CHAPTER 396: TILL SUNRISE

(Third Person).

Dennis nodded slightly, a smirk tugging at his mouth. "Perfect timing," he muttered under his breath.

Draven glanced toward him but kept going. "There will be only one stop during the journey. It will last twenty minutes. Use it to stretch, eat, or check your vehicles, but there will be no sleeping until we are safely back in Stormveil."

A low wave of conversation started again, but it died quickly when Draven’s gaze swept over them once more.

"For each convoy," he said, "a leader will be appointed. They will guide you on the road and maintain order. You will follow their lead without question."

Meredith watched him closely, the precision in his words, the quiet power in his tone. Every command from his lips felt deliberate, thought through.

But then, Draven’s voice shifted slightly, deeper, quieter. "But there is something I have realized," he said. "No matter how well we plan, there is one truth we can’t deny—some of us may not make it back home."

Instantly, silence fell. All side murmurs stopped. The fire crackled in the stillness.

Meredith’s chest tightened. Dennis’s grin faded. Even Jeffery’s expression grew grim.

Draven let the silence settle before he went on. "That is the price of war, and of freedom. But we don’t fight for glory. We fight so our people can live without fear."

He paused, letting his words sink in. The flickering flames reflected in his dark eyes, steady and unreadable.

Meredith’s gaze softened as she listened. The weight of his words struck her heart—calm but unshakable. For the third time, she felt the full gravity of what they were about to face.

Draven straightened his posture, his voice regaining strength. "Prepare yourselves. Tonight will probably be the last night we spend in Duskmoor. Once the vampires make their move, we will move too. Remember your orders. Stay alert. And trust your group leaders."

The crowd slowly began to murmur again, their tones more subdued, serious, but resolute.

Dennis leaned close to Jeffery and whispered, "He’s right. We might lose some, but this is the best plan we’ve got."

Jeffery gave a firm nod.

Draven let his gaze move across his people—faces young and old, warriors and families, all waiting on his word.

"But no matter what," he said at last, his voice firm and resolute, "I will do my best to protect you all."

The finality in his tone settled over them like a vow. For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then, slowly, the crowd began to bow their heads in acknowledgement, murmuring their loyalty before quietly dispersing.

Meredith watched Draven in the moonlight—tall, calm, unshakable. The weight of his promise lingered in the air long after his people had gone inside.

---

Later that night...

The estate was hushed, the fires outside long extinguished. A pale wash of moonlight filtered through the windows of Draven’s study. Maps, charts, and scattered notes lay across his desk.

Draven stood near the window, staring out beyond the walls, his hands clasped loosely behind him. Dennis leaned against one of the chairs, arms crossed, while Jeffery stood at the desk, going through a list of names and assignments.

Meredith sat quietly on the couch, her gaze moving between them.

Jeffery was the first to speak. "All five convoy groups are ready, Alpha. The leaders have been briefed and know their routes."

Draven nodded slightly. "Good. What about communication?"

"Each leader has a radio link," Jeffery said. "And we have arranged signals for emergencies in case the lines go dead."

Dennis exhaled and dropped into a chair. "I still don’t like splitting the convoy. Makes it easier to pick off."

Draven turned from the window, his expression steady. "And harder to track. If one group is discovered, the others will make it through. It’s the safest risk."

Dennis made a face, clearly not happy but unwilling to argue. "Yeah, well, I still hate it when you make sense."

Meredith smiled faintly at that, but her attention soon drifted back to Draven. He looked more serious than usual—sharper, heavier, like the calm before a storm.

She finally spoke. "You are not planning to rest tonight, are you?"

Draven met her eyes briefly, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Not until everything is in order."

"Everything is in order," she said softly. "You have checked twice."

Dennis gave her an approving grin. "Thank you. I’ve been saying the same thing, but he doesn’t listen."

Draven shot him a flat look that shut him up immediately.

Jeffery chuckled under his breath. "The Alpha won’t rest. Not until we are on the road."

Draven returned his gaze to the map spread across the desk. "There’s too much at stake," he said simply. "Once the vampires attack, Duskmoor will fall into chaos. And that’s our window, so we can’t afford mistakes."

Meredith rose from her seat and walked to stand beside him, her voice gentle. "You’ve thought of everything like you always do."

Draven looked down at her—the calm in her tone, the quiet confidence in her eyes, and some of the tension in his shoulders eased.

Then, he reached out and placed a hand over hers on the desk. "Then I will hold you to that."

Dennis groaned dramatically. "Oh, for crying out loud, could you two at least wait until after we survive the trip?"

Meredith laughed softly, and even Draven’s mouth curved faintly before he released her hand.

Jeffery cleared his throat. "So, Alpha, what happens if the vampires attack earlier than expected?"

Draven’s tone shifted back to steel. "Then we adapt. The moment they make a move, we move as planned. I don’t care if it’s an hour from now or at dawn, or tomorrow, or even next, we leave."

The words carried the weight of command, final and unquestionable.

Jeffery nodded. "Understood."

"Get some rest," he said finally, his gaze moving from one face to another. "Tomorrow will be long."

Dennis stood with a lazy stretch. "You too, big brother. Don’t brood here till sunrise."

Draven didn’t answer, only gave a faint, knowing smirk as Dennis and Jeffery headed for the door.

Meredith lingered a moment longer, her hand brushing against his arm before she followed after them.

When the study door closed, Draven turned back to the window, his reflection framed against the moonlit glass.