Augustin’s POV
I woke up feeling unusually energized despite minimal sleep. My blood pumped with anticipation, Fenris restless beneath my skin. Today we would fratky take action against those who had been plotting against us for too long.
I was still wearing last night’s dinner clothes, the USB drive secure in my pocket. Before showering, I carefully placed it in a drawer in my closet. The tiny device could hold the key to unraveling the entire conspiracy.
Hot water cascaded over my shoulders as 1 reviewed today’s plan again. Adryx had arranged a polo match for the afternoon, providing the perfect ever for Quinn and Maddox to join us. I wondered briefly how Adryx and Bryloch would handle working with those two, given their history.
Strange how crisis forges alliances. I was working with Matthew and Kieran, while Adryx and Bryloch partnered with Quinn and Maddox. All for the greater good. In the face of what we were dealing with, our personal disagreements seemed trivial. Even if we didn’t manage to catch the Sovereign, swift arrests would slow them down, possibly stopping them entirely.
Once I had more power firmly in my grasp, I could better handle whatever came next. The main goal was to ensure the four couples could have their weddings in peace and spend time with their mates without constantly looking over their shoulders. If the names on Isabelle’s USB drive included the Sovereign, that would be an unexpected bonus. Something told me we were close to a period of peace.
I stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my waist, and headed back into the bedroom, only to find Berry standing there with her hands on her hips, those beautiful eyes somehow managing to appear both worried and annoyed simultaneously.
“Good morning,” I said, walking toward her with a smile, wanting nothing more than to pull her into my arms and breathe in her scent.
“Were you planning to sneak out without saying goodbye?” she asked, her voice laced with hurt despite the teasing tone she attempted.
I diverted the conversation, not wanting to outright tell her she couldn’t come with us. “We’ve got Juliet to question and that USB drive to look at. I need you here to handle those things,” I said, hoping she’d understand the importance of her role.
Berry laughed, the sound warming me from within. “Even if you gave me the chance, I wouldn’t come with you,” she said, and we both chuckled, the tensione breaking.
Her expression turned serious again. “Just be careful, okay? If they’re starting to consider shooting people, what’s to stop them from trying to take you out?”
I thought about it for a moment but didn’t voice my conclusion. Killing me wouldn’t accomplish what they wanted. They needed to discredit me, my bloodline, and my friends before they could install a new King. But I didn’t want to worry her with these thoughts, so I simply smiled.
“I think they want me to suffer, not die,” I assured her. “And after we arrest everyone involved, I promise I’ll be more careful.” I meant it, too. Once the immediate threat was neutralized, I could afford to take fewer risks.
Berry didn’t look convinced. “Just come back to me, okay?” she whispered, her voice breaking slightly. “I can’t do this without you.”
I pulled her into my arms, breathing in her scent, now mingled with my own scent, marking her as mine. “Failure is not an option,” I said firmly before kissing her deeply, pouring all my love and reassurance into that single action.
When we separated, I finished dressing quickly. I had a kingdom to protect and traitors to capture. And Berry would be waiting for me when I returned.
Outside our residence, everyone gathered according to plan. We split into different vehicles, ensuring we wouldn’t all arrive at the polo grounds together. Matthew and Kieran had their own team, while Quinn and Maddox formed another. My team consisted of Bryloch, Adryx, and myself. The Delta teams were already in position, waiting for our signal.
The plan was meticulously organized. Our guests would arrive before us, and the rest of us would follow an hour later. We knew the rebel organization would be watching us, which was exactly what we wanted. While they focused on our very public appearance at the polo grounds, we would systematically arrest Charles and every Elder Council member on our list.
Matthew and Kieran had their own list of people to arrest, as did Quinn and Maddox. The Delta teams had different lists altogether. We would all strike simultaneously to prevent any warnings or escapes.
I had sent Delta Noah and Delta Stefan ahead to ensure that everyone we needed to arrest was at the polo grounds. It would make things much easier if we could grab them all in one place, but we were prepared for the alternative.
When we arrived at our private boxes, I signed off on my schedule for the day. It struck me as odd that we had so many guests on a day. The Delta handed me the schedule explained people expected me to be at the tournament, so they showed up anyway.
I denied entry to some of them, particularly those whose names appeared on my suspect list. I sent word that I would be playing in today’s match and would see them tomorrow instead. Of course, tomorrow there would be no meetings. We would be busy interrogating prisoners, and the Elder Council would be holding an emergency meeting to question my actions. By then, I would have all the power I needed.
Bryloch approached me in our private box. “Alpha,” he said formally, aware we might be overheard, “Alpha Ulysses is here as well. I’ve taken the liberty of adding him to Matthew’s group.”
I nodded my approval. It was a smart move to put Ulysses with Matthew. Ulysses’s wife was in our custody, and some of the people they would be arresting.. might know this.
We spent a few hours in the box before heading down for the match. Without our mates present, the polo game itself was rather dull, but maintaining appearances was crucial. Numerous Deltas were stationed around the grounds, watching for snipers or any suspicious movements.
The game proceeded smoothly.
Matthew’s team was performing well, I noted. The last time we’d played against each other, his team had been crushed, mainly due to the “ferocity of my team. The spectators were clearly expecting a repeat performance, but they would be disappointed today.
My team won the match, though not by the margin we could have if we’d been truly trying. After cleaning up, we returned to our box for the post–game reception.
I handed out a few medals and gave a short speech, all while scanning the crowd for any sign of trouble. Everything seemed to be proceeding according to plan. No suspicious movements, no unexpected absences. Once the polo ground business was concluded, it would be time to move on the people on our list. Evanth would stay behind as planned to hand out awards to the winners.
As we prepared to leave, I felt a surge of nervousness. We didn’t know what we would encounter. Our enemies might be prepared for us, or they might resist.
