Chapter 10
Zoren
Blood still stained my hands as I stood before the assembled leaders of the Nightshade Wolves. I hadn't bothered to clean up after the garage incident—let them see the consequence of failure. Let them understand exactly what was at stake. Otherwise, I would be a failure as a leader.
My top lieutenants filled the war room, thirty of the most dangerous supernatural criminals in the city. Usually, they carried themselves with arrogance. Tonight, they could barely meet my eyes. Good. They needed to be afraid. They needed to be reminded that I required excellence and only it.
"Three hours ago," I said, my voice cutting through the tense silence, "someone betrayed us. Someone in this organization sold information about my mate to our enemies. The Lunar Harvesters nearly took what's mine."
Power rolled off me in waves, making even Viktor shift uncomfortably. I knew he wasn't to blame. After all, he was with me before the incident happened.
The wolf in me wanted blood, wanted to tear apart everyone until I found the traitor. But I needed to be smarter than that. Lyrian and our children deserved better than blind rage.
"I want names," I continued, placing my bloodied hands on the table. "I want to know every person who's had access to information about Lyrian's movements. Every guard, every informant, every cleaning staff member. Everyone."
"Sir," Marcus, my intelligence chief, stepped forward with a tablet. "I've already compiled the list. Seventy-three individuals had varying degrees of access to Mr. Larimar's schedule or location data."
Mr. Larimar… The last name would soon change, but it wasn't important right now.
"Narrow it down. Who knew about the pregnancy?"
"Twelve, excluding this room."
I nodded. "Those twelve don't see morning unless they can prove their innocence. Viktor, handle it personally."
Most weren't going to find that fair, but I didn't care. Lyrian's life was at stake.
"Already in progress," Viktor replied. He understood the gravity of the situation. "We've contained eleven. One is missing—James Cooper, junior security coordinator."
The name slammed into place. Cooper. New money, ambitious, had been pushing for more responsibility. I should have seen it sooner.
"Find him," I ordered, letting my alpha power flood the room. "But first, we're implementing Protocol Zero."
A collective intake of breath followed my words. Protocol Zero hadn't been used since I took control of the cartel. It meant complete lockdown, total reorganization, and brutal efficiency.
"Sir," Viktor cautioned, "that will disrupt all our operations. Our partners—"
"Will deal with it," I cut him off. "Anyone who objects can take their business elsewhere. My mate and children come first. Always."
I pulled up the city map on the main display, marking key points with quick gestures.
"I want our territory split into four zones, each with its own security detail reporting directly to Viktor. No information passes between zones without my personal authorization. All electronic communications are to be routed through our new encrypted system."
Marcus typed with his usual efficiency, implementing the changes in real-time. "What about our legitimate businesses?"
"Shut them down for now. Anything that can't be closed gets new staff—people we've vetted personally. No one who had any previous contact with Lyrian stays in position."
"The economic impact—" someone started to protest.
I didn't care about that, and he should already know.
I slammed my hand down, cracking the solid oak table. "I don't care if we lose every penny. Money can be replaced. My family cannot."
The room fell silent again. They were starting to understand that this wasn't just business anymore. This was personal.
I was putting my family above the business, but I didn't care. If they wanted things to be different, they'd have to take me out. However, none of them would ever try something like that.
"Viktor, I want our best trackers finding Cooper. When you locate him, don't move in. Call me. I'll handle him myself."
"Yes, sir."
"Marcus, activate our sleeper agents in every major institution—police, hospitals, city hall. I want to know if anyone so much as whispers the name Larimar or Lunar Harvester."
"What about Mae?" Viktor asked. "She's essential for the pregnancy, but her clinic is outside our usual territory."
I'd already considered this. Nothing could happen without my knowledge.
"Her clinic closes tomorrow. She moves into the compound's east wing. Full protection, full salary, whatever she needs. My children will have the best care possible."
The pieces were falling into place in my mind. Every vulnerability addressed, every potential threat anticipated. But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough until Lyrian and our children were absolutely safe.
"One more thing," I said, pulling up another screen. "Release the Shade Protocol to our allied packs."
This caused actual gasps. The Shade Protocol was our nuclear option—a complete sharing of intelligence and resources between allied supernatural groups. It had never been implemented before, but this situation was unique and it required solutions we thought we would never even consider.
"All of it?" Marcus asked.
"All of it. I want every pack, every coven, every supernatural entity in this city looking for Lunar Harvesters. Offer whatever bounties necessary. They are hunting my mate, so I'm going to hunt them in return."
I could feel the shift in the room as my officers realized just how far I was willing to go. The Nightshade Wolves were no longer just a cartel—we were becoming an army.
It meant more scrutiny from the local governments, but at the moment, I didn't care. It was hard to focus on that when something more important was at stake.
"Sir," Viktor approached me privately as the others began implementing my orders. "The level of resources we're committing..."
"Is necessary," I finished for him. "You saw what happened today. They got too close, Viktor. They almost took him."
"I understand. But this level of protection, it's unprecedented. Some might see it as weakness, as fear."
I turned to my oldest friend and most trusted lieutenant. "Let them. Anyone who mistakes my love for my mate as a weakness will learn exactly how wrong they are. I'm not protecting Lyrian because I'm afraid. I'm protecting him because everything I am belongs to him and our children. The cartel, my power, my life—it's all theirs. And I'll burn this city to the ground before I let anyone threaten that."
Viktor nodded, accepting the truth in my words. "What do you need from me?"
"Find Cooper. Find whoever he worked with. Find every single person who thought they could profit from threatening my family. I want to send a message that will echo through the world for generations."
"And the message is?"
I smiled, letting my wolf show in my eyes. "Touch what's mine, and death will be the kindest fate you can hope for."
◆◆◆
"You're going to start a war," Romano growled from across the table. "The Crimson Fangs are already testing our eastern border, taking advantage of our diverted resources. We can't keep doing what you ask."
I didn't look up from the security reports in front of me. Romano had been increasingly vocal about his disapproval over the past few days, and I was getting tired of it. Let him complain. He wasn't going to change my mind.
"Let them test," I replied, my voice calm despite the turbulent situation. "They'll learn why that's a mistake."
"With what forces?" Elena, our finance director, interjected. "Half our men are tied up in protective details. Our legitimate businesses are bleeding money. Three of our major clients have already jumped ship to other cartels."
Now I did look up, letting my alpha power seep into the room. The temperature dropped several degrees. "Are you suggesting that our profits are more important than my mate's safety?"
If that was what she was thinking, she disappointed me. She should have known better.
Elena paled but held her ground. I had to admire her courage, even if it was misplaced. "I'm suggesting that there won't be a cartel left to protect anyone if we continue like this. The Nightshade Wolves—"
"The Nightshade Wolves," I cut in, "exist to serve my will. Or have you forgotten who built this organization from nothing? Who turned us from a street gang into the most powerful cartel in the city, despite the failures of our past leaders?"
"No one's forgetting that," Viktor said from his position by the door. He'd been quiet until now, observing. "But they have a point about how vulnerable we are becoming. The other cartels see us pulling back, consolidating. They think we're weak."
"Then they're idiots," I stated. "Tell me, Viktor, what happened to the Crimson Fangs' scouts who crossed our border last night?"
A small smile crossed Viktor's face. "They never made it back to report."
"Exactly." I stood, planting my hands on the table and leaning forward. Even though I was prioritizing my family, it didn't mean we were getting weaker. "I've reduced our territory by 15% percent, yes. But what remains is a fortress. Every inch is monitored, every approach covered. We're not weaker—we're concentrated. Lethal."
"But our influence—" Romano started.
"Our influence," I snarled, "means nothing if we can't protect what matters most. The Lunar Harvesters infiltrated us once. They won't get a second chance."
"This isn't just about the Harvesters anymore," Elena argued. "Your mate—"
"Choose your next words very carefully," I warned, letting my eyes shift to wolf-gold. The air crackled with tension.
She swallowed hard but continued. "Your mate's safety has become our only priority. The cartel's original purpose—"
"Has evolved," I finished. "You want to talk about the cartel's purpose? Fine. Let me be crystal clear: The Nightshade Wolves now exist for one reason—to protect my family. Anyone who has a problem with that is welcome to leave. Immediately."
The threat in my voice was unmistakable. Several members shifted uncomfortably. I didn't have time to keep arguing. We should be focusing on protecting ourselves and nothing else.
"No one's leaving," Viktor said, trying to calm everyone down, but I didn't know if it was going to work. "But we need to address the growing dissent among the rank and file. They don't understand the changes."
"Then make them understand." My voice was cold. "Tell them about Cooper, about what happens to traitors. Show them the photos."
Cooper's fate had been... instructive. The memory of dealing with him still brought satisfaction.
"Most of our people are loyal," Romano admitted grudgingly. "But they're also ambitious. They joined a cartel, not a private security force. You need to have that in mind, boss."
I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You think that's all we've become? Look closer. Every rival who tests us dies. Every business that abandons us fails. We're not just protecting—we're sending a message. Cross the Nightshade Wolves, and you won't live to regret it."
"And what about the ones who haven't crossed us?" Elena asked. "Our allies? They're getting nervous."
"I don't care. Let them be nervous. Let them wonder what I'll do to protect what's mine. Fear is a powerful motivator."
The room fell silent as they absorbed my words. I could smell their unease, their reluctant acceptance. They were starting to understand that this wasn't a temporary situation—this was the new normal.
As long as I was in charge, this was how things were going to be like. If they didn’t like it, they could try to remove me from my position, but it wouldn’t work.
"Sir," Viktor stepped forward. "What are your orders regarding the southern district? The Shannon crew is asking for protection payments again."
I smiled, and several people flinched. They knew that smile. "Tell them they have twenty-four hours to clear out. That territory is too close to Mae's new clinic for my comfort. If they resist, burn them out."
"That'll start a turf war," Romano warned.
"No," I corrected him. "It'll end one before it begins. I won't have potential threats operating anywhere near my mate or our healer."
More uneasy glances were exchanged. I'd had enough.
"Listen here, you fools. This cartel will change. It will adapt. Some of you won't like it. Some of you will resist it. But know this—I will sacrifice everything and everyone to keep my family safe. If that makes you uncomfortable, there's the door. Just remember – you either leave this organization in a coffin, or you leave with nothing."
The message was received. One by one, they nodded, even Romano and Elena. They might not like it, but they understood. The Nightshade Wolves were transforming, becoming something new, something more focused and deadly.
And if anyone thought they could use this transformation as an opportunity to challenge my leadership... well, Cooper's fate would seem merciful in comparison.
They didn't want to get on my bad side. There was a reason I remained in power: I was stronger than all of them combined.
"Viktor," I called as the others filed out. "Double the guards on Lyrian's wing. I smell fear in this room, and fear makes people stupid."
He nodded, understanding what I wasn't saying. Watch them all. Trust no one.