Page 72 of His Mate

“An encampment?” Sorin repeated, crossing her arms as she considered this new information. “How big are we talking?”

Silas tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “Big enough to be a threat,” he said simply. “If they’re planning a larger attack, you’ll need more than a stronghold. You’ll need strategy.”

Sorin’s eyes narrowed as she appraised him, skepticism flickering in her gaze. “And you think you know how to strategize against a pack of wolves?”

Silas didn’t flinch. “I’ve spent years studying them,” he replied smoothly, his eyes flicking briefly to me. “And I’ve learned one thing: wolves are most vulnerable when they think they have the upper hand.”

I caught the subtle glint in his eye, and I knew he was testing me, waiting to see how I’d respond, if I’d give him up.

“He’s right,” I said, nodding, my voice steady. “A wolf pack doesn’t fear an attack when they think they’re the hunters. But if we give them a reason to question their position, they’ll falter. They’re driven by hierarchy. Break that, and they’ll turn on each other.”

Sorin glanced between the two of us, her brow furrowed. “You’re both suggesting an ambush?”

I nodded, meeting her gaze. “Yes. We know they’re coming, so let’s set a trap for when they arrive. We can hit them hard, right where it counts. Take out the alphas, the higher ranks, and watch their power structure crumble.”

Silas gave a faint nod of approval, his face impassive, but his eyes gleaming with something close to respect. “We draw them here,” he added, “and then close in before they realize what’s happening. If we hit fast, they won’t have time to rally.”

Sorin’s expression remained hard, but I could see the gears turning. She didn’t trust us—didn’t trust me, especially not with my connection to Kendra and the complications it brought. But she was smart enough to know we weren’t bluffing, and that if we were going to survive the next attack, we needed to use every resource at our disposal.

“We don’t have much time,” I continued, my voice low. “The wolves will be back sooner than you think, and if we let them regroup, they’ll bring reinforcements.”

Sorin let out a shrill breath, her fingers drumming against her arm as she looked between Silas and me. “This is dangerous,” she said finally.

“Maybe,” I replied, my tone steady. “But if we hit hard enough, we’ll shatter their morale. If we make this strike count, they’ll think twice about attacking us again.”

The room fell silent as everyone processed the weight of the plan, the high stakes gamble we were proposing. But I could feel it—a faint current of something close to hope, a glimmer of resolve in the eyes of the Resistance members gathered here.They were fighters, every one of them, and the idea of finally going on the offensive sparked something they hadn’t felt in a long time.

Silas inclined his head, his gaze steady as he looked at Sorin. “I’ll provide the scouts to locate the main targets,” he said calmly. “If we’re going to pull this off, we need precision.”

Sorin considered him for a long moment. She wasn’t a woman who liked taking risks, but she wasn’t afraid of them either. Finally, she nodded.

“Fine,” she said, her voice clipped. “We’ll set the ambush. But if this goes sideways…” She let the threat hang in the air, her eyes locking onto Silas’s before sliding to me. “I expect both of you to answer for it.”

“Understood,” I said, inclining my head in agreement.

Silas didn’t respond, only offering a slight nod, his expression unreadable.

“Gather your scouts and bring the details of their encampment to my quarters by nightfall,” Sorin ordered, her voice hard. “We’ll need every advantage we can get.”

Silas nodded again, his gaze flicking briefly to me, a hint of approval in his eyes. “Understood. I’ll have my men ready.”

As he turned to leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something that was going to get bigger from here on out. Silas moved with the precision of someone who knew exactly what he was doing, and I knew that he was holding back more than he’d let on. The question was whose side was he truly on?

As Silas walked out of the room, the doors swinging shut behind him, a chill ran down my spine.

Now all we had to do was wait.

The Resistance compound was still and deathly quiet, every shadow seeming to stretch longer as dusk settled over the empty streets. The town had been evacuated, led by Silas’s people to a safer location miles away. It was a smart move—keeping noncombatants out of harm’s way, making sure the wolves had fewer targets to worry about. But I couldn’t shake the frustration simmering in me as I glanced at Kendra, crouched beside me, her face set in sheer determination.

I’d argued, practically pleaded with her to go with the others. She hadn’t seen combat like this before, hadn’t been part of a full-scale attack, and the thought of her standing in the crossfire gnawed at me, especially with what had happened to Eva. But Kendra had stood her ground, her green eyes fierce as she’d told me she wouldn’t run.

“This isn’t just your fight, Rowan,” she’d said, her voice steady and unyielding. “I’m staying.”

Honestly, I just should have taken off my belt and sent her on her way, but I didn’t. It made sense to have her in the attack. She was strong and cunning, and we needed every advantage we could get.

So now she was here, huddled beside me, her jaw clenched as she scanned the empty town, waiting for the wolves to strike. I tried to ignore the worry tightening in my chest, to focus insteadon the steady rhythm of my own breathing and the hum of readiness that settled over us like a shroud.

Sorin knelt a few feet away, her gun trained on the main road, her posture rigid as ever, her focus unwavering. She caught my eye, her brow arched, and she gave a slight nod.

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