Chapter 169

ASHER

The moment Isabella stepped through the door, I could tell something was off. She was trying hard to mask it—busy herself with Luca, keeping her hands and mind occupied—but I could see it. I knew her too well.

She didn’t say much when she came in, just gave a tired smile and scooped Luca up like he was her lifeline. That alone told me more than I needed to know. It wasn’t just the exhaustion from her day; something heavier was weighing her down.

As I watched from the other side of the room, I exchanged a look with Knox and Jax. Spencer had been with her, and the way he lingered around us made me suspect something had happened. Eventually, Knox asked him outright, his voice low but firm, "Did something happen?"

Spencer hesitated for a second before answering, glancing towards the living room where Isabella was playing with Luca. “You’ll have to ask her. It’s... complicated.”

Great. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I hated being in the dark, especially about something that had to do with my mate and my son.

We waited until after Luca was in bed. There was no way we were going to press her in front of him. But as soon as the kid was tucked away, we gathered in the kitchen. The tension was thick enough to choke on.

Isabella came in, looking a bit hesitant but clearly expecting us to ask her something. She knew how we operated, and I wasn’t about to hold back.

"What happened today?" I asked, my voice coming out sharper than I intended. "Spencer said you ran into your mother. What did she say?"

Her face tightened slightly, and she crossed her arms, leaning against the counter. She wasn’t one to shy away from difficult conversations, but I could tell this one was different. It felt personal, like something she’d been wrestling with internally all day.

“She showed up outside the meeting,” Isabella said, her tone calm but firm. “She warned me—about Luca.”

I could feel my blood start to boil, even before she got the rest of the sentence out. A warning? About our son? I clenched my fists under the table, every instinct in me wanting to protect what was mine.

“She’s worried he’ll turn,” Isabella continued, her eyes flickering to me for a moment. “That one day he’ll become a wolf. And if he does... she said hunters will come for him.”

Hunters. The word felt like acid in my veins. I’d always known the possibility existed, that there were people out there who wanted to harm our kind, but hearing it applied to Luca—my son—was a different kind of rage. A violent, primal fury I couldn’t control.

“They’re not going to touch him,” I growled, already feeling the heat rising in my chest. “I’ll end them before they even get close.”

“Asher—” Isabella started, but I was already standing, my hands slamming down onto the kitchen table as my mind raced.

“We need to strike first,” I said, pacing the length of the room. “Find them before they find us. Emilia’s making threats, but I’m not waiting for anyone to come after my family.”

Jax was the first to step in, blocking my path. “Asher, listen to her.”

“I don’t need to listen—” I started, but Jax cut me off.

“Yes, you do.” His voice was firm, with that steady calm he always used when he needed to defuse a situation. “Isabella’s right. We can’t go in headfirst. We have to be smarter than them. This isn’t just about brute force.”

I glanced at him, incredulous. Was he serious? “Smarter? They’re threatening my son. Our son.”

Isabella’s voice broke through before Jax could respond, soft but steady. “I’m not saying we sit back and wait. But if we charge into this, if you go after them now without thinking... you’re playing right into their hands.”

I stared at her, breathing hard, my body buzzing with adrenaline. How could she be so calm? This was Luca. Our kid. “And what? You want me to sit here and do nothing while hunters are out there, watching us?”

“I’m saying,” she said, walking closer to me, “that we need to be smart. My mother... she’s dangerous, but she’s also strategic. If we react without thinking, she wins. We need a plan.”

Jax nodded, backing her up. “You know she’s right, Asher. We can’t afford mistakes. Not with Luca’s life on the line.”

I felt cornered, like I was being asked to sit still while wolves circled my family. I hated it. Every part of me screamed to act, to do something. But I knew they were right, too. It would take more than brute strength to protect Luca from this.

“I’m not sitting around doing nothing,” I muttered, meeting Jax’s gaze, then Isabella’s. “But I won’t act impulsively.”

Outwardly, I agreed with them. But deep down, my mind was already turning, formulating a plan. I wasn’t about to wait for them to come after us. I’d protect my family, no matter the cost.

Let them think I was playing it safe.

EMILIA

I paced the dimly lit room, my fingers trailing along the smooth edge of the table as I spoke quietly to the man sitting across from me. His eyes followed my every movement, sharp and calculating.

"The plan is in motion," I said, pausing to glance out the window, where shadows stretched long against the night. "Isabella’s beginning to see the bigger picture, even if she doesn’t realize it yet. She’s the key to everything. Once she starts doubting her ties to them... she’ll come to us."

He leaned back, folding his arms as a smirk played on his lips. "And the boy? Luca?"

I couldn’t help the cold smile that spread across my face. "He’ll be the tipping point. Whether he turns or not, it doesn’t matter. They won’t be able to protect him forever."

Silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken anticipation, until he broke it, his voice low and dark. "And if Isabella doesn’t come willingly?"

I felt the darkness stir inside me, a flash of something dangerous crossing my mind. "Then we take her."

I let the words linger, the threat heavy in the air, knowing full well that the storm we were about to unleash was only just beginning.