Chapter 17 LOGAN'S MISSION
Logan's POV
I studied maps alone in the strategy room, analyzing Malachai's retreat patterns and trying to predict his next move when my father wheeled himself into the room, still recovering from torture but mentally sharp.
"You're brooding," Lysander said. "That expression usually means you've identified a problem no one else sees yet."
"Malachai's retreat was too organized," I said. "He's not acting defeated, he's acting like someone who accomplished exactly what he intended."
"Which suggests his attack on the city was never his primary objective," Lysander concluded. "He was testing defenses and gathering intelligence about how the succession council responds."
"Exactly," I agreed. "And now he knows our response times and our command structure and most importantly, he knows that Isabel is stepping back from active leadership."
"Making the succession council a more vulnerable target," Lysander said grimly.
The implications made my blood run cold because the succession council had been operating more independently, each member traveling to various communities and they were exposed in ways they hadn't been before.
"I need to warn them," I said.
"Wait," Lysander said. "If you warn them directly, Malachai's operatives will detect the communication and Logan, we don't know how deep his intelligence network runs."
"So we let them walk into a trap?"
"No," Lysander corrected. "We position ourselves to intercept the trap without revealing that we know it exists and you take a small team and shadow the succession council members who are most vulnerable."
The strategy was sound but dangerous and it meant operating without official authorization, keeping my activities secret from the people I was trying to protect but watching people I cared about die because I respected protocol seemed worse.
I assembled my team within the hour, six wolves who'd fought beside me and who trusted my tactical judgment and I briefed them on the situation without revealing my lack of official authorization.
"We're shadows," I told them. "We watch, we wait, and we only act if immediate threat materializes."
We deployed that night and tracked Jenna who was traveling to a community three hours north. Through careful observation I identified at least four potential attack vectors they weren't monitoring adequately.
"This is bad tactical positioning," one of my team members whispered as we watched Jenna's vehicle navigate a narrow mountain road.
Then I saw them, three figures positioned in the rocks above with weapons ready and clearly waiting for Jenna's vehicle to reach the optimal position for attack.
"Contact imminent," I reported to my team. "We engage on my signal."
We struck simultaneously and took down the operatives before they could fire a single shot, the fight over in seconds and we melted back into the forest before anyone could investigate, leaving the unconscious operatives tied up where authorities would find them.
Over the following week we intercepted four more ambush attempts, each one targeting a different succession council member and each one positioned with professional precision that confirmed Malachai's involvement.
"We need to find Malachai's base of operations," I told my father during a brief return. "Intercepting individual attacks isn't sustainable."
"Or we create an opportunity for him to reveal himself," I said. "Bait him with a target too valuable to resist."
"You want to use yourself as bait," Lysander said flatly.
"I'm Logan Cross, former Alpha who voluntarily gave up hierarchical power," I said. "If Malachai could eliminate me publicly it would send a powerful message."
"It would also get you killed."
"Only if the plan fails," I said with more confidence than I felt.
Lysander studied me with complex emotions. "This is about redemption, you're trying to prove you're not the Alpha who rejected his mate."
"Maybe," I admitted. "But it's also about stopping a genuine threat before more people die."
"Your motivations always matter," Lysander said quietly. "Because Logan, you're not going to heal the damage you caused Isabel by getting yourself killed in some grand gesture and you heal by living and by making better choices."
"I'm still the best option for bait," I said, refusing to back down.
I spent the next two days planning the operation meticulously and would announce a public appearance at a community gathering, position myself in a location with multiple escape routes and my protective team would be concealed but ready to intervene.
"This is insane," Kael said when I briefed him. "You're painting a target on yourself."
"Do you have a better option?" I asked.
"Several," Kael replied. "All of which don't involve you potentially dying."
"But none of which have the same probability of drawing Malachai out," I countered.
Kael was silent. "Does Isabel know about this?"
"No," I admitted. "She's supposed to be resting and I didn't want to burden her."
"So you're making unilateral decisions that affect everyone because you think you know better than the collective leadership," Kael said flatly. "That's exactly the authoritarian thinking we're trying to move past."
He was right and I was falling into old patterns but I also genuinely believed this was the best tactical option.
"I'm asking for your support," I said carefully. "Not your permission."
"Then you're an idiot," Kael said but there was resignation rather than anger. "But you're an idiot I've fought beside so against my better judgment, I'll provide backup."
The public appearance was scheduled for three days later and I announced I would be speaking about voluntary power redistribution at a community gathering. As the day approached I felt the weight of what I was attempting.
The morning of the event Seraphina found me checking weapons.
"You're planning something dangerous," she said.
"How did you know?"
"Because I recognize the preparation patterns," Seraphina replied. "And Logan, whatever you're planning, Aria asked me to tell you to be careful."
"She's six months old," I said with confusion.
"She's a hybrid with abilities we don't understand," Seraphina corrected. "She's been fussy all morning and I've learned to trust her instincts."
"I'll be careful," I promised.
I arrived at the community gathering two hours early and my protective team was already in position. As the crowd gathered I delivered my prepared remarks but my attention was split between my speech and constant scanning for threats.
Then I felt it, the subtle shift in the crowd's energy and the presence of trained operatives moving with purpose and I counted at least six, all converging on positions that would give them clear shots.
"Contact imminent," I murmured. "Multiple hostiles moving into position."
I continued speaking, waiting for the optimal moment and one of the operatives raised a weapon.
"Now!" I commanded and dropped behind cover as gunfire erupted.
My protective team engaged Malachai's operatives simultaneously and the fight spilled through the crowd as civilians scattered. We'd positioned ourselves advantageously and within minutes we'd neutralized five of the six attackers.
"Secure the prisoners," I ordered. "And someone get me clothes before this becomes more awkward."
We transported the prisoners back to the compound and I prepared myself for the difficult conversation with Isabel and the succession council about my unsanctioned operations.
Whether the ends justified the means was a question I couldn't answer alone and that responsibility belonged to the collective leadership I'd been trying to protect.
But as we approached the compound Dante's voice came through urgently and panicked.
"Logan, abort your return," Dante said. "Malachai just attacked the compound directly and he knew you'd be gone and he's going after Isabel while she's vulnerable."
My heart stopped and every tactical consideration evaporated in the face of one simple truth.
Isabel was in danger and I'd left her unprotected while running unauthorized operations.