55 vouchers Rain hammered against the canvas walls of the war tent , a steady downpour that turned the camp's walkways to sludge and drowned out most other noise . Inside , torches flickered against the damp air , creating shadows across the maps strewn across the main table . Alpha Collin stood at the center , jaw clenched , eyes scanning a blood - marked sketch of their recent skirmishes . His cloak was still damp from carlier rounds through the outposts , but he barely felt the cold anymore . The smell of wet leather and iron clung to everything . A scout knelt in front of him , mud smeared up his arms and across the side of his face . " Two more were found near the southern ridge , " the scout reported . " Same wounds . Neck punctured . Blackened veins . We've confirmed it , it's poison." Collin's fist slammed into the edge of the table , rattling the ink pot and toppling a small wooden marker off the map . " Then use poison against poison , " he growled . " If those bastards want to fight dirty , we'll match it . Dip every blade in venom . I want them to feel it with every cut . " The scout nodded quickly and began to rise . " Wait , " Collin snapped . " What about Cassian's men ? Status ? " " All accounted for , sir , " the scout replied , hesitation flickering in his voice . " No deaths . Not even serious injuries , according to the medics ." Collin's brows drew down hard . " Not one ? " " No , Alpha . They're saying Lord Cassian's people managed to hold the eastern line without losses ." A muscle ticked in Collin's jaw . He leaned over the table and stared at the map like it had wronged him personally . Something didn't add up . " Where's William ? " The scout swallowed . " Patrol , sir . Near the west wing of the mansion . He took it himself last night . " " Send someone to get him . Now . " 11:07 Wed , Sep 10 Chapter 25 The scout bolted out of the tent . : 80 55 vouchers Collin straightened and turned toward the man sitting at the edge of the room - Renan , one of his oldest and most trusted warriors . A heavy scar ran from his temple to his collarbone , a souvenir from a battle years ago . Though he no longer fought on the front lines , his eyes missed nothing . Renan shifted slightly in his seat . " We may have underestimated Physician Mendez , " he said calmly , hands resting over his knee . " The wound treatment last night , his methods were beyond standard protocol . I've only ever seen that kind of recovery speed from poisons . " Collin didn't answer right away . " There were rumors , " Renan continued . " Back when he still served the royal court . Some said he worked closely with the fae and witches . Some say he tortured witches to gain their secret prescriptions , others say he was one of the few humans who could survive their rituals . Most dismissed it as legend . I thought so too ... until now . " Collin sneered . " Legend or not , it's just luck . His people travel constantly . Of course , they've come across rare poisons . Familiarity isn't power , it's just timing . Timing and luck . " Still , he didn't sound as sure as he wanted to be . He looked down at the map again , fingers drumming the edge . " So why now ? " he muttered . " Why would the Demon Fangs attack again so soon ? They already struck once , caused a stir , then vanished . Are they testing Cassian's strength ? Do they truly want us ... dead ? " Renan's eyes narrowed . " Could be . Or they're looking for something ." Collin shook his head , but the unease remained . If Cassian hadn't taken a single casualty , and Mendez was treating wounds with near - miraculous results , then someone was lying or worse , someone was ahead of him . And Alpha Collin Rosenthal didn't like being behind . " Either way , we need a way to know how they healed the poisoned ones . It is not just a matter of physical strength . We are all werewolves . We have trained and bled . And yet , somehow , his people were able to live after the first night while ours ... " Alpha Collin didn't want to think about the number of casualties that the Nightfall pack had the other night . " Then perhaps a letter to the King will suffice , " Renan smiled . " I believe it is time that we use what we have to our advantage and ask the King for more soldiers . A third of Cassian's men is simply not enough to help us out during the war . " Collin frowned . Originally , he had planned to use Atasha's death to ask for more soldiers , but 11:07 Wed , Sep 10 Chapter 25 80 55 vouchers it seems that Cassian somehow predicted this move and saved his bride . This time , he nodded and , together with Renan , left the tents . It didn't take too long for him to arrive at the mansion , where he quickly went to his study . Collin shrugged off his soaked coat and hung it on the iron hook by the door , steam rising faintly from the damp fabric . The room was dim , lit only by a single lantern on the desk and the dying embers in the fireplace . He strode toward his chair , already rehearsing the phrasing for the letter he would send to the King , one that would demand reinforcements under the guise of concern for the kingdom's security , while subtly painting Cassian as a rising threat . But the moment he reached for the drawer to retrieve parchment , his gaze shifted , then froze . The paperweight . That pyramid - shaped hunk of silver and stone that had sat untouched for years , its edges polished from time but never moved from its spot ... it was crooked . Collin narrowed his eyes . He reached for it , fingers closing around the base , and slowly lifted it to his nose . No scent . None . It was impossible . Even the most careful servant left behind a trace . A brush of fabric , the faintest imprint of skin oil , a single disrupted particle , something . Especially in this room , where only a few were ever allowed to enter . But there was no scent . Nothing ... except- He inhaled again , slower this time . Ink . A sharp , iron - tinged tang that didn't belong to the fresh stack of sealed letters on the side or to his personal inkpot , which hadn't been opened since the morning . His lips curled back , not quite in a snarl but close . Renan , who had been standing quietly by the door , shifted forward . " Alpha ? " Collin turned to him slowly , eyes narrowing . " Someone was in this room . " 11:07 Wed , Sep 10 Chapter 25 : If you want a strong female lead , check out my new novel : His Dangerous Bride 80 55 vouchers 11:07 Wed , Sep 10 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!