The bait
1514 Words
MILLIE'S POV
The phone call from Silas shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did.
I sat on the couch in the living room, staring at Callie’s phone still clutched in Braham’s hand. His eyes were still that dangerous gold color, his wolf barely contained beneath the surface.
Callie stood by the window, her arms crossed, while Renan paced near the fireplace.
"You believe him?" I asked, breaking the tense silence.
Braham's jaw tightened. "His information matches what I've already found. The surveillance. Martha's scent on the property. The timing."
"He could be setting us up," Callie said, her voice hard. "Silas isn't exactly known for his honesty."
"No," I said quietly. "But he's known for being a coward. And cowards don't usually set elaborate traps. They run."
Renan stopped pacing. "So what do we do? Wait for Martha to make her move?"
"No." Braham's voice was firm. "We don't wait. We prepare."
I stood up, my mind racing. "She's been watching us. Tracking when we go to Riverside Park. That's where she'll try something."
"Then we don't go to the park," Callie suggested.
"Or we do," Braham said slowly, looking at me. "But on our terms."
I understood immediately what he was suggesting, and my stomach clenched. "You want to use Leo as bait."
"Not bait," he corrected quickly. "Never bait. But we know Martha's pattern. We know where she'll expect us to be. If we're prepared, if we have security in place…"
"We can catch her in the act," Renan finished.
I shook my head, fear clawing at my chest. "That's my son. My baby. You're asking me to put him in danger."
"He's already in danger," Braham said gently, moving to stand in front of me. He took my hands in his. "Martha knows where we live. She's been watching us. The only difference is whether we control the situation or she does."
"I don't like this," I whispered.
"Neither do I." His eyes had returned to their normal color, but the intensity remained. "But Leo will never be alone. I'll be there. Renan will be there. We'll have wolves positioned throughout the park. Martha won't get within ten feet of him."
"And if something goes wrong?"
"It won't." His voice was absolute. "I won't let anything happen to our son. I swear it."
Our son. The words still made my heart skip.
"What about the police?" Callie asked. "Shouldn't we call them?"
"And tell them what?" I asked bitterly. "That my stepsister might be planning something? Based on a phone call from my ex-fiancé who has every reason to lie? They'll make a statement and do nothing."
"But if we catch her attempting to take Leo, with witnesses and evidence…" Renan's voice trailed off meaningfully.
"Then it's kidnapping," Braham finished. "Attempted abduction of a minor. That's serious jail time."
I closed my eyes, trying to calm the panic rising in my chest. Every maternal instinct I had was screaming at me to grab Leo and run. To hide him away where no one could ever hurt him.
But I couldn't run forever. I'd tried that once. It hadn't worked.
"Okay," I heard myself say. "But I have conditions."
Braham nodded. "Anything."
"I'm there. I don't care if it's safer for me to stay home or whatever argument you're about to make. I'm there."
"Agreed."
"And the second…the very second…anything feels wrong, we abort. Leo's safety comes before catching Martha."
"Of course."
I looked at Callie and Renan. "You're both okay with this?"
Callie's expression was grim, but she nodded. "I hate it. But Braham's right. Better to control the situation than wait for Martha to make her move when we're unprepared."
"I'll have a few sentinels ready," Renan said. "Plainclothes. Scattered throughout the park. She won't see us coming."
"When?" I asked.
Braham pulled out his phone, checking the time. "It's almost noon. Martha's pattern is between two and four. If she's planning something, it'll be today or tomorrow."
"Today," I said with certainty. "Silas said she left for a meeting twenty minutes before he called. She's meeting with that investigator. Getting final details."
"Then today," Braham agreed. He turned to Renan. "Get the team ready. Thirty minutes."
Renan nodded and pulled out his phone, already making calls as he walked toward the door.
Callie moved closer to me. "Are you sure about this?"
"No," I admitted. "I'm terrified. But what choice do I have? Let Martha lurk around my home, my family, until she finds an opening? I can't live like that. Leo can't live like that."
"You're stronger than you think, you know." She squeezed my hand. "But that doesn't mean you have to do this alone."
"I know." I managed a small smile. "Thank you. For everything."
She pulled me into a quick hug, then stepped back. "I'm going to stick close to Leo. Play the fun aunt. If anything happens, I'll get him out of there."
"Thank you," I whispered.
After she left to go upstairs where Leo was still playing, I turned to Braham. "Tell me the truth. Are we doing the right thing?"
He was quiet for a moment. "I don't know if it's right. But it's necessary. Martha won't stop, Millie. People like her… they don't give up. They escalate."
"I know." I wrapped my arms around myself. "I just… I keep thinking about him. Leo. He's so small. So innocent. He doesn't deserve any of this."
"No, he doesn't." Braham pulled me into his arms, and I let myself lean against him for just a moment. "But he has us. He has you. And I promise you, Millie… I will die before I let anything happen to him."
The words should have been dramatic, over the top. But the way Braham said them, the absolute certainty in his voice, I knew he meant every word.
"Don't die," I said, my voice muffled against his chest. "Just… keep him safe. Keep us both safe."
"Always."
We stood there for a long moment, drawing strength from each other. Then I pulled back.
"I should go talk to Leo. Explain that we're going to the park."
"Don't tell him about Martha," Braham said quickly. "He's too young to understand, and it'll only scare him."
"I know. I'll just… tell him it's a special park day. With extra friends around."
Braham nodded. "I'll coordinate with Renan. Make sure everyone knows their positions."
I started toward the stairs, then paused. "Braham?"
"Yeah?"
"What do we do after? When Martha's arrested. There's still Sabrina. Still the legal battles. Still…" I gestured helplessly. "All of it."
"We take it one step at a time," he said. "First, we protect Leo. Then we deal with the rest."
One step at a time. I could do that.
I climbed the stairs and found Leo in his room with Callie. He was building something elaborate with his blocks, his little face scrunched in concentration.
"Mama!" He looked up and beamed at me. "Look! I made a castle!"
"It's beautiful, baby." I sat down next to him, running my fingers through his soft hair. "Hey, how would you like to go to the park today?"
His eyes lit up. "Riverside Park? With the big slide?"
"That's the one."
"Yes!" He jumped up, blocks forgotten. "Can Braham come? And Aunt Callie?"
"We'll all come," I promised. "It'll be fun."
"Is Uncle Renan coming too?"
"Maybe," I said, which wasn't exactly a lie. Renan would be there, just… not obviously.
Leo started chattering excitedly about what he wanted to do at the park, and I tried to focus on his joy, his innocence. Tried not to think about what was coming.
Callie caught my eye over Leo's head, and I saw my own fear reflected back at me.
But I also saw determination.
We would protect him. Whatever it took.
Twenty minutes later, we were ready. Leo was dressed and bouncing with excitement. Callie had packed snacks and water. Braham was on the phone giving final instructions to his team.
I stood by the window, watching the street. Was Martha out there right now? In that beat-up Ford, watching us? Waiting for her chance?
"Millie." Braham appeared beside me. "It's time."
I took a deep breath and nodded.
"Remember," he said quietly. "You're not alone in this. I'm with you. Renan and the pack sentinels are with you. And the moment anything feels wrong…"
"We abort," I finished. "I know."
"Mama, come on!" Leo called from the hallway. "I wanna go!"
I forced a smile and turned from the window. "Coming, baby."
As we walked toward the door, Braham's hand found mine. He squeezed once, and I squeezed back.
One step at a time.
We could do this.
We had to.
Because the alternative…letting Martha get away with threatening my son…wasn't an option I was willing to accept.
Not anymore.
The moment we stepped outside and I saw the beat-up Ford parked down the street, barely visible behind another car, I knew.
She was watching.
She was waiting.
And we were ready for her.
- Writer
