Chapter 12
Zoren
The scent of jasmine and moonlight clung to my skin as I left our bedroom, Lyrian's peaceful sleeping form still fresh in my mind. His honesty about his empathic abilities had changed something between us and deepened our connection in ways I hadn't expected. But right now, I had to focus on the message that had just come through.
"Tell me," I commanded, entering the secure command center where Viktor waited.
I wished I didn’t have to do this. I wished I could be doing anything else, wished I could be with my mate, but right now, it just wasn’t an option.
"The Crimson Fangs sent an... interesting proposal." Viktor handed me a tablet. What did they want this time? I asked myself. "They want to merge territories."
I scanned the document, feeling my wolf bristle at the underlying threat. Merge territories? Really? Did they think I was stupid?
"They're not proposing a merger. They're offering protection in exchange for submission. That's what this is really about."
"Yes. They know about the internal dissent. They’re trying to capitalize on this, and we need to stop it before it’s too late. People like them can sense weakness from miles away."
Of course they were trying to do that. The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence. It couldn't be anything else. They were going to pay the price for trying to go against my cartel, though.
"Who leaked the information about what's really going on behind the scenes?" I asked, though I already had my suspicions.
"Elena's second, Mason. We caught him making a call an hour ago." Viktor's expression darkened. "He's in the holding cells."
I nodded, unsurprised. I'd sensed Elena's growing frustration, but I hadn't expected her to be careless enough to let her subordinate act so recklessly. She was going to learn what always happened when someone disappointed me.
"And Elena?"
"Claims no knowledge. Her emotions read true, according to our empaths."
I almost smiled at that. After learning about Lyrian's abilities, I'd gained a new appreciation for emotional manipulation. Our cartel empaths were skilled, but they weren't on his level.
So, what she said was true, but it still didn't change what I was going to do.
"Bring her to me anyway. I want to be certain."
As if sensing my thoughts, I felt a gentle brush against my consciousness—Lyrian checking on me through our bond. His presence was soothing, but I couldn't afford to be soothed right now. I had something more important to do.
"Sir," Viktor hesitated, "there's more. The Crimson Fangs' leader, Reyes... he included a personal note." He pulled up another document. "He says he knows about Mr. Larimar's condition. Says he can offer better protection than we can, given our current... instability."
The temperature in the room dropped twenty degrees as my rage built. Reyes was playing a dangerous game.
Not to mention, did he really think he could do that? It was a ridiculous notion.
"He threatens my mate?" My voice was deadly quiet. It didn't truly show the rage boiling within me. It was almost uncontrollable.
"Not explicitly. But the implication..."
"Get me everything we have on Reyes. Family, properties, and business interests. Everything. Do not disappoint me."
"Already done." Viktor pulled up several files. "There's something interesting. His younger sister is a lunar-blessed omega."
That stopped me cold. "What?"
Wait, what again? That revelation? All of a sudden? Was something happening here I was unaware of?
"Kept it very quiet. She's been hidden away in their mountain compound for years. But our sources confirm it."
I leaned back, pieces clicking into place. Reyes wasn't just making a power play—he was looking for a way to protect his own secrets.
He wanted to know more about what we were doing so he could use that information to his advantage. It was clever, but it wasn’t going to work—not as long as I was around.
"Sir?" Viktor prompted when I remained silent.
"Call an emergency meeting. Full council, one hour."
"Everyone will be asleep—"
"Then wake them up. And Viktor? Make sure the room is swept for bugs. Again."
We couldn't afford more people finding out what was really going on behind the scenes. We had to be careful. I wasn't worried, but still had to take every precaution possible.
As Viktor left, I reached for my phone, pulling up the secure messaging app Lyrian and I used.
'You awake?' I typed.
His response was immediate. 'I felt your anger. What's wrong?'
'Need your insight on something. Can you come to my office?'
There was a pause. 'The babies are restless. Come to me instead?'
I smiled despite the situation. He knew I couldn't resist any request that involved protecting him and our children.
It was smarter that he came to me, but I wasn't going to deny his request. He wanted to see me in person, so I was going there to see him.
Ten minutes later, I was explaining the situation while Lyrian sat cross-legged on our bed, his hands resting on his growing belly. It was bigger now.
"Reyes has a lunar-blessed sister," he said. "That... changes things."
"How so?"
"The Lunar Harvesters don't discriminate. They'll hunt anyone with the gift, regardless of their connections. His sister isn't safe, even with his protection."
"You think he knows this?"
Lyrian's eyes met mine, glowing softly in the dim light. "I think he's desperate. I can feel it even from here—his fear, how uncertain he feels. He's reaching out the only way he knows how."
I sat beside him, placing my hand over his on his stomach. Our children's magic pulsed in response, strong and vital.
"You want to help him," I realized.
I wasn't on board with that. Not fully, but with the right words, I could be convinced.
"I want to help his sister," Lyrian corrected. "And... it might be the solution to your cartel problems."
I raised an eyebrow. "Explain."
"Instead of fighting the Crimson Fangs, ally with them. Not from a position of weakness, but strength. Offer real protection, not just for his territory, but for his sister. The Nightshade Wolves already have experience protecting a lunar-blessed omega."
The strategic implications unfolded in my mind. "It would strengthen our position, not weaken it. And with their resources..."
"We'd be better equipped to fight the real enemy—the Harvesters."
I pulled him closer, inhaling his scent. "When did you become such a tactician?"
"I've always been one. I had to be, to survive." His hand came up to cup my cheek. He wasn't wrong about that, given the kind of life he had before meeting me. "But now I have something worth fighting for, not just running from. And it's you and our babies."
The council meeting that followed was... interesting. Especially when I had Elena brought in first.
"Mason acted alone," she insisted, her face pale but determined. She was scared of me. She didn't want to show it, but I could smell it.
I studied her, remembering what Lyrian had taught me about reading people's emotions. There were some things I could make use of in this moment.
"I believe you. But your opposition to my recent decisions created an environment where he felt safe betraying us. You should have thought about that before doing the things you did."
She swallowed hard. "What are you going to do?"
"Give you a chance to prove your loyalty. The situation has changed. We're not just protecting my family anymore—we're becoming something bigger."
As the other council members arrived, I laid out the new strategy. Not just an alliance with the Crimson Fangs, but a complete restructuring of how we operated. A lot was going to change.
"The Lunar Harvesters are a threat to all of us," I concluded. "Not just to my mate, but to anyone with lunar-blessed blood. We're going to become their worst nightmare."
"And Reyes?" Romano asked. "You trust him?"
"No. But I trust his love for his sister. Just as you all trust my love for Lyrian."
Understanding dawned on their faces. They'd seen what I was willing to do to protect my mate. Now they'd see what another alpha would do to protect his sister.
"The cartel will change again," I announced. "But not into a mere security force. We're becoming something more powerful—a safe place for those the Harvesters would prey upon, and a weapon against those who would harm our own."
One by one, they nodded. Even Elena and Romano seemed to understand what I felt. There was still going to be opposition, just less than before.
"Viktor, arrange a meeting with Reyes. Neutral ground, full security. And send him a message—tell him his sister is welcome here, under my personal protection."
Did I think he was going to understand me and that everything would be okay between us? No, I didn’t expect it to be that easy, but it was worth a try.
As the council dispersed, I felt Lyrian's approval through our bond. He understood, better than anyone, what this meant.