âWhatâs on your mind?â
His demeanor suggested a favorable state of affairs with the project, making it an opportune moment for revelation.
I refrained from easing my guard and expressed, âToday, the third batch of Roz Town residents arrived.
Some members of the armed forces are among them, as per Rileyâs arrangement.
â
The smile on his face froze, and a shadow cast over his expression.
âCaleb, can you allow Roz Town residents to house a small armed force? Riley assured you they wonât cause trouble.
â
Calebâs face darkened, enveloping the room in an unexpectedly somber atmosphere.
Debraâs POV:
Calebâs expression turned sour, and he seemed quite displeased.
He asked sharply, âBy doing this, is Riley showing a lack of faith in the Thorn Edge Pack and me?â
âAbsolutely not!â I quickly denied.
âRiley is just being cautious because the ties between the Roz Town and the Thorn Edge Pack are still a bit strained, and itâll take some time for them to warm up to each other.
In the midst of this adjustment, itâs natural that some mishaps might occur, like the fire we had before.
Thatâs the reason she feels the need for a security force, just in case.
â
However, Calebâs mood didnât improve.
He said firmly, âNo pack would ever allow its people to form their own army.
Itâs a direct threat to the Alphaâs authority!â
I was at a loss for words.
Truth be told, I had pondered over this very issue and understood it was a tough pill for him to swallow.
After a moment of thought, I said earnestly, âPlease, Caleb, donât worry.
Iâve made sure that the forces Riley is bring
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ing in are minimal.
Theyâre easily manageable because their purpose is solely for self-defense, without interfering with others or the packâs governance.
â
Despite my explanation, Caleb seemed even more distressed.
âIsnât the Thorn Edge Pack capable of protecting them?â
âThatâs not what Iâm saying!â
âThen what are you trying to say?â
Calebâs confrontational stance irritated me, but I strove to stay calm and clarified, âIâve already mentioned that these measures are purely for emergencies, to prevent incidents like the fire.
Itâs only if the Thorn Edge Pack is unable to safeguard Roz Town and its inhabitants face danger that theyâll intervene.
Otherwise, theyâll live peacefully like everyone else.
â
But Caleb was angry.
He said heatedly, âYou keep referring to the fire as if it was a routine.
I had Carlos look into it and demanded corrections.
Why do you and Riley keep bringing it up?â
âYou can never predict if or when accidents might strike again.
Itâs beyond our control.
Theyâre seeking a bit of assurance, thatâs all.
Isnât that reasonable?â I answered.
Caleb fell silent.
But he quickly shifted the argument, expressing doubt, saying, âBut how can we be sure they wonât act against us behind my back?â
I couldnât help but Laugh bitterly.
âRiley is in charge of them.
You know her.
She has assured me they wonât cause trouble.
â
However, Caleb remained unconvinced.
Feeling a headache coming on, I massaged my forehead and said, âLook, even if they were to step out of line, the Roz District is under the Thorn Edge Packâs surveillance.
Any misstep will be quickly dealt with.
â