Chapter 25: Siege Mentality

We fortified our quarters as best we could. Moved furniture to block the door. Set up a watch rotation so someone was always awake. Dax positioned himself near the window with clear sight lines.

“This is insane,” Maya muttered, checking our supplies. “We have maybe two days of food. Three if we ration.”

“Then we ration.” I reviewed my notes again. “I need to organise all this evidence. Make it clear and compelling. When the Council guards arrive, I want a complete case ready.”

“If we survive that long.”

A knock on the door made us all tense. Dax moved into position, ready to fight.

“Who is it?” I called.

“Thomas. Please, let me in. Quickly.”

I opened the door just enough for him to slip through, then barricaded it again.

Thomas was breathing hard, his eyes wide with fear. “You have to leave. Tonight. Alpha Garrett is planning something.”

“What kind of something?”

“I don’t know exactly. But I overheard him talking to his Beta. They’re going to make it look like rogues attacked you. Kill all three of you and blame it on outside forces.” He grabbed my arm. “Please. You helped me. Let me help you. Run while you still can.”

“We can’t run. We need to finish this investigation.”

“There won’t be an investigation if you’re dead!” Thomas’s voice rose in panic. “You don’t understand. Alpha Garrett has done this before. Made problems disappear. He’s good at it.”

That got my attention. “Before? When?”

“Two years ago. An investigator came looking into the pack's finances. Garrett didn’t like the questions. The investigator died in a supposed hunting accident.” Thomas looked sick. “Everyone knew it wasn’t an accident. But no one could prove anything.”

This changed things. If Garrett had already killed one investigator, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill another.

“Did you tell anyone about that investigator’s death?” I asked.

“I tried. But without proof, it was just rumours. My word against the Alpha’s.” Thomas looked desperate. “That’s why you need to leave. Before you become another tragic accident.”

“What if we had proof this time? What if we could record him admitting to his plans?”

“How? He’s not stupid. He won’t confess on camera.”

“Maybe not on camera. But what if someone he trusted was wearing a wire?” I looked at Thomas carefully. “Would you be willing to try?”

Thomas went pale. “You’re asking me to betray my Alpha. To risk my life.”

“I’m asking you to help stop a murderer. To protect future wolves from suffering as your brother did.” I kept my voice gentle. “I won’t force you. But you came here to warn me. You’re already risking everything. Why not make it count?”

He was quiet for a long time, wrestling with the decision. Finally, he nodded. “Okay. I’ll do it. For James. For everyone Garrett has hurt.”

Working quickly, I fashioned a recording device from my phone, hiding it in Thomas’s jacket. It wasn’t perfect, but it would capture audio.

“Go to Garrett. Tell him you’re worried about me asking questions. Act scared. Loyal. Get him talking about his plans.” I gripped his shoulders. “Be careful. If he suspects anything, abort immediately.”

Thomas nodded, looking terrified but determined. “If I don’t come back”

“You’ll come back. You’re braver than you think.”

After he left, the wait was agonising. Minutes felt like hours. I paced the small room, imagining worst-case scenarios.

“He’ll be fine,” Maya said, though she looked worried too. “He knows how to act loyal. He’s been doing it his whole life.”

Forty minutes later, Thomas returned. He was shaking but unharmed. “I got it. All of it.”

We listened to the recording together. Garrett’s voice came through clearly.

“The investigator needs to be dealt with. Tonight, if possible.”

“You want me to arrange another accident?” The Beta’s voice.

“Yes. Make it look like rogues. Plant evidence. Kill all three of them so there are no witnesses.” Garrett’s tone was casual. Like discussing the weather. “The Council will investigate, but without bodies that can testify, they’ll have nothing.”

“What about the wolves she’s been interviewing?”

“Intimidate them. Make examples if necessary. By the time Council guards arrive, there won’t be any evidence of wrongdoing.” A pause. “This worked before. It’ll work again.”

The recording continued with more damning details. Plans for exactly how to stage the attack. How to dispose of bodies. How to manipulate the investigation afterwards.

It was everything we needed. Clear proof of intent to murder. Admission to previous crimes. Enough to bring Garrett down permanently.

“We did it,” Thomas breathed. “We actually got him.”

“You did it,” I corrected. “You risked everything to get this evidence. These wolves owe you their freedom.”

“What happens now?”

“Now we send this to the Council immediately. Then we lock ourselves in and wait for guards to arrive.” I copied the file and sent it to Elder Thorne with urgent priority.

His response came within minutes. “Received. Guards are mobilising. Can be there in eighteen hours instead of three days. Stay hidden. Stay safe.”

Eighteen hours. We could manage eighteen hours.

But Garrett had said tonight. Which meant we had maybe a few hours at most before his planned attack.

“We need better defences,” Dax said, surveying our quarters. “This door won’t hold against a determined assault.”

“The windows?” Maya suggested.

“Second floor. Risky but doable if we have to escape.” Dax checked the locks. “We should prepare a rope. Just in case.”

We worked quickly, using bed sheets to create a makeshift escape rope. Positioned weapons within easy reach. Prepared for the worst while hoping for the best.

Thomas wanted to stay with us. “I can fight. Help defend.”

“No. You need to get somewhere safe. If Garrett finds out you helped us, you’re dead.” I pushed him toward the door. “Hide. Stay quiet. When Council guards arrive, tell them everything.”

“What about the other wolves who testified? Should I warn them?”

“Yes. Quietly. Tell them to hide until the Council arrives.” I grabbed his hand. “Thank you, Thomas. You saved our lives tonight. Saved your pack from a tyrant. That took incredible courage.”

He left reluctantly. The moment the door closed behind him, we barricaded it again.

“Now we wait,” I said grimly.

The attack came two hours later.

It started with howls outside. The sound of many wolves coordinating. Then the door shuddered under heavy impacts.

“They’re not even pretending to be rogues,” Maya observed.

“Why bother? They plan to kill us and destroy evidence anyway.” I shifted into my silver wolf form. “Defensive positions. We hold until guards arrive.”

The door splintered under repeated assaults. Warriors poured through, at least ten of them. All in wolf form. All intent on killing us.

We fought desperately. Dax took the front, using his size and strength to hold the narrow doorway. Maya and I flanked him, striking at any wolf that got too close.

But there were too many. For every one we drove back, two more appeared.

“The window!” I shouted. “Maya, go!”

“Not without you!”

“That’s an order!” I used my Alpha command, forcing her to obey.

Maya scrambled toward the window, Dax covering her retreat. More warriors pushed through the broken door. I held them back with silver power, but it was draining fast.

A massive brown wolf lunged at me. Garrett himself, joined the attack. He was huge, powerful, vicious. His teeth caught my shoulder, tearing through fur and flesh.

Pain exploded but I didn’t stop fighting. Couldn’t stop. If I fell, we all died.

I pushed silver power directly into him, making him yelp and release me. But another wolf took his place. Then another. They were coordinated, taking turns, wearing me down.

“Dax! Window! Now!” I commanded.

“Alpha”

“Go!”

He went, trusting me to follow. I backed toward the window, using silver light to keep the wolves at bay. But I was bleeding badly. Getting weaker. The power was fading.

Garrett shifted to human form, confident now. “You should have left when I gave you the chance. Now you die.”

“Council guards are eighteen hours away. They have recordings of you ordering my murder. You’ve already lost.” I smiled through bloodied teeth. “Killing me just adds to your crimes.”

“They can’t arrest me if they can’t find you. If there’s no body to prove murder.” He advanced slowly. “Goodbye, little Alpha. You were brave. Foolish, but brave.”

He lunged. I dodged but wasn’t fast enough. His claws raked across my ribs. I stumbled, hitting the wall hard.

This was it. I was going to die.

Then the window exploded inward.

A black wolf crashed through, landing between me and Garrett and me. Massive. Powerful. Familiar.

Kaden.

He’d come. Somehow, he’d come.

And he wasn’t alone. More wolves poured through the window and door. Warriors wearing Shadowpine colours. At least thirty of them.

The fight shifted immediately. Garrett’s warriors found themselves outnumbered and outmatched. They retreated, regrouping.

Kaden shifted to human, kneeling beside me. “I got Elder Thorne’s emergency alert. Drove through the night to get here.”

“You came.” Blood loss was making me dizzy. “You actually came.”

“Always. I’ll always come when you need me.” He pressed his hand against my bleeding ribs. “Hold on. Our healers are right behind us.”

Garrett roared in fury. “This is my territory! You have no authority here, Nightshade!”

“Council authority supersedes yours. Especially when you’re actively trying to murder an investigator.” Kaden stood, putting himself between Garrett and me. “It’s over. Surrender now and you might live through this.”

“Never!” Garrett shifted and attacked.

The two Alphas clashed in a brutal display of power. But Kaden was younger, faster, and fighting for something that mattered. Within minutes, he had Garrett pinned.

“Submit,” Kaden commanded.

“I’ll die first!”

“That can be arranged.” Kaden’s teeth were at Garrett’s throat. “Last chance.”

Finally, reluctantly, Garrett went limp. Submitting.

Council guards arrived an hour later, alerted by Elder Thorne. They took Garrett into custody along with his Beta and the warriors who’d attacked us.

I was in the medical tent, getting stitched up again. Seemed like I was always getting stitched up lately.

Kaden sat beside me, refusing to leave despite my protests.

“You saved my life,” I said quietly.

“You’ve saved mine more times than I can count. In different ways.” He took my hand carefully. “When I got the alert that you were in danger, that Garrett might kill you, I didn’t think. Just grabbed every warrior I could and drove here as fast as possible.”

“You risked your pack for me.”

“I’d risk everything for you. I thought you knew that by now.” His grip tightened slightly. “Aria, I can’t lose you. The thought of you dying, of this world without you in it, is unbearable.”

“Kaden”

“I know you’re not ready. I know I need to keep earning your trust. But I need you to know that I love you. Completely. Desperately. Forever.” Tears ran down his face. “And if something had happened to you tonight, if I’d been too late, I don’t know if I could have survived it.”

I pulled him down into a kiss. Gentle. Brief. But full of meaning.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “For coming. For fighting for me. For being the man you should have been all along.”

“Does this mean”

“It means I’m willing to try. Slowly. Carefully. See if we can build something real this time.” I touched his face. “But Kaden, if you ever hurt me like that again”

“I won’t. I swear on my life, I won’t.” He kissed my palm. “I’ll spend every day proving I’ve changed. That I’m worthy of you.”

“You already are. You just needed to believe it yourself.”

Outside, Council guards were cleaning up. Thomas appeared with several other wolves, all ready to testify now that Garrett was in custody.

The investigation would continue. Justice would be served. Ironwood Pack would get new leadership.

But right now, I was content to sit with Kaden. To let myself hope. To imagine a future where we could be together without all the pain and secrets.

It wouldn’t be easy. We had a lot to work through. A lot of trust to rebuild.

But maybe, just maybe, we were finally ready to try.

Together.