Chapter 4: War Plan
1069 Words
Darian didn’t let go of my hand.
Not when we left the east wing. Not when we passed silent guards who looked away. Not when we reached the war room on the lowest level of Kade estate.
The room smelled of ozone and old metal. Screens lined one wall, showing live feeds of the estate perimeter. Maps covered the table. Red pins marked patrol routes. Black pins marked Rourke’s known allies.
“This ends tonight,” Darian said. He released me only to slam his palm on the table. “Before midnight.”
“By taking the pack?” I asked. “You don’t even have their loyalty yet.”
“I have their fear,” he said. “It’ll have to be enough.”
He turned to the two men in the room. One was Kael’s age,broad-shouldered, with a scar through his eyebrow. The other was older, calm, watching me like I was a variable he didn’t trust.
“Lucas. Victor,” Darian said. “This is Aria. She’s pack. Treat her like it.”
Lucas nodded once. Victor’s eyes narrowed. “The auction omega?”
“She’s the reason we still have a pack to save,”Darian said.Voice flat.Warning.
Victor shut up.
Darian pulled up a feed. It was grainy, shaky. Kael. Tied to a chair in what looked like the old foundry. Blood on his lip. Breathing, but barely.
My chest locked.
“He’s alive,” Darian said quietly. “For now.”
“How do we know it’s not a fake?” I asked.
“Because Rourke doesn’t need to fake it,” Victor said. “He wants you there.”
I looked at Darian. “You said we take the pack before midnight. How?”
Darian tapped the table. The map zoomed to the pack hall.
“Challenge by blood,” he said. “Old law. If I defeat the current Alpha in single combat, the pack shifts to me. No vote. No debate.”
“And your father?”
“My father is dying,” he said. “He won’t stop me. He can’t.”
Victor frowned. “Rourke will have his men inside. If you fall, Aria goes to him. And the pack fractures.”
“Then I don’t fall,” Darian said.
“You’re not going alone,” I said.
All three men looked at me.
“I’m part of this,” I said. “Rourke wants me. I’ll use that.”
Darian stepped close. Low voice, only for me. “If you walk into that foundry, I can’t protect you.”
“Then don’t protect me,” I said. “Fight beside me.”
His jaw clenched. Then he nodded once.
“Here’s the plan,” he said, turning back to the table. “Lucas, you take the east gate. Draw Rourke’s men there. Victor, you lock down the comms. No calls in or out. Aria and I go through the tunnels. We hit the foundry from below.”
“And if Rourke has Kael moved?” I asked.
“Then we adapt,” Darian said. “But he won’t. He wants you to see him break your brother.”
I hated that he was probably right.
Darian pulled out a small knife. Obsidian handle, silver blade. He pressed it into my palm.
“If it comes to it,” he said, “use this. Don’t hesitate.”
The blade was warm. It smelled faintly of him.
“Don’t die on me, Aria,” he said.
“I’m not planning on it,” I said.
He almost smiled. Almost.
Victor moved to the door. “We move in twenty. Get ready.”
Darian pulled me aside as the others left.
“You can still walk away,” he said. “Go to the safe room. Lock the door. When it’s over, I’ll come for you.”
“And if you don’t come back?”
“Then you run,” he said. “And you don’t look back.”
I stepped into him, close enough that I could feel his heartbeat.
“I’m not running,” I said. “Not anymore.”
He exhaled, like he’d been holding it since the hall. His hand came up, thumb brushing my cheek.
“Good,” he said. “Because I’m not letting you go.”
The war room door opened.
Lucas stuck his head in. “Twenty seconds. Rourke’s moving.”
Darian dropped his hand and turned. “Move.”
We ran.
Tunnels under the estate were cold, damp, and lit only by emergency strips in the floor. My boots were silent. Darian’s weren’t. He didn’t care about stealth. He cared about speed.
We hit the ladder to the foundry in twelve minutes.
Darian went up first. Lifted the grate. Listened.
“Two guards,” he whispered down. “East side. Kael’s center.”
I nodded. My hands were steady. The knife was steady.
“On three,” he said.
He counted with his fingers.
One.
Two.
Three.
The grate flew open.
Darian moved like a storm. One guard dropped before he hit the ground. The second turned, gun up.
I threw the knife.
It hit his wrist. He screamed, dropped the gun.
Darian was on him before he could breathe.
Kael’s head snapped up. His eyes found mine.
“Aria?” His voice cracked.
I was already running to him.
“Stay down,” I said, cutting the ropes. “We’re getting you out.”
Rourke’s voice cut through the air like a blade.
“I knew you’d come.”
We froze.
Rourke stood at the top of the stairs, gun aimed at Kael’s head. Behind him, six men. All armed. All watching me.
“Let him go,” Darian said. Voice deadly calm.
Rourke smiled. “Or what? You’ll kill me? You’ll lose the pack if you do.”
“Try me,” Darian said.
Rourke’s gun didn’t move. His eyes did. They locked on me.
“Come here, cousin,” he said. “Or I put a bullet in your brother. Your choice.”
Kael looked at me. Blood on his lip. Fear in his eyes. But no begging.
Darian’s hand found mine in the dark.
“Don’t,” he whispered.
I stepped forward.
“Fine,” I said. “Let him go, and I’ll come.”
Rourke’s smile widened.
And then the lights died.
*[End of Chapter 4]*
- Writer
