# CHAPTER 40: THE DIVERSION
Three days pass too slowly.
Alana spends them preparing. Morgan teaches her self-defense. Basic moves. How to break a hold. How to use her smaller size as an advantage.
"You won't win a fight against a wolf." Morgan says. "Not yet. But you can buy time. Escape. Survive."
*Survive. That's the goal.*
Gideon runs her through the layout of Marcus's study. Again. And again. Until she can walk it blindfolded.
"Door on the left. Three steps. Painting of a hunt. Safe behind it."
*Memorized.*
"Combination?"
"Elena's birthday. Month. Day. Year."
*His wife. His victim. His trophy.*
"Good."
Vivian hovers. Worried. Bringing food Alana doesn't want. Tea she doesn't drink.
"You need to keep your strength up."
"I know."
"And you need to sleep."
"I know."
"And you need to stop being so damn stubborn."
*That. That I can't do.*
Alexander watches. Silent. He doesn't try to stop her. Doesn't argue. Just watches. With eyes full of fear. And pride.
*He trusts me. That's almost worse.*
---
The third day arrives.
Evening. The sun setting over the mountains.
News comes from a scout: Marcus is at the mansion. A meeting with the council. Will be here for hours.
*Now. It has to be now.*
The war room assembles. Alexander. Derek. Gideon. Morgan. Alana.
"All teams in position?" Alexander asks.
Gideon nods. "Gamma squad at the east entrance. Beta team covering exits. Morgan will shadow Alana from the hallway."
*So many people. So many risks.*
"And the diversion?"
Derek stands. Cracks his neck.
"Ready."
*He's been waiting for this. To fight. To hit something.*
Alana looks at him. Really looks.
*He's lost weight. Hasn't been sleeping. The guilt of what Marcus did—what Marcus made him part of—it's eating him alive.*
"You don't have to do this."
"I want to." His eyes meet hers. "For you. For Alexander. For everyone that bastard has hurt."
*For himself. For the redemption he thinks he needs.*
"Okay." Alexander's voice is steel. "We go in five minutes. Positions."
---
The mansion is quiet.
Too quiet.
Alana walks through the halls. Head high. Steps measured. Like she belongs.
*Because I do. I'm the Luna. This is my home.*
She passes a group of wolves. Pack members. They bow their heads in respect.
*Luna. They call me Luna.*
She still isn't used to it.
Morgan follows at a distance. Blending into shadows. Invisible.
*Good. Exactly as planned.*
Ahead—the east wing. Where the elders have their quarters. Their studies.
And Marcus.
*His study is here. In our home. Like a virus we can't kill.*
The guards at the end of the hallway nod at her. Let her pass.
*Because I'm the Luna. Because they don't know.*
She turns a corner. Waits.
*Now. Derek. Now.*
---
The sound of shouting.
Then—glass breaking.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
Derek's voice. Echocing through the halls.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
More shouting. A fight. The guards at the end of the hallway look at each other. Then run toward the commotion.
*The diversion. It's working.*
Alana moves. Fast. Through the now-empty corridor.
*Door on the left. Three steps.*
She finds it. A heavy oak door. No name. No marking.
*But she knows. This is his.*
She tries the handle. Locked.
*Of course.*
She pulls a pin from her hair. Slides it into the lock. A trick Vivian taught her. A lifetime ago. In another world.
*Come on. Come on.*
Click.
The door opens.
---
The study is dark.
Curtains drawn. A single lamp on the desk. The smell of old paper. And something else.
*Blood. Old blood.*
Alana's stomach turns. But she doesn't stop.
She enters. Closes the door behind her. Locks it.
*Now. Find the safe.*
She scans the room. Bookshelves. A desk. A leather chair. And on the far wall—
Paintings.
Portraits of past Alphas. And one larger painting. A hunt. Wolves chasing deer through a forest.
*That one. It has to be.*
She crosses the room. Lifts the painting. And there it is.
A safe. Embedded in the wall. Digital keypad.
*Elena's birthday.*
Her hands shake. She steadies them.
*Month. Day. Year.*
Zero-six. One-five. One-nine-six-two.
*June 15, 1962.*
She types. Waits.
*Click.*
The safe opens.
---
Inside: files. Stacks of them. Photographs. USB drives. A recording device.
*Everything. It's all here.*
Alana reaches in. Grabs a handful of files. Opens one.
A photograph falls out. A young woman. Terrified. Naked. Chained.
*Oh god.*
She opens another. Financial records. Transfers. Millions of dollars. Names she doesn't recognize. Dates going back decades.
*Human trafficking. Evidence of everything.*
She grabs more. Shoves them into the bag she brought. As many as she can carry.
*Not enough time. Need more.*
She reaches for the USB drives. Small. Dozens of them.
*These might have digital copies. Everything.*
She takes them all.
*That's enough. That's everything we need.*
She closes the safe. Replaces the painting. Turns to leave.
---
"Looking for something, my dear?"
Alana freezes.
The voice comes from behind her. From the doorway.
Slowly. She turns.
Marcus stands there. Leaning against the frame. Arms crossed. Smiling.
*How? The door was locked. The guards were gone.*
"The diversion." He says. Like reading her mind. "Clever. Derek has always been dramatic." He steps into the room. Closes the door behind him. "But did you really think I'd fall for that?"
*Trap. It's a trap.*
Alana's heart pounds. Her hand tightens on the bag.
*Morgan. Where's Morgan?*
"Your little shadow is occupied." Marcus's smile widens. "I have people too, you know. Loyal people."
*He knew. He knew we were coming.*
"The moment your scouts reported I was here, I knew you'd try something." He walks toward her. Slow. Deliberate. "You're so predictable, Alana. So... heroic."
*The earpiece. Maybe they can hear.*
She reaches for it. But Marcus is faster.
He grabs her wrist. Twists. Not hard enough to break. Just hard enough to hurt.
"Ah-ah. No cheating."
He reaches into her ear. Pulls out the device. Crushes it under his boot.
*No one can hear me now. No one knows.*
---
"Now then." Marcus releases her wrist. Gestures to the bag. "What do you have there?"
Alana clutches it tighter.
*Don't let him take it. This is everything.*
"Nothing that concerns you."
He laughs.
"Nothing that concerns me? Those are MY files. MY records." His eyes darken. "Evidence of MY business."
*Evidence of your crimes. Enough to destroy you.*
"Evidence of what you really are."
"And what is that?"
*A monster. A trafficker. A murderer.*
"A dead man walking."
His smile falters. Just for a second. Then returns. Colder.
"Brave words. Stupid words. But brave."
He steps closer. Too close.
*Personal space. He always violates it.*
"You know, I've been patient. Waiting for you to come around. To understand."
*Understand what?*
"That we're the same. You and me."
*No. We're nothing alike.*
"I'm nothing like you."
"No?" He tilts his head. "You're willing to do whatever it takes to protect your family. Your child. Even if it means breaking rules. Breaking laws."
*That's different.*
"That's survival."
"And that's exactly what I do." He spreads his arms. "I protect my family. My legacy. My bloodline."
*By selling women? By killing children?*
"You kill innocents."
"I eliminate threats." His voice hardens. "Your grandmother was a threat. Your mother was a threat. And now..." His eyes drop to her belly. "That child is a threat."
*Don't touch me. Don't touch my baby.*
"She's not a threat. She's a child."
"She's a prophecy." He corrects. "The Luna of Two Worlds. The most powerful wolf born in generations." He smiles. "And she's mine."
---
The rage builds.
The wolf stirs.
*Not yet. Wait.*
"She's mine." Alana's voice is steady. "And Alexander's."
"For now."
"What does that mean?"
Marcus shrugs.
"It means... arrangements can be made. Alexander can be removed. You can be... convinced."
*Convinced. To do what?*
"To raise that child properly. With me. As her father."
*Never. I'll die first.*
"You're insane."
"Practical." He steps closer. "Think about it. Alexander is weak. Emotional. Controlled by his feelings for you."
*That's called love. Something you know nothing about.*
"I can offer you power. Protection. A place at my side."
*As what? Your trophy? Your broodmare?*
"As what?"
"As my Luna." He says it like an offer. Like a gift. "We could rule together. The packs. The humans. Everything."
*You're delusional.*
"You're delusional."
His smile turns cold.
"Perhaps. But I'm also patient." He reaches out. Touches her face. "I can wait. For the baby. For you."
*Get your hands off me.*
She jerks back. But he follows. Corners her against the desk.
"Don't be hasty." His voice drops. Intimate. "You have time to think. Time to reconsider."
*Time to plan your death.*
"I won't reconsider."
"We'll see."
---
The door explodes inward.
Alexander stands in the frame. Shifted. Massive black wolf. Eyes gold. Teeth bared.
*He came. He found me.*
Marcus steps back. Surprised.
"Ah. The cavalry."
The wolf doesn't speak. Doesn't need to. He lunges.
But Marcus is ready.
He pulls a small device from his pocket. Presses a button.
A sound. High-pitched. Painful.
Alexander collapses. Whining. Paws over his ears.
*Silver. The device. Silver.*
"Did you think I'd come unprepared?" Marcus tucks the device away. "Silver emitters. Harmless to humans. Agony to wolves."
*No. No no no.*
"Alexander!"
Alana runs to him. Drops to her knees. His body convulses. Eyes rolled back.
*Get him out. Get help.*
She reaches for her backup earpiece. The one hidden in her collar.
"Guards! MORGAN!"
Nothing.
*They can't hear. The device. It must block signals.*
Marcus sighs.
"I really didn't want it to come to this." He walks toward her. "But you've forced my hand."
*Stay back.*
She stands. Puts herself between Alexander and Marcus.
"Stay away from him."
"Or what?" He smiles. "You'll fight me?"
*Yes. If I have to.*
The wolf inside her surges. Ready.
*Not yet. Not strong enough.*
But close.
*Close enough.*
---
"You have a choice." Marcus says. "Come with me. Now. Quietly. And I let him live."
*Liar.*
"You'll kill him anyway."
"I might." He shrugs. "But I might not. Depends on how cooperative you are."
*And if I go with you?*
"And if I go with you?"
"Then we discuss terms. The baby. The prophecy. The future."
*On your terms. In your territory. Where you have all the power.*
"No."
"No?"
"I said no."
Marcus's smile disappears.
"Then he dies." He pulls out a gun. Silver bullets. "And you come with me anyway. Unconscious if necessary."
*He'll do it. He'll kill Alexander right here.*
*Unless...*
The wolf pushes. Harder. Stronger.
*Now. Let me out.*
Alana closes her eyes.
*Okay. Do it.*
---
**END OF CHAPTER 40**
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