The night had grown deep over the Gray Forest.
Cold wind shoved through the dry leaves, making a soft crackling sound around the stone cliffs.
In the dark gap between the bushes, Garin was on his knees, shaking hard.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead and soaked into the dry dirt beneath him.
“P-prince…
please, let me go!” Garin begged, his voice rough with fear.
Caleb stared down at him with sharp golden eyes.
“You think an apology can erase your betrayal, Garin!?” “Caleb, hold yourself back!” Valerie cut in, stepping quickly in front of Caleb.
“He handed our route over to the enemy, Valerie!” Caleb snapped, his chest rising and falling as he fought down the rage surging through him.
“I know that, but he’s the key to breaking Oakhaven Fortress’s defenses!” Valerie argued, gripping Caleb’s arm so he would not explode.
Vane held his sword tightly, watching Garin without blinking.
“What should we do with this traitor, miss?” “Garin will send the fake message we already prepared,” Valerie said, pointing to the rolled paper in her hand.
Garin lifted his head and stared at Valerie in disbelief.
“Y-you’re not going to kill me, miss!?” “Your life is safe if you follow every detail of this plan perfectly!” Valerie said firmly, meeting Garin’s eyes with a cold stare.
“I swear it!
I’ll do whatever you order!” Garin promised, pressing his forehead against the ground.
“Take him back to base, Vane,” Caleb ordered, lowering his voice even though his eyes were still full of hatred.
“Yes, Prince!” Vane replied, roughly pulling Garin to his feet by the arm.
Vane and Garin walked away, disappearing into the darkness beyond the western cliff.
That left only Valerie and Caleb standing together on the rocky hill.
Moonlight washed over Valerie’s face as she stood there, clearly deep in thought.
“You really think this trap plan will work, Valerie?” Caleb asked, stepping closer.
“The fortress side is desperate for a fast victory, Caleb,” Valerie explained, turning to meet his golden eyes.
“They will not pass up a chance to ambush our grain wagon in the eastern valley.” “But if the enemy realizes it’s a trap, they could strike back at our main camp!” Caleb warned, frowning.
“That’s exactly why we’re splitting the troops into two teams,” Valerie replied with a thin smile.
“Two teams?” Caleb raised a brow, curious.
“One small team will pretend to carry the grain wagons to the eastern valley to bait the enemy’s main force,” Valerie said, moving her fingers in the air to map out the plan.
“Meanwhile, the main force led by Varkas will rush straight into the now empty Oakhaven Fortress.” Caleb looked at Valerie for a long moment, and the doubt in his chest slowly gave way to admiration.
“That’s a very smart strategy.” “That’s called using the enemy’s greed against them, chatty prince,” Valerie teased with a soft laugh.
“Don’t start calling me that again, Valerie!” Caleb grumbled, which only made Valerie laugh more.
The two of them headed back toward the secret base under the cover of night.
The next day, just after sunrise broke in the eastern sky, the camp was in a frenzy.
Mountain clan soldiers gathered around the main base, checking weapons and leather armor.
Rumors about the spy’s capture the night before had already spread through the ranks.
Varkas strode into the main tent with wide steps, his wolf fur cloak snapping behind him in the wind.
The old man’s stern face was carved with deep lines.
“I heard that old Garin turned out to be a traitor!” Varkas shouted, stamping the ground.
“That rumor is true, Varkas,” Caleb answered from behind the wooden table.
“Why is that traitor’s corpse not hanging in front of the base gate yet!?” Varkas barked, moving forward with a face gone red with rage.
“Because his head is more useful while it is still attached to his neck, Clan Chief Varkas!” Valerie cut in, standing straight beside Caleb.
Varkas turned sharply, lifting his brows at her.
“What do you mean, human girl!?” “Garin already sent a fake message to Oakhaven Fortress,” Valerie explained, staring at him without fear.
“The enemy believes we are moving the grain to the eastern valley tonight.” Varkas fell silent for a beat, processing Valerie’s words, then his eyes suddenly widened.
“You deliberately lured the enemy’s main force out of the fortress!?” “That’s right!” Valerie said, nodding once.
“When the enemy commander brings his troops to the eastern valley, we will take Oakhaven Fortress while it is left with weak defenses!” Varkas stared at Valerie from head to toe, then his loud laugh burst through the tent.
The heavy sound made the officers outside turn their heads in surprise.
“Incredible!
That’s one nasty mind you’ve got!” Varkas praised, slapping the wooden table so hard it shook.
“So, is the mountain clan ready to move according to this plan?” Valerie asked, lifting one eyebrow.
“My eight hundred soldiers are ready to cut down anyone standing in Oakhaven Fortress tomorrow night!” Varkas answered with a hard nod, fist raised in the air.
“Good.
Get your troops ready now, Varkas,” Caleb ordered in a voice full of authority.
“Yes, Prince!” Varkas gave a short salute and strode out of the tent, his energy burning hot.
As Varkas left, Vane entered the tent carrying a silver carved dagger.
He walked toward Valerie and held it out to her.
“What’s this, Captain Vane?” Valerie asked, tilting her head in confusion.
“This is a wolf clan protection dagger, Miss Valerie,” Vane said with a sincere smile.
“Every soldier in this base has heard how your intelligence saved us from the traitor’s trap last night.” Valerie accepted the dagger and ran her fingers over the cold silver sheath.
“Thank you so much, Vane.” “You are no longer just a human we protect, miss,” Vane continued, bowing deeply.
“You are a strategist respected by the entire rebel force.” Valerie flinched a little, warmth spreading through her chest at the sincerity in his voice.
She glanced at Caleb, who was smiling proudly beside her.
“See?
I told you they’d respect you,” Caleb whispered near Valerie’s ear.
“This is all because our plan worked,” Valerie whispered back, hiding the blush in her cheeks.
Time slipped quickly into the afternoon.
Outside the base, dozens of soldiers gathered near a pile of wood.
Some mountain clan soldiers who had once looked down on Valerie now moved aside and lowered their heads respectfully whenever she passed.
Garin stood in the corner of the logistics area under the watch of two of Vane’s soldiers.
His face looked drained, but there was relief there too, because his family still had a chance to be saved when Oakhaven Fortress fell.
Valerie approached Garin and handed him a bottle of water.
“Drink this, Garin.” Garin took the bottle with trembling hands.
“Thank you, Miss Valerie…
I truly regret what I did.” “Just focus on your task tonight,” Valerie replied gently.
“Make sure you do not act suspicious when the bait team starts moving.” “I understand, miss!
I won’t disappoint you again!” Garin promised, eyes shining with tears.
The sun slowly began sinking toward the western horizon, spilling gold and orange light through the trees of the Gray Forest.
Night was creeping in over the land, and the time for the plan was getting close.
Inside the main tent, Valerie was tightening the laces on her leather boots when Caleb walked in carrying a windproof cloak.
“Wear this.
The valley night will be very cold,” Caleb said, draping the thick cloak over Valerie’s shoulders.
“Thanks, Caleb,” Valerie answered, looking up into the wolf prince’s golden eyes.
“Are you nervous?” Caleb asked, studying her face closely.
“A little,” Valerie admitted with a small smile.
“This is my first time being directly involved in a military operation this big.” Caleb placed both hands on Valerie’s shoulders, his fingers warm and steady.
“Do not be afraid, Valerie.
Vane and I will stay right beside you.
Not a single enemy is allowed to touch you.” Valerie looked into Caleb’s serious face and felt a wave of courage rush through her.
“I trust you, Caleb.” “The troops are ready outside, Prince!” Vane’s voice called from beyond the tent flap.
Caleb released Valerie’s shoulders and strapped his great sword across his back.
“Let’s finish this, Valerie.” Valerie nodded firmly, gripping the silver dagger at her waist, then stepped out of the tent after Caleb.
Outside, hundreds of mountain clan soldiers and Caleb’s loyalists stood in neat battle formation.
Silence gripped the base area.
Only the scrape of cloth and the faint clink of metal weapons could be heard.
No torches were lit, so the enemy scouts from far away would not notice them.
Varkas stood at the front line with his officers, holding a giant war axe.
He turned toward Caleb and Valerie, then gave a nod that said the troops were ready to move.
“The bait team left for the eastern valley ten minutes ago,” Vane reported in a low voice.
“Good,” Caleb answered, staring straight ahead toward the northern hill path.
“The march to Oakhaven Fortress starts now!” The entire force moved out in silence, weaving through the dark stone passes beneath the night clouds.
Valerie walked in the middle of the main escort line beside Caleb and Vane, always alert, always watching everything around her.
After two hours of traveling through the rough hills, they finally reached a summit overlooking Oakhaven Fortress.
From above, Oakhaven Fortress looked grand, with ten meter high stone walls and thick defensive ramparts.
But just as Valerie had predicted, the torches on the watch towers were thin and sparse.
The main gate was guarded by only a few front line soldiers.
“Look!” Vane whispered, pointing toward the eastern road.
Far away, torches from the fortress’s main force could be seen moving in a big cluster away from the fortress and toward the eastern valley.
They had taken Garin’s false message hook, line, and sinker in their rush to seize the grain wagons.
“Your tactic is working perfectly, Valerie!” Varkas whispered in awe, showing a sharp fang grin.
“Their main force is already far away,” Valerie whispered back, leaning forward to stare at the fortress gate.
“Now is the best time to attack!” Caleb pulled his great sword from his back, his golden eyes shining sharply in the dark.
“All troops…
attack Oakhaven Fortress now!” “ATTACKKKK!!!” Varkas roared, leading hundreds of wolf soldiers as they surged down from the hill toward the enemy fortress.
Battle cries split the night open at once.
Enemy soldiers on the fortress walls panicked hard when they saw hundreds of mountain clan warriors charging from a direction they never expected.
CRASH!
The outer gate of Oakhaven Fortress shattered into pieces under Varkas’s ram and savage war axe swings.
The remaining enemy soldiers inside the fortress scattered in chaos with no clear command.
Valerie, Caleb, and Vane pushed through the broken gate and entered the fortress.
Fierce fighting broke out in the inner yard, but the rebel troops quickly gained control because they had the numbers and the perfect element of surprise.
“Secure the prison wing and the logistics store!” Caleb shouted through the chaos.
“Yes, Prince!” Vane replied, leading a squad through the lower corridor.
Less than an hour later, victory cheers echoed through every corner of Oakhaven Fortress.
The red banners of the tyrant’s regime were pulled down from the main tower and replaced by Caleb’s wolf banner, flying high in the night wind.
A complete victory had been won without losing many rebel soldiers.
In the now safe central courtyard, all the soldiers gathered in a wide circle.
Varkas stepped into the middle and lifted his war axe high overhead.
“Tonight’s victory belongs to Prince Caleb and to our strategist, Valerie!” Varkas shouted with a thunderous voice.
“VALERIE!
VALERIE!
VALERIE!” the entire army chanted together, stamping their feet and striking their weapons against the ground with open respect and awe.
Valerie stood frozen in the fortress courtyard, listening as hundreds of wolf soldiers who had once doubted her now shouted her name.
Pride and emotion surged in her chest, making her eyes shine with tears.
Caleb walked over to Valerie, looking at the human girl with deep warmth and respect.
“Hear them, Valerie.
You proved to this whole world that a human can change the fate of our battle.” “I could not have done this without your help and without the soldiers believing in the plan, Caleb,” Valerie replied, smiling widely at him.
“From tonight on, no one in this world will ever dare look down on you again,” Caleb said firmly, gripping Valerie’s hand in front of the whole army.
Valerie held Caleb’s strong hand back and felt the bond of trust between them grow even stronger in the middle of the great victory at Oakhaven Fortress.