Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 278

Chapter 278

Lilian’s POV

When we returned to the mansion, I was hand-delivered a letter that had been carefully rerouted from the palace for me. The servants in both places continued to be on my side, keeping my secrets.

Looking at the letter, I recognized the handwriting from the past five years.

“Who is it from?” Grayson asked.

“Reginald,” I said at once.

Grayson nodded, and left to give me some privacy. I went into one of the sitting rooms to read the letter quietly

I had hoped it would be personal letter, keeping me up to date on all the going-on’s of the palace and Reggie himself. I knew he was mate-hunting, and hoped that he’d had some luck.

As I read through the letter, my heart sunk. This was not a friendly missive.

I don’t mean to rush you, cousin, but things on the front lines are becoming more precarious by the day. Skirmishes have broken out, and I’m sorry to say, we have lost many of them. My parents are hesitant to call this a full war, yet, despite the fighting, but our spies in the north say the bear shifters already use the term.

Our people have gone too long without a war on this scale. No one is prepared. The Lone Archer knows things that can help us. We need all the help we can get.

I know you are searching. I know you are doing your best, because you always do. But please, Lillian, for the sake of all werewolf kind, find the Lone Archer, convince him to help us.

Every day that passes leads us to a war we are ill-equipped to fight.

If you cannot find Lone Archer, I worry we might just lose.

A pit formed in my stomach, opening up wide. I had been too focused on my own personal issues. Meanwhile, we were all standing so closely to the edge of war.

I had been selfish. I needed to refocus.

For the sake of every werewolf in every kingdom, I needed to find my Teacher.

After speaking with Grayson and even showing him the letter, he agreed to help me in my plight. I sat down with several of his warrior scouts, and gave them instruction.

“Search in every direction for any trace of Lone Archer. Someone must have seen him. He couldn’t have just disappeared for five years,” I said. Though, remembering how quickly he had entered and exited my life, I wasn’t totally sure he couldn’t just disappear with the wind. For the sake of the war, though, I prayed he didn’t have that ability.

I stood over maps, wrote my own correspondence, and worked well into the night. I fell asleep on the couch in Grayson’s office, and curiously woke up in my bed with no knowledge of how I had gotten there. There was a clue though – Grayson’s scent lingering in the air.

Wrapped up in the scent, I rolled over and fell back to sleep. I didn’t dream, but my rest was more peaceful than it had been in some time.

Too soon, a servant came to wake me. I needed to get ready for my father’s execution.

1/3

+15 Bcnus

A temporary gallows had been built in the lawn behind the gardens at the palace. How strange it was, that my Children had raced in these fields playing only a handful of days ago. Now, it would be the site of their grandfather’s death.

Executions were always popular, drawing on people’s most morbid sense of curiosity, but this one in particular had seemed to draw many court members from their revelry. After all, this wasn’t just a man condemned, but the Gamma.

Grayson and I were near the front of the crowd. He stood very near me, swaying into me. I knew he did this not because he was unbalanced, but to give me strength and comfort from his presence. This was his way of saying to me, you aren’t alone. I’m here. We will get through this together.

I had gathered much strength in the past five years, being apart from Grayson, but I still didn’t think I would have been strong enough to handle this alone. I wasn’t just grateful to have him close. I was relieved.

When the time drew near, my father was shoved forward. I had expected shouting, cursing, pleading for his life. Instead, he was silent.

Seeing him, I gasped a little. This broken and battered man shuffling toward the gallows was nothing like the man I had spoken to the day before. My father had been so cocky and confident when speaking to me, now he was torn down.

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