CHAPTER 26: STRATEGIZING RETRIBUTION

The doctor came to check on Dean because of his elevated heart rate, and I blushed—knowing I was the cause. After confirming everything was fine, he left, and my mates settled on the couches while I stayed in the chair beside Dean.

I wasn’t lying when I said I thought I’d lose him. The fear had been real, and I refused to leave his side.

“Did we take any prisoners from the attack?” I asked, glancing at Zane and Jason.

“A few,” Zane replied. “I’d like your help interrogating them.” Jason nodded in agreement.

“Gladly,” I said, then muttered under my breath, Fuckers hurt my mate. My mates apparently heard and burst into laughter.

“Just leave some for the rest of us this time,” Jason joked. I flipped him off, and he just raised his brows, completely unbothered. More laughter followed.

“You know, now that I think about it, you are totally a tiger,” Dean said. “The way you leapt through the bushes and ripped into them—no mercy at all. I’ll admit, I got this scratch because I was too busy staring. Couldn’t move fast enough.”

Luke let out a loud laugh. “Hell, the way you flipped that rogue and slammed him into a tree was insane.”

“And when you shook the other one like he was a chew toy,” Jason added, grinning. “Maybe we should get you some.”

“Or I could just use you,” I shot back, and he snapped his mouth shut.

“Are you sure it doesn’t bother you that I’m not a wolf?” I needed to be certain.

This time, Zane answered. “I don’t care if you’re a wolf, tiger, bear, lion, or human—we love you. The fact that you shift is just a bonus.”

I smirked. “What if I were a dragon?” For some reason, the idea felt right—which was strange, since dual shifters don’t exist.

“Oh hell no,” Jason teased. “Could you imagine pissing her off. She’d fry our asses.” We all laughed.

We kept joking, and the warmth in my chest grew. They weren’t afraid of me. They loved me—just as I loved them. But I’d learned the hard way not to say those words too freely. Because in an instant, the ones you love can be taken away.

Changing the subject, I said, “Listen, I need to deal with Urk–permanently,” I stated firmly, making it clear this wasn’t up for debate. My mates exchanged confused glances, so I filled them in on my findings from last night and what Zane and I had uncovered during the interrogation.

“Alright,” Jason agreed, “we can team up and strategize.”

“No.” I wasn’t dragging the entire pack into this.

Zane’s voice turned icy, his expression unreadable, but his eyes burned with irritation. “What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“This is my job.” Before they could protest, I raised a hand to silence them. “I get that you want to protect me, but I’ve survived on my own this long. One more mission won’t break me. Stop treating me like I’m some fragile, weak woman who wont survive without her mates. I need you to trust me—to believe I won’t take unnecessary risks. If things go south, I’ll fall back and call for help. That’s my compromise.”

Zane crossed his arms. “Fine. One condition.” The others shot him sharp looks.

“Name it.” My gaze locked onto his.

“You share the plan with us. That way, if you need backup, we know exactly where to step in.” His tone left no room for argument.

I considered it. Going solo meant they’d watch my every move—possibly even follow me, which could backfire. If things went wrong, they’d be in the dark, risking more than just me. But if I agreed, we’d have a stronger strategy—six minds working together. And if I trusted them to stay out unless called, they’d have to trust me in return.

Decision made, I walked over and settled onto Zane’s lap, meeting his wary stare. Then I kissed him softly. “Deal. Thank you for trusting me.”

His expression softened. “Thank you for meeting me halfway.” He returned the kiss.

“But—” Dean started, only for Zane to cut him off.

“She’s right,” Zane said. “She’s handled herself long before we came into the picture, no matter how hard it is. We can’t treat her like she’s weak—she’s a damn warrior. If we push too hard, she’ll either resent us or leave. Neither is an option. She’s trusting us not to interfere unless she asks—so we have to trust her to stay safe.”

“Sorry you didn’t get some docile mate,” I added with a wry smile. “It’d be easier, but this is me. And for the record, this is my last job—I already told John I’m retiring.”

Luke grinned, pulling me onto his lap. “You’re perfect exactly as you are—badassery and all.”

“Pretty sure ‘badassery’ isn’t a word,” I teased as he nuzzled my neck, making the others laugh.

Dean sighed. “They’re right, you are more than capable. I trust you.” His sincerity was clear. We all turned to Jason, who’d been silent.

“I was just waiting for you all to stop yapping so we could get lunch,” he deadpanned. Dean hurled a pillow at his head.

Chaos erupted as they launched into a pillow fight, scattering in every direction—leaving me, of course, defenseless. I darted past them, dodging hits, and bolted into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.

“Aw, come on!” Jason groaned. “That’s cheating!”

I snorted. “No, cheating is ganging up on your unarmed mate. Be glad I don’t go kung-fu on your ass.”

“Oh, Cece, I’ve got an idea,” I said, sharing my plan while subtly shielding us from my mates—just enough not to raise suspicion.

We cracked the door open, positioning ourselves to keep it from swinging wide. Then, in a flash, we shifted and lunged at our nearest target—Jason.

He. Was. Petrified. Guilt flickered through me, so I gave his face a quick lick, which instantly dissolved his fear into laughter. Clambering off him, I shifted back to human form, only to collapse on the floor in hysterics. Tears streamed down my face, my sides aching from laughing so hard. Just as I caught my breath and started to compose myself, Doc walked in, his bewildered expression sending me into another fit of giggles.

Later, after Doc finally cleared Dean to leave the hospital, we headed home. That’s when a thought struck me…

“While I handle Urk, we need to cleanse that facility too,” I said, thinking aloud. “The power’s still running, which means they’ve got people inside. My gut says we hit both targets simultaneously. Strike the facility first, and Urk gets tipped off. Go after Urk first, and the whole operation vanishes before we can burn it to the ground. No—we move on both at once.”

When we reached the office, we summoned Beta Marcus, Delta Charles, and Gamma Jackson. Zane tossed his tablet onto the table, displaying an aerial map of the facility. “What’s the plan, Luna?” he asked.

Charles and Jackson opened their mouths to speak, but a sharp look from Zane silenced them.

I sketched the building’s layout on paper. “Single point of entry,” I explained, my finger tracing the diagram. “Glass-walled offices flank the door for easy surveillance. Inside, there’s a circular observation room with a central lab in the middle and cells lining the perimeter. Every inch of that hellhole is designed for total control. Motion sensors. Thermal cameras. Even the surrounding woods are wired. Last time, my goal was stealth—in and out unseen—”

“How?” Marcus cut in. “With all those cameras?”

“I built cloaking devices to bypass them,” I said. “A sensor disruptor to disable alarms, and a camera jammer that loops footage. I can walk right past their eyes and they see nothing.”

Marcus grinned. “That’s badass. I want one.”

“Add it to your Christmas list,” I teased, then I had a thought. “Actually, I have an extra set for you. But this time, stealth isn’t the goal. Everyone inside dies unless they’re in a cell. Prisoners come with us for vetting. The rest? No exceptions. No mercy.”

“What if some were forced into it?” Marcus challenged.

“Irrelevant,” I said flatly. “Anyone who touched those pups forfeited their right to breathe. But before we torch the place, we strip their systems clean—plans, employees, buyer lists, supply routes, financial trails. Every bit of intel they’ve got.”

Charles stiffened. “Buyers?”

“Yes, buyers. Their intention was to sell the pups. Their boss, Urk, runs a mafia,” I said, watching comprehension dawn. “He’s the kingpin of global flesh trade. Those pups? Inventory. And he was my original mark when I first came here.”

Three sets of eyes blinked at me. I arched a brow at my mates. You never briefed them? Their shrugs said priorities.

“Seems our fearless leaders omitted a detail,” I drawled. “I’m not just your Luna. I’m a trained assassin. Interrogation specialist.”

Sighing, I turned back. “Seems our Alphas left out a detail. I’m an assassin. A master torturer.”

Silence. Then—

Marcus barked a laugh. “Fuck me, that’s good. Almost sold it too. Seriously though—” He froze at our stone-faced expressions. “…No way. You’re actually—holy shit! No wonder you’re a badass.” His grin could’ve powered a small city.

Charles, however, recoiled. “This isn’t some badge of honor. She’s a contract killer.”

So I gave them the abridged version—the bloodstained road that led me here—omitting the worst details, unlike when I’d tried to scare off my mates.

“Luna, I…” He swallowed hard in shame. “That was out of line. I judged without knowing the whole story. What happened to your family—that wasn’t your fault.”

Marcus chuckled. “You know what they say about assuming—”

I smacked the back of his head.

“Ow! Sorry, Luna,” he yelped, rubbing his head.

“Thanks, Delta Charles. I do my best to be decent. I’m not a total monster—or at least I try not to be,” I said.

“Just Charles is fine, Luna,” he replied quietly. Charles was straightforward, speaking his mind even when he didn’t think first. I appreciated that about him—you never knew what he’d say next.

Then Marcus nudged Jackson’s shoulder and teased, “Guess you’re out of a job, man.” Jackson didn’t seem amused.

I chimed in, “Yeah, you might have to guard the Alphas now. After all, we all know I’m more dangerous than them.”

Jackson face went ghost white, and the rest of us—except him and Zane—burst into laughter, nearly rolling on the floor. Once we finally settled down, I turned serious again.

To reassure him, I said firmly, “Gamma Jackson, you’ll keep protecting me just like before. I’ve been on my own for too long, and it’ll be a relief knowing someone has my back when the Alphas aren’t around.” That seemed to lift his spirits—he straightened up, looking more like himself. I added, “Besides, I’ll be an even bigger target now. White tigers were nearly wiped out last time because packs wanted our healing abilities for themselves. Gamma, I’ll need your protection more than ever. You ready for that?”

Jackson squared his shoulders. “Yes, Luna. I’ll protect you with my life,” he swore.

“Let’s hope that won’t be for a very, very long time,” I said with a grin.

“Alright, back to the mission,” I said, refocusing the group. “Alpha Zane, I need 65 warriors. Here’s how we’ll deploy them: two breach teams of five each, plus two additional five-man backup teams stationed outside in case extraction is needed. Then, 20 more will secure the perimeter—10 here and here,” I pointed to the map. “Another 10 will hold position at the end of the driveway, and the last 15 will block the exit at the main road.” I met Zane’s gaze, and he gave a firm nod.

Turning to Jason, I asked, “Alpha Jason, any adjustments? Missing anything in positioning or numbers?”

“No, Luna. It’s solid,” Jason replied, approval in his voice.

I scanned the room. “Questions?” Silence. Heads shook.

“Next—mission objectives,” I continued. “Eliminate anyone not restrained or in a cell, except for five key targets: a security guard, a front office worker, a doctor, a lab tech, and a computer operator. The A-Team will secure the office worker and high-ranking guard—they’ll have the most intel. Also, I want them to recover the bodies of the children we couldn’t save. Their families deserve closure.”

Zooming in on the facility’s core, I outlined, “B-Team’s priority is the doctor, lab worker, and computer operator in this central zone. Identify the leads in each department—they’ll know more than the rest.”

Then, highlighting the exterior, I added, “The backup teams stay outside until called—one supporting A-Team, the other B-Team. Meanwhile, these two squads intercept any runners. Everyone else secures checkpoints to block reinforcements and ensure a clean exit. Park outside sensor and camera range—my tech will handle the rest.”

I glanced at Jason again. “Tactical gaps? Obviously, Alpha Zane and Gamma Jackson will drill the warriors on breaching protocols.”

Jason studied the map, shifting it slightly. “No weak points. Access and exit are locked down. The rest is on Zane and Jackson.” His gaze held mine, pride flickering in his eyes.

“Then my job here is done,” I said with a final nod before walking out.

Urk’s demise could wait. Right now, I needed air—a moment to steady myself before training with Summers.