Chapter 250 In The Meantime
Fennigan processed the tactical update in a fraction of a second, his protective instincts immediately flaring.
"Go on and find our babies," Fennigan murmured softly to Leela, his hand gently resting on the small of her back. "I'm going to go back inside and pull Jax. I'll send him out with Toby. They can do better on their own handling a stealth sweep of the bunker. I'll let the other Alphas know what's up, and we'll join everyone outside soon."
He turned his glowing silver eyes to his Gamma. "Toby, meet Jax by the back door of the kitchen. That's where I'll send him to slip out unnoticed."
Toby gave a sharp, immediate nod, instantly turning on his heel to head down the corridor to prep for the perimeter breach.
Once they were alone in the dimly lit hallway, the rigid, lethal Alpha mask Fennigan had worn for the war council slipped just a fraction. He looked down at Leela, the raw grief from the bunker bleeding back into his expression. He stepped closer, leaning in to rest his forehead heavily against hers.
"I'm sorry you had to see those," Fennigan whispered roughly, the weight of his guilt vibrating in the quiet space between them. "I tried so hard to keep them from you. Jax and I... he never wanted Ginny to know the extent of what we found down there. We didn't want either of you to carry it."
Leela let out a soft breath. She reached up, her hand gently cupping his jaw, her thumb brushing over the rough skin of his scarred face.
"My fierce wolf," Leela murmured, her voice steady and brimming with absolute love. "I'm stronger than I appear. Yes, seeing that was shocking, but you two shouldn't have to carry that nightmare alone. We are your partners. Ginny and I are not weak. Even if Ginny is human, she is strong in so many other ways. You don't have to protect us from the truth."
Fennigan closed his eyes for a brief second, drawing immense strength from her touch. He turned his head just enough to press a tender, lingering kiss to her fingers.
"I know, Sparky," he breathed, stepping back and pulling his Alpha composure flawlessly back into place. "Keep the babies close. I'll be out soon."
With a final, deeply devoted look, Fennigan turned back to the heavy oak doors, ready to send his Beta out into the dark and break the news of the perimeter breach to his new alliance. Leela turned toward the bustling sounds of the estate, her Matriarchal instincts sharp and ready to gather her children.
Fennigan stepped back into the dimly lit study, the heavy oak doors closing with a solid, definitive click behind him.
The fifteen visiting Alphas were still gathered around the massive desk, the air in the room thick with the lingering tension of their newly sworn alliance and the horrifying revelations from Damon's ledgers. The moment Fennigan entered, the low hum of their murmuring completely stopped. Every single set of eyes snapped to him, waiting for their newly acknowledged King to lead.
Fennigan didn't address the room immediately. His glowing silver eyes found Jax, who was still leaning casually against the doorframe, silently analyzing the fifteen powerful men.
Fennigan gave his brother a single, sharp nod.
Jax didn't ask questions. He didn't need to. The Beta instantly pushed off the wall, his relaxed posture entirely evaporating as he shifted into his lethal, tactical mindset. He slipped past Fennigan and out into the hallway in absolute silence, heading straight for the back door of the kitchen to meet Toby and the silent team.
As the door locked shut once more, Fennigan walked back to his position at the head of the heavy oak desk. He closed the thick, leather-bound ledger containing the atrocities of the bunker, resting his massive hands flat on the cover.
"We have a situation on the eastern border," Fennigan rumbled, his deep voice perfectly steady, showing absolutely no panic or weakness. "One of my border patrols spotted movement deep in the tree line."
Draven stiffened, his hand instinctively dropping to where a blade would normally sit on his belt. "The High Council?"
"Possibly," Fennigan answered coolly. "The movement was spotted near the remains of my father's bunker. If the Council sent eyes to see what happened to their investment, they chose the wrong night to trespass."
Alpha Maxon stepped forward, his grizzled face hardening into a fierce scowl. "Say the word, Blackwood. I'll send my top warriors out right now to help you sweep the perimeter. If the Council is out there, we'll drag them back here by their throats."
It was a genuine offer of loyalty, a test of their new alliance, but Fennigan smoothly raised a hand, shutting it down with absolute, unquestionable authority.
"I appreciate the offer, Maxon," Fennigan stated, his tone commanding respect. "But you are guests on my territory, and this is a Blackwood perimeter. I've already sent my Beta and Gamma, along with my elite silent team, to handle the problem. They know these woods better than anyone. If there is a rat sniffing around the ashes of that bunker, Jax and Toby will exterminate it before it ever reaches the tree line."
The Alphas exchanged impressed, respectful glances. A lesser leader would have panicked or called for immediate backup. Fennigan was entirely unfazed, projecting the absolute strength and control of a King who perfectly trusted his pack's lethality.
"In the meantime," Fennigan continued, his silver eyes sweeping over the newly formed rebellion. "We will not let a shadow in the woods disrupt our alibi. The High Council expects a party for my new Beta heir, and that is exactly what we are going to give them. Anyone says why such a big celebration, we'll say because after the twins were born we hadn't celebrated them like they should of been. We are going back outside. You will drink, you will celebrate, and you will act as though this meeting never happened until I send word."