Page 140 of Contested Crown

Something in me relaxed at how well the pack was shaping up. We were about to take on a fight that was risky, but based on everyone’s behavior, we were golden.

I’d started with twenty of Declan’s people who became my people; now, I was up to thirty-six with the House Bartlett wolves and mages. Nia alone was going to make things easier by her capabilities in a fight but also because she had a way of shutting down any problems in a pack before they even started.

“Okay, call us back if anything changes. Don’t let them see you,” I said. “If they do, run.”

“You got it. No cowboy heroics for me,” Evelyn said.

“That’s right. Leave those for the professionals,” I said, letting the teasing words break the tension.

When I tapped the red button to end the call, Gabe asked, “You know how to ride a horse, boss?”

“I know how to ride anything you can put a saddle on,” I said.

Rhys choked, and I raised my eyebrow. “You have something you want to say, Rhys?”

“No, no, inhaled wrong,” they croaked. “Go ahead with all this planning.”

They waved a hand at the spread of blueprints one of the humans had come up with. I didn’t ask how they’d gotten them off the internet, and Rhys had provided a large enough printer that we had a good picture of what the inside of the building looked like. According to permits, it had been under construction for months, which smelled more like the start of a money-laundering scheme to me than anything else.

“We’ll go in here,” I said, pointing at the rear entrance. It was less visible from the street, so there was less of a chance of people calling the cops. “Team A, you’ll be here in front. Your job is to keep people out. If any of Declan’s guys come running out of the building trying to get away, let them go. One less person for us to fight. B and C, the same but the two side entrances.”

“Will that leave enough people to clear the building?” Cade asked, frowning down at the plan.

“Yes.” I kept my words firm, even. No doubt in them.

He gave me a long look, his eyes searching my face, and then he nodded.

“You’ll be in charge of managing the mages.” I let my gaze focus on the outer circle, finding the six mages that had come from House Bartlett. So few. I wondered what had happened to the rest, everyone else who had chosen to remain when their life partner was treated like less than human. “Are there any of you who don’t feel up to fighting?”

Coral and Theo both looked at their mages.

Jack shook his head. “Twelve hours ago, I thought I was about to die. I still have my magic, but I haven’t tried to use it since then.”

Lily was staring at Coral and reached out to put her hand on Coral’s shoulder. “Will doing this get us closer to revenge on Leon?”

“It’s going to tell us why he did this.” No doubt. I wasn’t allowed any doubt. I remembered the press of Cade’s cock in my mouth, his hand on the back of my neck.

I might be doing this all by myself, but at least I had him with me.

“Then I’m in. I already did the worst thing I could ever do and gave up our consort bond. If this helps that make sense, then I’m with you.” Lily wasn’t even talking to us anymore, her gaze trailing down Coral’s throat and the part of her chest exposed by her shirt. The scarring was intense, thick, gleaming skin that rippled when Coral swallowed and turned her head to look away.

A couple of the mages bowed out, and I assigned them to watch the other entrances. Then, I met with the inner circle.

We weren’t large enough to have a pack council, but Nia, Gabe, Heather, and Joel would have to do. They had the pulse on the rest of the wolves, although I wished Evelyn was with us. She had a head for strategy.

We settled in the corner of the showroom, which wasn’t private enough, but at least everyone else was pretending to focus on their food and getting ready. All the wolves in the building had their heads tilted toward us, listening to every word.

Cade sat next to me, and no one questioned his presence, although Heather and Gabe exchanged a speaking look.

“We’re going to have about twenty-four people with us.” I looked around the circle. “I’m going to divide them between you four and Evelyn, making five teams. If I give you an order, I want your whole team on it. Any questions?”

“So we’re in charge of the mages?” Gabe challenged. He jerked his chin at Cade. “I thought he was in charge of the mages.”

“He will be, unless you want to learn magecraft in the next hour.” I let that settle between us, and Gabe shook his head. When I turned to Cade, I tried to keep my words professional. “We’re going to have four other mages, five counting you, six if we have Rhys.”

“What do you want us to focus on?” Cade asked. I could tell he had something in mind, but he waited, and my heart twisted in joy at that. There was power in it, power in him listening to me, letting me decide how this was going to go down.

“Protecting us. Any shields that you have. Any way to glue down the enemy, keep them out of our way.” I looked around the circle again.