blow. His voice dropped, turning colder.

“If you’re a real leader, you bdon’t /bhave weaknesses.”

Silence enveloped the room.

For just a moment, I wanted to agree. Not because I truly believed him, but because he made it sound so… inarguable.

But my hand rose before I consciously decided to do so.

My heart thudded once, loudly. People turned to look: I sensed their attention weighing upon me. I didn’t speak right away. Miss Loveson arched a challenging brow.

I swallowed hard, gathering my bthoughts/b.

“I bdisagree /bwith that.”

Quiet gasps rippled across the room. I could feel their bshock/b. Who would dare challenge someone as astute as Elias?

Yet, despite the apprehension, I felt it wasn’t the best choice to remain silent

“I bunderstand /bthe logic,” I began, bchoosing /bmy words with care. b“/bbI /bbunderstand /bthe numbers. I recognize bthat /bin a battle, you measure risk band /bbyou /bprioritize the many.”

I stood now, making an effort to bmaintain /bmy confidence in the face of boverwhelming /bscrutiny.

“But I think this question isn’t as bck/bb–/band–white as we are trying to make it. Firstb–/bbwhat /bare we fightingb? /bAre we certain that single bperson /bis the only bone /bcapable of holding bthem /boff? If one person can stall thein, then bwhy /bnot twenty, including met What exactly are we running from that we have already decided we bcannot /bface?”

I let the bquestion /bbhang /bbin /bthe air.

“If we keep running band /bleave someone behindb, /baren’t we just dying the next attack? The threat is still alive. It’s still out bthere/b. It knows who we bare/bb. /bbAnd /bnext btime/b, maybe it bwon’t /beven bgive /bus the bchance /bto run at ball/bb./b”

I turned to Elias, measuring my approach carefully.

“And bone /bmore thing. bYou /bsaid a leader shouldn’t bhave /bweaknesses. I bmust /bdisagree once more.”

Now I could feel the heat crawling up my chest, but I bdidn’t /blet it bdrive /bbme /bbinto /ba frenzy. I wanted to be heard clearly.

bmate /bisn’t a weakness. The people we care about aren’t liabilities; they are the very reason we fight harder. A leader whob, /b

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Chapter 18 A Debate With The Strategist

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sacrifices everything to be seen as untouchable… bmay /bwin, sure. But, you won’t lead a pack bthat /bway. You’ll lead bshadows/b.”

I straightened my shoulders, grounding myself in conviction. “I believe that a good leader doesn’t grow strong by excising their heart; bthey /bbe truly strong because of it.”

b3/3 /b