chapter 59: still waiting

The days passed uneventfully, and Elias allowed himself to settle into the rhythm of camp life. He kept his movements soft, his voice gentle, his actions unobtrusive.

The soldiers had begun to treat him with something close to indifference, no longer stiffening when he passed or lowering their voices when he approached. To them, he was no longer a mystery—just another Omega, one without power or consequence.

It was exactly what he needed.

And so, as the world around him seemed to quiet, Elias listened.

He pieced together whispers like fragments of a shattered mirror.

Disappearing patrols. A growing unease among the men. The Alpha himself no longer sleeping through the night.

Something was wrong.

And yet, the camp remained steady, the routine unchanged. It was as if everyone was waiting for something to break.

An Opportunity Presents Itself

One evening, Elias sat near the supply tent, tending to a soldier's wound. A shallow gash, nothing serious, but enough to give him an excuse to be near the camp's more experienced fighters.

The soldier grumbled as Elias wrapped the bandage. "Damn patrols are cursed, I swear."

"Cursed?" Elias echoed softly, keeping his tone idle, curious but not prying.

The soldier exhaled, shaking his head. "People keep vanishing, but there ain't no bodies."

Another man nearby scoffed. "You believe that nonsense?"

"You tell me, then," the injured soldier muttered. "No sign of a struggle, no blood, nothing. Just gone."

Elias kept his expression neutral, even as his mind sharpened.

Gone without a trace.

The same way those assassins had disappeared after failing to kill him.

Coincidence? No. He didn't believe in coincidences.

He finished tying the bandage and stood, offering the soldier a faint smile. "You should be careful on your next patrol, then."

The man snorted. "As if that'll make a difference."

Elias turned away, but his thoughts were already moving ahead.

Something was happening behind the scenes, something the Alpha hadn't yet spoken of.

And Elias intended to find out what.

The Alpha's Distraction

Later that night, as Elias lay on his small cot, he heard the familiar shuffle of boots outside his door.

The guards were still there, but their movements were different. Tense. Uneasy.

Something had happened.

Elias forced himself to breathe evenly, feigning sleep as he listened.

"Another patrol's missing," a low voice murmured.

A grunt of acknowledgment. "The Alpha's going to tear someone apart for this."

Silence.

Then, a whisper so soft Elias barely caught it.

"It's them again. I'm sure of it."

Elias didn't move. Didn't even let his breathing change.

Them.

Who were they?

The assassins? Or something more?

A Risk Worth Taking

By morning, the camp was unusually quiet. No announcements had been made, but everyone felt it.

Something had shifted.

Elias waited until the guards outside his door changed shifts before slipping out.

He moved casually, as if heading toward the infirmary, but adjusted his path once he reached the less-patrolled parts of the camp.

The Alpha's war room was further ahead, but Elias wasn't foolish enough to approach directly.

Instead, he circled, keeping to the shadows, listening.

And then, he heard it.

The Alpha's voice—low, irritated.

"Vanished without a trace? Again?"

A pause. Then, another voice—one of his officers. "Yes, Alpha. Just like before."

A scrape of boots. The rustle of parchment.

"They're hunting something," the Alpha muttered.

Elias frowned.

Hunting?

The officer hesitated. "Do you think they know?"

A heavy silence.

Then, the Alpha's voice, softer this time.

"If they did, Elias would already be dead."

Elias froze.

A slow, steady dread curled in his stomach.

The Alpha knew something. Something about why Elias had been targeted.

And whoever was responsible for the assassins… they weren't just trying to kill him.

They were searching for something.

Or someone.

The Game Changes

Elias forced himself to slip away before he was noticed, his heart pounding but his expression calm.

He returned to his room, sitting carefully on the edge of his cot.

If the Alpha suspected something, he was keeping it close to his chest.

Which meant Elias had two choices.

He could keep playing his role, staying unnoticed until more pieces fell into place.

Or he could push further.

He exhaled slowly.

No. Not yet.

The Alpha was watching, but he had also let Elias lower his guard.

And Elias would use that.

Let them think he was harmless.

Let them believe he was just another Omega caught in something beyond his understanding.

And when the time was right…

He would be ready.