The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger.-Chapter 321: Old secrets...

Ramsey POV

"How many are there?" Lyla asked, and I could see her brain running in motion, already thinking of strategies.

"Nearly their entire fighting force—about three hundred warriors. They've set up fortified positions all along the border," I replied.

"And our response?"

"I've mobilised our defence units, but I've ordered them not to engage unless attacked," I explained. "I'm hoping to resolve this diplomatically first. I've sent a messenger requesting a meeting with Elder Thorne at dawn."

She nodded. "Good. We need to understand their motivation before we fight. This isn't like the White Lake Pack—we have a common enemy, we should be fighting Xander side by side, not fighting each other, and I refuse to believe that Elder Thorne, with all his sensibility, would pick a fight because you refused to marry his daughter.

"Elder Thorne is a very shrewd man. He would never do anything if he thought he would lose. There must be a reason for this," I agreed thoughtfully. "Something significant must have changed for him to take such action."

"The Dark One," Lyla suggested. "You think he has gotten hold of Elder Thorne? But what on earth would he want? I doubt if his biggest desire is to see you married to his daughter?"

"It might be the Dark One's doing, who knows?" I agreed. "Or perhaps Cassidy has convinced her father that we're the threat."

"She doesn't think we were threats. She only mentioned that she was supposed to sit on the White Moon Throne with you to unlock its power, which was her destiny. It doesn't make sense," Lyla sighed. "What will you do now?"

"I'm meeting with the War Council. I need to hear their opinion before we proceed. Like you said, I'm done trying to get everything without a touch of violence, which seems inevitable at this point."

She tried to rise from the bed. "I should come with you to the meeting. As Moonsinger, my presence might—"

"No," I said firmly, gently pressing her back against the pillows. "You're still healing, and you should rest more. I'll need you for tomorrow. Besides, anything can happen at any time. We're no longer safe in our pack."

She wanted to argue, but her eyelids were growing heavy. "Promise you'll wake me if you really need my help," she murmured.

"I promise," I said, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

She yawned again. "I love you, Ramsey Kincaid. Always…"

I didn't say anything, I just sat next to her, watching her fall asleep. When I thought sleep had finally claimed her, her eyelids fluttered open.

"Ramsey," she said drowsily, fighting to stay awake. "The prophecy in my father's hidden study mentioned twins…"

"Twin moon…" I supplied.

"Yeah," she bit back another yawn, nodding with her eyes closed, "What if it wasn't referring to the twin moons, but to something else?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I don't know yet," she admitted, becoming incoherent. "But White Lake's involvement changes things. We're missing something important."

I stroked her hair gently. "We'll figure it out tomorrow. Sleep now."

She closed her eyes, finally surrendering to exhaustion. In a few minutes, she was sound asleep.

I lingered for a bit as my mind continued working, trying to connect the pieces – Cassidy's attack on Lyla and her claim to the White Moon Throne, the White Lake's siege, the Dark One's retreat, the prophecy's mention of twins.

Something told me the answer was right in front of me, if only I could see it.

After tucking Lyla in properly, I closed the bedroom door quietly and headed downstairs. My mind raced with strategies for tomorrow's meeting with Elder Thorne, but I need more information first.

Seth was waiting for me at the foot of the stairway, despite the late hour. With Seth, it was always difficult to know when he was happy or sad.

He always had the same expression. He has been around since I was a kid, but never said a word regarding anything that happens in the pack. Never offered advice, always minded his business and was loyal to my grandfather to the core.

Even though he would do things for me, those things always ended up in my grandfather's ears.

He turned to face me when he heard me approaching.

"Seth, find my grandfather and bring him to the garden," I ordered. "Tell him it's urgent."

He nodded, heading off immediately.

I mindlinked Caius next. Reschedule the war council meeting for an hour later. And tell the sentries to hang the peace sign outside our territory. I won't fight blindly without understanding why Elder Thorne has brought an army to our gates.

Will do, came Caius's prompt reply. Do you think they'll respect the sign?

Elder Thorne is old-school. He'll honour it until we meet formally.

I walked to the garden behind the pack house, needing the quiet to organise my thoughts. The night air was cool against my face, carrying the scent of night-blooming flowers. This place had always been my refuge when leadership weighed heavily on me.

As I sat on a stone bench, my eyes immediately strayed to another bench across the garden—this one encased in glass like a museum exhibit. I couldn't help smiling at the sight.

It was the bench where Lyla and I had first made love, now preserved under my orders so no one else could sit there—one of many impulsive decisions I'd made when I couldn't stop thinking about her.

So much had happened since that morning. I'd discovered she was a Moonsinger, watched her incredible powers develop, fought beside her, nearly lost her, and fallen deeper in love than I thought possible.

The thought of Lyla refusing my proposal flickered briefly through my mind. She had accepted my proposal with genuine joy, but she kept pushing back talks of us officially getting married. She would either change the topic or murmur the same excuse of how we're in a war, and we'd do it as soon as everything ends.

I didn't know why she was constantly refusing marriage to me, but I had no time to dwell on it because, in that instance, my grandfather arrived.

He strolled into the garden, his cane tapping softly against the stone path. He had to use the cane because of the injury during the Ferals' attack to help with his posture and healing. Despite his age, he moved with the dignity of a Lycan. He was never a Lycan Leader, but would never stop boasting about how he made my father one.

He sat beside me without speaking. For several moments, we simply existed in silence, two generations of White Moon leadership contemplating the stars.

Finally, he pointed his cane at the glass-encased bench. "That is so stupid," he said bluntly. "Idolising a memory of your sexual escapade."

"The gods forbid that I live a normal life like every other person and reminisce on special memories…"

"You can do all of that without creating a caricature of your stupidity, Ramsey Kincaid," my grandfather growled. "I hope now you're regretting why you didn't listen to me. Everything I warned about would happen has happened. You were so fixated on that woman for years…"

"That woman is my mate, Eldric, and she will be my wife soon, my Luna. You should get used to calling her that."

"And yet she hasn't agreed to marry you until now?" he laughed dryly. "When women are in love, they always want to be with the people they love, but…"

"Stop talking now," I said through gritted teeth. "When it comes to me and Lyla, I don't need your advice. If you were so perfect, you would have remained with your mate forever."

I felt him freeze beside me.

"Oh," I laughed, "you think I don't know that grandma left you for another man. You lied to everyone that she died, just like how you lied about everything, about my parents. Always wanting to create a perfect front when none of that exists."

"And so?" came his quiet reply. "Times have changed, Ramsey. Back then, having a well-organised family was the ideal trait of every ruler. That was how I managed to build a legacy for this family and all thanks to me, you're riding on that, making a fucking spectacle of your indsicretions. You think you'd be able to do it if I had driven you with your werewolf mother?"

I scoffed, turning to face him fully. "I'm going to ask you a lot of questions in a few seconds, and I want nothing but the truth. If you lie to me, I will have you punished."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you threatening me now?"

"Fuck around and find out," I replied coldly.

The harsh words hung between us. My grandfather had always commanded my respect, even when we disagreed. But recent events had left me with questions only he could answer, and I was done with half-truths and hidden agendas.

"I didn't raise you like this," he muttered, looking away. "Since that woman came into your life, everything about you has changed."

I ignored the bait. "Why is Elder Thorne and his armies outside our pack? Don't give me bullshit about how you don't know. I'll get really mad. Tell me the truth. You've known him the longest—you were friends. Why is he trying to attack us in the middle of a fight with the Dark One?"

My grandfather remained silent for a long time, his gaze fixed on something distant. Just when I thought he wouldn't answer, he took a deep breath.

"For the White Moon Throne," he replied simply.