CHAPTER 32: THE NEW PLAN

We’d spent hours in the war room, finalizing the last details of the plan and adjusting the roster now that Aaron was sidelined.

Zane turned to me. “What do you think about putting Summers in Aaron’s place?”

“In terms of rank?” I clarified, and he nodded. “I’d hold off for now. He’s improved a lot, but I don’t think he’s hit his peak yet. Summers might be a stronger fighter, but leadership is a different skill. He needs more experience before we promote him.”

Then an idea struck me. “What if we treat this mission as a trial run? First, ask him if he’s willing and ready. If he agrees, let him take charge while you stay back as a cadet—no stepping in unless absolutely necessary. Observe his decisions, note any mistakes, and use them later for training.”

Zane and Jason considered the idea, clearly weighing the risks and benefits. Jason spoke first.

“It’s a solid plan. We’ll get to see how he handles command in real-time, and you can intervene if things go sideways,” he said, glancing at Zane.

“I agree,” Zane said. “Captain Carlos, bring Cadet Summers here.”

As Carlos left, I added, “One more thing—pick a team that won’t let ego get in the way. They should be experienced enough to think for themselves but disciplined enough to follow a lower-ranked leader. Make sense?”

“Good call, Luna,” Jason said.

“I know just the squad,” Zane replied.

A knock interrupted us. “Enter,” Zane called.

Summers stepped inside, standing stiffly at attention. “You wanted to see me, Alpha, Luna?”

Zane got straight to the point. “How would you feel about leading Aaron’s team on the facility mission?”

Summers froze, staring at Zane in shock—something only my mates usually managed without looking away.

“I think Zane broke him,” I muttered to Jason.

Finally, Summers snapped out of it, bowing his head. “Apologies, Alpha. I wasn’t expecting that.”

Zane clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Bobby, this is a big ask, but we believe you can handle it.”

Huh. So his name’s Bobby. It had never occurred to me to ask. Then disappointment filled me for not asking.

Zane continued, “If you’re up for it, this mission will be your test. I’ll be on your team, but only as backup—no Alpha authority. Every call is yours.”

Sum – No, Bobby—he’d earned that name now—looked terrified. “I don’t know what to say.” His eyes flicked to me. “Luna?”

“It’s your choice,” I said neutrally.

He turned back to Zane. “Can I have until dinner to decide?”

“Granted,” Zane said with a nod.

Bobby gave a quick bow and left, the door clicking shut behind him.

Just as I was about to respond, my phone buzzed to life. “Hello?” I answered.

“Max, it’s Deek. Got the intel you wanted,” Deek’s voice came through.

“Hang on—let me put you on speaker,” I said, switching the setting before turning to Carlos and Grayson. “Mind stepping out for a minute? And close the door on your way out, please.” They nodded and slipped out silently.

Once the door clicked shut, I spoke again. “Alright, Deek, go ahead.”

“Sending you an address now. He just bought that mansion with his new wife—they tied the knot last month, and this is their permanent home now. From what I’ve gathered, his wife wasn’t part of his operations until recently. Ever since he met her, there’s been talk about how much he’s changed. He was nearly impossible to track until he moved here a few weeks before the wedding. And after digging into his wife, Moulsa… well, she’s just as bad as he is. She’s also a witch—and not the good kind.”

Wait—what? My mind blanked. Witches are real? What’s next—vampires and zombies?

Oblivious to my shock, Deek continued, “I think the pups were for her. Twelve is a big number in dark witchcraft—some of their worst rituals need twelve sacrifices. The younger the victims, the darker the magic. I don’t even want to imagine what she had planned.”

“Any idea which coven she’s from?” Dean cut in.

“No, she seems to be a lone witch from Australia,” Deek replied.

“Okay, hold on—” I interrupted, still reeling. “You’re telling me witches actually exist?”

It took me a second to process it, especially as the Alphas nodded in confirmation.

“Please don’t say vampires and zombies are real too,” I muttered before I could stop myself.

To my relief, they shook their heads no, and Deek’s laughter crackled through the speaker.

“Forgot you weren’t raised in this world,” Deek chuckled. “Yeah, witches exist—good ones and bad ones. If you ever meet my mate, she can fill you in.”

“Wait, your mate’s a witch?” I asked.

“Yep. Our pack and her coven have been allies for centuries. You could say we’re… linked,” he explained. “During the last witch wars, my pack helped her coven after one of their witches saved our Alpha. With our support, they won, and ever since, our wolves have found their mates within their coven. We thought we’d wiped out all the dark witches, though.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed shifters mated with witches,” I admitted.

“They usually don’t. As far as we know, we’re the only pack that does—no idea why,” Deek said. “Anyway, my mate’s coven’s willing to help however they can. They feel responsible for missing this dark witch.”

“Tell them they’re not to blame,” I said firmly. “It’s a big world—some could’ve hidden away, biding their time. It only takes one to rebuild their ranks.”

“Thanks, Max. That’ll mean a lot to them,” Deek replied before shifting to another topic with Zane. I took that as my cue to leave.

As I headed downstairs toward the back door, I sent a thought to my mates: I need to fly. Clear my head.

As I passed the back porch and confirmed no one was nearby, I transformed, spread my wings, and launched into the air. The pups cheered, clapping and bouncing with excitement.

Once above the treetops, I circled the border, surveying the patrols. Most acknowledged me with a wave or a respectful nod. Even now, I marveled at the sharpness of my vision—I could see them as clearly as if I were standing beside them, if not clearer.

After completing my aerial sweep, my thoughts turned to the mission ahead.

Cece, can I talk through my mission with you? I don’t want to waste her time if she’s not interested.

“Of course. You could never bore me. What’s on your mind?” Gods, I love her.

Normally, I’d spend two weeks scouting my target—observing Urk’s home, noting routines, spotting security flaws, studying the compound layout, and researching any hidden extensions or panic rooms.

“Okay, so why not do the same now?” Cece asked, sounding puzzled.

Two reasons. First, time. I don’t want to wait—we’ve already delayed too long. By then, more pups could be taken. Second, his new wife, Moulsa—a dark witch. I know nothing about witches. What if she’s monitoring the area with magic? I wouldn’t even know how to counter it. I should speak with Deek’s mate first, learn what I can about dark witches. I can handle Urk and his men, but magic? That’s different.

“That’s smart,” Cece said, surprising me. “Never walk into a fight blind. Assess every risk first so nothing catches you off guard.”

That’s… unusually insightful. I said impressed.

“I learned from you,” she replied proudly. “When we rescued the pups, you stayed invisible the whole time and avoided every trap. Actually, that gives me an idea—what if we modified the cloaking tech to block witch spells too?”

Brilliant. I’m not sure we have time to perfect it, but we can ask Deek’s mate about it.

We flew in comfortable silence for a while, the wind rushing past us as we glided through the clouds. This is peace. I don’t ever want to land.

Still, I can’t afford surprises. Before we strike, I’ll do my usual recon—but this time, I’ll track the witch’s movements too. If we time it right, we can take out Urk and his men first, then let the coven deal with Moulsa.

“Then we’ve got a plan,” Cece said. “Let’s head back and update our mates.”

Right on cue, their voices called out to us.