Max couldn't hold in his anger any longer. His eyes were red with rage. "You can't really be thinking about giving up, Alpha Cayden! We fought hard to keep our pack safe, and now you want to give it all to those brutes?"
His tracker, Rob, chimed in, his tone equally defiant. "He's right, Cayden. Surrendering would be a death sentence for all of us. We can't let Hawk and Magnus get away with this."
All of his warriors nodded in agreement, and their faces showed they were worried. As Cayden's decision hung heavy in the air, there was a lot of disagreement in the air.
Cayden put up his hand to tell everyone to be quiet, and then he took a deep breath to calm himself down. He knew people would disagree with his plan, but he had to get his allies to see the big picture.
"I understand your frustration and fear, my friends," he began, his voice calm and measured. "But this is not a surrender in the genuine sense. Hear me out."
He looked into each of their eyes, searching for understanding. "Hawk and Magnus are relentless, and our packs are already stretched thin from the recent battles. If we continue to engage in pack wars, we risk exhausting ourselves and losing everything we've fought for."
"But Cayden, surrendering would mean giving in to their tyranny," Mark protested from the call, his voice filled with indignation.
Cayden nodded to show that he understood his friend's worry. "Yes, but it's just a trick, a strategic move. We'll act like we're giving up, which will play into their pride and make them think we're weak. Once they think they've won, they'll relax, making them easy targets for our counterattack."
Dean's brow furrowed in thought. "So, you're suggesting we infiltrate their ranks and take them down from within?"
"Exactly," Alpha Cayden affirmed. "By appearing weak and desperate, I will make them careless. Hawk values power above all else, and he will see my submission as a sign of his dominance. He will take me captive. During the mating ceremony of Magnus and Selena, you will all attack the party and finish them all at once.”
Max crossed his arms, still sceptical. "I am sorry, but this plan seems absolutely ridiculous. What if Hawk kills you on the spot? The moment you surrender, how are we going to infiltrate? We don't know where he would lock you up. What is going to happen to you? I refuse to be part of this."
Max's concerns were valid, and the risks involved in the plan were indeed high. However, Cayden's eyes gleamed with determination as he reassured him, "I understand your worries, Max, but we have a secret weapon. A trusted insider who will provide us with all the information about Hawk's hideout and his plans for me. With this advantage, we can ensure our infiltration is successful and execute our rescue mission perfectly."
"What is it?" Max asked eagerly.
Cayden took a deep breath and said to his friends on the call, "Can you come to meet me right now?"
Mark, Jack, and Dean agreed, and soon they were all seated in Cayden's office, discussing his plan.
Cayden's eyes lit up with hope as he told them the important piece of information. "There's something else that might benefit us." David, Selena's brother, and Rose, his mate, were not happy with Hawk's rule. David has been given no power, and Rose is unhappy with her small share. They reached out to me in secret and said they would help if we killed Hawk and helped David become the next Alpha."
The room fell silent as the gravity of the revelation sank in. The allies exchanged intrigued glances, realising that this unexpected alliance could tip the scales in their favour. Beta Max arched an eyebrow, intrigued by the potential benefits of David and Rose's involvement.
"David wants to take the alpha position from Hawk." Max questioned David, curious about his motivations.
Cayden nodded; his expression was thoughtful. "Yes, he is too much of a chicken to challenge his father in a duel. So, he is ready to conspire with us."
"When did they contact you? And can you trust them?" Max was still skeptical.
"Shortly before the trial, Alpha Fenner, Rose's father, came to meet me secretly, along with David and Rose. I am sorry I didn't inform you all earlier. I wasn't too sure about their intentions, so I gave them a cryptic answer. But after Magnus's takeover, I got a call from that you won't believe who." Cayden chuckled.
Everyone looked at him expectantly.
"Luna Sierra! She is fed up with her mate's infidelity and wants David to take over the pack/."
"What a fucked-up family," Max muttered.
Dean leant in, a cunning smile spreading across his face. "If we can garner the support of David and Rose from within Hawk's pack, we'll have the element of surprise on our side. We can gatecrash the party easily."
Jack agreed, seeing the tactical advantage. "And if we can help David ascend to the alpha position, he'll be too busy dealing with internal challenges to focus on external threats."
Mark chimed in, adding his insights to the plan. "So, it will be a two-fold attack: Cayden will pretend to surrender, providing a distraction while we launch a covert operation from within. With David's help, we can win the war."
Cayden nodded in admiration of his allies' quick comprehension. "Exactly. We'll strike when their defences are down, crippling Hawk's forces and forcing him to confront David's uprising. With Rose's Father's influence, who is the Alpha of the Red Moon Pack, we can gather even more support from the other neutral packs."
Beta Max looked convinced now, his initial anger replaced by determination. "This plan has potential, Cayden. It's risky, but it just might work. I'm in."
The others followed suit, pledging their support for Cayden's plan. They knew that taking down Hawk and Magnus was their only chance at a better future for their packs. It was a dangerous mission, but they would do whatever it took to secure the safety and freedom of their kind.
**********************
Selena winced as the woman grooming her hair continued to brush the knots out of her hair, heedless of her protests.
"Hush, Selena. There is no point in arguing. This is the price you pay for going against your father." Luna Sierra's chiding tone only fuelled her irritation.
Selena sat in the small carved wooden chair, staring down at her reflection in the small mirror. Blue eyes pierced blue eyes as she stared down at her twin image, their faces wincing and grimacing in unison. Her knee-length strands of night-black hair, whose knots had already been yanked out, hung limp around her face.
"Stand up. You're being presented in five minutes."
Scowling, she stood, towering over her stepmother. The navy-blue dress she wore didn't help either. Backless and with a plunging neckline, it highlighted every curve and every angle she possessed. Sighing, she turned and walked towards the massive curtain that separated them from the rest of the council room. Pulling an edge to the side, she looked out at the mass of wolves that filled the hall.
Looking ahead, she peered past the throngs of wolves. At the tallest table, Magnus sat in the centre, flanked on both sides by her dad and his other minions.
Her gut turned. To be mated off to that desolate man. She would rather die than let him touch her. That's what she was going to do. With determination in her eyes, she would escape this fate. Even if it meant her death.
A sudden gush of wind that brought the familiar scent of pines and musk caught her attention. Pulling her back from the curtain, Sierra frantically smoothed her hair, adjusted her dress, and fixed her posture all at once. "Now, just remember to smile. Keep your answers short and don't let your pride get the best of you!"
She was shoved through the curtain to the steps of the staircase. Her heart nearly stopped. There in the centre of the circle stood Cayden, bound with silver chains. Selena's eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the sight of Cayden, his powerful presence diminished by the chains that held him captive. The crowd fell silent, their gazes fixed on the scene before them, awaiting Selena's next move.