CHAPTER 400: ROGUES’ TARGET

Evaline:

I barely heard Kieran calling after me as I darted out of his room. My heart was racing, my feet moving faster than my thoughts could keep up.

"Evaline, slow down-be careful!" he called, but his voice sounded far behind me.

Careful? How could I possibly be careful when every beat of my heart screamed to see them? To see River and to make sure they were all alright.

Everything was fine until I just felt a tiny bit of his discomfort through the bond just now. I needed to see him immediately.

I gripped the stair rail and flew down the steps, almost missing one in my rush. The house was alive with motion and voices again - guards shuffling, doors opening, the low hum of energy.

The moment I stepped into the archway of the living room, my eyes immediately found Oscar.

He was standing near the couch, taking Lioren from Vanessa’s arms. The sight made my entire body stop short. My little pup was awake now, his small hands clutching at Oscar’s shirt as mate held our son close, one big palm covering almost all of Lioren’s tiny back.

Oscar’s expression softened instantly - something between fierce love and complete tenderness - as if he was holding the most precious treasure in the world.

For a brief, overwhelming moment, I forgot everything else. The chaos, the fear, even the throbbing pain in my leg - all of it vanished as my gaze locked on my son. My heart melted, and I took a step forward, ready to rush to them.

But then...

River stepped into my path.

And U froze.

All the air I had been breathing left me at once.

He was right there, his tall figure blocking the light from the hallway behind him. His clothes were torn in a few places, faint streaks of dried blood marked his neck and arm - not his, I realized with a jolt, but the rogues’. His expression was unreadable at first... until his gaze dropped to me.

And then, I saw it - rage. Cold and consuming.

He closed the distance between us in two strides, his eyes flicking over every inch of me, scanning for injuries as if he could somehow undo them just by looking. His hand came up, brushing the side of my neck, and even that gentle touch made my skin sting.

His jaw flexed. "You are hurt."

"River-"

He didn’t let me finish. His gaze darkened further, his voice low and sharp enough to cut through air. "Whoever did this... whoever dared to touch what’s mine-" He cut himself off, swearing under his breath. "I’ll make sure they regret ever setting foot near you."

The fury in his tone sent chills down my spine. This wasn’t the calm, collected River I had come to know. This was his darker side - the Alpha side, the one that ruled the Rogue World with quiet power and silent wrath.

Before I could respond, I felt another familiar energy move closer, steady and grounding. Draven appeared beside him, his steps silent but his gaze intense as it landed on me.

"Easy, brother," he murmured to River before his own eyes flicked toward me. He didn’t say anything at first... just looked, really looked. I could see the faint shift in his aura, the protective instinct flaring behind his calm expression.

I swallowed hard and finally managed to find my voice. "I’m alright," I said quickly, glancing between them. "Really. I’m fine now."

Draven’s brow furrowed slightly, but he gave a quiet nod, seemingly reassured. "You look better than before," he said, his voice low and rich. "Still... you scared us."

"Scared you?" I almost laughed, though it came out more like a shaky exhale. "I was terrified. You-"

"We are fine," River interrupted, his tone softer now but still carrying the edge of command.

Draven nodded in agreement. "A few scratches, nothing worth mentioning." His lips curved faintly, the tension in his shoulders easing a little. "A bunch of rogues like that? Far from enough to give us trouble."

I blinked. "You are sure?"

"Positive," River said. His gaze still lingered on me, though. "But they shouldn’t have been here at all."

Before I could ask what he meant, Draven’s attention shifted toward Kieran - who had finally caught up with me and was descending the stairs. A sly smirk appeared on Draven’s face, the kind that never meant anything good for my dignity.

"Well," he said casually, folding his arms across his chest, "while we are on the topic of surprises tonight... should we talk about the other one?"

Kieran shot him a warning look, but Draven’s grin only widened.

"Oh, don’t look at me like that," Draven teased, his tone light but his eyes glinting with mischief. "You felt it too, didn’t you? The bond." He asked River.

I felt my cheeks heat instantly.

Of course they had felt it.

They all shared a bond with me, which meant that when my bond with Kieran had finally locked into place... the others would have felt the surge of it too. The raw wave of energy, the emotional connection settling deep into our souls.

Draven’s grin turned positively devilish as he tilted his head. "So, when were you planning to tell us, little moonlight?"

"I-" I started, completely lost for words.

"She wasn’t," River said dryly, though a ghost of amusement tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You were too busy being smug to notice."

Kieran sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly unbothered by their teasing but trying to steer the situation back on track. "Alright," he said, his voice calm but firm. "That’s enough." Then, he looked at River, his tone shifting. "Did you find anything? About the rogues?"

River’s humor vanished in an instant. His features hardened, the Alpha side of him resurfacing. "Nothing living," he said. "We searched every part of the woods, but there were no more rogues. However..."

He paused, exchanging a look with Draven.

"There were signs," he continued. "Tracks leading toward the northern side of the mountains. We followed them until we reached a cave. It’s old, but there were clear signs of rogue activity - fresh scent markings, burnt torches, scraps of food. They have been using it recently."

A chill ran through me. "So there might be more of them?"

"Possibly," River said, though his tone made it clear he wasn’t certain. "But that’s not what worries me."

Kieran frowned. "Then what does?"

River’s gaze met his, sharp and grim. "The direction they came from. That cave isn’t far from the Academy’s border."

The room went completely still.

Kieran’s jaw tightened. "You are saying-"

"I’m saying," River cut in, "that the rogues didn’t just wander into our land. They had a purpose. They knew this territory was protected by the Thornes, and yet they still came."

Oscar had been listening quietly from the corner, still holding Lioren close. At that, his eyes lifted, and even he looked tense. "You think their target was Silver Moon?"

River’s expression didn’t waver. "It’s a possibility we can’t ignore."

Kieran stood there for a long moment, his hands curling slightly at his sides. I could see the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders again - the Headmaster, the Alpha, the protector.

River continued, "I have already called the council. There’s going to be a meeting tomorrow morning. We’ll discuss the findings and make sure the Academy’s boundaries are reinforced."

The fire in his voice was steady but cold, determined.

I exhaled, a quiet wave of relief mixing with the ever-present tension in my chest.

For now, they were home. Safe.

River noticed my expression soften, and his own gaze gentled, the fury from before slowly ebbing away. "You are safe now," he said quietly.

I nodded, though my heart still thudded against my ribs.

Kieran moved closer and placed a reassuring hand on my back. "And we’ll make sure it stays that way."

The four of them stood there - each of them different, but united in purpose. Watching them like that, I realized something that made my throat tighten.

They didn’t just protect me. They protected everyone.

And tomorrow, no matter what the council said, I knew one thing for certain - whatever danger was coming, we would face it together.

But for now, I let myself breathe.

Lioren gave a small, sleepy sound against Oscar’s chest, and River finally released the tension in his shoulders. Kieran’s hand never left me, and Draven’s smirk faded into something softer... something almost tender.

We were together again.

And for tonight, that was enough.