Chapter 5. His Plan

* Cerberus *

I summoned my Beta, Kael, and five of the most capable warriors in our pack to my office just as the sun began its descent. The plan I had conceived had to be executed by dawn, and there was no room for hesitation. The objective was simple in words, but dangerous in action, to infiltrate the dungeons of the Western Pack and rescue Celine. Not out of mercy or loyalty, but because she had taken something from me, something I needed back before I could deal with her betrayal properly.

The heavy oak door creaked open as Kael entered first, his sharp eyes immediately scanning the room. He took the seat across from my desk, while the others remained standing alert, respectful, and silently curious about the urgency I'd hinted at.

"Good evening, Alpha," Kael began, his tone casual but edged with curiosity. "What is this meeting about?"

I took a moment before answering, allowing the weight of my silence to settle over the room. The tavern had just closed early, against the norm but I couldn't risk distractions tonight. Too many unknowns awaited us, and I needed every warrior sharp and focused.

"It's about a mission," I said finally, my voice low and deliberate. "One not suited for anyone outside this room."

I rose from my chair and stepped around the desk, facing each of them. My gaze lingered on Kael last. The corner of his mouth twitched upward into that ever-present smirk of his, the one that showed just how much he lived for moments like these.

"Well, it's about time we had some action," he said, chuckling lightly. "I was so bored last week I nearly offered to help Celine during that ambush if I hadn't been buried in work at the factory."

That factory job hadn't been a coincidence. I'd sent Kael there deliberately when I caught wind of Celine's mission. I needed him away, needed him not to interfere. But I hadn't anticipated her defeat. She'd been captured, and whether I liked it or not, I now had to retrieve her along with the item she stole.

"This isn't something to take lightly, Kael," I warned. "The mission has to be executed with precision. We go in, we get her out, and we leave no trace. No scents. No evidence. Nothing that can be tracked."

His smirk didn't fade. If anything, it deepened.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. But still finally, a chance to cross blades with the pompous warriors of the West. I've been waiting for this."

I sighed and crossed my arms. "We're not going in to start a war. We're heading straight for the dungeons, and we're getting out as quickly as we go in. Stealth. Speed. Efficiency. That's the plan."

The warriors nodded in agreement, silent and attentive. I could see the flickers of anticipation in their eyes this was the kind of task they lived for.

Kael leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Alright. Let me take the outer guards. I'll clear a path for you and the others. I've heard there are only two stationed at the dungeon entrance. That's manageable."

"I know," I replied, lowering myself back into my chair. "Which is why I'll go in with only one of you. The rest of you handle any sentries, patrols, or late-night eyes that might wander too close. We can't predict everything, but we know the West doesn't keep all its warriors in one place."

"Even better," Kael said, glancing over his shoulder at the warriors behind him. "You boys can just stand back and let me take care of them unless I call for backup."

I rolled my eyes. "This isn't a competition, Kael. Make sure no one gets the chance to raise an alarm or send a mind link to the Western Alpha. If they do, we'll have no choice but to abort the mission, and we may not get another chance. Our top priority is getting in and out with zero casualties on our side. I want every one of you to come back alive."

"And Celine?" one of the warriors asked, his brow furrowed.

"She'll be easy to extract," I said. "She's alone, and likely restrained. But if there are other rogues still strong enough to run we'll take them too. No one should rot in a Western cell if we can save them."

"When do we leave, Alpha?" another warrior asked.

"At dawn," I said firmly. "That gives us just under an hour to prepare. Gather your gear. Rest, if you can. Meet me outside the gates when the moon reaches its peak."

Kael stood and stretched his arms behind his back, looking more like he was about to head into a feast than a fight. "Time to gear up, then," he said with a grin, heading for the exit.

I watched as the others followed, filing out with silent discipline. Once alone, I leaned back in my chair and turned my eyes to the clock on the wall. The plan was hastily drawn and far from perfect. But I couldn't afford to wait. The longer Celine remained in their grasp, the higher the risk that what she stole would be discovered or worse, used.

My hands curled into fists. My jaw clenched. I could still picture her Celine, the clever, silver-tongued she-wolf. The one who had always tested my patience. We were bound by blood, children of the same wolf father, but raised on different sides of a very fractured legacy. She had the strength of a wolf mother. I, the unnatural power of a witch blooded one.

A power I never asked for... but one I would gladly use tonight. After an hour we were ready.

The cold night air met me like a blade to the skin when I stepped outside. The moon had climbed high above the treetops, its pale light illuminating the clearing where my warriors were already gathering. Kael leaned against a tree, tapping his fingers with that same devil-may-care grin on his face. The others stood nearby, checking their sorroundings, adjusting their body, eyes hard with focus.

"Alpha," Kael greeted as I approached. "Right on time."

I nodded, my cloak billowing behind me as I moved to the center of the group. Each of them snapped to attention, silent and ready.

"This mission isn't about pride," I began, my voice low but firm. "It's not about revenge, either. It's about precision. About recovering what was taken and getting out without lighting a fire behind us."

No one spoke. No one needed to. These warriors had followed me through fire before, and they would follow me through this.

I continued. "Kael, you and Armin will handle the perimeter. Sweep through and neutralize any scouts or patrols. No kills unless absolutely necessary. I don't want blood to trail us home."

Kael gave a lazy salute, but I saw the flicker of sharp purpose in his eyes.

"Darik, Taner and Lio," I said, turning to the three largest of the group. "You take the north flank—watch the trees. There's a blind spot near the boundary stones. Use it."

They nodded, already shifting into their wolf warrior forms, their eyes glowing faintly under the moonlight.

"Rhea," I called, my gaze settling on the only female among them. She stood straight-backed, eyes fierce beneath her hood. "You're with me. We'll enter the dungeon. You'll cover the rear while I handle Celine."

"Yes, Alpha," she said, her voice calm and unwavering.

I glanced at the sky. "We have a little over twenty minutes before the shift in the West's patrol pattern. That gives us a narrow window to get in and out. Stay low. Stay silent. If one of you senses something wrong pull out. No questions."

"Understood," they chorused.