CHAPTER 33: THE UNEXPECTED ALLY

“We have a plan,” I announce as I push open the war room door. My phone sits on the table where my mates are gathered, their fingers tracing over maps. The moment I enter, their eyes snap to me. I stride forward, wedging myself between Luke and Dean, while Jason and Zane stand across from us.

Without hesitation, I snatch up my phone and dial Deek, putting the call on speaker. He answers on the second ring.

“Did you guys miss me already?” His voice is light with amusement.

“Desperately,” I reply, laying on the dramatics. “I told them I’d simply die if I didn’t hear your voice again.” A chorus of growls rumbles from my mates.

“Come on, guys. You know I’m joking, right?” I shake my head as Deek laughs through the line. They finally settle, and I continue. “Actually, I called because I’d like to meet your mate. I know how to handle Urk and his men, but a witch is unfamiliar territory. I don’t know their strengths, weaknesses, or tactics—I don’t want to go in blind. If she’s willing, I’d appreciate any insight she can share.” I’m not sure what witches are permitted to reveal, but I’ll take whatever I can get.

A smooth, feminine voice chimes in. “Hello, Luna Max. I’m Alexis, Deek’s mate.”

“Oh! Hello, Luna Alexis. I didn’t realize you were there,” I say.

“Deek was just telling me about you,” she replies warmly. “I’d be happy to help. There are some things I can’t disclose due to coven rules, but I can share enough to keep you safe on your mission.” Her voice is soft, almost delicate—I picture her as petite, maybe four-and-a-half or five feet tall.

“Anything you’re allowed to share would be a huge help. I’d love to meet in person—maybe over lunch?”

“That sounds lovely. There’s a diner in town called Mama’s Diner. We could meet there in about two hours?”

“Perfect. See you soon.” We chat a bit longer about my preparations before ending the call. My mates wait patiently.

“Alright, that gives us an hour to go over my strategy for Urk,” I say, turning to the maps. “Normally, I’d spend two weeks on recon, but we don’t have that luxury. I’ll need a day or two to track movements and find the best window to strike—preferably when Moulsa’s away. I’ll handle Urk and his men, then bring the coven in for Moulsa.”

My gaze lands on Zane, his expression unreadable. “I know it’s not a fully fleshed-out plan yet, but I can’t finalize anything until I know what we’re up against. Usually, I’d just wing it—react on instinct—but I’m trying to compromise and honor our agreement.” It’s a struggle to balance who I am with what they need from me.

Zane studies me a moment longer before speaking. “Fine. We do this your way—no rigid plan, just instinct.”

“What? You can’t be serious,” Dean cuts in.

“Our methods aren’t hers,” Zane counters. “And the last thing we want is for her to get hurt. I’ve been thinking about this since we made the deal, and hearing her now confirms it.”

“Confirms what?” Luke presses.

“That she needs to work the way she knows best—without our interference or conditions.” He holds up a hand before Dean can argue. “What if she forces herself to follow a plan and gets caught—or worse—because she’s trying to please us?”

“Why fix what isn’t broken?” Luke murmurs, thoughtful.

Dean exhales. “I get it. It’s like training one way for years, then changing everything right before a mission. The risk of failure—or worse—goes up.” He nods at Zane. “You’re right. I agree.”

“Do it your way,” Dean says, turning to me. “But promise you’ll find a safe place to lay low if things go south until we can reach you.”

I step into his embrace. “I promise. If things go wrong, I’ll hide and wait for my knights in shining fur.”

He kisses my forehead before passing me to Luke, who does the same. I make my way around the table to Jason, then finally to Zane.

It goes against every instinct they have, yet they’re trusting me to keep myself safe. Still wrapped in Zane’s arms, I turn so my back presses against his chest, feeling the heat of his body.

After this, I silently vow to him.

We finalize preparations—I’ll leave tonight to set up surveillance, gathering intel over the next few days. They’ll be ready to move on my signal, departing when I do.

“When I give the signal, they’ll strike the facility while I take the mansion. I just hope I have all the intel I need by then.”

“Are you ready, Luna?” Jackson asked after trailing behind me for fifteen minutes.

I’d completely forgotten he was assigned to escort me outside the pack. It was already grating on my nerves, but rules were rules. The last thing I wanted was to distract my mates while they were deep in preparations.

“Yes, Gamma Jackson. Let’s go,” I replied before heading to my room to grab my phone and bag. Jackson followed as I strode toward the garage.

“We’re taking Zane’s Jeep,” I announced, making it clear there was no room for debate—or so I assumed.

“Uh, Luna… no one drives Alpha Zane’s Jeep,” Jackson stammered, clearly uneasy. Without hesitation, I yanked open the passenger door and climbed in, waiting expectantly.

Jackson heaved a resigned sigh before grabbing the keys and sliding into the driver’s seat.

Honestly, Zane would want us using his Jeep—I could tell it was reinforced. The doors were heavier, lined with Kevlar-like armor, and the windows were bulletproof. What impressed me most was how sleek and lightweight the modifications were. It just proved Zane knew his way around vehicle security.

Jackson drove us into town, where we met Alexis at Mama’s Diner. She matched the description I’d been given—just under five feet tall with wavy blonde hair cascading to her waist, green eyes, and a warm, dark complexion. The swell of her belly made it obvious she was pregnant.

“Congratulations,” I said as she pulled me into a hug.

“Sorry, I was never much of a hugger before, but now I can’t help it,” she apologized.

The moment she touched me, a faint jolt of electricity passed between us, followed by a slight drain on my energy. If I weren’t trained to sense energy shifts, I might not have noticed. Now I understood why John had drilled that lesson into me.

“Luna Alexis, I get it more than you know,” I replied, a pang of sadness creeping into my voice.

We settled into our seats while our Gammas positioned themselves beside us, facing opposite directions for security.

“Please, just Alexis. And don’t mind me—Deek filled me in on your story. We don’t keep secrets,” she said.

“Neither should we. Secrets ruin relationships. It’s fine that you know,” I assured her, giving her hand a reassuring pat.

Just then, the waitress approached, and we placed our orders—including extra plates for our Gammas. When the waitress thought I wasn’t looking, her gaze flickered with judgment at the sheer amount of food we’d requested.

I knew Jackson hadn’t eaten before we left, so I made sure he wasn’t left hungry. Both Gammas looked taken aback when we gestured to their meals. We chatted about her pregnancy and my kids until the food arrived.

“There are things I can’t share, but I’ll tell you what I can,” Alexis said, cutting straight to the chase. I liked her even more for it.

“Witches predate shifters. Legend says the Moon Goddess came to Earth out of curiosity about human life. After sharing ale—and one too many drinks—with her witch friends, she grew lonely and restless. So, with their help, she merged a human with a wolf, creating the first shifters.”

“Did the Moon Goddess create all shifters, or were there other deities involved?” I asked, fascinated.

“She did. Humans are cruel and destructive just as much as they are caring and loving. She merged humans with the animals she admired most—wolves and lions for their loyalty and pack mentality, bears and tigers for their independence. But each species embodied traits she respected. So, she merged the two souls into one. ”

“What about dragons? They don’t even exist,” I pressed.

“No one knows for sure, but legend says a Dark Goddess created them out of envy. She wanted a species to dominate all others. What she didn’t realize was that in human form, they’re just as vulnerable as the rest of us.”

“I’m guessing the Dark Goddess was a witch, then—that’s why their clothes shift with them?” I guessed.

“Exactly,” she said, flashing an approving smile. “Most people miss that detail. Their witch blood allows it.”

“So if darkness created them, does that make them evil?” I couldn’t imagine turning evil, but with magic, nothing was certain.

“Creation doesn’t dictate morality. The Dark Goddess controlled the originals, but not their descendants. They choose their own paths.”

I appreciated her honesty. She wasn’t holding back, and that meant everything.

“Thank you for being open about how shifters were created,” I say sincerely.

She smiles warmly. “It’s important to know our origins. This is our history, after all.”

“I’ll be scouting their mansion,” I explain moving on to the mission, “but I’ll wait to strike until Moulsa is gone. Once Urk and his men are dealt with, I’ll call in the coven to handle her—ideally the same day. The longer she’s left alone, the more dangerous she becomes. Just be cautious in case she realizes he’s missing before you reach her.” I hold back the full plan, still unsure how much to share.

“Understood,” she replies. “I’ll have the coven ready to move at a moment’s notice. It’s safest not to announce anything—we’ve had internal issues, and the last thing we need is a leak warning Moulsa. I’ll frame it as a training exercise until the last second. The leaders agree this is the best approach.”

So their coven has a hierarchy like ours—Alphas, Betas, Deltas? “You suspect a mole?” I ask, frowning. If true, this could jeopardize everything.

“I hope not, but too many odd things have happened.” She hesitates, then lowers her voice. “I shouldn’t be telling you this—you’re not even part of the coven—but I trust you. And given your… skills, I thought…”

I gently squeeze her hand, cutting her off. “Call me anytime. Day or night. After this, I’ll owe you.”

She shakes her head. “No debts between family. The Alphas are family, and now so are you.”

We share a quiet smile before it hits me. “Wait… we’ve been talking pretty openly—”

Alexis smirks. “Protection spell. To everyone else, we’re just whispering.”

“Seriously? That’s amazing.” I grin. “Speaking of, can you tweak my devices to bypass protection spells? The sensors already disable alarms and loop camera footage—could you make them repel magic too?”

“Easy. Did you bring them?” I hand them over as she retrieves a few crystals. “Give me a minute…” After a murmured chant, she passes them back along with a necklace. “Done. The devices will disrupt spells now. The necklace wards off dark magic and muffles sound. It’s temporary—I’ll make you a sturdier ring later.”

Impulsively, I hug her. “Thank you.”

Jackson interrupts, clearing his throat. “Luna, we need to go. Another rogue attack—they targeted the pups again. It’s over, and everyone’s safe.”

“Thank you, Alexis,” I say as we embrace once more. “We’ll stay in touch.”