Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder)

Chapter 269

Ryder's POV

The silence in Logan's office was suffocating. Ama sat hunched in her chair, tears streaming down her face as her hands trembled against her belly. The sight of her breaking down like this made my chest tighten with guilt and rage.

"He's going to die, Ama sobbed, her voice cracking. "William's going to die and I'll never see him again. Our baby will never know their father.

Penelope immediately moved to Ama's side, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "Hey, don't think like that. We're going to get them both back

But even as Penelope spoke those comforting words, I could see the fear in her eyes. We all knew how dangerous this was, how slim our chances were against Alpha Wiley's technology and weapons.

'I found them, Galen's voice cut through the tension like a blade. He was hunched over his laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard. Alpha Wiley's got them in an abandoned factory about a hundred kilometers north of here. It's isolated, surrounded by industrial wasteland."

Logan immediately moved to stand behind Galen, studying the satellite images on the screen. "Show me everything you've got."

"There's the main complex here," Galen pointed to a cluster of buildings on the screen. "Multiple warehouses, but this seven-story building in the center is where the thermal signatures are concentrated. That's got to be where they're holding them."

My wolf was clawing at my consciousness, demanding action. Every second we spent planning was another second Xena was in that monster's hands. "We need to go now," I said, my voice rough with barely controlled fury.

'Not so fast, Logan held up a hand. "We need a strategy. Going in guns blazing will get everyone killed."

"She's my Luna! I roared, slamming my fist on the desk. "Every minute we waste here is another minute she's being tortured!"

her death!" Logan shot back, his Alpha authority filling the room.

right. We need to be

to tear out of here and race to that factory, but the rational part of my brain knew they were right. Taking a shaky breath, I forced

said, pulling up a tactical map "Eight vehicles, forty warriors total. The

was barely a whisper. "They could be dead

Logan said firmly, though I caught the slight tremor in his voice. "Wiley needs them alive for whatever sick plan

the front entrance with twenty warriors. That's where you come in, Ryder.

want to be the one to rescue

tone brooked no argument. "You're too emotionally compromised.

"I can handle it-

where I'm standing, you look

accusation stung because it was true. My hands were shaking with the need for violence, to tear apart

slightly. "I need you to be the distraction. Make Wiley think you've come for

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Chapter 269

out of grief and rage. Make him focus all his attention on the

to charge in there myself.

plan," Leonard said quietly.

looked up from his computer. "The thermal imaging shows most of their forces are concentrated in the main building and the front perimeter. If Ryder can draw them out,

to center myself. Xena needed me to be smart, not emotional.