Chapter 219: IT WAS NOT AN OPTION

Three hours will not be enough to evacuate, especially with the people in the hospital. Three babies were in the incubator, and the evacuation process for them would be complicated.

"Our last defense is the Blue Lake Pack," Dmitri said grimly. He was Asher’s beta. "Once the pack is down, it will be easy for the Quantum Protocol to go through three more packs and march here."

Dmitri ran his fingers through his brown hair. He was trying to keep his composure, but it was difficult to do it when they were on the verge of falling apart.

He looked distraught, and so did Blake; the gamma kept popping his knuckles nervously. They were at a great disadvantage.

"Can’t we contact Zephyr and the others?" Seara remembered Zade and Altair were on the way to the city, and her mate would come with their people, while Altair assumed his territory.

"We have not yet fixed the line. They cut us off from any form of communication." Asher shook his head. He watched his battle plan, and it was bleak.

He had to admit that he was not a good tactician. He was not even sure what he was doing right now. Usually, it would be Zade who made the battle plan, Altair would give suggestions, and Asher would execute it whenever the dark time came, and they had to face the devils over and over again.

However, this time it was different. It was completely out of his hands, and he couldn’t help but feel out of control.

"Send someone to Lockheart City. Someone who is fast and agile enough to get through the scrutiny of the Quantum Protocol," Seara suggested.

There were only the four of them in the room, while half of the alphas had headed toward the Blue Lake Pack to help there. The pack would fall, but they needed time for the rest of the people to evacuate.

They couldn’t keep falling back because they would be cornered with no way out.

"Lockheart City is not in good shape, either. Even if Altair and Zade manage to reach the pack, there is no guarantee they will be able to defend it. The Quantum Protocol is there as well." Blake shook his head. "We need to defend this place on our own."

"We can’t keep running away," Seara stated the obvious, and they didn’t say anything because it was true. Behind them, there would be only twelve packs left before they had nowhere to go.

If it was going to be like this, then they would be wiped out from history in a matter of months or weeks. The attack on them was very aggressive, as if they put in their effort to destroy everything and no one stopped them.

Who would stop them when the devil had occupied all the prestigious positions within human hierarchy?

King Azrael was Leviathan’s new host now, based on what Zade told them.

"You need to make a sacrifice, you know. There should be a sacrifice in place," Sybill said. She suddenly appeared from the corner of Seara’s eye, staring at the map on the table as well. "You can’t fight with the intention of disabling your enemy when your enemy is out for blood."

Seara furrowed her brows. She understood the reason they couldn’t fight back was because of their inability to kill the humans, as doing so would cost them madness.

"Grand Sturm City." Seara pointed her finger at the map on the table. "We can use that place as our last stand."

Grand Sturm City was located in the Great River Pack, which was the pack after the Blue Lake Pack. That city was flanked by forest.

The Hertia Forest surrounding Mount Sattern

Grand Sturm City was a connecting city, where there was a long road that was built through the mountain and crossed the forest to connect to the next city.

It could be said that Grand Sturm City was like a door to the next city after that. It meant that if they could block access there, the Quantum Protocol would have a hard time making their advance.

It was not possible, though, since they could use the forest path. However, the nature defense would be difficult for them, and the shifter would have an easier time moving around the terrain.

It would slow them down greatly, giving them enough time to think about the next step.

Seara explained that to Asher and the others.

"How do you know that?" Asher asked; he furrowed his brows at Seara.

"It is clear to see from this map," Seara replied in a matter-of-fact tone; she pointed to the terrain.

"I don’t know that you are a strategist," Blake said in awe. He looked at Seara in a new light, because her plan indeed could buy them some time.

"I am not a strategist." Seara felt awkward with the praise. "I am only good at playing games." She could come up with the idea because it was similar to a recent game she played with Zephyr. Of course, she beat him at that game too.

"Game?" Blake tilted his head in confusion.

"But we still can’t fight without killing them." Dmitri pointed out their problem.

"About that..." Seara grimaced; she didn’t want to say it, and she thought all of them were already aware there was no way out of this situation. "We need to make a sacrifice."

"What do you mean?" Dmitri narrowed his eyes at Seara.

Meanwhile, Asher looked at her in understanding. He knew what Seara wanted to say. The plan was good, but it wouldn’t work well if they still used the same method.

"There is a sacrifice that we need." Seara looked even more uncomfortable now.

"What do you mean by sacrifice?" Blake asked.

"What do we need to sacrifice?" Dmitri chimed in.

Blake and Dmitri looked like they were still clueless, since for them it was not an option.

"Our sanity," Seara said, and finally it dawned on them what she meant with that.