CHAPTER 492: LEFT WITH NO CHOICE

Evaline:

By the time Oscar finally dismissed the morning training session, the recruits looked like they were two breaths away from collapsing. Sweat, groans, and the faint sound of someone muttering "I think I can see the ancestors..." filled the arena.

I wasn’t much better off - my arms felt like noodles, and my entire body was sore and protesting.

Kyros fell into step beside me as we walked toward the cafeteria, both of us dragging our feet.

"Did you see how that new kid swung that spear?" Kyros grumbled. "A hazard. A walking hazard. I’m filing a complaint. For my safety."

I snorted. "You’ll survive. Probably."

"Probably," he echoed, narrowing his eyes at me in mock betrayal.

When we walked into the cafeteria, the comforting smell of warm bread, roasted chicken, herbs, and something sweet - maybe honeyed oats - hit me like a hug.

Rowan sat tucked in the far back corner, waving us over with the energy of someone who had slept a full ten hours.

"Look who survived," he teased as we approached.

"The Rogue Alphas tried to murder us," Kyros declared. "They are upgrading their torture techniques."

I plopped into the seat next to Rowan and immediately reached for the tray of food the cafeteria staff had already set out. Roasted vegetables, herb rice, a big piece of grilled meat, and soup. It was the melt-in-your-bones kind of food.

Apparently, warm food worked miracles. Within minutes, the three of us were chatting about utterly useless things... Rowan complaining about paperwork, Kyros ranting about the morning duel, and me laughing at both of them while making sure they ate enough.

For a few minutes, everything felt normal.

Comfortable.

Safe.

But safe wasn’t a word that belonged to my vocabulary these days.

When we were done with lunch, Kyros stretched, cracking his neck. "We have got time before training resumes. Walk?"

I nodded, swallowing the last spoonful of soup. The idea of moving again made my legs cry out in protest, but sitting still made my mind restless. A walk sounded perfect.

The academy grounds were beautiful after noon - sunlight filtering through tall oaks, earth still damp from yesterday’s rain, the air crisp and clean. Recruits lounged on benches, enjoying their break. Some practiced stances on the grassy patches, others simply napped under trees.

We walked aimlessly, talking about everything and nothing.

But I noticed it - the subtle glances Rowan gave me. The way he slowed down slightly when Kyros spoke. The way he kept opening his mouth and then closing it again.

He wanted to talk.

And Kyros... sensed it.

I swear that man was half wolf, half emotional radar.

He suddenly halted. "Oh look... I forgot I promised to help Liam check something in the east wing."

Rowan blinked. "You... what?"

Kyros waved both of us off with the worst acting I had ever seen. "Urgent stuff. Crucial. Top secret. I’ll meet you on the training field, Eva."

He disappeared around a corner like he was fleeing a crime scene.

Rowan stared after him. "Did he really-?"

"Yes," I sighed. "He absolutely did."

A beat.

Then Rowan chuckled under his breath. "He’s more perceptive than people give him credit for."

"Annoyingly so."

We kept walking until we reached a quieter path behind one of the training halls. No recruits. No instructors. Just the rustle of leaves and Rowan rubbing the back of his neck, clearly debating how to begin.

I spared him the struggle.

"What happened with the lead? The graduated students - did you guys find something new?"

His shoulders relaxed. "Actually... yes."

That pulled my focus immediately.

He lowered his voice. "Jasper and his people tracked them... and confirmed them being part of the secret student group. We might soon find out who are the rest of the members of this group."

"How?" I asked, anxious to know more.

"Apparently the group stopped meeting within the academy grounds after Carson’s case. Both because some students graduated and also because they knew it’s no longer safe to continue their meetings. So they have been gathering off-grounds."

I just stared at him, stunned by the piece of news. All this time, it never occurred to any of us that these people might be meeting off-campus.

"And guess what?"

"What?" I waited to hear what more he had to reveal.

"Their next meeting is five days from now, and everyone is seemed to be coming."

My pulse quickened. "Rowan... that’s-that could be huge."

"It could," he agreed. "Kieran wants us to capture them during the meeting. Interrogate them together before they can coordinate lies. We are preparing accordingly."

For the first time in weeks, hope flickered inside me.

Real hope.

But as quickly as it came, it twisted into worry.

"What if they are just pawns again?"

Rowan didn’t deny the possibility. His expression hardened. "Then we keep pushing. Someone up the chain will slip eventually."

I nodded. This was what we had... the only path forward.

But Rowan’s gaze shifted, turning more serious.

"That’s not the only thing. You said River had a meeting with the council on Wednesday. Did he manage to convince them?"

I let out a slow breath. This part... was heavier.

"Yes," I said quietly. "He convinced them to issue an alert."

Rowan’s brows shot up. "An alert? For what exactly? We still can’t tell the public about the soul deaths... it’ll cause mass panic."

"I know," I said. "So the council found a middle path."

"They are releasing a health advisory through the Healers’ Guild. A public notice stating that a new type of blood-infection has been detected in several regions. Symptoms include strange black vein patterns appearing on the skin, fatigue, dizziness... all just vague enough to be believable."

Rowan’s eyes sharpened.

"That’s... smart."

"They’ll warn packs that anyone who sees black veins must immediately report to their nearest healer for testing," I continued. "Not because it’s life-threatening, but because it could be ’highly contagious.’"

Rowan let out a low whistle. "Fear of contagion without panic of death."

"Exactly. People will take it seriously without imagining doomsday."

He nodded slowly. "It’ll get people into healer clinics fast... faster than we ever could by waiting for someone to collapse."

"I just hope it’s fast enough."

We shared a look - the kind that held far too many fears and not enough answers.

Because we both knew something the public didn’t -

Even if victims reached healers on time... we didn’t know if they could be saved.

Rowan exhaled, rubbing his jaw. "This announcement... it might spook the enemy."

"I know."

"They’ll know we are onto them."

"I know," I repeated.

"But we don’t have a choice," he finished for me.

"No," I whispered. "We really don’t."

Silence settled between us... not uncomfortable, but heavy. Purposeful.

Because despite everything, we were fighting.

Pushing.

Trying.

That had to count for something.