33
The war room was no longer just a place for strategy—it was a battlefield in its own right.
The moment Sebastian nodded in agreement, the entire room shifted. The tension remained, but now it was focused, sharpened into a purpose.
No more waiting.
No more running.
They were taking the fight to the Shadow Order.
Aria stood at the head of the table, staring at the map Cassian had spread out in front of them. Red ink marked every known Shadow Order outpost, with thick black lines tracing their supply routes, their strongholds, and the location of Selene’s fortress.
The heart of their enemy.
The place where this war would end.
Lucian stood to her right, arms crossed, his silver eyes scanning the map with the precision of someone who had once walked through those halls. He knew Selene’s forces better than anyone. He had once been one of them.
Dante and Kai were on her left, their postures tense but ready. Kai, ever the warrior, was practically buzzing with energy, already thinking of how many enemies he could take down. Dante, on the other hand, was calculating, his blue eyes sharp, looking for the weaknesses.
Sebastian stood across from Aria, his green eyes locked onto hers, unwavering. He still didn’t fully trust Lucian. Hell, he probably didn’t trust this plan.
But he trusted her.
And that was enough.
Cassian leaned against the wall, smirking slightly. “So, tell me, what’s the plan, fearless leader?”
Aria exhaled, pushing past the exhaustion still weighing on her limbs. There was no room for weakness now.
“We hit them where it hurts.”
Lucian nodded. “Selene’s stronghold is heavily fortified. We won’t be able to just walk in.”
Dante scoffed. “Yeah, no kidding.”
Kai raised a brow. “So how do we get inside?”
Lucian tapped the map. “There’s a supply route here, leading straight into the fortress. They move weapons, research materials, and prisoners through it. If we intercept one of their convoys, we can take their place.”
Sebastian frowned. “You really think they won’t notice?”
Lucian smirked. “They won’t have time to.”
Aria studied the route carefully. “How many men does Selene have?”
Lucian’s smirk faded. “A lot.”
Cassian exhaled. “That’s helpful.”
Aria ignored them. “If we disguise ourselves as prisoners, we can get inside. Once we’re in, we strike from within.”
Kai cracked his knuckles. “I like this plan.”
Dante sighed. “Of course you do.”
Sebastian’s gaze remained steady. “And if we fail?”
Aria met his eyes. “We don’t.”
A silence settled over the room.
Then, Sebastian nodded. “Then let’s get to work.”
The night was cold as they moved toward the ambush point.
A stretch of forest leading to a narrow mountain pass—the perfect place to trap a convoy.
Aria crouched low, hidden in the shadows of the trees. The wind rustled through the leaves, carrying the distant sound of approaching engines.
They were coming.
Sebastian was beside her, his breath steady. Calm. Focused. The perfect leader.
Kai and Dante were positioned on the other side of the road, waiting for the signal. Cassian and his wolves had taken higher ground, ready to cut off any possible escape routes.
Lucian stood near Aria, his silver eyes gleaming in the darkness. “You sure about this?”
Aria tightened her grip on her dagger. “No.”
Lucian smirked. “Good.”
Then—
The convoy appeared.
Three armored trucks, flanked by motorcycles, moving in perfect synchronization. The Shadow Order’s soldiers were disciplined, trained, dangerous.
But so were they.
Aria inhaled sharply. “Wait for my signal.”
The ground rumbled as the trucks neared.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
Aria moved.
She threw her dagger with deadly precision, the blade slicing through the air and embedding itself in the throat of the nearest soldier.
Chaos erupted.
Sebastian lunged, his claws flashing as he tore through the first motorcycle guard. The man barely had time to scream before he collapsed.
Kai and Dante attacked from the other side, their blades cutting through the confusion, their movements flawless.
Cassian’s men fired from above, arrows and bullets raining down on the convoy.
Lucian leapt onto the first truck, wrenching the door open and yanking the driver out. The man barely had time to react before Lucian snapped his neck.
Aria ran toward the second truck, dodging a hail of bullets.
A soldier grabbed her from behind—she twisted, slamming her elbow into his ribs before driving her dagger up, under his chin.
Warm blood splattered onto her hands.
Another came at her.
She spun, kicking him in the chest. He staggered back—just long enough for Dante to strike.
Within minutes, the fight was over.
The bodies of the Shadow Order’s men lay scattered across the road.
Sebastian wiped blood from his claws. “That went well.”
Kai grinned. “I call that a victory.”
Lucian stepped forward. “We don’t have much time. We need to switch out the uniforms before the next patrol comes through.”
Aria nodded.
One by one, they stripped the dead soldiers of their armor, replacing their own clothes with the Shadow Order’s uniforms.
It felt wrong.
Like wearing the skin of a ghost.
But it was necessary.
Once they were ready, Lucian climbed into the driver’s seat of the lead truck. “Everyone in.”
Aria hesitated, looking at the carnage around them.
The bodies. The blood.
This was just the beginning.
She exhaled and climbed into the truck.
The others followed, securing the freed prisoners in the back, making sure their disguises were perfect.
Then—
They drove.
The road stretched before them, leading into the heart of the enemy’s lair.
Aria tightened her grip on her weapon.
This was it.
The beginning of the end.
One way or another—
This war would end in blood.