Max paced in front of Ev, his brow furrowed in concern.
“Eva,” he said softly but urgently. “You need to think about this. The more warriors Crescent sends, the more dangerous it gets. We should send Tiana and the pups to Crescent. Let them stay there until this blows over. It’s safer.”
Eva didn’t look at him, her gaze fixed on the war maps spread across the table. “No,” she said firmly. “I won’t hide them away like they’re fragile. They are my reason. Not my weakness.”
Max’s face tightened. “Eva—”
“They’re my strength, Max.” Her voice was calm, but it held an edge of steel. She turned to face him, her eyes hard as ice. “You want me to run, to let them run, but that’s not who I am. If they stay, we fight. We fight as a family, as Silverstone. I’m not giving that up.”
Max clenched his jaw, frustration and worry warring on his face. He took a step closer to her, lowering his voice. “And what if it’s not enough? What if they—”
Eva held up a hand to stop him. “We fight, Max. We fight together or we die together. There’s no other way. I won’t send them away to safety while we stay here, bleeding. That’s not how Silverstone works.”
Tiana, who had been listening quietly from the corner of the room, stepped forward now. Her eyes were stormy, and her fists were clenched at her sides. “Eva’s right,” she said, her voice low but firm. “We’re not some helpless pack that needs to be tucked away in some safe place. We’re Silverstone. We die fighting, not hiding.”
Max’s eyes softened, but there was still worry in them. “I can’t lose you, Tiana. I can’t lose either of you. The pups—”
“I don’t care what the odds are,” Tiana interrupted, her voice rising. “I’m not going to let them fall behind. If we’re going to lose, we’ll lose together, as a pack. We fight with you, not behind you.”
The room fell silent at her words. Eva watched Tiana, and a part of her softened. She had always known Tiana had the heart of a warrior, but hearing her speak with such fierce conviction made Eva’s heart swell. They were family. They were more than just packmates—they were blood, bound by something deeper than loyalty.
But as much as Eva wanted to believe it, there was a bitter part of her that feared what would happen if they didn’t prepare for the worst. The weight of leadership sat heavily on her shoulders. Every decision she made could mean the difference between life and death for those she loved.
“I agree with Tiana,” Dany spoke up, breaking the silence. He had been standing by the doorway, his eyes clouded with thought. “But we need an escape route. Just in case. If things go south, we need a plan to get out.”
Eva’s gaze flickered toward him, and for a moment, she considered his suggestion. It made sense. The thought of losing them all, of seeing her family scattered, broken—she couldn’t bear it. But there was a deeper part of her that knew the cost of retreating would be just as high.
“We don’t run,” she said quietly. “If we fall, we fall together. That’s the Silverstone way.”
Max’s lips tightened, and he looked away, unable to argue with her. It was a truth he had come to accept, even if it terrified him. His pack. His family. They didn’t run. They stood together, no matter the cost.
Tiana crossed her arms over her chest, her face set in determination. “Then we die fighting,” she said, her voice clear and resolute. “But I’ll fight with my sister, not behind her. We’re not going to cower. Not now, not ever.”
Eva nodded, feeling a rush of pride and love for the sister who stood beside her. She had always known Tiana was strong, but hearing her say those words brought something deep inside Eva to life. It wasn’t just about fighting for their lives. It was about fighting for their future. For their family. For the pack that had always been their home.
As Eva looked around the room, her gaze sweeping over the faces of the people who had stood by her through every trial, every loss, every victory, she felt a fire stir within her. The stakes had never been higher, but neither had her resolve. She wasn’t just the leader of Silverstone—she was their heart. Their strength.
She turned back to Max, who was still watching her with a mixture of worry and admiration. “Max,” she said softly, “we don’t need an escape route. We need to fight. And we need to fight as one. As Silverstone.”
Max’s eyes softened, and for a moment, the tension in his shoulders eased. “Then let’s fight,” he said, his voice low but full of the determination she knew so well. “Together.”
Eva looked to the others. Tiana, Dany, the warriors who had gathered in the war room, all of them were ready. They were strong. They were Silverstone. They would fight.
“Gather the warriors,” Eva commanded, her voice filled with an intensity that could not be denied. “Prepare for battle. And remember, we fight for each other. We fight for Silverstone.”
They all nodded, the weight of their loyalty to her and to each other clear in their eyes. Eva knew that, no matter what happened next, they would stand together. As a pack. As a family.
And nothing could break that bond.
“Then we die fighting. But I’ll fight with my sister, not behind her.”
120
