Chapter 151: Catherine’s Revenge

The Council called emergency meeting. Everyone present. Everyone worried.

“Catherine Crane escaped three months ago. We believe she’s leading the New Order. Or at least working with them.” I addressed everyone. Still angry at The Elder. “We need to find her. Stop her. Before she strikes.”

“The New Order has been quiet. Just disappearances. No attacks yet. Why?” Marcus asked.

“Because they’re building. Recruiting. Preparing. When they attack it’ll be big. Coordinated. Deadly.” Nina analyzed. “We need to hit them first.”

“We can’t hit what we can’t find. We don’t know where they are. Where Catherine is. Where their base is.” Sarah pointed out.

“Then we make them come to us. We set a trap. Use bait they can’t resist.” Luna suggested.

“What kind of bait?” Cole asked.

Luna looked at Thomas. Everyone understood.

“No. Absolutely not. We’re not using my grandson as bait.” I shut it down immediately.

“I volunteer. I want to help.” Thomas spoke up. Brave. Stupid.

“You’re five years old. You don’t get to volunteer for suicide missions.” Luna was firm with him.

“I’m five but I look fifteen. I’m smart. I’m powerful. I can help.” Thomas argued.

“The answer is no. Final. We find another way.” Derek supported Luna. United parents.

“What if we fake it? Make them think Thomas is vulnerable. But actually he’s protected. Surrounded. Safe.” Maya offered alternative.

“Fake bait. Real trap. Could work.” Dimitri considered it. “We spread word that Thomas is training alone. Isolated location. Minimal guards. Easy target.”

“They’d see through it. Too obvious. Too convenient.” Cole didn’t like it.

“Unless we make it look real. Actually send Thomas somewhere. Actually reduce guards. But have backup hidden. Ready to strike.” Nina refined the plan.

“Still too risky. If backup is too far. If Thomas gets taken before we react. If something goes wrong.” I hated every version of this plan.

“Every plan has risks. Every option is dangerous. But doing nothing is worse. They’ll attack eventually. On their terms. Their timing. Their advantage.” Luna was right. Frustratingly right.

“Fine. But we do it smart. We prepare. We cover every possibility. We protect Thomas with everything we have.” I agreed reluctantly.

We spent two days planning. Every detail. Every contingency. Every backup plan.

Thomas would train at an old cabin. Remote. Isolated. With only two guards visible. But fifty wolves hidden nearby. Ready to attack.

We spread rumors. Let information leak. Made it look accidental but deliberate.

“New Order will hear about it. They’ll investigate. They’ll consider attacking.” Andres monitored chatter. Dark web. Secret channels. “They’re interested. They’re discussing it.”

“Good. Let them plan. Let them prepare. We’ll be ready.” I checked weapons. Silver bullets. Enchanted blades. Everything.

Three days after we set the trap Catherine made contact. Text message. Directly to me.

“Hello, granddaughter. Heard you’re training my great grandson. How sweet. Family teaching family. Too bad I wasn’t invited. Too bad you locked me up. Too bad you chose monsters over humanity. But I forgive you. I’ll even give you a chance. Bring Thomas to me. Willingly. And I’ll let everyone else live. Refuse and I’ll kill everyone you love. Slowly. Painfully. Starting with your mother. Yes. I know Margaret is alive. I know where she is. I know how to kill her. Permanently. You have twenty four hours. Decide. Family or monsters. Blood or beasts. Choose wisely.”

I showed everyone.

“She has Mom? She knows where Margaret is?” I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.

“Where is Margaret? Where was she today?” Sarah asked.

I called my mother. No answer. Called again. Nothing. Called her house. Her friends. Her usual places. Nobody had seen her.

“She’s gone. Catherine has her. Really has her.” Panic set in.

“We don’t know that for sure. Margaret is powerful. She can protect herself.” Cole tried to calm me.

“Against a surprise attack? Against someone she trusted? Catherine was her mother in law. Family. Margaret wouldn’t suspect her.” I was spiraling.

My phone rang. Video call. Unknown number. I answered.

Catherine appeared. Smiling. Evil. And behind her. My mother. Tied up. Gagged. Unconscious.

“See? I told you. I have her. And unless you bring Thomas to me. Unless you trade. She dies. Painfully. Slowly. While you watch.” Catherine touched my mother’s face. Mocking. Cruel.

“Don’t hurt her. Please. Tell me what you want.” I begged.

“I want Thomas. I want the bloodline ended. I want the prophecy stopped. I want supernatural beings controlled. Just like I always wanted.” Catherine was calm. Certain. “The New Order agrees. They want the same. Together we’ll finish what the Covenant started.”

“If I bring Thomas. You’ll let Mom go? You’ll leave everyone else alone?” I tried to negotiate.

“I’ll let Margaret go. Can’t promise about everyone else. The New Order has plans. Big plans. But Margaret lives if you comply. Dies if you don’t. Simple.” Catherine shrugged.

“Where? Where do I bring him?”

“I’ll send coordinates. Come alone. Just you and Thomas. Anyone else. Margaret dies. Any tricks. Margaret dies. Any backup. Margaret dies. Understood?” Catherine was clear. Absolute.

“Understood.”

“Good. You have twelve hours. Don’t be late.” Catherine ended the call.

I looked at everyone. At Luna. At Thomas. At my family.

“I have to go. Have to save her. Have to try.” I decided.

“Then I’m coming with you.” Luna stood. “We do this together.”

“Me too.” Sarah and Maya together. United.

“The call said just Lita and Thomas. Anyone else and Margaret dies.” Cole reminded us.

“Then I go alone with Thomas. The rest of you follow. Far back. Hidden. Ready to strike when needed.” I planned. “We save Mom. We stop Catherine. We end this.”

“And if it goes wrong? If Catherine kills Margaret anyway? If the New Order attacks? If we all die?” Nina asked the hard questions.

“Then we die trying. But we try. Because that’s what family does. That’s what Luna Triad does. That’s who we are.” I looked at Thomas. “You ready for this?”

“I’m ready. Let’s save great grandma. Let’s stop Catherine. Let’s win.” Thomas was brave. Too brave for five years old.

Twelve hours until the meeting. Twelve hours to prepare. Twelve hours to save my mother.

Or twelve hours until we all died trying.