Chapter 233
Lynette's POV
I let go of Kael's hand. My palm was still warm from his grip.
Twenty minutes. That was all the time we had left before his father's convoy rolled back into the territory.
I watched Kael spread the tactical map across the hood of his car. His finger traced the eastern gate, then the armory, then the council hall.
"Drake's got the east locked down. Natalia's on the weapons cache. I'll be waiting at the council hall when he arrives."
His finger stopped on the council hall marker. Just for a second. But I caught it.
That hesitation. That tiny crack in his armor.
I wanted to say something. Tell him it was going to be fine. But I didn't do reassurance. Never had.
Instead, I crossed my arms. "And me?"
"Perimeter surveillance. Keep an eye on the outer routes in case he tries to—"
"Run?" I raised an eyebrow. "Your father doesn't strike me as the running type."
Kael looked up. His amber eyes met mine.
"No. But he's smart. If he senses the trap, he'll try to regroup outside the territory first."
I nodded. Made sense.
But part of me hated it. Perimeter surveillance. That was scout work. Beta work.
I was a fucking Alpha. The Alpha. And here I was, stuck playing support while Kael walked into the lion's den.
My wolf stirred under my skin. Restless. Irritated.
I shoved the feeling down. This wasn't about ego. This was about strategy.
"Fine," I said. "But if things go sideways, I'm not waiting for your signal."
Kael's mouth twitched. Almost a smile.
"I wouldn't expect you to."
---
We drove back in Kael's sleek black SUV.
The checkpoint at the border came into view. Two guards stood at attention. The moment they saw Kael's car, they straightened up even more.
I pulled up behind him. Killed the engine.
One of the guards jogged over to Kael's window. Said something I couldn't hear. Then his face changed. Went tight.
Fuck.
I got out of the car. Walked over.
The guard was still talking. "—he abandoned the factory site. Left the damage control team and turned back. He knows something's wrong. ETA twenty minutes."
My stomach clenched.
Twenty minutes. Not three hours. Twenty fucking minutes.
The bastard had figured it out. The explosion was supposed to keep him pinned down for hours. But he'd smelled the trap and cut his losses.
I looked at Kael. His expression didn't change. But his hands tightened on the steering wheel. Knuckles going white.
"Then we move now," he said.
His voice was calm. Too calm.
I knew that tone. I'd used it myself a hundred times. When the plan goes to shit and you have to pretend everything's under control.
The guard nodded. Stepped back.
Kael's window rolled up. He pulled forward.
I got back in my car. Followed.
My heart was pounding now. Not fear. Just adrenaline. The pre-fight rush.
Twenty minutes to get everyone in position. Twenty minutes before the old Alpha walked into the trap.
I flexed my fingers on the wheel. Felt the wolf shift under my skin again.
Easy, I told her silently. Not yet.
---
The council hall loomed ahead. Stone steps. Heavy oak doors. The kind of building that screamed tradition and power.
Three elders stood on the steps. Waiting.
I recognized Elder Thomas from Kael's descriptions. Ancient. Weathered. The kind of man who'd seen a hundred Alphas rise and fall.
Kael parked at the base of the steps. I pulled up beside him.
When I got out, I felt it immediately. The tension in the air. Thick enough to choke on.
Guards were stationed at every corner. Some I recognized from the training ground this morning. Others were new faces.
All of them had their hands near their weapons.
I scanned the perimeter. Noted the sightlines. The cover points. The exits.
Old habits.
Elder Thomas walked down the steps. Stopped in front of Kael.
"Young Alpha," he said. His voice was gravel and smoke. "Your father seems to have sensed something. His convoy turned back early."
Kael didn't blink. "Good. Saves me the wait."
I almost laughed. Almost.
The old man's eyes flicked to me. Lingered for a moment.
I stared back. Didn't look away.
He grunted. Turned back to Kael.
"The guards are in position. The moment he arrives, we'll convene the formal challenge."
Kael nodded.
I stayed two steps behind him. Close enough to move if I needed to. Far enough to not crowd him.
This was his fight. His territory. His father.
But if things went wrong, I wasn't going to stand there and watch him die.
---
The doors to the council hall flew open.
Alpha Harrington stormed in. Two bodyguards flanking him.
He was bigger than I expected. Not just tall—broad. The kind of build that came from decades of dominance. His hair was graying at the temples, but his eyes were sharp. Predatory.
Those eyes swept the room. Landed on the elders. On the guards. On Kael.
Then on me.
I felt his gaze like a physical weight. Assessing. Measuring.
I didn't flinch.
His mouth curled into something that wasn't quite a smile.
"Drake locked down the east gate," he said. His voice was deep. Controlled. "Natalia's sitting on the armory. And you're here, playing Alpha." He took a step forward. "You think you're staging a coup, boy?"
Kael stood his ground. "Not a coup. A challenge. According to tradition."
The old Alpha laughed. It was a harsh sound. No humor in it.
"Tradition." He spat the word like it tasted bad. "You think you can invoke tradition against me? I built this pack. I've led it for twenty-three years."
"And you've broken its laws for profit."
The room went silent.
I watched the old Alpha's face. Saw the flicker of panic before he buried it.
Good. He was rattled.
Victoria stepped out from the side door. She moved like a ghost. Silent. Deliberate.
She stopped beside the elders. Looked at her ex-husband.
"The council has voted, Harrington. We're supporting Kael's challenge."
For a second, I thought the old Alpha was going to explode.
His hands clenched into fists. His jaw worked.
Then he laughed again. Louder this time.
"Supporting him?" He looked at the elders. "You old fools. You have no idea what you're doing."
Elder Thomas stepped forward. His voice was steady.
"We know exactly what we're doing. You've violated pack law. Embezzled funds. Forced the Harrison factory into dangerous overproduction. The explosion this morning is proof of your negligence."
"Negligence?" The old Alpha's voice rose. "I did what needed to be done! You think this pack survives on good intentions? On playing by the rules?"
"It doesn't survive by risking innocent lives," Kael said.
His voice was cold. Harder than I'd ever heard it.
The old Alpha turned to him. Really looked at him.
"You think you're ready for this? You think you can lead?"
"I know I can."
The tension ratcheted up another notch. I could feel it crawling across my skin.
I shifted my weight. Balanced on the balls of my feet.
One of the old Alpha's bodyguards moved. Just a fraction. His hand drifting toward his waistband.
My wolf surged forward. I felt my eyes flash gold.
The bodyguard froze. Looked at me.
I tilted my head. Just slightly.
Try it, my expression said. See what happens.
He lowered his hand.
Smart man.
The old Alpha's voice cut through the silence.
"You want to challenge me?" He stepped closer to Kael. Close enough that I could see the veins standing out on his neck. "Fine. Prove you're strong enough."
Kael didn't move.
"I will."