Chapter 87: Chapter 87
Harold’s POV
"I have eyes inside Shadow Ridge," Vanessa said simply. "Not many, but enough."
That should have concerned me more than it did.
"So we need to move before he’s fully prepared," Tom said.
"Exactly." Vanessa pointed to the map. "We hit them in three days. During their victory celebration for the council hearing win. They’ll be distracted. Overconfident."
"Three days isn’t much time," I said.
"It’s enough." Vanessa looked at both of us. "Unless you’re having second thoughts?"
"No second thoughts," Tom said immediately. "I’m in."
I thought about Christian. About the son I’d raised and shaped. The son who’d rejected everything I’d taught him. The son who’d chosen that girl over his own father.
"I’m in," I said.
Vanessa raised her glass. "To the end of the Knight pack."
We drank again.
"Now," Vanessa said, pulling out tactical documents. "Let’s discuss the specifics. Tom, you’ll lead the strike team targeting Christian directly. Harold, you’ll use your remaining supporters to create chaos internally. I’ll coordinate the rogue army hitting the borders."
"What about Sophie?" Tom asked.
"Sophie will be protected by Christian’s forces," Vanessa said. "But if you can separate her from Christian during the chaos, she’s yours."
Tom’s smile was genuinely disturbing. "Perfect."
We spent the next two hours planning every detail. Entry points. Timing. Weapons. Vanessa had thought of everything.
"What about the humans?" I asked. "Shadow Ridge has human employees. Business contacts."
"Not our problem," Vanessa said dismissively.
"It becomes our problem if we leave witnesses," I countered.
Vanessa considered that. "Fine. We contain the attack to pack territory only. But anyone who fights against us dies. No exceptions."
"Agreed."
Tom was staring at the map, probably imagining getting his hands on Sophie. The obsession in his eyes was unsettling even to me.
"Tom," I said. "Don’t let your vendetta compromise the mission."
"I won’t." But Tom didn’t look away from the map.
"I mean it. If you get Christian killed but die in the process, this whole thing is pointless."
"I said I won’t," Tom snapped.
Vanessa watched our exchange with amusement. "Boys, boys. Let’s stay focused. We all get what we want if we work together."
She was right. But something about this alliance felt wrong. Like we were all playing different games and pretending we had the same goal.
But I pushed the feeling aside. I wanted my pack back. I wanted Christian to finally understand that defying me had consequences.
Everything else was secondary.
"Three days," I said. "We’ll need to move our forces into position without being detected."
"Already handled," Vanessa said. "My rogues are camping ten miles outside Shadow Ridge borders. They’ll move in when I give the signal."
"And if Christian’s patrols spot them?"
"They won’t. I’ve been moving rogues around this territory for weeks. I know where his blind spots are."
That should have impressed me. Instead, it made me wonder what else Vanessa had been planning without telling us.
Tom finished his drink and stood. "I need to prepare. Train. If I’m facing Christian directly, I need to be ready."
"You should rest," I said. "The bond rejection weakened you."
"I’ll rest when Sophie’s screaming for mercy," Tom said, and walked out.
After he left, Vanessa looked at me. "He’s unstable."
"He’s useful."
"He’s a liability." Vanessa poured herself another drink. "The moment he becomes more trouble than he’s worth—"
"We deal with him," I finished. "I know."
"Good." Vanessa studied me. "And Harold? After this is over, after Christian falls and you’re Alpha again... what’s your plan for Sophie?"
"Tom can have her if he wants her that badly."
"You’d let him keep her as a mate? After everything?"
I shrugged. "If Tom’s obsession keeps him loyal to me, then yes. Besides, making her watch her precious mate die and then forcing her into a new bond? That’s poetic."
Vanessa’s laugh was cold. "You’re more ruthless than Christian gave you credit for."
"Christian’s weakness is thinking everyone can be redeemed," I said. "That mercy and compassion matter more than strength."
"And that weakness will kill him," Vanessa said.
She finished her drink and stood. "I should go. Coordinate with my rogues. Make sure everything’s ready."
"Vanessa," I said as she reached the door. "Why are you really doing this? The truth."
She looked back at me, and her expression was empty. Dead.
"Because the Knight family took everything from me," Vanessa said quietly. "My father. My mother. My childhood. My pack. Everything. And I’m going to take everything from them. Christian. Sophie. Shadow Ridge. All of it. Until there’s nothing left but ashes and memories."
Then she left, and I sat alone in my office again.
I poured another drink and thought about what we were planning. An all-out attack. Dozens of deaths, probably. The complete destruction of Shadow Ridge as it currently existed.
Christian had forced my hand. If he’d just submitted. If he’d just acknowledged that I knew better. If he’d just gotten rid of Sophie like I’d told him to.
But he didn’t. So this was his fault. All of it.
I drank and planned and waited for three days to pass.
Three days until Shadow Ridge burned.
Three days until Christian learned what happens when you defy your father.
My phone buzzed with a message from one of my contacts inside Shadow Ridge.
*Christian just announced mandatory combat training. Something’s wrong. He suspects.*
I stared at the message and smiled.
Let him suspect. Let him prepare. It wouldn’t matter.
Because Vanessa was right about one thing: Christian’s weakness was his compassion. His need to protect everyone. And that weakness would be exactly what killed him.
I typed back a response: *Keep me informed.*
Then I pulled up the tactical plans Vanessa had left behind and studied them again.
In three days, everything would change.
I’d reclaim my pack. Tom would have his revenge. And Vanessa would have her justice.
And Christian? Christian would finally understand that you can’t build a pack on love and mercy.
You build it on strength. On fear. On absolute authority.
I raised my glass to the window overlooking Shadow Ridge.
"Three days, son," I said to the empty room. "Three days until you lose everything."
