Chapter 229: Shadowrunner
Andros's POV
I stared at Father in surprise when he announced that Astrid would be joining us for the briefing. This is a highly confidential meeting. Even Asha has never joined us here before.
She's not even aware of our Pack's private operations. However, the Father is willing to spill all of our confidential operations to Astrid.
What does this mean? What are the father's intentions really in bringing Astrid here?
"Thank you for welcoming me," Astrid spoke firmly. Still, the flutter of nerves in her stomach is evident in her face.
Everyone is staring at her with a scrutinizing gaze as if weighing her in, but their father's steady gaze on her encourages her to hold her ground.
I opened my mouth about arguing with my father about this matter when someone spoke up first behind me.
"Alpha, are you sure you are going to bring her into this?" One of our men questioned, his tone skeptical.
I held myself back, seeing that there was no need to oppose my father when everyone inside the room had already opposed him.
My father's expression hardened slightly. "Astrid is my eldest child. She deserves to know about this. Also, I've seen her work; she has a lot of experience and an outstanding background. She will be a great help to us."
I maintained my stoic expression as I digested my father's words. She could be his eldest child, but she's just an illegitimate child born out of wedlock. She has no right to be in here.
The tension in the room crackled, but Astrid straightened her shoulders, determined to prove herself. "I want to help," she said, meeting our eyes around the table.
Everyone, including me, was unable to say a word. As long as it's father who permits it, we have no right to question it.
My father gestured to our Shadowrunner, who stepped forward, his demeanor serious, in order to make a report.
The Shadowrunners are our Pack's secret elite agents. These specialized warriors were strategically placed around the world, tasked with critical missions of monitoring rogue activities and sometimes gathering vital intelligence on rival Packs. With their unmatched stealth and agility, they had infiltrated enemy territories, observing movements and assessing threats with keen eyes. All their reports flowed back to us, dealing with every nuance of rogue behavior and potential upheaval. In addition to surveillance, they are also sometimes tasked with covert operations like sabotaging plans or rescuing those in peril.
As secret guardians of our territory, they stand ready to respond to crises, ensuring our Pack remains vigilant against the dangers that lurk around us, even though they don't get the right recognition for their dangerous work. The Shadowrunners were actually founded by my father when he became the Alpha.
After the tragic rogue attack that annihilated the Emberwood Pack, Father gave his command to all our Shadowrunners to focus their efforts on monitoring rogue activities to see if they were planning something.
We do not want what happened to the Emberwood Pack to happen again on other Packs.
To take advantage of the ceremony today, father called in all the Shadowrunners to come and report.
The ceremony is a great excuse to cover up any suspicions about them and to make sure that things are kept secret; father made the extra caution of conducting the meeting at midnight
"The situation on the rogues continues to escalate," he began, his voice low but steady.
I lowered my head when I heard the dire news. Meanwhile, Astrid leaned in, intently focused on his words.
"They've been more active lately, and based on my observations, they appear to be coordinating their efforts. I think the rogues are not acting on their own; they're planning something." The room fell silent, tension thickening the air. The Shadowrunner continued, "Our scouts have reported increased movement in their camps. Their attack on the Emberwood Pack just seems to be the beginning of their larger scheme."
I glanced at Astrid when the Emberwood Pack was mentioned to see her reaction. I saw her throat bob up and down as she was reminded of the horrors that happened to the innocent members of the Emberwood Pack.
The Emberwood Pack was utterly destroyed by rogues, and Astrid was once sent there to organize the relief support we sent for that Pack.
She had met those members firsthand; she knew how much they suffered.
"What kind of plan are we talking about?" one of the men asked, his brows furrowed.
The Shadowrunner met his gaze. "If our intel is correct, they're aiming to unify their forces. The Emberwood Pack was a distraction, a way to
assess our defenses and gathet
information. We believe they're preparing for something bigger - potentially an assault on multiple Packs."
My father's expression hardened. "We can't let this happen. We need to strategize and prepare our defenses immediately, Father. Don't worry, Father, our warriors are ready more than ever. They've been under rigorous training ever since the Emberwood Pack was attacked. Our forces are prepared for whatever may happen," I spoke up to assure our father.
"That's still not enough," Astrid rebutted, making all eyes turn to her. "If the rogues are truly planning an. An all-out assault on multiple Packs then means they are hiding something. Our Pack alone can't handle something like that," Astrid paused.
"Father, we should inform the other
Packs about this while they are here. We are a powerful Pack. The rogues won't think of attacking us. Just like the Emberwood Pack, those rogues would surely attack the weakest Packs first. We need to inform
everyone so they wouldNôvelDrama.Org owns © this.
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prepared," Astrid suggested.
My father glanced at Astrid with a mix of surprise and appreciation in his eyes. "Your instincts are sharp, Astrid. We will need all hands on deck."
Hearing my father's compliments, insecurity filled my heart. My father had never complimented me before. He has always criticized everything that I've done and every achievement I've made.
Meanwhile, just a simple suggestion from Astrid is already enough to make him feel proud.