Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Keep Your Enemies Closer
Victoria
"This isn’t debt, Mr. Garrett," I said coolly. "It’s an investment in our mutual security. Shadow Pack shares our northern border. Their interests align with ours in keeping that boundary secure."
"And what does Alpha Moretti get in return?" Garrett persisted, ignoring the warning looks from others at the table.
Before I could answer, Leo spoke for the first time since the meeting began, his voice like steel wrapped in velvet. "I get the continued prosperity of my mate’s ancestral pack, Mr. Garrett. I get the knowledge that my Luna’s family legacy remains intact." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Is that sufficient explanation for you?"
Garrett swallowed visibly but didn’t back down completely. "With respect, Alpha Moretti, we’ve all heard rumors about your business practices. Some might wonder if this is the first step toward absorbing Howlthorne into Shadow Pack."
A dangerous silence fell over the room. I could feel Leo’s anger building beside me, the air around him practically crackling with restrained aggression. Before he could respond, I placed my hand over his on the table—a gesture both intimate and restraining.
"Your concern for Howlthorne’s sovereignty is noted and appreciated, Garrett," I said, keeping my voice level. "But let me be absolutely clear: I am my father’s daughter before I am anyone’s mate. Howlthorne will remain independent under my leadership."
I stood, commanding the room’s attention. "That said, we would be fools to reject valuable alliances out of pride or suspicion. My father understood that isolation makes a pack vulnerable. Our partnership with Shadow Pack strengthens us both."
I turned back to the territory map, deliberately changing the subject. "The community center repairs in the main village should begin immediately as well. It’s important that pack members see visible progress—concrete evidence that leadership remains strong and effective despite Alpha Enzo’s temporary absence."
As I outlined the plans for the community center renovation, I noticed Garrett watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. When we moved on to discussing staffing issues, he surprised me by offering several practical suggestions for reorganizing departments that had been neglected under Enzo’s leadership.
By mid-morning, we’d worked through most of the critical issues. Jackson, who had been quiet but attentive throughout, finally spoke up.
"Alpha Victoria, given my current... condition," he gestured to his injured arm, "I’m not able to fulfill all my Beta duties effectively. The pack needs a fully functioning Beta, especially now."
I nodded, having anticipated this issue. "Do you have a recommendation for a temporary replacement while you heal?"
Jackson’s eyes flicked briefly toward Garrett before returning to me. "Garrett has the necessary experience and respect among the younger pack members. Despite his... concerns earlier, I believe he would serve effectively in the interim."
All eyes turned to Garrett, whose surprise was evident. He clearly hadn’t expected this endorsement from Jackson, who was known to be one of my father’s most loyal supporters.
"Would you be willing to step into that role temporarily, Mr. Garrett?" I asked, carefully keeping any trace of triumph from my voice. Having him working within the leadership structure rather than sowing dissent from outside would be valuable—and if he refused, he’d lose face before his peers.
Garrett hesitated, clearly caught off-guard by the offer. "I... I would need to consider—"
"Of course, this would give you the opportunity to address those concerns you mentioned more directly," I added smoothly. "Working alongside me, you’d have firsthand knowledge of all decisions affecting Howlthorne’s future."
After a moment, he squared his shoulders. "If Beta Jackson believes I can be of service to the pack in this capacity, I accept the temporary appointment."
"Excellent," I said with a genuine smile. "We’ll make the formal announcement this afternoon. I expect you to help smooth any lingering concerns among the younger members about our current leadership arrangement."
The meeting concluded shortly after, with clear assignments and deadlines established for each department head. As the room emptied, Leo remained seated beside me, a hint of admiration in his eyes.
"You handled Garrett masterfully," he said once we were alone. "Your father’s political instincts clearly run in your blood."
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" I replied with a tired smile. "It seemed better to give him a stake in our success rather than leave him free to undermine us."
Leo nodded approvingly. "The offer was perfectly timed. Even I didn’t see it coming."
"That was the point," I admitted, gathering my notes. "If you’d known, he might have sensed the trap."
A knock at the door interrupted us. Tiny entered, his massive frame nearly filling the doorway.
"Alpha, Luna," he greeted us with a respectful nod. "We’ve found something at the northern border."
Leo immediately straightened. "What is it?"
"Tire tracks matching the SUV that was seen leaving the territory the night of the attack," Tiny reported. "They lead to an old logging road that connects to Grimwood territory. And we found this."
He placed a small object on the table between us—a silver cufflink engraved with the Howlthorne crest.
"Enzo’s," I confirmed, picking it up. "He was wearing these the night he disappeared."
"It could be deliberate," Leo cautioned, his expression grim. "Left to lead us into a trap."
I closed my fingers around the cufflink. "Or a breadcrumb dropped in hope of rescue."
"Either way," Tiny said, "we now have confirmation they crossed into Grimwood territory. The question is whether they’re still there or were moved elsewhere."
Leo turned to me, his expression serious. "This changes our timeline. If Marcus has them in his territory, we need to move quickly."
I nodded, feeling a complicated mix of emotions. Despite everything, Enzo was still my brother, and Aurora... well, she was still part of Howlthorne’s story, however bitter that Chapter might be.
"How soon can we have a rescue plan in place?" I asked.
"Give me twenty-four hours," Leo replied, already pulling out his phone. "We’ll need detailed intelligence on Grimwood’s compounds before we make any move."
As he stepped away to make calls, I remained seated, the cufflink cool against my palm. The morning’s successes in the conference room suddenly seemed small compared to what lay ahead. Leading meetings and managing finances was one thing—planning a rescue operation into enemy territory was quite another.
Yet as I watched Leo coordinating with his security team, I felt a strange calm settle over me. This was what it meant to be an Alpha—to face each crisis as it came, to protect what was yours, to make the hard decisions when necessary.
*We are ready for this,* Ava assured me, her presence warm and steady within me. *We were born for this.*