Chapter 77
Kane’s POV
The icy wind cut across the barren expanse, its howl echoing through the dense pine forest surrounding us as we each stood out of the vehicles awaiting the signal…
The moon hung low and heavy in the sky, casting a pale silver glow over the frozen terrain, with nothing in sight to go off of.
Snow crunched under our boots as we trudged around to set up our devices, checking in with Kion to inform him that we had reached the checkpoint.
The terrain here in Russia was shaping up to be brutal unforgiving in a way I’d never encountered back home.
I now felt even fucking worse about how Tessa and Erin had been forced to live here, knowing that their human forms wouldn’t be anywhere near cut out for
this sort of weather, especially without wearing the appropriate winter layers – which judging by how they had been brought back to us, I knew they had not
been.
If anything, the thought of that alone was what drove me to want to help kill this Dimitri even more – the shambles of an Alpha that he claimed to be!
The jagged cliffs in the distance seemed to loom around us like silent sentinels, and the icy air teased at my lungs with every breath.
But none of it mattered anymore.
Not the cold, not the dark, not the biting wind that whipped against my face.
I was here for a far bigger picture…
We had stopped briefly earlier to regroup and check in with Kion and the other groups, who had given us the final piece of intel we needed.
Dimitri’s pack was holed up in the compound just ahead, a fortress nestled deep within the forest, surrounded by natural barriers and defenses built for war.
I glanced over at Seth, who was adjusting the straps on his gear. His breath fogged in the air as he muttered to himself, probably cursing at the cold. “You holding up?” I asked, my voice low but carrying over the quiet wilderness.
He gave me a wry grin, his cheeks flushed from the bitterness. “You mean, am I ready to storm the gates of hell? Sure, why not. Though, next time, let’s pick
a fight somewhere warmer?”
I snorted, shaking my head. “I’ll add that to the list of demands for our next diplomatic mission – and knowing what the council are like back home, your prayers might be shortly answered!” I joke, knowing that they would no doubt make the mistake of picking a fight with me as soon as I return back home.
But I wasn’t scared, especially not of some shitty elder council. They were now outdated and outsmarted by my pack alone, and they knew it too.
They would see me and my pack as a threat to them, unmatched by our strengths and tactics… and that will be why they are shaking so much over me coming to Russia, scared at the thought of me going rogue against them.
It was laughable, really.
But what they didn’t realise was that I was one final push away from overrunning them all, and if that’s what it takes to settle my raging wolf after what they done to my Tessa, then so be it!
1/4
Chapter 77
That bitch Felicity didn’t deserve her title, and I couldn’t stand how soppy the council had become when hearing that I had turned that place upside down by stripping her of her power… but they were quick to mask over the fact that she did fucking ship my future mate off to the Russians simply because she wasn’t fond of the two girls?!
Talk about abusing power!
They were mindless idiots, the lot of them, but that was a situation that will have to get dealt with in due course…
Despite the banter, I could see the determination clouding in Seth’s eyes. He was as ready as I was to fight this – a small part of our wolves enjoying the rush of fresh blood whenever situations like this would arise, especially for a better cause.
–
This wasn’t just about showing loyalty and gratitude to Kion or the mission this was personal now. Dimitri was a threat that had to be eliminated, not just
for Russia but for every pack that valued strength and order for every woman and child out there who was being sipped of a fair chance.
Ahead of us, Purcell was crouched near a boulder, studying the map under the faint light of a lantern as he marked out our best routes inside.
He muttered something in Russian to one of Kion’s men, who nodded and pointed toward a narrow ridge to the north.
I hated relying on him, but even I couldn’t deny his value here. Purcell knew Dimitri’s territory better than anyone, and his intel had gotten us this far.
Still, my wolf growled every time I looked at him. He was a snake, a coward, a traitor, and I wouldn’t forget what he did to Tessa once this was all over…
One of the volunteer Alphas, Viktor, hauled us all over as we huddled near the glow of the lanterns where Purcell had laid out the plan.
Ashes of snow swirled around us, carried by a relentless wind that blew through the trees, but none of us paid it much attention. Every man here was focused on the task at hand. This wasn’t just a raid; it was a coordinated assault, a dismantling of Dimitri’s entire empire.
Viktor, the Alpha of a pack from Eastern Russia who Kion had brought in to his office yesterday, stood tall next to Purcell. His broad shoulders and sharp, angular features gave him an imposing presence, but it was his calm authority that earned him my respect.
His pack apparently had a reputation for being ruthless when necessary, and they had been instrumental in gathering intelligence on Dimitri’s stronghold – prepared to fight til the death which I admired.
Purcell rattled off instructions in Russian, gesturing animatedly at the map spread across the boulder. I didn’t bother trying to understand him; his tone and body language were enough to convey his urgency. Viktor listened intently, nodding every so often before turning to address us in English with an update – acting as a translator.
‘He says the north ridge is the weakest point in Dimitri’s defenses,” Viktor explained, his deep voice cutting through the wind. “But it is still heavily
and here. We’ll need to scale the mountains to take them out silently before guarded. Snipers are positioned here — he pointed to a mark on the map
moving in.”
I nodded, my eyes scanning the map as I memorised the layout. “What about the other teams? Are they in position yet, has there been any word?”
‘Not yet,” Viktor replied. “The western team is delayed by heavy snow. But the southern and eastern teams are close. We’ll need to synchronize our movements precisely. If one team moves too early, it’ll alert Dimitri’s guards at the compound.”
“Then we wait,” I said firmly, though the words grated against my wolf’s instincts. I wanted to charge in, to tear through Dimitri’s defenses and end this, but strategy had to come first.
The safety of the women and children inside the compound depended on it.
214
1:40 pm P
Chapter 77
Seth crouched beside me, his eyes narrowing as he studied the map. ‘How are we supposed to coordinate this if we can’t communicate with the other teams regularly due to a bad signal? The signals are being spotty in this weather.”
Viktor smirked faintly. We have other means of communication.” He gestured to one of his pack members, who held up a flare gun. “When the teams are in position, they’ll signal with flares. One from each direction. That will be our cue to move. We’ve carefully picked these locations knowing Dimitri is hidden
from sight.”
Seth raised an eyebrow. “Flares? Isn’t that a bit… obvious? The guards on the ridge might see, no?”
It’s the only option,” Viktor said with a shrug. “The storm will obscure the light enough, especially since they won’t be expecting to see it. His guards
shouldn’t hear or see it unless they’re looking directly up at the sky.”
Purcell muttered something else, and Viktor translated again. “Once we breach the perimeter, we’ll divide into groups The priority is to find Dimitri and
secure him alive. If he’s killed before we get answers, this mission is considered a failure. We don’t know if this is his only human mating compound or whether there is more hidden across Russia… The second priority of course is evacuating the women and children. They’ll be taken to a safe location under
Kion’s protection.”
I glanced at the map again, my mind racing through the possibilities of what could go wrong. “What about reinforcements? Dimitri’s pack isn’t small. Even
with four teams, is there a potential that we could be outnumbered?”
“We’ll have to be fast and efficient,” Viktor said. “Take out the guards before they can raise the alarm for more to travel in. Purcell’s information suggests Dimitri keeps his inner circle close, but they’re spread thin. His arrogance will be his downfall.”
I smirked at that, my wolf bristling with anticipation. “Arrogance is the downfall of most Alphas. Dimitri’s going to be no different.”
Seth chuckled darkly. “Let’s hope his ego blinds him long enough for us to take him out then…”
The faintest glow of a flare lit up the sky to the south, and Viktor straightened, his expression sharpening. “That’s the first signal. The others won’t be far
behind – we best signal ours out too.”
My muscles tensed as I glanced at Seth and the rest of my pack. “Get ready. This is it.”
The snow seemed to fall harder as we prepared to move, but the cold was nothing compared to the fire burning inside me. Dimitri’s compound was apparently a fortress, but it wouldn’t be enough to stop us.
We would breach his defenses, tear down his empire, and ensure no one else suffered under his rule for another day more.
As I adjusted my gear, my thoughts drifted briefly to Tessa. Her face, her voice, her courage. She was my anchor, my reason for fighting.
This wasn’t about Dimitri or Kion or even the council breathing down my neck back home. This was about her finally be free from fear of being ripped from my arms ever again!
about building a world where she could
Another flare shot up into the sky, this time from the east, followed quickly by one from the west as Viktor’s eyes met mine, and he gave a single nod.
“All teams are in position,” he said. “It’s time.” He stated, before we sent our own flare flying up in to the dark sky.
I took a deep breath, my wolf pacing restlessly within me. “Let’s move.”
1:40 pm P
My Human
Chapter 78
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
