Chapter 178

Theodore’s POV

“Lieutenant General Rufio.” I greeted the leader of Midnight’s, and effectively the country’s army, with a firm handshake.

“General Nightshade.” He was the only one who called me that. Technically, I was his superior, but since being general was more of a title than an active job, most of my pack referred to me as “Alpha Nightshade”.

Rufio and Dahlia nodded to each other as well.

“And may I introduce Midnight’s new Luna, Eva.” I nodded toward Eva standing next to me. To my horror, she extended her hand for Rufio to kiss, giggling as she did.

He hesitated only a moment before taking her hand to kiss her fingers chastely.

She only giggled more. “I do love a man in uniform.”

Rufio glanced at me nervously, quickly letting go of Eva’s hand and folding his own hands behind his back. It pained me to pretend her behavior was acceptable. I really wished she hadn’t insisted on coming.

“I don’t suppose,” I inquired, “that you have someone you can spare to show my new Luna around? It’s her first time to the city, and it’s time she see the military base. And for your soldiers to meet their new Luna.”

Rufio paused, and I couldn’t help but realize I had never done this with Violet. An oversight that would be corrected as soon as possible.

Rufio nodded once, lifting his gaze to look around the soldiers walking past us in every direction. “Private Kessler!” he called. The soldier who changed directions abruptly to come stand in front of us was maybe twenty years old - just a kid.

“Private Kessler, this is our new Luna, Eva. You are to show her around the base and introduce her to all persons of interest. Understood?”

“Understood, Lieutenant General.” Kessler smiled politely to Eva. “Nice to meet you, Miss; you can follow me this way.”

And with that, they took off. Eva was clearly too enthralled by yet another man in uniform to care that she had left me alone with Dahlia after all. Or maybe she felt better knowing that Rufio was with us, too.

Who knew. It was all bullshit anyway.

Rufio looked me up and down, glancing briefly at Dahlia. “To my office?”

On most visits, Rufio walked me around the base, pointing out areas of improvement since my last visit and areas that would require more funding. He would tell me about new processes for training and point out the methods as we passed each training ground. We only went to his office when we were being mindful of who might overhear us.

The fact that he knew I had something of a sensitive nature to discuss without me saying a word about it was exactly why he was in charge here.

He led us to his office, shutting the door behind us. This was the tricky part. I had come here with the intent to convince Rufio to stand against his own king.

Even if Violet and I could figure out how to take Owen down, it wouldn’t matter if the country wasn’t behind us – politically, economically, and defensively.

Dahlia eyed me as the awkward silence grew.

“Permission to speak freely, General Nightshade?” I nodded Rufio on, grateful that he was starting things off.

“For the love of the Goddess, please tell me you’re here to organize a revolution against King Owen.”

My mouth dropped in unison with Dahlia’s. Well, that solved that problem.

“Or am I about to get expelled for so much as speaking of treason to the King’s brother?” Rufio watched our shocked faces, his own growing increasingly nervous.

Dahlia elbowed me, and I came to my senses. “That is exactly what I’m here to do. I just thought you would need some convincing.”

Rufio tucked his hands behind his back again, squaring his shoulders. “The military instills a deeply ingrained sense of hierarchy in its soldiers. You do what you’re told, and you don’t ask questions.”

Rufio didn’t budge an inch as he added, “Until the king you’re supposed to be protecting reveals himself to inarguably be a self-serving asshole who perpetuates and pardons the types of atrocities we fight to end while screwing up the economy that funds our base. Respectfully.”

I couldn’t help myself at that point. Between all the moments of having to pretend I wasn’t feeling everything, having to put on this skin-crawling performance to keep Owen in the dark, I just burst out laughing.

Never in my life had I seen Rufio be so… expressive. Even if his face was still neutral and his posture was impeccable. He waited patiently for me to work through my fit of laughter, Dahlia’s eyes wide and unsure what to do.

My laughter finally waning, I straightened my own spine to face the Lieutenant General of our country’s military. “Thank the Goddess, Rufio. I don’t know how we would have done this without you.”

Rufio’s eyes met mine. “You would have found a way. A general always does.”

I gave him a soft, appreciative smile for the vote of confidence. “Typically, you keep half the army ready to deploy immediately for emergency threats and half requiring three months’ preparation before deployment, rotating soldiers to rest for intervals at a time, correct?”

Rufio nodded once. “That’s correct, General. Though the first month is time allotted for soldiers to get their affairs in order once they’re called onto the base.”

I raised my eyebrows at the timeline, but didn’t comment on how long it was. Honestly, it made sense for a military that never went to war and had no reason to expect to. Unfortunately, that was a luxury we no longer had.

“Though,” Rufio added, glancing at me briefly before returning his gaze to the wall behind me, “I called in the reserves two weeks ago in hopes that you would request our services. They’ll be ready in ten weeks, and I have no intent to rotate anyone off of active duty until instructed otherwise.”

I smiled broadly at that. Dahlia wasn’t the only one who needed a pay raise. “Excellent.”

Rufio nodded once, his only indication of pride in his decision with his still unreadable facial expression. “Do we have a strategy, General?”

“Yes, however, due to the nature of the mission, the plan is need-to-know. Have your soldiers ready as quickly as you can, and we will send word.”

“We?”

I steadied my own expression, a little nervous to reveal anything to more people. “Me, my Beta,” I nodded to Dahlia, “or my mate,” I caught Rufio’s gaze and held it firmly, “Alpha Violet Donovan of Darkmoon.”

The first smile I had possibly ever seen on Rufio began to creep up his cheek before he caught it, schooling his expression. “Understood, General.”

“If the plan goes poorly, you will hear from Alpha Donovan’s aunt, who will reveal herself to you should the occasion call for it.”

“And how will I know to trust that whoever comes to me is truly your mate’s aunt?”

I smiled at his deliberate repetition that Violet was my mate. He probably hated Eva as much as I did after knowing her for all of five minutes. “You’ll know to trust her,” was all I said.

There was no one every citizen under Owen’s rule trusted more than the High Priest and High Priestess. Even with magic being illegal, even with disagreement about King Owen’s rule, the value of their wisdom had never been outranked.

With that, Rufio led Dahlia and I out of his office to go find Eva.

All those years ago, Owen had thought the title he handed me was a slap in the face. General-in-Chief – of an army in peace, as Violet had put it.

But it was more than just a formality now. It would be his undoing.