Chapter 97 SACE


    I barely slept a winkst night. The memories of my heated encounter with Titus on theke have been bothering me nonstop. It keeps on slipping into my memories whenever I try to open my eyes.


    I hate it that he has this power over me. My blood boils whenever I realize that here I am having a time sleeping because of him while he was sleeping soundly beside his beloved. Why is my life so unfair?


    I pushed myself up from the bed despite my body feeling heavy from yesterday''s training. I went to the shower to freshen up. Once I''m done, I head up to the dresser to look for something to wear. This house doesn''t have much women''s clothing It''s probably due to the t that this house was built to be the king''s army''s hideout during this kind of situation.


    fact


    .


    I look for something I can wear along the pile of men''s clothing. In the end, I settled for pants that were small enough to fit me. The shirt that I found was big, so I tied it up on the back and folded the sleeves to make it fit. I couldn''t find any underwear anywhere, and the only underwear I have was soakedst night. It''s still wet until this morning, so I had no other choice but to go out without any. I took onest nce in the mirror before I left my room. I went straight to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast, but ra had already beaten me to it. I found her already setting up the table. Good morning, Sage," she greeted.


    Soond


    Soon


    I forced "Morning,"


    "I replied. "Let me help you with that.


    Titus, Scott, and Anna entered the dining area as we''re almost done fixing the table.


    to keep my gaze elsewhere, focusing on anything but him, though the weight of his stare was unmistakable. I could feel it like heat prickling along my skin, a reminder of everything I was trying so desperately to forget.


    greeted with a cheerfulness that seemed almost grating. She looped her arm through Titus''s as they walked in, her bright eyes darting around the room before finallynding on me. Her gaze lingered for a second, her expression unreadable. I couldn''t tell if it was suspicion or just curiosity, but it only added to the ufortable knot in my stomach. "Smells great," Scott said, oblivious to the tension thickening the air as he pulled out a chair, already reaching for the freshly baked bread ra had set out.


    swallowed, quickly


    at him, I couldn''t


    away, my fingers fiddling with the edge of my te as I fought to ignore him.


    "Did everyone sleep ra asked, breaking the silence as she poured coffee into each cup.


    "Like a rock," Scott replied cheerfully, unaware of the subtle, tense nces being exchanged around him.


    Anna smiled, ncing at Titus with a soft, adoring look that made my stomach twist. "I slept wonderfully," she cooed, her voice syrupy as she ced a hand on his arm. "Though I did wonder where you disappeared off tost night, Titus."


    I felt a prickling heat spread over my skin, and for a moment, I froze, afraid that the flush on my cheeks would give away everything. My heart thudded loudly as I waited, dreading his response, but Titus only gave a dismissive shrug.


    "Just needed some air," he said smoothly, barely sparing her a nce. His gaze found mine again, intense and unwavering, and I felt my breath catch. There was something in his eyes, something I didn''t quite understand.


    Anna pouted, clearly dissatisfied with his answer. "You''re always sneaking off," she muttered, though she tried to mask her irritation with a smile. "One day, maybe you''ll let mee along."


    08.16 Mon. Nov 11 FBG Chapter 97


    As


    Anna


    continued to bab on, her voice barely reaching my cars, my gaze drifted down, only to feel a sharp prick of awareness when I noticed Titus''s eyes fixed on me with a dark, unreadable intensity. The realization struck me like a jolt- his gaze hadnded directly on my cliest, where the thin fabric of my borrowed shirt did little to hide the chill that had crept over me, hardening my sensitive skin. I swallowed, heat thing my face as his stare lingered just a little too long.


    It hadn''t been my intention to tlraw attention to myself, especially not to him. I''d chosen the shirt out of necessity, not desire. And yet here I was, captured by his gaze, like he was seeing something he shouldn''t, something he had no right to. I pulled my arms closer, subtly crossing them in front of me, hoping to shield myself from his unrelenting gaze.


    Scott, blissfully oblivious, remained engrossed in his food and conversation with ra,ughing at something she''d said. Anna, too, was distracted, ncing at Titus as she tried to capture his attention. But Titus hadn''t looked away-not even when I turned my face in embarrassment, hoping he''d shift his cus. I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to eat despite the churning feeling in my stomach. Every bite felt like a struggle, my mind spinning with everything that had happened and everything I was trying to ignore. I barely noticed the rest of breakfast, my mind spinning with tension as Titus''s stare seemed to burn into me. Each time I looked away, I could feel him daring me to look back, like he wanted to remind me of that maic pull between us. I tried to keep my focus on my food, on ra''s happy chatter, anything but the man sitting across from me.


    !


    breakfast ended, and I let out a sigh of relief, quickly gathering my te just to escape his gaze. I went to the sink, and as I turned on the water, I sensed him moving closer. His presence loomed behind me, making me tense, though I forced myself to keep over me.


    ing the dishes, even as his shadow hover his voice low and smooth, sending a shiver through me. Ididn''t look back. "Just trying to get through the day," I said, keeping my voice steady, though my hands shook slightly. "In a hurry this morning, aren''t you?" He murmured on his face. "Strange... It''s like you''re trying to get through it without even looking at me."


    He chuckled softly, and I could almost feel the smirk of could feel his warmth. Anger bubbled up, but I kept it together. "Last night was a mistake, Titus. Let''s leave it at that."


    I held my breath as he stepped closer, close


    enough that I


    Titus opened his mouth, about to say something else, but Scott appeared in the doorway. "Alpha, the study room is ready, he reminded.


    "I''ll be there in a


    Tibe in a minute," Titus replied, his gaze never leaving mine.


    I tilted my head; curiosity sparked. "What are you two nning to discuss?"


    "We''re mapping out strategies to gather allies for our next attack" he said, his voiceced with intensity.


    "I''ming with you," I said, drying my hands quickly on my pants, ready to follow him.


    He frowned, clearly not expecting my response. "This isn''t a woman''s ce, Sage. It''s dangerous."


    "Like my life isn''t already dangerous?" I shot back, my tone unwavering. "You need all the help you can get."


    Titus stared at me, the faintest trace of conflict in his eyes. He seemed to weigh his options, his expression tense as he considered my insistence. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders rxing ever so slightly. "Fine."


    Titus and Scott led the way to the study. Maps and papers were already spread across the surface, and the air was thick with tension and purpose. I took a seat opposite Titus, my hands resting on the table, ready to dive into whatever ns they''d been formting. Titus tapped on arge map, his finger tracing along different territories marked with notes and symbols. "We''ll need to start with the smaller, neutral packs," he began, his tone firm and focused. "They have no strong alliances yet, which makes them open to persuasion. But we need to show them we can offer protection and, more importantly, that our strength isn''t


    08:16 Mon. Nov 11


    Chapter 97 just talk."


    Scott nodded in agreement. "The key is the pack leaders. Convince them, and their followers will join. If we''re lucky, a few key alliances might be all we need to tip the scales."


    I leaned forward, studying the names and markings on the map Which packs are most likely to join us?"


    Titus''s eyes narrowed slightly, as if weighing the sense in my words. Scott, however, didn''t look so convinced, his brow furrowing in disapproval.


    "With all due respect, Sage," Scott said, his voice carrying a protective edge. "Sending our Alpha alone is a sign of weakness. We need to keep his authority intact, not expose


    I held my ground, meeting Scott''s steady gaze. "This isn''t about weakness; it''s about strategy. These pack leaders don''t want an Alpha who clings to an image of superiority while his people are at risk. They want an Alpha who''s willing to step forward, to be one of them, even when it''s not easy. Titus showing himself up wouldn''t make him weak. It would make him real. And that''s something these packs will respect."


    IMaterial ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Scott opened his mouth to argue, but Titus raised a hand, silencing him. His eyes held a hint of something unreadable, a curiosity that edged toward agreement. "She''s right, Scott," he said after a pause, his voice calm but firm. "These packs have always seen me as a figure of distant authority. It''s time they see a leader willing to fight alongside them, not above them." Scott still looked skeptical, but he stayed silent, perhaps sensing that Titus had already made up his mind. "Fine," Scott relented finally, a trace of reluctance in his voice. "But you''ll need a handful of guards, at least. We can''t risk you going alone.


    Titus nodded. "A small group. Just enough to ensure that we''re cautious without being overpowering. We need to approach them on equal footing if we want their trust. We''ll leave first thing in the morning." "Okay, I''ll get my things ready," I said.


    Titus looked at me, frowning. "Who said you''reing with us?"


    ***


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