Chapter 38
Werewolf Realm
Red Moon Pack
All twelve Alphas gathered in the Red Moon Pack's main hall, the same place where every major meeting throughout history had taken place. Today, however, the air was heavier… tense. Every Alpha sat upright, waiting—anticipation and fear mixed on their faces as they waited to learn more about Roosevelt's secrets.
King Johnson stepped forward.
"The reason I've summoned all twelve of you," he began, "is to tell you the truth about Roosevelt—the man who commands a dragon in battle… and the demons from the pit of hell."
A ripple of unease moved through the room.
King Johnson continued, "Let me start from the beginning. What we discovered is that Roosevelt has ties to the demon realm. He is half demon… half vampire."
The room fell silent.
"Half demon? Half vampire?" Alpha Rowan repeated, stunned.
King Johnson exhaled slowly. "Yes. He's a halfling. And there is something all of you must know. Roosevelt must never awaken his demonic side. If he does… he may very well end the entire world."
The Alpha of Silver Crest clenched his fists.
"He truly is terrifying. He even has the potential to end the realms themselves."
King Johnson nodded.
"He only gains that apocalyptic strength when his demon side awakens. Right now, he's merely a powerful vampire. But if that part of him surfaces… none of us will survive."
One of the Alphas raised his hand hesitantly.
"King Johnson, is there any way to stop him from awakening?"
Johnson released another weary sigh.
"We must ensure he is never pushed too far on the battlefield. Roosevelt has never lo—"
"So you're saying we shouldn't fight him?" Micha cut in sharply.
"No," King Johnson replied quickly. "I'm not saying that. I'm saying we have to play him. Roosevelt believes he's an ancient creature nobody understands. He thinks we know nothing about him—which is partly true—but the little we do know is enough for us to stay alive."
Micha frowned. "So… how exactly are we supposed to 'play' Roosevelt?"
King Johnson hesitated… then said something that shocked everyone.
"We have to lose."
The hall erupted in murmurs and disbelief.
"What? Why would we lose?"
"The whole point of this alliance is survival!"
"Now you want us to surrender?!"
Alpha Rowan slammed his palms on the table.
"Levi brought us here because he wanted unity, not defeat."
"Calm down," Johnson lifted his hands. "When I say lose, I mean pretend to lose. We won't actually be defeated. We will stage it. We will be in control."
A few shoulders relaxed at that.
"So," another Alpha said, "we will fake defeat to avoid provoking Roosevelt into awakening his demonic side?"
"Yes," King Johnson confirmed. "That is the only way to keep him from unleashing devastation none of us can stop."
He paused before adding grimly:
"And if Roosevelt realizes he is losing—even slightly—he won't hesitate to use his dragon. As I said before, the two of them are connected. I don't know how, but he can summon it anytime… anywhere."
A few Alphas sucked in sharp breaths.
"He can truly summon the dragon…"
The weight of those words settled over the hall like a thick fog, and for the first time, even the strongest Alpha felt the cold pinch of fear.
Erin rose from her seat and bowed slightly.
"Your Majesty, earlier you mentioned that the Goldren's will be used to benefit the battle. That's the main reason I'm here."
King Johnson nodded.
"The Goldren's will still be used, Erin. But your job… is to protect them."
Erin stiffened. "Protect them?"
"Yes," King Johnson continued. "Roosevelt has no idea that a creature known as the Goldren even exists. Because of that, they must remain hidden for now."
A few Alphas exchanged surprised looks.
"That way," King Johnson added, "they remain our trump card."
Silence fell for a moment before he cleared his throat.
"I'll end the meeting here for now. We'll continue later. Probably in a few months. There is still much to prepare."
The Alphas rose from their seats as the meeting dissolved.
Erin walked side by side with Mars, their steps echoing in the hallway.
Ruby and Theo followed behind them in quiet conversation.
"I need to see Kate and Kira," Erin said, already planning her next move. "And most importantly… Micha."
A small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips.
"I miss my annoying brother who drives me insane… but also keeps me grounded."
As Erin and the others walked through the large stone hallway, the weight of King Johnson's words settled deeper into everyone's minds. The idea of pretending to lose… of facing Roosevelt… of dealing with a dragon… none of it felt real, yet all of it was terrifyingly true.
Theo let out a heavy exhale.
"Every time we learn something new about that man, it just gets worse."
Ruby nodded. "I keep thinking we've reached the limit, and then… we hear something even more insane." She rubbed her arms as if warding off chills. "A dragon. A million demon soldiers. A death whisper. Half demon, half vampire. How do we even prepare for that?"
Theo walked quietly behind her, expression troubled. "We don't prepare to defeat him. We prepare to survive him. That's what the king meant."
Erin didn't respond. Her mind was elsewhere—on the Goldren's, on the plan, on the overwhelming risk they all now carried. Every single race was depending on them. One wrong move, and the realms could fall.
As they stepped outside of the hall, the cool afternoon breeze swept across the Red Moon Pack territory. Dozens of warriors, mages, and other races were moving around—training areas packed, lookout posts manned, supplies stacked. Everyone was preparing as if war could begin at any second.
Because it could.
Erin paused for a moment, watching the smoke rising from the blacksmith's forge, the intense drills happening in the training grounds, the silver-armored guards checking the borders again and again. Despite everything, she felt something strange in her chest… a spark of determination.
"We're going to survive this," she murmured.
Mars glanced at her. "Confident?"
"No," Erin admitted. "But hopeful."
Mars chuckled faintly. "Fair enough."
A loud clash echoed from the training arena, catching all their attention. Two warriors were sparring intensely—faster, stronger, more desperate than usual. Everyone in the pack could feel the pressure of the coming storm.
Theo sighed. "King Johnson said the meeting continues in a few months… but I don't think we have that long."
Ruby nudged him lightly. "Don't say that."
"I'm being realistic," Theo replied. "If Roosevelt wants to wipe out the werewolf race, he won't wait."
Erin exhaled slowly. "That's why the Goldren's must stay hidden. If he finds out about them too early, everything collapse."
They reached a split in the pathway. The pack houses stood to the left, while the high stone tower—Levi's main office—rose to the right.
"I'll go see Kate and Kira first," Erin said. "And then Micha, I'll introduce you guys later"
Ruby shrugged. "Sure"
They parted ways, Mars and Theo heading toward the barracks while Ruby walked Erin halfway before turning toward the healers' quarters.
As Erin continued alone, her steps slowed.
The world felt heavier now.
The sky darker.
Every shadow sharper.
The threat of Roosevelt was no longer distant—it was breathing down their necks.
As the sun set outside, casting orange light across the walls, Erin made a silent promise to herself.
She would protect the Goldren's.
She would fight for her people.
She would stand with the Alphas.
She would endure whatever darkness Roosevelt brought.
But most of all—
She would survive long enough to hug her annoying brother, yell at him, and tell him how much she missed him.