Chapter 152: The Call to War
The council chamber was louder than it had been in months.
Lyla stood at the head of the long oak table, her silver gaze burning beneath the dim flicker of torchlight. The tension in the room was sharp and cold like the air before a storm.
Rowan sat stiffly at her left, his gaze hard beneath his dark brow. Asha sat beside him, her arms crossed over her chest, her dark gaze narrowed toward the center of the table.
Vaughn leaned back in his seat at the opposite side of the table, his mouth curled faintly into a thin smile. His dark gaze gleamed beneath the firelight.
Jonas stood near the doorway, his body still tense beneath the thin layer of his jacket. The wound in his side had healed but barely. Dani sat cross-legged on the table beside him, her dagger spinning lazily between her fingers.
Mason stood near the far wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his dark gaze sharp beneath the thin stretch of light. Eli stood at Lyla’s right side, his silver eyes steady and lethal.
The other alphas were gathered along the edges of the room sharp and restless beneath the weight of unspoken threats.
Lyla’s chest tightened.
They were waiting.
For her.
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"The rival is moving toward the heart of the forest," Lyla said coldly. Her silver gaze swept the room. "If he claims it, the forest’s magic will shift to him. Permanently."
A low ripple of tension slid through the room.
Rowan’s breath sharpened. "And if that happens?"
Lyla’s silver gaze flashed.
"Then we lose."
Asha’s dark gaze narrowed. "How close is he?"
Lyla’s jaw flexed. "Close enough."
Rowan’s mouth curled darkly. "And how long have you known?"
"Long enough," Lyla said.
Rowan’s gaze sharpened. "And you waited to tell us?"
"Because I had to be sure," Lyla said. Her silver gaze darkened. "And now I am."
Asha’s gaze sharpened. "And Vaughn?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned toward Vaughn.
Vaughn’s mouth curled faintly. "Careful, High Alpha."
Lyla’s jaw flexed. "You’re working with him."
Vaughn’s dark gaze gleamed. "Prove it."
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "You stood beside him in Ridge territory."
Vaughn’s mouth curled faintly. "Did I?"
Lyla’s chest burned.
"You think you can lie your way out of this?" Lyla’s voice was cold.
Vaughn’s gaze sharpened. "I think you’re bleeding power."
Rowan’s gaze darkened. "Enough."
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"You want to test me?" Lyla’s voice was low and sharp.
Vaughn’s dark gaze narrowed. "Maybe."
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "Try it."
Vaughn’s gaze slid toward Jonas. His mouth curled faintly.
"You really think you can stop me?" Vaughn’s voice was low.
Jonas’s body coiled with tension. "Try me."
Lyla’s breath sharpened. "Enough."
Jonas’s jaw flexed. Vaughn’s smile widened faintly.
Rowan’s gaze darkened toward Lyla. "And the plan?"
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"We cut him off," Lyla said. "Before he reaches the heart of the forest."
Rowan’s gaze sharpened. "And if we fail?"
"We don’t."
Asha’s mouth curled faintly. "You sound confident."
"I am."
Rowan’s gaze narrowed. "You’re talking about open war."
"Yes."
"Against Vaughn’s territory?"
"If necessary."
Vaughn’s smile widened faintly. "Careful, High Alpha."
Lyla’s silver gaze burned toward him.
"You think you can stop me?" Lyla’s voice was sharp and cold.
Vaughn’s dark gaze gleamed. "We’ll see."
Lyla’s chest tightened.
"We strike tomorrow night," Lyla said coldly. "We meet at the clearing near Alder’s border."
Rowan’s gaze sharpened. "And Vaughn?"
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
"If he sides with the rival…"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned toward Vaughn.
"Then he dies with him."
Vaughn’s dark gaze gleamed beneath the firelight.
"You’d kill an alpha?" Vaughn’s voice was low and dark.
Lyla’s silver gaze flashed.
"If you force me," Lyla said.
Vaughn’s mouth curled. "Good."
Asha’s dark gaze sharpened toward Lyla. "You think the other packs will follow you into this?"
"They’ll follow strength," Lyla said.
Rowan’s gaze narrowed. "And if the rival is stronger?"
Lyla’s silver gaze sharpened beneath the firelight.
"Then we make him bleed."
Rowan’s chest tightened.
Lyla’s gaze swept the room.
"Dismissed," Lyla said coldly.
The alphas stood slowly. Asha’s dark gaze lingered on Lyla for a long moment before she turned toward the door. Rowan followed her.
Vaughn’s gaze lingered.
"Careful, High Alpha," Vaughn said smoothly.
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"You think I’m afraid of you?"
Vaughn’s smile widened faintly.
"You should be."
He turned toward the door and disappeared into the dark.
Jonas’s breath sharpened.
"You think he’s going to sit this one out?" Jonas’s voice was low and sharp.
"No," Lyla said.
Jonas’s jaw flexed. "Then what are you going to do?"
Lyla’s silver gaze gleamed beneath the thin stretch of firelight.
"We don’t wait for him to make his move," Lyla said.
Jonas’s breath sharpened.
Eli’s silver eyes narrowed toward her. "Then what’s the plan?"
Lyla’s breath steadied.
Her silver gaze burned beneath the flicker of firelight.
"We draw him out."
Jonas’s dark gaze sharpened. "How?"
Lyla’s breath hitched.
"We give him something he wants," Lyla said coldly.
Jonas’s gaze darkened. "Lyla "
"You think he’s going to stop?" Lyla’s silver gaze sharpened. "You think Vaughn’s going to stop?"
Jonas’s jaw flexed.
"No," Lyla said quietly. "He’s not."
Jonas’s chest tightened. "Then what are you offering?"
Lyla’s silver gaze flashed.
"Myself," Lyla said coldly.
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "No."
"Yes."
Jonas’s chest burned. "You think he’s going to take that bait?"
"He won’t have a choice," Lyla said.
Jonas’s dark gaze burned toward her.
"And if Vaughn backs him?"
Lyla’s silver eyes gleamed beneath the thin stretch of firelight.
"Then we end them both."
Jonas’s breath sharpened.
"You think you can take them both?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"If I have to," Lyla said coldly. "Yes."
Jonas’s jaw flexed.
"Then I guess we’re going to war," Jonas said quietly.
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"Yes," Lyla said. Her silver gaze burned beneath the dark stretch of the sky. "We are."
Lyla stood beneath the dark stretch of the night sky.
The cold bit sharp beneath her jacket, but her breath was steady. Her silver eyes gleamed beneath the pale light of the moon.
Jonas stood beside her, his dark gaze steady and hard beneath the thin night air. Eli stood at her right side, his silver eyes burning.
Dani leaned against a low tree, her dagger spinning lazily between her fingers. Mason stood further back, his arms crossed over his chest, his dark gaze sharp beneath the thin light.
The other wolves lingered near the edge of the clearing watchful, tense. The weight of the coming fight pressed hard beneath the thin stretch of moonlight.
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "You’re really going to do this."
Lyla’s silver gaze burned toward the dark line of the trees.
"Yes," Lyla said quietly.
Jonas’s jaw flexed. "You think he’s going to take the bait?"
"He won’t have a choice," Lyla said.
Jonas’s dark gaze sharpened toward her. "And Vaughn?"
"If Vaughn follows him," Lyla said, "then he’s already made his choice."
Jonas’s mouth curled darkly. "And if they kill you?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"They won’t."
Jonas’s breath sharpened. "You sound sure."
"I am."
Jonas’s mouth twisted faintly. "And if you’re wrong?"
Lyla’s silver eyes flashed.
"Then you finish what I started," Lyla said coldly.
Jonas’s chest tightened. "Not happening."
"You don’t get a choice."
Jonas’s dark gaze burned toward her. "We’re not letting you walk into this alone."
Lyla’s breath sharpened. "You’re not stopping me."
Jonas’s mouth curled darkly. "Try me."
Dani’s dagger flashed beneath the moonlight. "I think you’d better listen to him, Lyla."
Lyla’s silver gaze flashed toward Dani.
"I’m not asking," Lyla said.
Dani’s mouth curled faintly. "Yeah, but you’re not exactly good at listening to advice."
Eli’s silver eyes burned. "She’s right."
Lyla’s chest tightened.
"You think I’m going to let you get killed?" Eli’s voice was sharp and low.
"You’re not going to let me do anything," Lyla said coldly.
Eli’s breath sharpened. "Lyla "
"I’m the High Alpha," Lyla said. Her silver gaze burned. "And this is my fight."
Jonas’s jaw flexed. "Then we’re making it ours."
Lyla’s chest tightened painfully.
Jonas’s dark gaze sharpened. "You think we’re letting you face this alone?"
"I don’t care what you let me do," Lyla said. Her silver eyes flashed. "This isn’t a negotiation."
Jonas’s mouth curled darkly. "That’s too bad."
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
"You’re not dying alone," Jonas said.
Dani’s mouth curled faintly. "Yeah. If you die, Lyla, we all die."
Lyla’s jaw flexed.
Eli’s silver eyes narrowed toward her.
"And if you think we’re leaving you behind," Eli said quietly, "then you don’t know us very well."
Lyla’s breath hitched.
Jonas’s dark gaze burned.
"We fight together," Jonas said quietly.
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
Jonas’s hand brushed against her wrist. His touch was steady and warm beneath the cold stretch of the air.
"Got it?" Jonas’s voice was low.
Lyla’s chest tightened.
Her silver gaze burned beneath the moonlight.
"Got it," Lyla said quietly.
Jonas’s mouth curled faintly.
"Good," Jonas said.
The war room beneath the Blackwood compound was cold and dim.
Lyla stood at the head of the scarred oak table, her silver gaze burning beneath the thin stretch of torchlight.
Jonas leaned against the wall to her left, his dark gaze sharp beneath the shadows. Eli stood at her right side, his silver eyes burning. Dani sat cross-legged on the edge of the table, her dagger spinning lazily between her fingers. Mason stood near the far wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his dark gaze glinting beneath the firelight.
Rowan and Asha stood at the opposite side of the table, their gazes hard beneath the weight of the coming fight.
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"We move tomorrow night," Lyla said coldly. "We draw him into Alder territory. Force him to fight on our terms."
Rowan’s jaw flexed. "And Vaughn?"
"If he follows," Lyla said, "we cut him down."
Asha’s dark gaze sharpened. "And if the rival’s pack is bigger than we expect?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"Then we make them regret showing up."
Rowan’s brow furrowed. "You think you can take both of them?"
Lyla’s silver gaze sharpened.
"If I have to," Lyla said coldly, "yes."
Rowan’s breath sharpened. "And if the rival claims the heart of the forest?"
Lyla’s jaw flexed.
"He won’t."
Asha’s gaze narrowed. "You sound confident."
"I am."
Rowan’s mouth curled faintly. "Let’s hope you’re right."
Lyla’s silver gaze sharpened.
"I am," Lyla said quietly.
Rowan’s breath sharpened. "Then we follow you."
Lyla’s chest tightened.
Rowan’s gaze sharpened. "But if you lose "
"I don’t lose," Lyla said coldly.
Rowan’s gaze darkened. "We’ll see."
He turned toward the door. Asha followed him.
Mason’s dark gaze lingered on Lyla for a long moment. Then
He stepped back toward the shadows.
Jonas’s breath sharpened.
"You think they’re ready?" Jonas’s voice was low.
Lyla’s silver gaze burned.
"They don’t have a choice," Lyla said coldly.
Eli’s silver eyes flashed. "And if Vaughn’s waiting for us?"
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"Then we finish this," Lyla said.
Jonas’s dark gaze burned.
"And if he kills you?" Jonas’s voice was quiet.
Lyla’s silver gaze flashed beneath the thin stretch of firelight.
"He’s not going to kill me," Lyla said.
Jonas’s chest tightened. "And if you’re wrong?"
Lyla’s silver gaze sharpened.
"Then you kill him first."
Jonas’s dark gaze sharpened.
"Deal," Jonas said quietly.
Lyla’s chest tightened painfully.
Jonas’s hand brushed against hers beneath the edge of the table. His grip was steady and warm beneath the cold press of the air.
"Tomorrow night," Jonas said softly.
"Tomorrow night," Lyla said quietly.
Jonas’s dark gaze burned.
"We end this."
Lyla stood at the edge of the Blackwood camp later that night.
Eli’s voice was quiet behind her.
"You really think you can take them both?"
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
"Yes," Lyla said.
Eli’s silver gaze darkened. "And if you can’t?"
Lyla’s silver gaze burned beneath the dark stretch of the sky.
"Then I take them with me."
Eli’s chest tightened.
"You’re sure?"
Lyla’s breath steadied.
"No," Lyla said quietly.
Eli’s gaze darkened.
"Good," Eli said.
Lyla’s breath sharpened.
Her silver eyes burned beneath the cold stretch of the night.
"Let’s finish this," Lyla said quietly.
Eli’s gaze sharpened.
"Let’s."