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Chapter twenty-two

Annabella

A nnabella

Five minutes later, I was standing in our operations center, staring at the screens where Mira had assembled information on our next target: Talia Johnson.

I inhaled slowly, taking in Mira’s scent—coffee, electronics, and nervous sweat. Her technological skills were extraordinary. And right now, she was vibrating with energy, like a chihuahua on espresso.

“I’ve been working on Johnson’s security,” Mira said. “It’s like breaking into Fort Knox with a plastic spoon. Took me three different backdoor approaches and nearly triggered a counterattack on our systems twice.”

She pointed to a schematic of the Harrington Hotel, multiple security layers highlighted in different colors. “According to the intel the boss sent over for the gala, Johnson will have a four-person rotating detail, all Council enforcers.”

I leaned closer, studying the diagram. “Have you found an angle?”

“Maybe. There’s a small window during the charity auction,” Mira said, zooming in on a section of the ballroom.

“Johnson is scheduled to present an award. To reach the stage, all speakers are taken through this service corridor.” She tapped the screen.

“For approximately ninety seconds, two guards will monitor the stage and the crowd; the other two will accompany her.”

“Ninety seconds?”

“It’s tight,” Mira admitted. “And we’ll need to disable their communication grid simultaneously, or her security team will lock down the whole block the moment she disappears.”

I caught my lower lip between my teeth, considering. “We need a distraction. Something big enough to pull security’s attention without causing a panic.”

“A distraction would work,” came Felix’s voice from behind me.

My wolf stirred. Fucking wonderful.

I looked over my shoulder to find him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. He looked powerful, in control, like he belonged.

Why did he always have to look so damn gorgeous leaning against things? Like he was posing for Hot Werewolves Monthly.

“We go in as guests,” he continued, unaware of my scrutiny. “Blend with the crowd. When Johnson moves toward the stage, we intercept her in that service corridor while the rest of the team creates a diversion elsewhere in the building.”

Focus. I had to focus.

“Agreed. Any ideas on the type of diversion?”

A slow smile spread across Felix’s face, dangerous and thrilling in a way I couldn’t explain.

“Something that requires security personnel’s immediate attention.

” He pushed off from the doorframe and stalked toward the screens.

An image flashed in my head of him stalking me, his attention completely on me, like nothing else in the world mattered.

Oh, and he was naked. One hundred percent naked.

I slammed shut the mental door on that image, though I couldn’t stop the blush I could feel creeping up my neck.

“If we time it right,” Felix continued, “we could have Mira trigger the fire suppression system in the east wing to peel off the hotel’s human security. Zeke and Lydia stage something in the lobby to draw the attention of the two Council enforcers in the ballroom.”

“And Duke creates a disturbance that the remaining security detail around Johnson must deal with,” I said, the plan taking shape. My wolf stirred again, excited by the hunt.

“That leaves you and Felix,” Mira said, a cheeky glint sparkling in her eyes. “The best way into the gala would be to pose as a couple.”

Felix’s eyes met mine. “Think you can stand being my date for an evening, Moonbeam?”

I ignored the warmth that was still creeping up my neck, the way my wolf stretched toward him like a cat seeking sun.

Dangerous. He’s dangerous to you.

Not to mention unbearably smug.

“I’ll manage,” I said coolly. “Let’s call the team together. We need to plan this out to the second.”

Twenty minutes later, we were all gathered around the command table. This would be our most high-profile target yet. Talia Johnson wasn’t just any Council member; she was legendary. Taking her down would send shockwaves through the entire Council.

If we pulled this off, Webster might actually be proud of us. His coven might actually see how fucking awesome this crew was. And the apocalypse would surely follow.

Duke stood beside me. If looks could kill, Felix would be a decorative rug on Duke’s floor right now. Duke hadn’t stopped glaring at Felix since we’d mentioned going undercover as a couple.

“I don’t like it,” Duke said. “Why do you need to go in? Let me handle Johnson.”

“Because Felix and I can blend. You’re built like a linebacker with anger management issues. You’d stand out and be on her security detail’s radar the minute you walked in.”

A few feet away, Lydia was examining her manicure. “I’m sure they can handle it, Duke.”

“If that’s settled, we need to focus on the details. If you two are going in as guests, you’ll need proper credentials.” Zeke looked at Mira. “Can you handle that?”

“Already on it. The gala’s guest list includes several wealthy donors who keep low profiles. I can create two identities that’ll pass standard security checks.” Mira glanced at her screen. “I’m thinking Mr. and Mrs. James Holloway, tech entrepreneurs from Seattle who recently moved East.”

“Mrs.?” I arched an eyebrow.

“Married couples draw less attention at galas, where anyone single gets eyed up either by hopeful mothers or horny men.”

Maybe, but playing Felix’s wife, even for a night, felt dangerous in ways that had nothing to do with Council enforcers.

“And what exactly will I be doing while you two are playing dress-up?” Duke asked.

“We need something to draw out one of the two remaining guards around Johnson. A drunk werewolf making noise about seeing Council members could work,” Felix suggested. “It would be serious enough to warrant a security response but not enough to shut down the event.”

Duke snorted.

Felix ignored him. “The final security detail will stay with Johnson; no matter what happens, their job will be to guard her. But as soon as Johnson is separated from three of her four guards, we intercept her in the service corridor. Me and Annabella will take down the last guard; Lydia will meet us there and put Johnson to sleep. Then we hightail it out of there before anyone is the wiser.”

I shook my head. “I can put her to sleep. We’ll need Lydia to cover our exit.”

“Where’s the extraction point?” Zeke asked.

“Back entrance, east side,” Mira said, highlighting it on the map. “I’ve identified a catering company making deliveries throughout the night. We’ll have a van with their logo waiting.”

I studied the plan, looking for holes. “We take her on her way back from her speech, not before. They’ll notice quickly when she doesn’t show up on stage but on the way back? Maybe she stops to chat. It will give us a few extra seconds before they notice she’s gone.”

Mira nodded.

“What else do we know about Johnson?” Besides the fact that she could probably kill us all with her pinky finger and still have time for afternoon tea.

Mira pulled up a file on the main screen. A striking Black woman stared back at us, her expression severe, her hair framing her face in a crown of tight coils streaked with gray at the temples.

“Talia Johnson, forty-two, on the Wolf Council for eleven years. Former military. She’s also known for being exceptionally skilled in combat. She is ruthless and extremely loyal to the Council.”

“So we’re targeting one of the Council’s best who also happens to be a trained killer,” Zeke summarized. “Brilliant. Just freaking brilliant.”

“We’ve tackled difficult targets before,” I reminded them. “Don’t let her intimidate you. We can do this.”

“What about her personal life?” Felix asked, studying Johnson’s image. “Any weaknesses we can exploit?”

Mira shook her head. “Nothing I can find. Extremely private. No known relationships. Married to the job, by all accounts.”

“Everyone has a weakness,” Felix insisted. “What do we do with her when we have her? Bring her back here?”

“To the loft?” Lydia looked up sharply. “Of course not. She needs to be taken to the warehouse.”

Mira looked over her shoulder. “It’s where Lydia does most of her spellwork. It’s set up so she can extract memories and then do the mind-wipe.”

“So, where’s the warehouse?”

“You’ll see when we have Johnson,” Duke said.

“My question is, what if one of the enforcers is Calloway?” Lydia looked directly at Annabella. “You let him get away. If he sees any one of us there, he’ll know immediately something is up and ferret Johnson away.”

“There is a thirteen point five percent chance of that happening.” Mira tapped her tablet, bringing up grainy CCTV footage from Union Station.

“There, you see? That’s Calloway getting on the 8:15 p.m. Southwest Chief to Los Angeles.

That’s a thirty-six-hour journey; he’ll be sunning himself on Santa Monica pier by the time we’re executing this mission. ”

I clapped my hands together, ending the discussion.

“Alright. We have two days to prepare. Mira, get us those credentials and finish mapping security. Lydia, help Zeke and Duke plan the distractions. Felix—” I hesitated, meeting his eyes.

“Let’s work on our cover story. We need to be convincing as a couple. ”

Duke growled so softly that only enhanced hearing would catch it.

Real mature, Duke. Next, you’ll be passing Felix angry notes in class.

I ignored him.

“One last thing,” I said, addressing the entire team. “This isn’t like our other missions. Johnson is high-profile, dangerous, and exceptionally well-connected. If anything goes wrong, we abort. No heroics. We want her processed, but not at the cost of any of us. Clear?”

Everyone nodded, though Felix’s agreement seemed hesitant.

As the team went off to their assignments, I caught Felix’s gaze. “A word?”

I led him to the small alcove off the operations center, away from prying ears.

“Did you miss something in the briefing?”

“I don’t miss things,” I said. “Especially about my team . I could count your eyelashes from across the room if I wanted to. Which I don’t. Because that would be creepy.”

What the hell was I saying? I had to stop talking, like right now.

He stepped closer, and my wolf surged forward so violently I had to dig my nails into my palms to keep her contained.

“You worried about me, Moonbeam?” His voice dropped lower, almost intimate. “Or worried about pretending to be my wife for a night?”

I refused to back away despite every instinct screaming that he was too close. “I’m worried about my crew. You’re still new to this, and this is a big op. If you’re not ready, it will endanger this mission—”

He grinned. “Oh, I’m ready. This? This is gonna be fun. Trust me.”

Trust. Such a small word for such an impossible request. And yet, against all reason, part of me wanted to give it to him.

I stepped back, needing distance. “We’ll need to work on our cover story. If we’re going to pass as a married couple, we need to be convincing.”

And that meant touching him, maybe even kissing him. And that scared the shit out of me; I’d never kissed anyone before—how the hell do you prepare for something like that? I needed to Google it.

As I walked away, my wolf whined, straining toward him like it recognized something I didn’t.

Two days to prepare for our biggest mission yet. Two days to figure out why Felix Masters made my carefully suppressed wolf so agitated. Two days to determine if I could trust him with the lives of my crew.

And my own.

So, no pressure or anything.