Chapter 312
As Meredith disappeared towards the house, I fully turned to Jeffery, the tenderness I had reserved for her vanishing with her footsteps,
“I learnt that Vampires attacked one of Duskmoor’s government facilities last night. A tech facility. And that Brackham and his cohorts covered it up before the media caught a whiff,” Jeffery revealed.
My brow lowered, but it wasn’t surprise that crossed me–it was confirmation that the storm had finally broken. “How many?”
“I don’t have the exact details yet,” Jeffery admitted, voice tight. “But there were casualties. Heavy ones.”
“They have finally begun,” I said, my voice low, carrying the weight of certainty. “And Brackham hasn’t seen anything yet. Vampires don’t
forgive. They won’t stop until they have bled out enough lives to balance the insult.”
Jeffery nodded, with a grim look in his eyes. “They should never have pushed. Planting those cameras in the woods was a mistake from
the start.”
My lip curled slightly. “And now they will pay for their curiosity.”
Jeffery hesitated, then added, “I also heard Brackham sent teams into the woods not long ago to hunt for vampires. That may be why this
retaliation came so soon.”
I snapped my gaze to him, narrowing my eyes. “When?”
“When you and I were in Stormveil.”
A hum of rage built in my chest. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as the truth sank in.
“He wants them the same way he wanted us. He wants bodies to dissect. To twist. To use.”
Jeffery’s jaw tightened, his disgust matching mine.
Brackham was playing with fire he couldn’t even begin to understand. The vampires would tear through him and his people without
mercy.
Jeffery shifted at my side, his tone thoughtful. “What surprises me is that Brackham hasn’t reached out to us yet. If the vampires are
already inside his city…”
I let out a scoff, sharp and humourless. “As long as he is scrambling to hide the mess–covering the crime scene, silencing the media–he has no plans of crawling to us for help. His pride won’t allow him to do that.”
The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken truths. Jeffery finally broke it. “Then what do you plan to do, Alpha?”
I slowed my pace, pondering. The thought had been simmering since the moment he told me about the attack, but now it solidified. My
lips curved, just slightly.
“I will make Brackham ask me for help.”
312 Making Brackham Ask for Help
Jeffery’s head barked toward me, curiosity burning in his eyes. “And how exactly do you plan to do that?
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I motioned for him to walk with me. He fell into step without hesitation, his boots crunching the
gravel as I led us away from the training grounds.
“The war,” I said, my tone low, deliberate, “is almost at our doorsteps. And yet, we still haven’t located the Humans‘ secret lab. That lab is
the key to everything they are doing against us. This is the opportunity we have been waiting for.”
Jeffery frowned, his brows furrowing, “I don’t follow. How does Brackham’s desperation bring us closer to the lab?”
I glanced at him, the shadow of a smile tugging at my mouth. “Two options.”
His silence invited me to continue.
“The first: I force Brackham to ask for my help. Once I’m inside his circle under the guise of an ally, it’s only a matter of time before I find
what he is hiding. Sooner or later, the trail will lead us straight to that lab.”
Jeffery’s eyes narrowed, trying to piece it together. “And the second?”
“If Brackham refuses… if he remains stubborn, clutching his pride like a shield…” My smile sharpened, cold. “Then I will use the vampires
themselves to force his hand. Either way, he won’t be able to keep us out forever.”
Jeffery’s brows drew together, suspicion plain in his gaze. “But how… do you plan on doing that?”
I slowed down, my hands clasped behind my back. “By laying traps for him,” I said simply. No more, no less. Some things didn’t need to be
spelt out so directly.
Sometimes, it was good to give room for others‘ brains to work.
Jeffery walked quietly beside me, chewing on the words. I could almost hear the gears turning in his head.
Then, after a few beats of silence, his eyes widened faintly as the realization struck.
“Wait…” he murmured. “You mean to strike the vampires yourself–and leave signs that point to Brackham? Make it expression like the
humans attacked first, so the vampires retaliate more violently?”
I met his stare, saying nothing.
Jeffery exhaled sharply. “That way, Brackham has no choice but to turn to you.”
I gave a single, deliberate nod. “Yes.”
The weight of the plan settled between us. Ruthless, yes–but necessary.
Jeffery kept his eyes on me, half in awe, half in wariness. “It’s dangerous,” he admitted. “But it just might work.”
I allowed myself the faintest smile. “It will work. Because Brackham’s pride won’t let him see it coming until it’s far too late.”
Jeffery gave a brief nod, his brows furrowed as if he was already trying to figure out the logistics. “So, we will need to use their
technology. Their guns, their ammunition. Make it expression clean.”
“Exactly.” I flicked my eyes to him. “And for that, we need to quietly intercept another of their supply transports. No survivors to recount
312 Making Blackham Ask for Help
what they saw.”
Jeffery’s jaw tightened. He understood what that meant. “And once we have their weapons?”
“We will stage an attack,” I said evenly. “Not large enough to wipe out the vampires–just enough to enrage them. Enough to drive them
to Brackham’s doorstep with bloodlust in their eyes.”
Jeffery drew a sharp breath, a flicker of admiration breaking through his wary expression. “You are setting Brackham up to dig has own
grave.”
I allowed myself a thin smile. “I don’t need him dead yet. Just desperate. Desperate men make mistakes. And when he comes crawling to
me for help, I will take from him what I need.
Inside, Rhovan growled in dark agreement. “Yes. Let them suffer. Let them feel the weight of their arrogance. The humans thought they
could toy with us. They will learn.”
Jeffery slowed his steps slightly, digesting every word. “When do we move?”
I glanced toward the high windows, where dawn light cut thin stripes across the stone floor.
“Soon. Very soon. First, I want to know which routes Brackham’s men will be using in the coming days. Once we have that, the trap will
set itself.”
Jeffery inclined his head. “I will see to it and make sure we know exactly when and where to strike.”
I gave him a firm nod. “Good. Once this begins, there is no turning back. And while you work on that, tell Dennis to send the call–out to
our people for a meeting this Friday by 11 PM sharp. No exceptions.”
Jeffery inclined his head. “Yes, Alpha.”