Page 68 of Sacrifice

“Exactly,” I assert, ready to drill it into their heads if need be. This isn’t about internal squabbles or unresolved romantic tensions. It’s about survival.

Just as the silence starts to claw at my nerves, Nero stirs on the couch, a shadow amongst shadows, until his voice slices through the tension. “We hit them tomorrow,” he says, and it’s not a suggestion. His tone is a command despite the obvious pain lacing his every breath.

I glance over, seeing him struggle to sit up, his black hair a stark mess against his too-pale skin. Nero Rossi doesn’t do weak, but right now, he’s close to it.

“Tomorrow?” Gunnar echoes, skepticism in his stance more than his tone. “That’s…fast.”

“Every minute we wait is a minute they shore up defenses,” Nero continues, pushing himself upright with an effort that’s damn near heroic. “We have the advantage now. That window closes with every tick of the clock.”

“Vance’s resources could be useful,” I say, locking onto Nero’s gaze, letting him know I’m with him. If Nero trusts Vance for this op, then that’s the play.

“Keep him close,” Nero affirms, “for now.” His eyes, those deep brown pools that seem to see right through you, meet mine, and there’s a flicker of something unspoken. It’s clear he’s thought this through, playing the long game even from a couch that’s become his temporary command center.

“Use him, then lose him,” Luka murmurs, understanding dawning in his cold expression.

“Exactly,” Nero confirms, a ghost of a smile touching his lips before it disappears as quickly as it came. “We strike hard, fast, and without mercy. Tomorrow, we reshape the board to our favor.”

“Without you?” Gunnar’s voice cuts through the charged air, a blend of disbelief and anger. He stands rigid, his powerful frame tensed like a coiled spring. “Nero, we can’t afford to leave you vulnerable.”

I watch the two alphas, feeling the tension tighten like a noose. Gunnar’s loyalty is fierce, but it blinds him—makes him forget that sometimes, the king has to stay behind and guard the castle.

“Vulnerable? Here?” Nero scoffs, a hint of his usual arrogance seeping through the pain. But there’s a tremor in his voice, a rare crack in the façade that tells me he’s not as sure as he sounds.

“Well…you did get shot here,” Luka says.

“Then I’ll stay,” Aisling speaks up, her voice steady despite the storm swirling around us all. She moves closer to Nero, her grey eyes meeting his with a determination that’s all too familiar. “I’m more help here.”

Gunnar turns to her, his jaw set hard enough to shatter bone. “Aisling—”

“No, Gunnar.” She holds up a hand, halting his protest before it gains momentum. “You need to lead out there. And Nero needs protection. You can’t do both, and you know it.”

Aisling’s right, damn her. The woman might be an omega, but she’s got the heart of a warrior, and the tactical mind to match. There’s a reason they call her Stargazer—she sees things others don’t, plots courses that lead us to victory.

“Fine,” Gunnar concedes with a growl, turning back to the table. “But we’re not done with this. We still need to finalize our strategy for the Mojave raid.”

“Right.” I refocus, tapping the holographic display of the desert complex on the laptop in Nero’s suite. “The plan’s simple: Vance dies in the explosion, or so it’ll seem.”

“Convincing enough to fool their surveillance,” Oberon adds.

“Let’s iron out the logistics.” I switch to a tactical overlay, showing entry points and guard rotations. “Gunnar, Luka—you’re spearheading the assault. Your combat skills are unmatched; you’ll take point on neutralizing threats.”

“Got it,” Gunnar says, cracking his knuckles as if he’s ready to start swinging right there.

“Rook, you handle the explosives,” Nero orders from the couch, his eyes sharp despite his condition. “Timing is everything. If Vance doesn’t ‘die’ at the right moment, this all goes to hell.”

“Understood. I’ll rig it so it looks like a tragic accident,” I confirm, already calculating blast yields and trigger mechanisms in my head.

“Oberon,” Nero continues, “you liaise with Inari. Once Rook sets off the fireworks, you secure Vance and get him to Pacific City.”

“Consider it done.” Oberon’s voice is smooth, untroubled. He’s the calm in our storm, always has been.

We delve deeper into contingencies, discussing fallbacks and escape routes. Every detail is crucial. The room’s thick with the kind of grim determination that comes when you’re staring down a beast and know there’s no turning back. We’ve each got our jobs, and we’re good at them—no, we’re the best.

But even the best can fall, and we all know it.

“Whatever happens,” Gunnar says, his eyes scanning each of us, “we stick to the plan. We cover each other’s backs.”

“Exactly,” Nero’s voice, though weakened, cuts through the room like a blade. “Stay sharp, stay alive. I just found this pack…and I don’t intend on saying goodbye to a single one of you.”

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