Chapter 156 The Journey Home
Ryder POV
I watch Jolie coordinate refugee housing from across the compound.
She's everywhere at once—checking on injured wolves, reassuring the traumatized, organizing supply distribution. Her light flickers constantly as she uses her empathy gift to calm panicked refugees and assess emotional damage. She's exhausted, I can feel it through our bond but she won't stop.
"She's going to burn out." Luna appears beside me, following my gaze. "She's been using her empathy gift nonstop for hours. Her body can't sustain that."
"I know." I've tried three times to get her to rest. "But she won't listen until everyone else is settled."
"Then we settle everyone faster." Luna pulls up her tablet. "I'll coordinate with the allied packs. Redwood is sending supply trucks, Silverpine is providing financial support for expansion, Nightrunner has scouts monitoring Council movements. Between all of us, we can get these refugees stable within twenty-four hours."
"What about the Academy graduates?" I gesture toward where Celeste, Marina, and Cara are working together. "They need specialized care, not just housing."
"Doc is working on protocols." She makes notes. "Using what Celeste remembers from before conditioning combined with current psychological research. It's experimental, but it's better than nothing."
"How long until they're functional?" I ask.
"Depends on what you mean by functional." She looks up. "Celeste can already perform basic tasks, coordinate activities, work alongside others. But actual emotional healing? Years, probably. Maybe decades for the ones who were conditioned youngest."
"That's what I was afraid of." I watch Cara trying to comfort a crying refugee, her face showing confusion at her own desire to help. "The Council didn't just hurt them. They fundamentally changed who they are."
"Which is why we need to destroy every Academy facility." Luna's voice hardens. "Make sure they never condition another child. Speaking of which, Montana raid is scheduled for tomorrow night. Are we still going?"
"Yes." I say it without hesitation. "Knox and Cass are recovered enough to coordinate from here. We have rogues committed, plus warriors from the allied packs. We hit Montana, extract the four captives, destroy the facility completely."
"And send a message." She adds. "That the Council's breeding program is over. That divine wolves fight back."
"Exactly." I scan the compound again, counting wolves. "How many fighters do we have total now?"
"Seventy-three." She pulls up numbers. "Iron Fangs core group, allied pack warriors, rogues who've joined us, and ten Nightshade refugees who have combat training. It's not a massive army, but it's enough for coordinated strikes."
"More than I expected." I admit. "Few days ago we were just Iron Fangs. Now we're leading a coalition."
"That's what happens when you mate the Moonfire Luna." Luna smiles slightly. "She inspires loyalty just by existing. Wolves look at her and see hope. See proof that divine abilities aren't threats. See someone who survived abuse and chose to help others survive too."
"She'd hate hearing you say that." I point out. "She thinks she's just doing what needs to be done."
"Which is exactly why wolves follow her." Luna closes her tablet. "She's not power-hungry or manipulative. She's just someone who cares deeply and acts on that caring. That's rare. Especially among alphas."
"She's not an alpha." I correct automatically.
"Isn't she?" Luna challenges. "She leads, she protects, she makes strategic decisions that affect the whole pack. What else would you call her?"
"Luna." I say it firmly. "She's Luna. My Luna. That's all she needs to be."
"If you say so." But Luna's smile suggests she disagrees. "Though I think Jolie is becoming something more than traditional pack roles account for. Something new."
Before I can respond, Gio jogs over looking urgent."We've got incoming." He points toward the gates. "Three vehicles, moving fast."
"Battle stations." I order immediately. "Get the refugees inside, defensive positions around the perimeter."
Wolves scramble into action. The refugees disappear into buildings, warriors taking up positions with weapons ready.
Jolie comes beside me. “Who is it?"
"Don't know yet." I keep my eyes on the approaching vehicles. "But they're driving like they're being pursued."
The vehicles roar through our gates and skid to stops. Doors fly open and wolves pour out—fifteen total, all looking terrified and exhausted."Please!" A woman in the lead falls to her knees. "Please, we need sanctuary! They're coming for us!"
"Who's coming?" Jolie moves forward despite my warning hand.
"Council enforcers." The woman gasps. "We escaped from the California facility. They've been hunting us for two days. We heard the Moonfire Luna was offering protection"
"You escaped?" Jolie kneels beside her. "From a Council facility? How?"
"When word spread about what happened at Nightshade." Another wolf joins them. "About you exposing the Academy, about the breeding program being revealed. The guards panicked. Started talking about evacuating, destroying evidence. Some of us saw an opportunity and ran."
"How many of you?" I ask.
"Fifteen from California." The woman looks up. "But we know there are more trying to escape from other facilities. Montana, Nevada, smaller operations scattered across territories. Everyone heard what you did. Everyone knows the Council is vulnerable now."
"The Council is hunting escaped captives." Jolie's voice is tight. "How close are they?"
"Maybe fifteen minutes behind us." The woman trembles. "They have, suppression collars, orders to recapture or kill anyone who ran. Please, you have to help us."
"We will." Jolie helps her stand. "Everyone inside. Doc will check for injuries. We'll handle the enforcers."
"There are at least thirty of them." Another escapee warns. "Armed and organized. This isn't a small team. This is a hunting party."
"Good." I bare my teeth. "Let them come. They'll learn what happens when they hunt on Iron Fangs territory."
"Defensive positions!" Luna shouts. "We've got approximately fifteen minutes before hostile contact!"
The compound transforms into a fortress. Warriors taking elevated positions, weapons distributed, escape routes prepared in case we need to evacuate.
Jolie stands at the center, "You should get to safety." I move to her side. "If this turns into a fight"
"Then I fight." She cuts me off. "They're coming to my territory, hunting wolves under my protection. I'm not hiding."
"You're also their primary target." I grip her shoulders. "They want you more than the escapees. If you're exposed, they'll focus everything on capturing you."
"Then we use that." She meets my eyes. "Same strategy as the Knox and Cass rescue. I'm the distraction while you handle the actual combat."
"That worked once." I counter. "They won't fall for it again."
"They will if I make it convincing enough." Her smile is sharp. "Trust me."
I don't like it. Every instinct screams to lock her somewhere safe until the threat passes.
But she's right. The enforcers are coming regardless. We can either react defensively or take control of the engagement.
"Fine." I give in. "But you stay behind the defensive lines.
"Deal." She's already moving, positioning herself where she's visible but protected.
"Here they come!" Phoenix calls from his monitoring station. "Six vehicles, thirty-two wolves, heavily armed. ETA is five minutes."
"Let them get close." I ordered. "Wait until they're committed to the approach before engaging."