Chapter 8: Assembly Meeting

"Ms. Euphyllia, where have you been?" Cerys questioned as I slid into the chair beside her, her brows furrowing in confusion.

My lips formed a wry smile. "I was in the powder room," I replied, trying to calm myself as I realized that my other comrades were already here. "I thought Commander Rachelle would be the spokesperson for today," I changed the topic, ignoring the tall figure at the front.

I didn't want to. I refused to lay my eyes, but all attention turned toward the spokesman standing on the platform.

Cerys shrugged. "Apparently, Commander Rachelle hasn't arrived at the camp yet. It might be a few days before she returns from her vacation leave, too."

Before I could express my disappointment that Commander Rachelle, the one I revere the most because of her heroic deed, the hall hushed, but it didn't escape me how my fellow women were thrilled to see the spokesman at the front.

That was when my eyes darted at him; his commanding presence was still the same that night in the tavern. Suddenly, the memory of that night crossed my mind.

Commander Lucretius stepped forward, his boots clicking against the polished floor. His freckled hazel eyes skimmed throughout the crowd as if he were looking for someone. I gradually slouched my back, to keep my head slightly bent down while I was still able to watch his movement, but the words from the cursed note surged back.

'Look at me. Only me.'

That made my posture come back out of nowhere, chills running down my spine, which garnered his attention as his gaze finally landed on me.

Again.

And that gaze made me hold my breath as I remembered that night, making me grip the edge of my chair until my knuckles blanched.

Goddamn it! Why did our eyes lock again? This was the second time already!

I reclined my head as if I was reaching something on my boots, silently cursing, wanting to hide from his gaze again. It couldn't be possible that he remembered me, right?

It was impossible. He might be able to identify that I was a royal soldier, but there was no way that he knew who I really was.

There was no way Redmund's uncle would pay attention to me, even though I felt burdened that I had given away my most precious virginity to a man I barely knew.

"Soldiers," his deep voice echoed across the hall. His tone was steady and commanding, causing my eyes to involuntarily close, feeling if he was just beside me and whispering dark things to me. I peeled my eyes open from the absurdity I just thought and pinched my thigh to castigate myself.

Fix yourself, Euphyllia!

"Auritaurie is currently in a state of lockdown. Reports confirm the rogues are no longer acting as scattered wolves without purpose."

Murmurs loomed around the hall, everyone becoming low and anxious as they exchanged glances.

Commander Lucretius paused, his head cocking from left and right. As always, he never failed to look stunning with just one simple action. His gaze swept through the hall once more, and I could have sworn his eyes lingered on me for too long before continuing.

"They have formed a warband. Organized. Strategic. Dangerous. Their leader goes by the name Magnius Lothim."

Everyone's jaw dropped at the mention of the name. I even got to look at Marlin and to my comrades, even the whispers from the others didn't halt.

That name had become infamous. He was a rogue leader who was bold enough to challenge the parliament.

Cerys leaned closer to me. "Magnius... Isn't he the one who had slaughtered many Alphas years ago?"

I gave a faint nod, chills running down my spine. "Indeed..." My hands were fidgeting because that man was the cause of the death of my father and our Alpha's father.

I couldn't believe that I would be hearing his name again after several years had passed.

Magnius Lothim was the bane of every subject here in the Waevalon Kingdom. Everyone would be uneasy just by the mere mention of his name.

The sound was breached by Commander Lucretius's speech. "Magnius Lothim is bringing the divided packs together under his leadership. He spreads more quickly than we thought he would, and information indicates he is getting close to the borders of Auritaurie. If he is successful, the result will be a battle that burns kingdoms to ashes rather than just raids."

The assembly hall was enveloped in a deafening silence. The weight was so heavy that breathing would make you suffocate.

But his eyes... Damn it! Those freckled hazel orbs pierced in my direction. Again!

This wasn't an accident anymore. I knew it.

It could mean that he remembered me that night. The way he was looking at me since I arrived here was like he was a predator finally found his prey, and I was that prey!

My pulse quickened as my thighs unconsciously pressed together. It was as if I could feel his breathing on the apex of my thighs because of the way his attention burned me from across the room.

Oh, dear Moon Goddess... Why was I feeling this way? He wasn't even my mate, but just him, keeping on looking at me was enough to make me feel excited.

This wasn't good. This wasn't really good.

This could mean that Commander Lucretius really remembered me. I thought he was the kind of person who would easily forget the woman he had bedded with just as I heard from the rumors.

I coerced myself to look at the floor as if it was an interesting masterpiece I had ever seen.

"Do not underestimate Magnius. He thrives on fear. He thrives on hesitation. And if we falter, he will take Auritaurie from us. Every soldier here must understand that you are the first and last line of defense."

His words echoed through the hall, but to me, they reverberated differently.

His stern command and warning... They were the constant reminder of that night. The way he was growling against my ear, the dominance in his tone that he could make me submit to him, and the heat of his breath fanning on my bare skin were so hard not to forget.

I shifted in my seat to snap back from reality, trying so hard that something had crumpled on the hem of my uniform.

Oh, please. Could you stop looking at me? You shouldn't remember me!

I wanted to shout as of this moment.

Cerys nudged me with her elbow, whispering, "Is it just me? Or does Commander Lucretius keep looking at you?"

I looked at him in disbelief. "T-That's absurd," I whispered back, feeling my heart about to explode. So, I wasn't the only one who noticed how he kept looking at me. "Maybe the people on our back," I added, trying to be defensive.

"In a week, His Majesty, Alpha King Claudian, will be returned from his training. As per his order that has been relayed from the generals, all soldiers must be trained strictly. And also, Marlin," he called my senior.

Marlin stood up, saluting before him. "Yes, commander?"

"Fetch the records from the years of Magnius Lothim's reign of terror, along with Auritaurie's map and the latest reports the intel passed to you yesterday, and bestow them on General Cairo."

Marlin nodded. "Understood, commander."

When Marlin's reply made him satisfied, Commander Lucretius turned to General Simon, who was sitting on the side platform, and bowed his head before him. "General, I am finished with the meeting."

General Simon nodded and patted his back as he turned to us. "Alright. Everyone can now return to their station. Remember Commander Lucretius' words. Understand?"

We all stood up and saluted our high-ranking officers. "Sir, yes, sir!"

As the meeting adjourned, all the soldiers and clerical staff began to disperse. I gathered my things quickly and got distracted when a few women squealed near the platform.

"Commander Lucretius! Notice us, please!"

My breath hitched as I couldn't help looking at their way, knowing how popular he was. But my heart leaped out of my ribcage when I found him being surrounded by our peers, only for him to lock his gaze on me.

That was when I immediately averted my gaze. "C-Cerys!" I called her as I tried to catch up with her.

Good Moon Goddess, why was he looking at me, too?

I swam to the sea of crowds when a figure brushed past my side with calculated ease. Then, I felt a calloused, firm hand slipped something into my palm, making my steps falter when I looked to the side.

Redmund.

My erratic heart suddenly broke into pieces from the realization. Suddenly, the feeling of nervousness I felt towards his uncle died down because of his presence. His face was unreadable, his posture remained casual as if nothing had happened.

Redmund even simply tilted his head, warning me not to react. His action made me clutch the folded parchment he slipped earlier, hiding it quickly.

My action felt natural and nothing happened because I had done this so many times throughout the year we both found that we were each other's mates.

"Later," he murmured low enough for me to hear before he disappeared into the crowd.

I swallowed hard as the memory of him kissing Lilith lingered in my mind again. The pain arose again, like a thousand knives stabbed my chest, before I fished out of my breast pocket of my uniform jacket the note he passed on to me.

'Meet me later. Same place. Same time.'

That was all it said. It was short and precise, the usual note he would pass on to me. It felt empty, which I usually would be delighted as simple as this.

I knew that I should be deeply disappointed, but one thing that made not to do so was for another reason.

Because something was wrong...

The handwriting...

Redmund's penmanship had always been messy, crooked, as though written on the fly with no patience. It was so different from the anonymous notes that kept haunting me these past few days. They were written beautifully and slanted, even I could decipher that those notes were written in a rush.

They remained elegant and deliberate.

A shiver ran down my spine.

If Redmund wasn't the one leaving me those messages... then who was?