But now, with the West crumbling and the South desperate, the North would suffer even more.
To make matters worse, Alpha Damon—leader of the northern packs—had left his territory to support the war against the vampires. His absence had strained the region’s stability. Only recently had things begun to settle again... and now a plague had emerged, threatening to undo what little progress they had made.
Everything was unraveling—too quickly, too precisely. And now, no one in the court could deny it: this wasn’t a coincidence.
It was war, being waged from the shadows.
The Royal Doctor had already been scheduled to travel north to investigate the outbreak and help contain the plague, ensuring that panic and chaos wouldn’t spread among the people. The situation was becoming increasingly dire—the plague’s fatality rate was rising, and they still hadn’t identified its nature or source.
Every werewolf who fell ill or died meant one less warrior defending the northern borders. And that loss would weaken their defenses, eventually creating gaps in the line—gaps that the corrupted monsters would undoubtedly exploit. If the northern defenses collapsed entirely, those monsters, already twisted and aggressive from demonic energy, could spill into the Royal Capital or even other parts of the domain.
What was currently a medical crisis could very well spiral into a full-blown invasion if not handled swiftly and decisively.
"Then, what do you suggest we do?" the Alpha King asked Addison once again. Unlike earlier, when the officials had dismissed her, now they were looking at her with newfound respect. After all, she had just uncovered a critical problem they had overlooked by seeing the bigger picture. The change in their attitude was clear, and all eyes were fixed on her, waiting for her response.
Despite the sudden attention, Addison remained calm and composed. She looked down thoughtfully for a moment, gathering her thoughts, before lifting her gaze to speak.
"As far as we know," Addison began, casting a quick glance around the room before settling her eyes on her father, speaking with steady confidence. "Mages are already working to create artificial rain in the south, while a group of agricultural experts and mages have been dispatched to the west. The royal doctor is heading to the north with medical staff and warriors to help contain the plague."
"Right now, our manpower is already stretched very thin. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to ignore the Midnight River Pack. If the border there falls, the vampires would have free access to our domain and could launch attacks on multiple pack territories. One breach could let them swarm in like a swarm of flies, and by the time we react, it might be too late to send reinforcements."
"Therefore, I suggest we send someone to secretly investigate the situation at Midnight River Pack. It’s possible this isn’t just rogue attacks, but part of a larger territorial conflict."
Her father frowned, surprised by this line of thinking, but Addison quickly clarified her reasoning before he could dwell on it further.
"What I mean is, we don’t fully understand what’s happening with the Midnight River Pack. The attacks on their territory could be part of a larger scheme—or they might not be. Over the past few years, the Midnight River Pack has been expanding their influence by opening exclusive trade routes with neutral packs."
"It’s possible that some packs have grown jealous or want access to those routes. They might even be using the rogues as a cover to hide their true intentions, preventing the conflict from escalating all the way to the Royal Capital."
"However, the increasing frequency of these attacks could mean that those opposing the Midnight River Pack are becoming impatient—or even desperate. I believe the pack themselves may have uncovered some clues but are keeping it quiet to compel us to send an investigator. They might be cautious because they don’t yet know who their real enemies are, and they don’t want anyone unrelated meddling without the Alpha King’s knowledge."
"That said, this is all speculation. It’s also possible that what’s happening is part of a much bigger plan to weaken the werewolves, creating an opening for the vampires to strike when we’re most vulnerable, given the troubles happening across our entire domain."
Addison’s straightforward speculations sounded absurd at first, yet no one could outright refute them. Though they seemed far-fetched, they couldn’t be dismissed either. After all, it wasn’t the first time packs had fought over territory or been embroiled in disputes that ended with one pack’s annihilation.
That’s why the Royal Capital always kept a close watch on such matters. When disputes arose, the Council could intervene to resolve them peacefully, avoiding bloodshed. But some packs preferred to wage silent wars—scheming and plotting behind a facade of peace until they achieved their goals.
It was also possible that the vampires were behind this unrest, seeking to bring down the young Alpha who had become a hero in the war. However, the constant rogue attacks, while overwhelming, were steady and persistent rather than a sudden assault.
This made it unlikely that the vampires were conspiring directly with the Alpha of the Midnight River Pack. The attacks didn’t seem aimed at toppling the Alpha but rather suggested that someone wanted something within the Midnight River Pack’s territory, which coincides with what Addison just said. They were sending spies to pry and search, using the rogues as a smokescreen.
Moreover, they likely timed these attacks deliberately, taking advantage of the Royal Capital’s current focus on the crises in the West, South, and North. They must be aware that Alpha Zion’s pack was becoming isolated and presumed they could act unnoticed until their objectives were achieved.
They may have assumed that, despite the Midnight River Pack’s repeated reports about the increasing frequency of rogue attacks, the Royal Capital had chosen to ignore them. Under normal circumstances, such reports would have warranted an immediate investigation.
However, months had passed without any response, leading many to believe that the Alpha King was deliberately turning a blind eye. This perceived inaction likely emboldened whoever was behind the attacks, encouraging them to escalate their efforts against the Midnight River Pack.
"Then why don’t you go there and investigate?" the Alpha King suddenly declared.
The words struck Addison like a bolt of lightning, catching her completely off-guard. Her heart leaped to her throat, and she opened her mouth to respond—but no words came out. She quickly closed it again, stunned into silence. Her stomach twisted uneasily at the mere thought of seeing Zion again, stirring up a flurry of emotions she couldn’t quite name.
Before she could gather her thoughts, another official from a different department voiced their support for the Alpha King’s proposal, adding weight to the sudden decision.
"Your Majesty is indeed wise," the older member of the Domain Management Department said with a respectful nod. "At present, we are facing a serious shortage of manpower, and pulling more people from other departments might not be ideal. Doing so could leave gaps in our defenses, creating opportunities for spies or moles to slip through our ranks. A sudden influx of new recruits, brought in hastily to cover those gaps, could make us vulnerable—an easy target for infiltration."