The Villains Must Win-Chapter 168: Lyander Wolfhart 18

Henry rubbed his temples, sighing. The warriors respected Lyander, but they also feared him. His cold demeanor, the way his gaze could silence an entire room—it kept others at arm’s length. It created an unease in the pack, like walking on thin ice whenever he was around.

And Henry hated it. He wanted to trust him, wanted him here. But no matter how much he valued Lyander’s presence, a small part of him always held back. Because sometimes, the strength that shields you can also cast the longest shadow.

He had to think of the pack as a whole—not let his emotions cloud his judgment. No matter how much he wanted for Lyander to stay here permanently, personal feelings couldn’t take priority right now.

Lyander’s presence, while valuable, was only tolerated because the pack stood on the brink of war. The air was thick with tension, and they needed every sword, every claw, every ally they could muster.

Even one like Lyander. Because despite the unrest he stirred and the fear he carried with him like a second skin, he was still one of the strongest fighters they had.

Henry just hoped that strength wouldn’t come at the cost of the pack’s unity.

As Henry brooded over it, his brows suddenly furrowed. A thought flashed in his mind.

Henry shot up from his chair. "That idiot," he muttered, a note of irritation creeping into his voice. "He forgot to report on the Silver Moon Pack."

That was why Lyander had gone out in the first place—he’d been sent to gather intel on Rhett’s recent movements. He had been gone for over a week. And yet, ever since he returned, not a single report had been given. No updates. No debrief.

Henry ran a hand through his hair, exasperated.

It hit him then. Liora. That was why. Liora rattled Lyander so much that he forgot why he even left the pack in the first place. And to be fair . . . Henry had been so focused on watching the shift in their dynamic, he hadn’t even remembered either.

That was how much of an impact Liora had made. On both of them.

He could totally understand why Lyander didn’t want her here. Beyond the fact that she was suspicious, she had the unsettling ability to affect him in ways no one else could.

Lyander prioritized duty and responsibility above all else—always had. Women, emotions, attachments—they were the last thing on his list. Maybe not even on the list at all.

But Liora disrupted that balance. She stirred something in him, something Henry had seen flicker behind those sharp, guarded eyes. And that scared Lyander more than any looming war ever could.

Henry exhaled slowly and sank back into his seat, shaking his head. "No wonder he’s pissed," he murmured to himself. "He was out gathering life-or-death information, and now he’s back playing cat and mouse with a girl who refuses to explain who she really is."

Still . . . she hadn’t harmed anyone. She had helped the pack, healed with her presence, even if she came with a dozen unanswered questions. And now, she’d clearly stirred something in Lyander—something Henry wasn’t sure the man even realized was there.

Henry’s lips pressed into a thin line. He needed to get to the bottom of what Lyander had seen out in Silver Moon territory. But first things first—he had to deal with Rhett.

And as much as Lyander hated to admit it, maybe having Liora here wasn’t a mistake after all. Maybe she was exactly the disruption he needed.

Because while Lyander was a sword Henry could trust to strike, swords with cracked edges could also cut the wrong person.

And right now, with a storm fast approaching . . . Henry couldn’t afford to bleed.

=== 🖤 ===

The sun hung low over the river, casting golden ripples across the water as Liora knelt beside the Omega girls, scrubbing linens on the smooth stones.

The scent of soap and wildflowers mingled in the air, and for once, the tension that usually clung to the pack like a second skin seemed to lift.

Liora had spent weeks earning their trust—sharing chores, listening to their stories, laughing at their jokes. Now, they welcomed her as one of their own.

"So, here’s the thing," said Maris, a petite girl with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Do you know Jason over there?"

Liora followed her gaze to a tall, muscular man stacking firewood near the edge of the clearing. His bronze skin glistened with sweat, and his chiseled jaw was set in a perpetual scowl.

"The one looking all broody, like the weight of the world is on his shoulders?" Liora asked, raising an eyebrow.

The girls giggled.

"That’s him," said Elara, the eldest of the group. "He’s the Beta. Some in the pack rally behind him because he’s strong, decisive. They say he should be Alpha."

Liora’s hands paused in the water. "But Henry is the Alpha, right? Chosen by the elders to honor his parents’ legacy."

"True," Maris said, her voice lowering. "But with the Silver Moon Pack planning an invasion, some believe we need a leader who can fight, not just one with the right bloodline." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

"So, you’re saying Jason might challenge Henry?"

The girls exchanged uneasy glances.

"It’s a possibility," Elara admitted. "The pack is divided. Tradition versus strength. And in times of war, strength often wins."

Liora felt a knot form in her stomach. She had grown fond of Henry—his wisdom, his kindness, his unwavering dedication to the pack. The thought of him being overthrown by someone like Jason, who seemed to lead with muscle rather than heart, unsettled her.

"But Henry is strong," she said, more to herself than to the others. "He may be young, but he’s wise beyond his years."

"We know," Maris said softly. "But not everyone sees it that way."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the forest in shadows, Liora couldn’t shake the feeling that a storm was brewing—not just from the impending invasion, but from within the pack itself. And she feared that if they didn’t unite soon, they would fall divided.