Goodbye Cheater Hello CEO’s Wife by Payne Walter

71 Lucas: Preparation

LUCAS

“You’re positive?”

My still–smoldering cigarette is crushed into oblivion within the crystal ash tray, along with twenty of its kin. Smoke is an intrusive guest within the cramped room, swirling around the heads of both deltas standing before me.

Cheap motel rooms aren’t meant to house three large wolf shifter males, but it is what it is.

“Positive,” Ryder reports, cool as a fucking cucumber despite how much is riding on tonight.

The decision to invade Blackwood wasn’t made lightly. Most of the pack fought against the decision, until two more scouts were found dead at the border.

And, most importantly, a witness.

That one was alive, though.

“Council won’t move until we bring the official

petition,” Ryder continues, flipping through the notes

in front of him. “Even so, Silvermoon forces near the

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71 Lucas Preparation

border are confirmed and ready if we call for aid.”

The chair creaks beneath my weight as I lean back, but surprisingly manages to stay together. “With this act of war, Council will have lost its authority, anyway.”

My deltas say nothing. There isn’t much to say–the fact that an alpha is willing to say as much is far beyond their pay grade. Silvermoon has allied with Westwood, and Aspen as well, though Clayton seems to be busy hunting down his own missing mate. It’s an epidemic, and I’m positive it’s all been orchestrated by the Blackwoods to weaken the packs. @

Swaying the chair from side to side, I glance at the ceiling, thinking in between rhythmic creaks. “Ryder, head to Silvermoon. I’ll contact you if we need the reinforcements. Vester, stay with us. You’ll head off any runners from the south. Our goal is to cut off Blackwood’s head today. I don’t want this war going on for years.”

“Understood.”

Lighting another cigarette, I inhale deeply, letting the harsh smoke fill my lungs before exhaling a plume into the stale air. My deltas are on edge, too, but they wait

for my dismissal.

weighs on my mind. My elusive mate has been sighted at her family home, under guard at

his territory.

level of stupid. We know better than to consort with those unwilling to abide by

forth in order to

humans.

truly that much of a dumbass. He has little connection with the

Consorting with an Unregistered is nothing to someone who doesn’t care about the

their lands.

that taboo and the witness saved after

finally have evidence.

reason for war. Reasons that will

to be rebuilt in

to declare

for that shit. I can’t risk them hiding

71 Lucas: Preparation

her from me.

scouts and settling all my wolves into a city near the heart of his pack lands. They have no presence

with them.

would have allowed so many to settle in these human towns, and yet Blackwood has

Sheer arrogance.

his

to be quite so easy to infiltrate. their lands, but I’m grateful for it. It’s kept her

A tremor of anticipation courses through me, fueled by the thought of her being so tantalizingly close after all this time. Tonight, she will be

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71 Lucas: Preparation

But I’m not stupid. I can’t force it. If I have to,

safe and woo

call to arms. But

thump of my heart. Renard Blackwood is a sly old bastard, that much is certain. He wouldn’t keep Ava

thought of others knowing more about her than me, her

soft growl builds up in my chest, and my wolf snaps at the air in my mind. He’s on

wants his mate

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71 Lucas: Preparation

need to

straightens his shoulders. “Prepare a small team–no more than five. We’re going in quiet,

mouths, but they know I have a short fuse when it comes to my mate. “You want to go in alone? With all due

argument. “If Ava is being held against her will, a full–scale invasion will only endanger her further. This has to be clean, precise. In and out before Blackwood

safe, we can proceed

this world.”

a glance with Vester, but both nod in reluctant agreement. They know the lengths I’ll go to for her–have seen firsthand

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71 Lucas: Preparation

her name is uttered.