Chapter 217 The war council

Chapter 217 The war council
Chapter 217

ASTERIA

The meeting stretched late into the night, the tension in the room growing thicker with each passing hour.

Austin stood at the head of the table, maps spread before him, his presence commanding absolute attention.

"We all know why we're here," he said, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "Mooncrest has dominated us for too long. It's time that changes."

Alpha Kellen of Eastfang leaned forward, his one good eye gleaming. "Words are cheap, Austin. What are you actually proposing?"

"A coordinated assault," Austin replied. "All of us, working together in an overwhelming force for complete destruction."

Alpha Mara of Lightclaw crossed her arms. "That requires resources, warriors and weapons. What's each pack contributing?"

Austin nodded. "Exactly what we need to discuss. Eastfang, what can you commit?"

Kellen didn't hesitate. "Two hundred warriors. All experienced fighters and our rogues for infiltration work."

Austin's lips curved into a slight smile. "Good. Lightclaw?"

Mara tapped her fingers on the table. "We don't have the numbers Eastfang does. But we have money. I can offer weapons: silver-forged arsenal, enough to arm a thousand wolves. And funding for supplies, logistics, whatever you need."

"Excellent," Austin said, making notes on the map. "Ironpaw?"

Alpha Garrick's massive frame shifted in his chair. "Our territory borders Mooncrest's eastern edge. We can provide strategic locations for staging your attacks. Safe houses, supply depots and routes that bypass their patrols."

"That's invaluable," Austin acknowledged. "Silvermane?"

Alpha Damon stroked his greying beard thoughtfully. "Five hundred warriors. All loyal, all ready to fight. And we have resources like food stores, medical supplies, and transport."

Austin straightened, satisfaction evident on his face. "So we have warriors, weapons, funding, strategic positions, and supplies. Everything we need for a full-scale war."

I sat beside Austin, my hands folded in my lap, playing the role of dutiful mate whilst listening to every word.

My neck still throbbed where Austin had marked me, the wound fresh and raw.

But I forced myself to focus on the discussion.

Alpha Kellen leaned back in his chair. "What's the actual plan? We can't just charge at Mooncrest and hope for the best."

Austin nodded. "The plan has multiple phases. First, we continue the systematic destruction of Mooncrest's power base. Their businesses, their wealth, their economic influence."

"That's already underway," Mara noted. "I've heard about the fires."

"Exactly," Austin confirmed. "Second, we ensure their isolation. The Council has already frozen their accounts, launched investigations. No other pack will risk helping them."

Garrick frowned. "And then?"

"Then we strike," Austin said simply. "Full military assault. Multiple fronts. Overwhelming force."

An elderly advisor from Silvermane stood. "What about the heir? Darius Pike? He's a formidable fighter."

"He'll be handled," Austin said. "But he's not the real prize."

The room fell silent, waiting.

Austin's eyes gleamed. "The centerpiece of this entire operation is capturing the MoonWolf alive."

Murmurs rippled through the assembled wolves.

"You're serious about this?" Damon asked. "The MoonWolf is real?"

"Completely real," Austin confirmed. "And with her under our control, we could reshape the entire supernatural world."

He began pacing, his voice gaining intensity. "Think about it. The MoonWolf's power could compel loyalty from weaker packs. We could manipulate the Council through fear. We could challenge the old laws that have kept us contained for centuries."

Kellen's expression turned hungry. "We'd have complete dominance."

"Exactly," Austin agreed. "No more being second-class packs and bowing to Mooncrest's superiority. We'd be the ones in power."

The elders and Alphas leaned forward, their eyes bright with ambition and bloodlust.

I could feel the shift in the room because it'd gone from skepticism to genuine excitement.

Austin turned to me suddenly. "You know your sister best. How do we lure her into a trap?"

Every eye in the room turned to me.

My heart hammered, but I kept my voice steady.

"You target what Ravenna values most," I said clearly. "Innocent lives."

Alpha Mara raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

I stood slowly, my legs shaking slightly, but I forced myself to project confidence.

"Specifically, students at the academy," I continued. "Ravenna feels guilty about what happened last year—the war she helped cause, the deaths that resulted. She values their lives more than anything now."

I paused, letting that sink in.

"You kidnap students. Wolf students, specifically. You torture them and you send the pieces to their families."

The room went absolutely silent.

Alpha Garrick of Ironpaw spoke first, his voice uncertain. "That's... brutal."

"That's effective," I countered. "Ravenna's weakness is her conscience. She can't stand seeing innocents suffer because of her."

The Alpha of Eastfang leaned forward, frowning. "How does torturing children help our cause?"

I met his gaze directly. "Be patient. I planned all of this before I even came to Redfire."

Austin looked at me with something like pride in his eyes. "Continue."

I took a breath, steadying myself. "Once the kidnappings start, there will be public outcry. Parents will campaign. The media will cover it relentlessly. And Ravenna will be labelled a witch, a curse to the supernatural world."

I walked around the table slowly, making eye contact with each Alpha.

"This public pressure will force Ravenna to act. To expose herself and make herself vulnerable trying to save these students."

I stopped beside Austin. "And when she does, that's when you strike."

The room remained silent, the weight of what I was proposing settling over everyone.

One of the elderly advisors from Silvermane stood up, his expression troubled.

"Is it truly necessary to torture the students?" he asked quietly. "Could we not simply hold them hostage?"

I shook my head firmly. "It's the only way to get to Ravenna. She needs to feel responsible for their suffering and be crushed by guilt. That's what will make her reckless."

Austin was watching me intently, and I could see approval in his eyes.

He turned to the assembled leaders. "The psychological impact would be devastating. Not just on Ravenna, but on Mooncrest as a whole."

Alpha Kellen nodded slowly. "Fear and grief make people irrational. They'd turn on each other, looking for someone to blame."

"And Ravenna would be the obvious target," Mara added, understanding dawning. "The MoonWolf who brought this curse upon them."

Austin looked back at me. "How would we execute this? Specifically?"

I'd thought about this. Planned it during long nights in the dungeon, during the days preparing for the ceremony.

"Eastfang has rogues," I said, looking at Kellen. "Rogues who can infiltrate the academy. You've done it before, haven't you?"

Kellen's scarred face twisted into something like a smile. "We had during the war last year."

"Use them again," I continued. "But this time, target wolf students specifically. They're harder to protect than humans and their families are more connected to pack politics, their deaths carry more weight."

I pulled out one of Austin's maps and pointed to locations. "Take them to secure locations. Somewhere Mooncrest can't easily reach. And then..."

I paused, my stomach churning but my voice remaining steady.

"Send proof of life to their families. Start small with little parts of their body like a finger, a toe. Then escalate. Also we're going to make it graphic and impossible to ignore."

Alpha Garrick looked uncomfortable. "You're talking about psychological warfare."

"I'm talking about breaking Ravenna's spirit before we even touch her," I replied. "When you finally capture her, she'll already be defeated."

Austin placed his hand on my shoulder, and I felt the mate bond pulse between us.

"This is brilliant," he said to the room. "Cruel, yes. But brilliant."

Kellen stood, his expression thoughtful. "My rogues can handle the infiltration. We'll need secure locations to hold the captives."

"Ironpaw can provide those," Garrick offered reluctantly. "Remote sites on our territory. Mooncrest won't find them."

Mara added, "And Lightclaw will supply whatever tools you need for... interrogation."

I watched as the plan solidified, these hardened warriors committing to something monstrous.

And I felt nothing.

No guilt. No remorse. No second thoughts.

Just cold satisfaction that Ravenna would finally suffer the way I'd suffered.

Austin turned to Kellen, his voice commanding. "Eastfang, you have your orders. Begin immediately."

Kellen nodded. "How many students should we take initially?"

"Start with one," I suggested. "Make it count. Choose someone young, someone whose family has influence. Make the first one hurt enough that everyone pays attention."

Austin smiled coldly, "Perfect."

He looked around the room at the assembled Alphas and elders. "The war has officially started.”