Chapter 150: War Council
Lyla stood at the head of the long oak table in the council chamber, her silver gaze burning beneath the dim flicker of torchlight.
The air was heavy with tension sharp and thin beneath the weight of too many unspoken threats.
Rowan sat at her left, his dark brow furrowed. Asha sat beside him, her dark gaze watchful beneath the flicker of firelight. Vaughn leaned back in his seat at the opposite side of the table, his mouth curled faintly into a thin smile.
Jonas stood near the doorway, his body tense beneath his jacket. His color had returned, but the strain of the last fight still shadowed his dark gaze. Dani sat cross-legged on the edge of the table, her dagger spinning between her fingers.
Mason leaned against the far wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his dark gaze sharp beneath the low light.
Eli stood at Lyla’s right side, his silver eyes steady and lethal. His hand brushed against her wrist light and grounding beneath the tension cutting through the room.
Lyla’s chest tightened.
They were all waiting.
For her.
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"The rival is building an army," Lyla said coldly. Her silver gaze burned. "He’s claiming territory. Wolves. Power."
Rowan’s gaze sharpened. "How many?"
"Enough," Lyla said.
"Enough for what?" Asha’s dark gaze sharpened.
Lyla’s jaw flexed.
"Enough to challenge us."
Rowan’s gaze darkened. "You’re saying he’s preparing for war?"
"No," Lyla said. "I’m saying it’s already started."
A ripple of tension slid through the room.
Rowan’s mouth curled. "And how long have you known?"
"Long enough," Lyla said coldly.
Rowan’s jaw flexed. "And you didn’t warn us?"
"I’m warning you now," Lyla said.
Rowan’s breath sharpened. "And you expect us to fall in line?"
Lyla’s silver gaze sharpened. "Yes."
Rowan’s mouth curled faintly. "Bold."
Lyla’s breath sharpened. "Necessary."
Asha’s gaze darkened. "And Vaughn?"
Lyla’s silver eyes burned. "You think he’s going to tell you the truth?"
Vaughn’s dark gaze glinted faintly. "I’m still sitting at this table, High Alpha."
"That’s the problem," Lyla said coldly.
Vaughn’s smile sharpened. "You think you can push me out?"
"If I have to," Lyla said.
Rowan’s gaze slid toward Vaughn. "Are you saying you’ve sided with the rival?"
Vaughn’s smile didn’t waver. "I’m saying I haven’t chosen a side yet."
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "You think you have the option?"
Vaughn’s dark gaze slid toward Jonas. "We all have options."
Jonas’s body tensed. "And if you side with him?"
Vaughn’s smile sharpened faintly. "Then I’d advise you to stay out of my way."
Jonas’s dark gaze burned. "Try me."
"Enough." Lyla’s silver gaze burned beneath the firelight.
Jonas’s jaw flexed. Vaughn’s smile didn’t waver.
Rowan’s gaze sharpened toward Vaughn. "You’re risking war."
Vaughn’s mouth curled. "So is she."
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
"You think I’m going to let him take this territory?" Lyla said coldly.
Vaughn’s smile widened faintly. "You think you have a choice?"
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
"The forest chose me," Lyla said.
Vaughn’s gaze darkened. "For now."
Lyla’s silver gaze burned. "Then you’d better hope it stays that way."
Asha’s dark gaze sharpened toward Vaughn. "You think you can challenge her?"
Vaughn’s mouth curled. "If I have to."
Jonas’s body coiled with tension.
"Then do it," Jonas said.
Vaughn’s dark gaze gleamed. "Not yet."
Lyla’s chest tightened.
"But soon," Vaughn said smoothly.
Rowan’s breath sharpened. "This alliance was built on trust."
"And now it’s bleeding," Vaughn said. "And you have to decide if you want to bleed with it."
Rowan’s gaze sharpened toward Lyla. "And what’s your plan?"
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"We strike first," Lyla said coldly.
Rowan’s brow furrowed. "You’re talking about a preemptive strike?"
"Yes." Lyla’s silver gaze burned. "We take back Ridge territory. We cut off his supply lines. We isolate him."
Rowan’s gaze darkened. "And Vaughn?"
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
"If he stands in our way," Lyla said quietly, "we put him down."
Vaughn’s smile didn’t waver.
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "When?"
Lyla’s silver gaze gleamed beneath the firelight.
"Tomorrow night," Lyla said.
A ripple of tension slid through the room.
"That’s fast," Rowan said.
Lyla’s gaze sharpened. "Not fast enough."
Asha’s dark gaze glinted beneath the low light. "And if he’s ready for you?"
"Then we adapt," Lyla said coldly.
Vaughn’s gaze glinted beneath the firelight. "You sound confident."
"I am," Lyla said.
Vaughn’s mouth curled faintly. "We’ll see."
Rowan’s breath sharpened. "And if you lose?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"I don’t lose."
Rowan’s mouth curled faintly. "Let’s hope you’re right."
Vaughn’s dark gaze gleamed. "For your sake."
Lyla’s silver gaze didn’t waver.
"Dismissed."
Rowan stood. Asha followed him.
Vaughn lingered. His dark gaze slid toward Lyla.
"You don’t have enough wolves to win this," Vaughn said smoothly.
Lyla’s silver eyes flashed. "Then I guess I’ll have to fight harder."
Vaughn’s smile sharpened.
"For now," Vaughn said quietly.
He turned toward the door.
Jonas’s dark gaze burned toward Vaughn’s back.
"You really think he’s going to sit this one out?" Jonas’s voice was sharp.
"No," Lyla said. "He’s going to pick the winning side."
Jonas’s jaw flexed. "And what if that’s not us?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned beneath the firelight.
"Then we change the odds."
Lyla stood beneath the cold stretch of the night sky after the meeting.
Eli’s footsteps were quiet as he approached her.
"You sure about this?" Eli’s voice was low.
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"No," Lyla said.
Eli’s silver gaze darkened. "Then why do it?"
"Because he’s not going to stop," Lyla said. Her silver gaze burned beneath the dark sky. "And if we don’t hit him first "
Eli’s jaw flexed. "Then he takes us apart from the inside."
"Exactly."
Eli’s silver gaze sharpened.
"You think Vaughn’s going to sit back and let this happen?"
"No," Lyla said quietly.
Eli’s mouth curled faintly.
"Then it’s war."
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
Her silver gaze burned beneath the cold moonlight.
"Yes," Lyla said softly. "It is."
Lyla stood beneath the cold stretch of the night sky after the council meeting.
The crisp bite of frost clung to the air. The moon sat high above the treetops, its silver glow cutting thin and sharp through the darkness.
Eli stood at her side, his silver eyes steady beneath the pale light. His hand brushed lightly against her wrist warm and grounding beneath the chill of the night.
"You think they’ll follow you?" Eli’s voice was low.
Lyla’s silver gaze burned toward the dark line of the trees. "They don’t have a choice."
Eli’s mouth curled faintly. "That’s not the same thing as loyalty."
"I know," Lyla said quietly.
Eli’s gaze sharpened. "And if Vaughn turns the council against you?"
"Then I remind them why I’m the High Alpha," Lyla said coldly.
Eli’s silver eyes narrowed. "And if the forest chooses him?"
Lyla’s chest tightened.
"Then the forest made a mistake," Lyla said.
Eli’s mouth curled darkly. "I like that answer."
Lyla’s breath sharpened. "I’m done waiting for him to make the next move."
Eli’s gaze darkened. "So what’s the plan?"
Lyla’s silver eyes gleamed beneath the moonlight.
"We hit him before he’s ready," Lyla said coldly. "We drive him out of Ridge territory and cut off his power."
"And Vaughn?"
"If Vaughn gets in the way…" Lyla’s gaze sharpened.
"I’ll put him down."
Eli’s chest tightened. His silver eyes darkened beneath the pale moonlight.
"You think you can take them both?"
Lyla’s breath steadied. "I don’t have a choice."
Eli’s mouth curled faintly. "Then you’d better not miss."
Lyla’s silver gaze flashed toward him. "I don’t miss."
Eli’s silver eyes glinted beneath the dark sky. "Good."
The war room beneath the Blackwood compound was dim and cold.
Rough-hewn stone walls pressed close on all sides. A single torch flickered in the corner, casting thin light across the scarred oak table.
Jonas leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his dark gaze sharp beneath the thin light. His color had returned, but a faint stiffness lingered in his posture the aftershock of the rival’s mark.
Dani sat cross-legged on the edge of the table, her dagger twirling lazily between her fingers. Her sharp green gaze followed Lyla’s every movement.
Mason stood near the far wall, his mouth curled faintly. His dark gaze glinted beneath the low light.
Eli sat near the table, his silver eyes steady beneath the tension cutting through the room.
Lyla stood at the head of the table.
"The rival has taken Ridge territory," Lyla said coldly. Her silver gaze swept the room. "He’s already corrupted at least three packs and Vaughn is letting him."
Mason’s mouth curled faintly. "You think Vaughn’s working with him?"
"I don’t think," Lyla said coldly. "I know."
Jonas’s dark gaze sharpened. "Then we need to cut Vaughn out."
"No," Lyla said.
Jonas’s brow furrowed. "What?"
"If Vaughn challenges me now, the council fractures," Lyla said. "We can’t afford that."
Mason’s mouth twisted. "Then what’s your plan?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"We go after the rival first," Lyla said. "We draw him into open ground. Away from the ridge."
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "How?"
Lyla’s silver eyes narrowed.
"We give him something he wants," Lyla said quietly.
Dani’s brow lifted. "What?"
Lyla’s chest tightened.
"Me."
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "Absolutely not."
"Yes," Lyla said.
Jonas pushed away from the wall. "Lyla "
"I’m the one he wants," Lyla said coldly. "He’s not going to stop until he gets it."
Jonas’s jaw flexed. "Then we make him stop."
"And if he calls the forest to him first?" Lyla’s silver gaze sharpened. "We lose."
Jonas’s dark gaze burned.
"Lyla "
"I’m not asking," Lyla said coldly.
Jonas’s mouth curled darkly. "You think the pack is going to sit back and let you get ripped apart?"
"No," Lyla said. "That’s why you’re coming with me."
Jonas’s breath sharpened.
Lyla’s silver gaze burned. "We lead him into Alder territory. Cut him off from the ridge. Force him to fight on our terms."
"And Vaughn?" Mason’s dark gaze sharpened.
"If Vaughn follows him," Lyla said, "he makes his choice."
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "And if Vaughn sides with him?"
Lyla’s silver gaze narrowed.
"Then we take them both down."
Jonas’s jaw flexed.
Dani’s mouth curled faintly. "Finally."
Mason’s gaze darkened. "You’re risking a lot."
Lyla’s silver eyes gleamed. "So is he."
Mason’s gaze lingered on her for a long moment.
Then
He stepped back. "Fine."
Jonas’s breath sharpened.
"When?"
"Tomorrow night," Lyla said coldly.
Jonas’s dark gaze sharpened. "And if the rival is ready?"
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"Then we stop him anyway."
Lyla stood beneath the dark stretch of the night sky later that night.
Jonas’s footsteps were soft behind her.
"You sure about this?" Jonas’s voice was low.
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
"No," Lyla said.
Jonas’s dark gaze slid toward her. "Then why are you doing it?"
"Because he’s not going to stop," Lyla said. "Not unless we force him to."
Jonas’s jaw flexed. "And if Vaughn sides with him?"
"Then I tear them both down," Lyla said.
Jonas’s gaze sharpened. "And the pack?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"They’ll follow me," Lyla said coldly.
Jonas’s dark gaze lingered on her for a long moment.
Then
His hand brushed against hers. His grip was steady and warm beneath the cold bite of the night air.
"They’d better," Jonas said quietly.
Lyla’s chest tightened.
Jonas’s gaze darkened. "Because if you go down "
"I’m not going down," Lyla said.
Jonas’s mouth curled faintly.
"Good," Jonas said.
Eli’s voice was sharp behind them.
"Movement," Eli said. His silver eyes gleamed beneath the dark stretch of the trees.
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"Where?"
"Near Ridge territory," Eli said. "Scouts saw him moving with Vaughn."
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "It’s starting."
Lyla’s chest tightened.
"Finally," Lyla said coldly.
Jonas’s dark gaze burned. "What’s the call?"
Lyla’s silver eyes flashed beneath the dark stretch of the sky.
"We don’t wait anymore," Lyla said quietly.
Jonas’s jaw flexed.
Eli’s silver eyes narrowed.
"And if they don’t back down?" Eli’s voice was sharp.
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"Then we make sure they don’t get back up."