Page 51 of Fat Betrayed Mate
Our mate and what?
The thought hits me like a physical blow. Not just Fiona. Maisie too. My protective instincts toward that little girl go far beyond normal pack loyalty somehow, far beyond simple fondness for a sweet child. I have no idea how.
"Load them up," Nic orders. "James, get them to the holding cells. We'll decide what to do with them after the council meeting. We can coordinate with human law enforcement when the time comes.”
"Council meeting?" I ask.
"Emergency session. Twenty minutes." Nic's expression is grim. "This changes everything.”
What feels like moments later, I watch as the Pack Building’s conference room fills quickly, voices low and urgent as council members file in. I take my usual seat, but my attention keeps drifting to the window that faces Fiona's cottage. Too far to see clearly, but I can just make out the warm glow of lights in her windows.
Is she packing right now? Loading up those carefully organized bags, I'm betting she keeps ready for quick escapes?
"The situation has escalated beyond our initial projections," Nic begins without preamble. "We now have confirmation that the anti-shifter group is conducting active operations within our territory."
"How active?" Elder Victoria asks.
"Armed infiltration. Intelligence gathering. And based on what we learned from tonight's captives, they're planningsomething. Admittedly, it seems… rudimentary, at least so far. They’re hardly trained soldiers. But the point still stands that armed soldiers entered our territory today, with the intent of… hunting us. Hunting shifters.”
Whispers spread fast through the room, worry, shuffling, murmuring.
James takes over, outlining what the hunters revealed about their organization's structure and goals. I try to focus on the tactical briefing, but my wolf keeps pushing at my consciousness, demanding I check on Fiona and Maisie.
"The threat level has reached critical," Nic concludes. "Which brings us to our options for protecting vulnerable pack members."
"Evacuation," Elder Marcus says immediately. "Get the families out until this blows over."
"Where?" James asks. "The Riverside Pack is already dealing with refugees. Redpine is under their own pressure. And any movement outside our territory puts people at risk during transport."
"Risk during transport versus sitting here waiting for an attack," Elder Amelia counters levelly. "I know which I'd choose."
"The children should definitely be relocated," another council member adds. "They're the most vulnerable, and the hardest to protect during active combat."
Every word feels like a knife twisting in my chest. They're talking about sending Maisie away, putting her in some distant safe house where I can't protect her. Where Fiona will follow, taking them both beyond my reach.
"I disagree," I say, my voice rougher than I intended.
The room goes quiet. All eyes turn to me, and I see surprise in several faces. James frowns, clearly noting the emotional edge in my tone.
"On what grounds?" Victoria asks.
I scramble for rational arguments to mask the irrational panic clawing at my chest. "Divided resources. We can’t evacuate children alone, without their parents. But if we evacuate families, we lose half our adult population to escort and protection details. That leaves our territory vulnerable to the main assault."
"Better a vulnerable territory than dead children," Marcus points out.
"And what happens when the hunters follow the evacuees? These aren't random attacks—they have specific intelligence, specific targets. Scattering our people just makes them easier to pick off individually."
It's not entirely wrong, but it's not the real reason I'm arguing against evacuation.
The real reason is that every fiber of my being revolts at the idea of letting Fiona and Maisie out of my sight.
"Thomas has a point," James says slowly. "Coordinated defense is more effective than scattered protection details."
"The families could go to the Mountain Pack territory," Amelia suggests. "Marcus's brother runs a tight operation there."
"Two days' travel through hostile territory," I counter immediately. "Perfect opportunity for ambush."
"So what's your alternative?" Marcus asks, his tone suggesting he's not entirely convinced by my arguments.
