Page 28 of Rebel for Claws
"Clear channels established," Damon replied, his tactical vest loaded with enough firepower to level a small building. "Elena's team will be positioned at the secondary extraction point."
My former Beta has become one of the most dangerous men I know. And I'm grateful for it.
"Perimeter routes memorized?" Malcolm asked, adjusting the strap of his rifle. Despite his charming exterior, Alaric's younger son had proven himself a master strategist and deadly accurate marksman.
"Every entrance, every exit, and every guard rotation," Vivian confirmed, her voice steady and professional. "If this goes sideways, we have five different escape scenarios."
Five scenarios that all end with her in mortal danger.
Alaric stepped closer to her, unable to resist the magnetic pull of the mate bond. "And if you sense even a hint of trouble?—"
"I extract immediately," she finished, but her violet eyes held the same stubborn determination that had drawn him to her from the beginning. "We've been over this many times, Alaric."
The unspoken tension between them crackled like electricity. For two days, he'd tried to convince her to complete their mate bond and to unlock the secondary prophecy's power before facing Thorne. The ancient texts were clear—once he claimed and marked her officially then his dormant abilities would awaken, making him the most powerful Alpha ever.
But she'd said she needed more time. Time we don't really have.
"Sunrise positioning in thirty minutes," Kieran announced, his eyes meeting his father's with understanding. "Everyone ready?"
Alaric caught Vivian's arm gently as the others moved toward the door. "A moment?"
She nodded, and they stepped into his study while the tactical team made last minute preparations. "I know what you're going to say," she said softly, her eyes reflecting the same frustration he felt. "And I know you're right about the completed mate bond unlocking your powerful abilities. But Alaric, what we're asking ourselves to become... it's permanent. Forever."
Forever. With the most incredible woman I've ever met. How is that a problem?
He cupped her face gently, his thumbs tracing her cheeks. "I understand you need time to be certain. But if something happens today?—"
"Nothing's going to happen," she interrupted, leaning into his touch despite her words. "We have contingencies. We have backup. We have?—"
"We have Thorne, who's had four centuries to perfect the art of corruption and murder," Alaric said quietly. "And you're walking into his domain with nothing but weapons and courage."
And I can't protect you the way I need to.
The mate bond pulsated, stronger than ever after a week of growing intimacy and trust. He'd seen her train, watched her deadly precision with those handcrafted blades, and witnessed her tactical brilliance. She was formidable enough to take on a small army alone.
But Thorne wasn't just any enemy.
"Time to move," Logan called from the foyer.
Vivian stepped back, her expression shifting into the focused mask of a warrior. "This is our chance to end his reign of terror. To expose everything he's done to our people."
They joined the others outside, where two black SUVs waited in the circular drive. Steam rose from their exhausts in the cold morning air, and Alaric could see Elena, Maya, and Zoe already seated in the second vehicle.
"Kieran drives, I'll take the passenger seat," Alaric announced, falling into Alpha mode despite the turmoil in his chest. "Vivian and Malcolm can hop in the back."
As they settled into the leather seats, Alaric caught Kieran's concerned glance. His son had grown into a leader worthy of the Silvercrest name, but the worry in his silver-blue eyes reflected Alaric's own fears.
He knows I'm sending my mate straight into danger. He knows I'm barely holding it together.
The SUV pulled away from the estate, and Alaric felt the weight of the moment settling over them. In the backseat, Vivian checked her weapons one final time—a ritual he'd watched her perform countless times during their training sessions these past few days.
"You know," Malcolm said conversationally, "when I imagined my stepmother-to-be, I pictured someone who'd keep my father calm, not someone who'd make him more reckless."
"Your father was already reckless," Vivian replied with a small smile. "I just gave him something worth being reckless for."
The simple words hit him hard. Through the mate bond, he felt her absolute conviction and her unwavering determination to see this through regardless of the personal cost.
She's right. She's given me something worth fighting for. Worth dying for.
