Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

R owan

Silas cleared his throat and the sound cut through the silence like a blade. I could feel the room’s tension as every leader in the Resistance processed what was happening, their eyes darting from him to Sorin and back again. He held their attention like a commander familiar with battle, one who had more than a little experience staying a step ahead of danger, and we could use every bit of that right now.

“We tracked the retreating wolves from the attack yesterday,” Silas continued, his voice level but commanding. “My scouts found them regrouping a few miles out, at a larger encampment. They’re planning something—something big.”

I watched Silas closely as he spoke, noticing the way he carried himself, the way his eyes moved around the room, quick and alert. There was a sharpness to him, an almost unnatural ease in the way he read everyone here. His posture, his confidence—it was more than human. I knew what it felt like to wear that calm mask, to blend in among humans while hiding something far more primal beneath the surface.

Silas was no ordinary man. He was one of us .

A wolf.

I glanced over at Sorin, but she hadn’t caught on. She was listening intently, calculating every word he said. I didn’t plan on revealing him either. If Silas wanted to play his cards close, I’d let him—for now. But it gave me an edge, knowing that Kendra and I weren’t the only wolves in the room.

“An encampment?” Sorin repeated, crossing her arms as she considered this new information. “How big are we talking?”

Silas tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “Big enough to be a threat,” he said simply. “If they’re planning a larger attack, you’ll need more than a stronghold. You’ll need strategy.”

Sorin’s eyes narrowed as she appraised him, skepticism flickering in her gaze. “And you think you know how to strategize against a pack of wolves?”

Silas didn’t flinch. “I’ve spent years studying them,” he replied smoothly, his eyes flicking briefly to me. “And I’ve learned one thing: wolves are most vulnerable when they think they have the upper hand.”

I caught the subtle glint in his eye, and I knew he was testing me, waiting to see how I’d respond, if I’d give him up.

“He’s right,” I said, nodding, my voice steady. “A wolf pack doesn’t fear an attack when they think they’re the hunters. But if we give them a reason to question their position, they’ll falter. They’re driven by hierarchy. Break that, and they’ll turn on each other.”

Sorin glanced between the two of us, her brow furrowed. “You’re both suggesting an ambush?”

I nodded, meeting her gaze. “Yes. We know they’re coming, so let’s set a trap for when they arrive. We can hit them hard, right where it counts. Take out the alphas, the higher ranks, and watch their power structure crumble.”

Silas gave a faint nod of approval, his face impassive, but his eyes gleaming with something close to respect. “We draw them here,” he added, “and then close in before they realize what’s happening. If we hit fast, they won’t have time to rally.”

Sorin’s expression remained hard, but I could see the gears turning. She didn’t trust us—didn’t trust me, especially not with my connection to Kendra and the complications it brought. But she was smart enough to know we weren’t bluffing, and that if we were going to survive the next attack, we needed to use every resource at our disposal.

“We don’t have much time,” I continued, my voice low. “The wolves will be back sooner than you think, and if we let them regroup, they’ll bring reinforcements.”

Sorin let out a shrill breath, her fingers drumming against her arm as she looked between Silas and me. “This is dangerous,” she said finally.

“Maybe,” I replied, my tone steady. “But if we hit hard enough, we’ll shatter their morale. If we make this strike count, they’ll think twice about attacking us again.”

The room fell silent as everyone processed the weight of the plan, the high stakes gamble we were proposing. But I could feel it—a faint current of something close to hope, a glimmer of resolve in the eyes of the Resistance members gathered here. They were fighters, every one of them, and the idea of finally going on the offensive sparked something they hadn’t felt in a long time.

Silas inclined his head, his gaze steady as he looked at Sorin. “I’ll provide the scouts to locate the main targets,” he said calmly. “If we’re going to pull this off, we need precision.”

Sorin considered him for a long moment. She wasn’t a woman who liked taking risks, but she wasn’t afraid of them either. Finally, she nodded.

“Fine,” she said, her voice clipped. “We’ll set the ambush. But if this goes sideways…” She let the threat hang in the air, her eyes locking onto Silas’s before sliding to me. “I expect both of you to answer for it.”

“Understood,” I said, inclining my head in agreement.

Silas didn’t respond, only offering a slight nod, his expression unreadable.

“Gather your scouts and bring the details of their encampment to my quarters by nightfall,” Sorin ordered, her voice hard. “We’ll need every advantage we can get.”

Silas nodded again, his gaze flicking briefly to me, a hint of approval in his eyes. “Understood. I’ll have my men ready.”

As he turned to leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something that was going to get bigger from here on out. Silas moved with the precision of someone who knew exactly what he was doing, and I knew that he was holding back more than he’d let on. The question was whose side was he truly on?

As Silas walked out of the room, the doors swinging shut behind him, a chill ran down my spine.

Now all we had to do was wait.

The Resistance compound was still and deathly quiet, every shadow seeming to stretch longer as dusk settled over the empty streets. The town had been evacuated, led by Silas’s people to a safer location miles away. It was a smart move—keeping noncombatants out of harm’s way, making sure the wolves had fewer targets to worry about. But I couldn’t shake the frustration simmering in me as I glanced at Kendra, crouched beside me, her face set in sheer determination.

I’d argued, practically pleaded with her to go with the others. She hadn’t seen combat like this before, hadn’t been part of a full-scale attack, and the thought of her standing in the crossfire gnawed at me, especially with what had happened to Eva. But Kendra had stood her ground, her green eyes fierce as she’d told me she wouldn’t run.

“This isn’t just your fight, Rowan,” she’d said, her voice steady and unyielding. “I’m staying.”

Honestly, I just should have taken off my belt and sent her on her way, but I didn’t. It made sense to have her in the attack. She was strong and cunning, and we needed every advantage we could get.

So now she was here, huddled beside me, her jaw clenched as she scanned the empty town, waiting for the wolves to strike. I tried to ignore the worry tightening in my chest, to focus instead on the steady rhythm of my own breathing and the hum of readiness that settled over us like a shroud.

Sorin knelt a few feet away, her gun trained on the main road, her posture rigid as ever, her focus unwavering. She caught my eye, her brow arched, and she gave a slight nod.

“Not having second thoughts, are we, Blackwood?” she drawled.

I smirked, not letting my tension show. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Captain.”

From the shadows, Silas chuckled softly, the sound as dry as the cracked earth beneath our feet. “Ever faced them before, Blackwood?”

“Plenty of times,” I countered. “How about yourself?”

Silas’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “More than once,” he replied, his gaze shifting out over the abandoned streets. “It’s not easy to take down an entire pack, but it can be done—with strategy, not just brute force.” He turned to Sorin, a faint smile playing at the edge of his mouth. “And with the right people.”

Sorin raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “And here I thought all you had were scouts and messengers.”

Silas shrugged, his tone uncharacteristically serious. “You’re right to be cautious. But when it comes to fighting wolves, we don’t hold back.” He paused, his eyes taking on a far-off look, as though remembering something from another life. “The wolves don’t care who they hurt. When they attack, they come with everything they have, and if you don’t fight back just as hard, they’ll tear through your defenses like they’re paper. So, you can’t hesitate. And you can’t afford weakness.”

The air between us felt heavier, and I saw the briefest flicker of approval in Sorin’s expression as she regarded Silas. She nodded, her eyes intense. “Then it seems we may have chosen the right allies after all.”

Kendra shifted slightly, her gaze fixed on Silas, her voice steady as she spoke. “But why did you choose this fight? What brought you here?” She asked the question with a rare openness, her curiosity genuine, if guarded. “You could have stayed away, avoided all of this. Why are you here now?”

Silas’s eyes softened for a moment, though his expression remained controlled. “I have my reasons.”

He didn’t elaborate.

A somber silence settled over us, the weight of his words filling the air. Sorin gave a short nod of acknowledgment, her eyes squinting as she shifted her focus back to the shadows ahead. She started and narrowed her eyes, and I knew the time had come.

“Enough chatter,” she said, her voice a steely whisper.

A low, distant howl echoed through the empty streets, the eerie sound sending a chill through the air. It was followed by another, closer this time, and I felt my pulse quicken as the howls multiplied, each one echoing and signaling the imminent approach of our enemy.

Kendra’s hand brushed against mine, a silent reminder of her presence, her strength. Sorin’s posture was steady, every muscle coiled in anticipation, her gun aimed at the darkness. Silas’s expression was calm, unreadable, though I could sense his intensity simmering just beneath the surface.

“They’re here.” Sorin’s voice was scarcely a whisper in the quiet.