Chapter 124: THE JOURNEY HOME
CALLUM’S POV
Four days had passed since I arrived at the border.
The peace negotiations had been concluded on my first day there, every clause had been agreed upon, and the commanders from both packs had shaken hands before their witnesses. There was nothing left to negotiate. Unfortunately, signing an agreement and carrying it out were two different things. The Duskfen had to wait for additional supply wagons and injured warriors scattered across their temporary camps before they could begin the long journey back to their territory. Until every one of their people had been accounted for, neither pack was willing to lower its guard completely.
By the fourth afternoon, movement finally spread across the valley.
I stood outside the command tent with my hands behind my back, watching the Duskfen camp come apart piece by piece. Warriors folded tents that had stood for weeks, wagons were loaded with supplies, and healers carefully transferred the last of their recovering patients into vehicles to take back to their pack.
"Looks like they’re really going," Damien observed, his voice thoughtful in my head.
"About time."
The last column of Duskfen warriors eventually marched through the northern pass, disappearing behind the dense forest that separated our territories. Only after the scouts confirmed they had crossed the boundary did the tension around our own camp finally dissolve.
The order to dismantle our camp came almost immediately.
Within minutes, Ashveil warriors scattered across the clearing, taking down tents, loading weapons, securing documents and supplies, and preparing the convoy for the journey home. The entire camp moved with practiced ease and quickness, every soldier already knowing what was expected of him.
In the middle of it all was Vera.
She moved from one group to another with confidence from someone who had commanded warriors for most of her life, correcting mistakes before they became problems and issuing instructions that nobody questioned. She never needed to raise her voice for long. One command was enough, and dozens of people adjusted themselves without hesitation.
Watching her work reminded me why Father had trusted her with the borders for so many years.
When the final inventory had been completed and the warriors dispersed to finish packing, Vera walked toward me, dusting her hands together.
"Everything is in order," she said. "The convoy will be ready to move at first light."
"I expected nothing less."
She smiled faintly as I looked over the now-empty battlefield before turning back to her. "You’ve been away from the estate for months. Once we get home, take some time off. Rest in your penthouse, stay away from reports for a while, and let someone else carry the burden."
She looked almost amused by the suggestion. "You make it sound as though retirement is calling."
"It isn’t. I’m simply saying you’ve earned a break."
"I appreciate the concern," she replied, "but there are still the Coldridge projects waiting at the estate. I’d rather help finish those before I think about resting."
I nodded automatically before the words fully settled in my mind.
The Coldridge projects?
It wasn’t exactly confidential information, but it also wasn’t something widely discussed outside the estate. Vera had been stationed at the border throughout the negotiations, and communication had been limited to matters involving security.
"Did someone brief her?" Damien wondered.
"Maybe."
"You don’t sound convinced."
That’s because I wasn’t.
For a brief second, I considered asking how she knew about the projects, but the thought disappeared almost as quickly as it came. Vera had always possessed an uncanny ability to stay informed no matter where she was. If anyone could learn pack matters without setting foot in the estate, it would be her.
The following morning arrived and the sky remained clear with bright clouds.
By sunrise, every vehicle had been loaded, every head counted, and every section commander had reported in. The border camp, which had looked like a small village only hours earlier, had vanished without leaving much evidence that hundreds of warriors had occupied the land.
Vera insisted on driving my vehicle and I didn’t object.
The road back to Ashveil was long and it gave me time to simply think about a lot of things as I pressed the side of my head against the cool window.
My mind returned to the estate more often than I cared to admit and I wondered whether Nadia had managed to stay out of trouble. Whether Dane had kept the elders occupied. Whether Keisha was doing well.
The last thought lingered longer than the others.
Was she alright?
Should I call Dane and find out what had happened? There had been little to no cell signal where we were coming from.
Without realizing it, I found myself staring absentmindedly through the window until Vera’s voice interrupted my thoughts. "You’ve been unusually quiet."
I jerked back to the present. "Uh, of course not. I’ve been enjoying the silence."
She smiled knowingly, keeping her eyes on the road. "I was actually wondering when you planned on choosing a Luna."
I let out a quiet breath. "I should have known that’s where this conversation was headed."
"It was inevitable."
"There are more pressing matters than my personal life."
"There will always be pressing matters. That’s what comes with leading a pack."
I couldn’t argue with that so I didn’t bother to answer.
After a brief pause, she continued more casually. "I heard Vanessa has still been visiting the estate."
"She has."
"And?"
"There isn’t an ’and.’"
She laughed softly but didn’t press any further. Instead, the conversation shifted to lighter things as she brought up the next negotiations she had in mind and how it would impact our pack. I listened attentively, grateful for the change in subject as we drove the remaining hours back to the pack.
By the time the familiar gates of Ashveil Estate appeared in the distance, evening had settled over the skies, creating a dark look.
The convoy rolled through the entrance one vehicle after another, guards saluting as we passed before the main house finally came into view.
The engine had barely gone silent when the front door burst open and Nadia came barelling out.
"AUNT VERA!"