Conall laid out everything—Gregory’s storage unit, Quinton’s betrayal, Nadine’s departure.The words came clinically, but underneath ran currents of pain and fury.
When he finished, Malcolm’s expression was grim.
How long has she been gone?Larissa asked.
Four, maybe five hours.If she’s heading for the safe houses we identified, she has a significant head start.
And you want to go after her,Malcolm observed.
I want to save my mate’s life.Whatever the cost.
Malcolm and Larissa exchanged a look—one of those silent communications that came with their mate bond.
Within twenty minutes, the emergency pack council was assembled in the converted newspaper office, the lights casting harsh shadows across the intelligence hub that had become their war room.
Conall found himself standing before the assembled leadership: Malcolm and Larissa at the head of the conference table, Anders with his maps spread before him, Sarah and Nick representing the family interests, the elder council members who’d seen the pack through Vincent’s brutal reign and the transition to coalpha leadership, and all the other council members.
Only Quinton was missing, his absence like a wound Conall couldn’t quit probing.
We’re facing a coordinated assault on multiple fronts,Malcolm began.Dr.Chen’s intelligence confirms that Chimera is positioning for something they’re calling the Omicron Protocol—mass activation of neural interface assets across dozens of pack territories.
The timeline has accelerated,Anders added, pulling up displays on the wall monitors.Two more packs have gone dark in the last twelve hours.And from what I’ve heard, Aspen Falls, Ruby Range, and Creek Bend are all under active assault.This isn’t just intelligence gathering anymore—it’s elimination of resistance.
Stephanie Gonzales, her silver hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights, leaned forward.What about our own security?If they’ve been planning this for years—
Our immediate concern is actionable intelligence,Larissa interrupted smoothly.It appears Gregory Torrance is alive and coordinating his own actions with Chimera’s operations—either with their cooperation or without.His daughter has gone after him alone, carrying our most complete intelligence on his network.
Conall watched the faces around the table as the coalphas laid out the situation strategically, focusing on pack security rather than personal complications.They spoke of Nadine’s value as an intelligence asset, her knowledge of Gregory’s psychological patterns, the importance of preventing Chimera from eliminating their best source of information about the conspiracy.
What they didn’t mention was Quinton.
Malcolm and Larissa had agreed to handle that particular crisis quietly, keeping pack morale intact while the immediate threats were addressed.
The evidence that pointed to his twin as Gregory’s inside source, the financial records and communication logs that painted a devastating picture of betrayal spanning months—all that they kept to themselves, at least for the moment.
Conall found himself oddly relieved by their discretion.The thought of publicly accusing his twin—of watching pack members who’d known them since childhood process the idea that one of the Stewart twins had turned traitor—made his stomach clench with something beyond mere embarrassment.
Shame, maybe.The acknowledgment that he’d been blind to Quinton’s deception, that the twin bond he’d always trusted had become a weapon used against him.
The question,Raymond Gonzales said, his lined face showing deep concern,is whether we can afford to send more people into what’s clearly a trap.He leaned forward, his voice taking on the tone of someone offering hard-won wisdom.I’ve seen too many good wolves lost to hasty rescue attempts.We should wait—give ourselves time to properly assess Gregory’s capabilities, maybe even lethim think he’s won.The eastern approach through Devil’s Run Canyon would be safer than trying to breach whatever defenses he’s established at his primary location.
Conall’s inner wolf whined uneasily.Raymond’s suggestions felt wrong on a tactical level—waiting would give Gregory more time to consolidate his position, and Devil’s Run Canyon was notoriously exposed, with limited escape routes if things went sideways.
We can’t wait,Una Sanchez interrupted, her voice sharp with urgency.Every hour we delay puts more families at risk—families like mine, like Sarah’s.She gestured toward her cousin, her emotional intensity filling the room.Sarah and I have discussed this extensively.The pack needs to act now, not waste precious time on elaborate planning while Gregory implements whatever horrific scheme he has in mind.
The contradiction between Raymond’s call for delay and Una’s push for immediate action should have felt like healthy debate.Instead, something about their timing felt choreographed to Conall—as if they were working together to push the council toward either reckless haste or dangerous hesitation.
Sarah shifted Javier on her lap, the three-year-old having fallen asleep during the emergency meeting.What about communications?We’ve already seen how easily they can be compromised.Her gaze moved between Raymond and Una with an expression Conall couldn’t quite read.How do we coordinate a rescue when we can’t trust our own systems?
The question hung in the air, and Conall noticed how both Raymond and Una seemed to tense slightly—not with concern, but with something that looked almost like anticipation.
But then Malcolm’s alpha voice cut through the debate with finality.Limited team.Small enough to avoid detection, experienced enough to handle whatever Gregory has planned.His gaze found Conall’s.One operative with the personal connection necessary to reestablish the mate bond and coordinate with her once contact is made.
The room fell silent.They were talking about sending Conall after his mate—alone, into enemy territory, with minimal support and maximum risk.
After a moment, Raymond’s shoulders sagged in what appeared to be genuine defeat.Of course, Alpha.I just worry about losing more people to Gregory’s schemes.His voice carried the weariness of someone who’d genuinely accepted an unwelcome decision.But you’re right.We can’t abandon pack members.
Una nodded quickly, her earlier urgency giving way to what looked like sheepish acceptance.I’m sorry if I pushed too hard.I just can’t stand the thought of what he might be doing to her while we debate.She glanced at Sarah, her expression softening.But the alphas are right—proper planning saves lives.
