Page 32 of Mate Night Snack (Hollow Oak Mates #2)

EMMETT

E very instinct Emmett possessed screamed against the plan.

His wolf paced beneath his skin like a caged predator, snarling at the idea of deliberately putting Katniss in danger.

The mate bond thrummed with protective fury every time he thought about her standing alone at the Hollow Stone, waiting for a monster to emerge from the shadows.

It went against everything fundamental about what he was, what he'd been born to do.

But as he watched the town mobilize around their strategy, as he saw the careful precision with which every detail was planned and executed, he had to admit the tactical wisdom was sound.

"Ward stone goes here," Callum said, marking a spot on the ground with chalk. The lion shifter moved with predatory grace around the Hollow Stone clearing, his blue eyes calculating angles and sight lines with military precision. "And another here, to complete the containment circle."

Emmett knelt beside the ancient granite monolith, feeling the power that thrummed beneath his hands.

The Stone had stood here for centuries, a focal point for magic older than human memory.

Now it would serve as the center of their trap, its protective wards amplified by everything the Council could bring to bear.

"The earth magic is responding well," Callum continued, pressing his palm to the soil. "I can feel the Stone's willingness to help. It wants this darkness gone as much as we do."

"How's the positioning?" Emmett asked, though he already knew the answer. They'd gone over the plan a dozen times, mapped every angle, accounted for every variable they could think of.

"Sight lines are clear from all three concealment points. Communication crystals are charged and tested. If anything goes wrong, we'll know about it immediately." Callum straightened, brushing dirt from his hands. "This could actually work."

The problem wasn't whether it could work. The problem was what happened if it didn't.

"Emmett." Varric's voice carried across the clearing as the elder approached with his characteristic measured stride. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine." The lie came automatically, though he doubted it fooled anyone.

"It's natural to have concerns about using one's mate as bait," Varric said diplomatically. "The protective instincts of a bonded wolf are not easily overridden."

"I know the plan is sound," Emmett replied, watching Callum position another ward stone with careful precision. "Doesn't make it easier."

"No. It doesn't." Varric studied the clearing with ancient eyes that had seen too many battles, too many impossible choices.

"But perhaps that's what makes it right.

If this were easy, if you felt no fear for her safety, it would mean you'd stopped caring.

And caring is what separates us from monsters like Ashwin. "

Before Emmett could respond, the sound of approaching voices announced the arrival of the rest of their planning committee.

Maeve emerged from the forest path carrying a leather weapons case that clinked ominously with each step.

Behind her came Twyla, laden with satchels that smelled of herbs and moonlight, and Miriam with a basket that probably contained enough food to feed a small army.

"How's our killing ground looking?" Maeve asked without preamble, setting down her case and surveying the clearing with professional interest.

"Like a place where bad things come to die," Callum replied with satisfaction.

Maeve grinned, showing teeth that looked slightly too sharp in the afternoon light. "Perfect."

She opened her weapons case, revealing an array of blades that gleamed like captured starlight. Not ordinary steel, but something else, something that hummed with protective magic and thirsted for supernatural blood.

"Twyla blessed them," she explained, selecting a throwing knife and testing its balance. "Cold iron cores, silver edges, and enough purification charms to make any shadow creature think twice."

"Will they be enough?" Emmett asked.

"Depends on how many friends Ashwin brings to the party." Maeve's expression grew serious. "But if it's just him and a couple of scouts, yeah. We'll have more than enough firepower."

Twyla began arranging small glass vials in a careful pattern around the Stone's base, each one glowing with soft inner light.

"Protection potions," she explained when she noticed Emmett watching.

"Nothing fancy, just basic shielding magic that'll give our girl a few extra seconds if things go sideways. "

"And if they don't work?"

"Then we improvise." Twyla's usual cheerful demeanor had given way to something more focused, more dangerous. "But they'll work. I've been brewing these particular recipes for years, ever since the first girl went missing. They're specifically designed to counter shadow magic."

Miriam unpacked her basket with the efficiency of someone who'd provisioned for crisis before. Sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, thermoses of soup that steamed in the cooling air, packets of dried fruit and nuts that would keep energy levels steady through a long night.

"Food," she said simply when Emmett raised an eyebrow. "You can't fight on empty stomachs, and this could take hours."

The practicality of it struck him suddenly. Not just the food, but all of it. The careful planning, the specialized weapons, the protective magic, the way everyone had simply accepted that this was what needed to be done and thrown themselves into making it happen.

Since his exile, Emmett finally felt like he was part of something bigger than himself. Not just a collection of individuals pursuing their own goals, but a genuine pack. United in purpose, committed to protecting one of their own, willing to risk everything for the chance at victory.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Varric looked up from where he was inscribing runes into the earth around the Stone. "For what?"

"For this. All of it. For believing in her plan, for helping make it work, for..." He gestured helplessly at the scene around them. "For letting me be part of it."

"You've always been part of it," Miriam said gently. "From the moment you chose to protect this town instead of just hiding in it. The only one who didn't see that was you."

Before he could respond, footsteps announced another arrival. Katniss emerged from the forest path, looking determined and terrified in equal measure. She'd changed into dark clothing that would blend with the shadows, and her injured arm was free of its sling.

"How's it looking?" she asked, though her eyes were already cataloguing every detail of the preparations.

"Like a trap worthy of the prey it's meant to catch," Varric replied.

She nodded, moving to examine the ward stones with the careful attention she'd once given to crime scenes. She paused. "You really think he'll come alone?"

"He's arrogant enough," Maeve said, selecting another blade from her case. "Especially if he thinks you're vulnerable and isolated. His whole thing is psychological warfare, breaking people through fear and manipulation. He'll want to savor the moment."

"And if he brings backup?"

"Then we adapt." Emmett moved to stand beside her, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from her skin. "But the wards will contain anything up to a small pack. And we'll have advance warning from the perimeter sensors."

Katniss leaned into his presence, drawing strength from the contact. He felt her mixture of determination and fear, her absolute commitment to seeing this through despite the risks.

"Any word on the missing seers?" she asked Twyla. "The ones he's been using as power sources?"

"I've been working on tracking spells, but shadow magic makes it difficult.

They're there, somewhere in the spaces between worlds, but I can't pinpoint exact locations.

" Twyla's expression grew troubled. "If we can disrupt his control during the confrontation, they might be able to break free on their own. "

As the afternoon wore on, the clearing transformed from a simple forest glade into something that felt like a sacred battleground.

The ward stones hummed with protective energy.

The concealment points were invisible unless you knew exactly where to look.

The communication crystals sparkled like captured starlight in their hidden positions.

Everything was ready.

"Last chance to change your mind," Emmett said quietly.

"Not happening." Katniss's voice was steady, sure. "This ends tonight."

"Promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me that when this is over, when Ashwin is dealt with and the threat is past, you'll let me take you somewhere peaceful. Just the two of us, no supernatural drama, no ancient mysteries to solve."

She smiled, the expression transforming her face from determined to radiant. "Like a vacation?"

"Like a future." He cupped her face in his hands. "Because after tonight, I want to start building one with you."

"I want that too." She rose up on her toes to kiss him, soft and sweet and full of promises they both intended to keep. "All of it. The quiet moments, the everyday drama, the chance to be normal together."

"Normalcy is overrated," he murmured against her lips.

"Maybe. But boring sounds pretty good right about now."

Around them, the others finished their preparations with the quiet efficiency of people who knew their lives depended on getting every detail right. As darkness began to fall, they took their positions, melting into the shadows like they'd been born to them.

Emmett found his concealment point behind a cluster of ancient oaks, close enough to reach Katniss in seconds but hidden from casual observation. Through the bond, he could feel her steady heartbeat, her calm breathing, her absolute focus on the task ahead.

She was ready.

They were all ready.

Now came the hardest part.

The waiting.