Chapter 69 All Hands on Deck
Ryder POV
"No." Jolie speaks up, her voice carrying power that makes everyone listen. "We use him. Phoenix knows more about their systems than anyone. He's been inside their communications for days. We need that intel if we're going to pull this off."
She moves to stand beside the omega, and I see what she's doing. Claiming him. Protecting him with her authority as Luna.
"After this is over, the pack can decide his fate." Jolie's eyes glow in the dim light. "But right now, we need every advantage we can get. Including a tech expert who's motivated to make things right."
Doc stands up. "I agree with the Luna. We're at war. We need all hands on deck."
Knox nods. "Kid made a mistake, but he's trying to fix it. That counts for something."
Slowly, reluctantly, the other wolves start nodding. Not forgiveness. Just pragmatic acceptance that we need him.
I look at Phoenix. "You get one chance. One. You help us win this, rescue your sister, and maybe—maybe—the pack will let you live. But if you betray us again, I'll kill you myself. Slowly."
"Understood." Phoenix wipes his eyes. "I won't let you down. I swear on Emma's life."
"Good." I turn back to the map. "Now show us what you've found."
Phoenix pulls up his laptop, connecting it to the projector. A satellite image of our territory fills the screen, marked with red dots.
"These are their known positions." He zooms in on the northern ridge. "Steel Serpents have the high ground here. Twenty wolves, three snipers. They're dug in with heavy weapons."
He shifts to the eastern valley. "Crimson Riders are here. Thirty wolves, mostly close-combat specialists. They're the muscle."
South highway shows next. "Black Chain controls the road. Twenty-five wolves. They've got bikes and trucks for rapid response."
Finally, the western creek. "Devil's Bones are the smallest group. Fifteen wolves, but they're sadistic bastards and are torture specialists."
"That's ninety wolves accounted for." Cass does the math. "Where are the other hundred and ten?"
"Rotating patrols and reserve forces." Phoenix pulls up movement logs. "They cycle positions every six hours. Smart tactics—keeps everyone fresh and makes it harder to predict patterns."
"What about command?" I ask.
Phoenix hesitates, then clicks to a new screen. "This is where it gets weird. I've been monitoring their encrypted channels. All four gangs report to someone called 'The Broker.' Not a gang leader. Not an alpha. Someone coordinating everything from behind the scenes."
"Gio," Jolie says quietly.
"Maybe." Phoenix pulls up message logs. "But there's someone else too. Someone the Broker reports to. The messages reference 'the principal' and 'the investment.' Like this whole siege is a business transaction."
My blood runs cold. "They're not here to take territory."
"No." Jolie's face has gone pale. "They're here to take me, seems Gio sold me to someone. Again."
The hall explodes in rage. My vision goes red as Shadow surges forward, demanding blood.
Jolie's hand on my arm keeps me grounded.
"So we're not just breaking a siege." Doc's voice is grim. "We're stopping a kidnapping."
"And a sale." Jolie's eyes blaze. "Someone out there thinks they can buy and sell wolves like property. Like I'm property." She turns to face the pack, and the moonfire under her skin glows bright enough.
"Here's what's going to happen." Her voice carries absolute authority. "We're going to rescue Emma. We're going to break this siege. And we're going to find out who thinks they can put a price on a wolf's life. Then we're going to teach them why you don't mess with the Iron Fangs."
The pack howls in agreement, the sound shaking the rafters.
I pull Jolie close, breathing in her scent. "They're going to try to take you."
"Let them try." Her smile is sharp and dangerous. "I'm not the weak wolf they're expecting."
Phoenix pulls up one more screen. "I found something else. The last photo they sent of Emma—I traced the metadata. Got a location."
"Where?" I demand.
"Abandoned mining complex. Twenty miles northeast." He zooms in on the coordinates. "It's isolated, defensible, and off-grid. Perfect place to hold a hostage."
"Perfect place for an ambush too," Knox observes.
"Which is why we're not walking in the front door." Jolie studies the map. "Phoenix, can you get me building layouts? Security systems? Number of guards?"
"Give me an hour." His fingers fly across the keyboard.
"You've got thirty minutes." I look at Cass. "Get strike teams ready. Knox, you're with me and Jolie. Doc, prep medical supplies for field treatment. Mara, I need you coordinating defense here in case this is a distraction."
Everyone scatters to prepare. Only Jolie and I remain, staring at the map.
"You know this is a trap," I say quietly.
"I know." She doesn't look away from the screen. "But that girl is innocent. And she's terrified. I can feel her fear from here, Ryder. It's like a scream in my mind."
"Your empathy is going to destroy you."
"Or save us all." She finally looks at me. "That's what Luna's vessel does, right? Feels what others feel? Carries their pain?"
"You're supposed to judge the guilty." I cup her face. "Not sacrifice yourself for everyone else."
"Can't I do both?" Her smile is sad. "Besides, I'm not sacrificing anything. I've got you watching my back."
"Always." I kiss her, hard and desperate. "But if this goes wrong"
"It won't." She kisses me back. "Because we're not fighting alone anymore. We've got a pack. A real pack that protects each other."
Phoenix's voice interrupts. "Got the building layouts. And you're not going to like what I found."
We turn to look at his screen, and my stomach drops.
The mining complex is huge. Multiple buildings, underground tunnels, and at least thirty armed guards visible in the satellite footage.
"They're not just holding Emma there." Phoenix's voice shakes. "They're running a full operation. I think—I think this is where they've been planning everything. This is the Broker's headquarters."
Jolie's hand finds mine, squeezing tight.
"Then that's where we're going." Her voice doesn't waver. "We end this tonight. All of it."
I look at my mate—the woman who was once the weakest wolf in her pack—and see nothing but determination in her eyes.
"All hands meeting in ten minutes," I called out. "We're going to war."