Xena''s POV


    I watched Ryder''s face, noting the conflicted emotions ying across his features. The tension in his jaw, the slight furrow between his brows-1 could practically feel the pressure weighing on him. He wanted to stay with me, but his responsibility to keep his pack sate pulled at him just as strongly.


    "I promised I wouldn''t leave you," he said, his voice low and resolute as he stood near the door, clearly torn between duty and desire.


    I fought the urge to grab his hand, to beg him to stay. Iristend, I steed myself and said softly, "You''re not leaving me. I''m telling you to go make sure our pack is safe."


    Ryder crossed the room in three long strides, cupping my face between his warm palms. His green eyes searched mine intently. "Will you be alright? Dont lie to me. I can feel how unsettled you are righ now."


    "Yes, I''m unsettled and nervous, but we need to make sure the pack safe. I''ll be fine. I promise." The words felt hollow even as I spoke them, but I needed him to go. The safety of dozens of innocent people depended on it.


    "I''ll be back soon." Ryder pressed his lips to my forehead, the warmth of his kiss lingering on my skin like a talisman against fear.


    "I''ll hold you to that," I murmured as he pulled away. He turned back with a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes before walking out the door. I watched his broad shoulders disappear down the hallway, swallowing the knot of anxiety rising in my throat.


    "I''ve made a list of everyone who needs to leave," Ama announced once Ryder was gone, waving a sheet of paper in her hand.


    "How many?" I asked, just as my phone rang.


    "Xena," I answered, pressing the device to my ear.


    "It''s me," Penelope''s voice came through clear and efficient.


    "Perfect. Can you help us get this organized?" I put her on speakerphone so Ama could hear.


    "Of course. I have our safe houses getting set up. Everyone will gather in one ce. Both packs will fit just fine. I''m not sure if our pack will be attacked, but I''m not leaving it up to chance. It will be hard to cover both territories, but we have someone doing some sonar and so far no tunnels here."


    “Perfect,” I said, pacing the room. "Ama is making a list of who''s going first, how many will be there, and their names, When they arrive, you need to verify everyone made it. We''ll be packing the vans full of people and trying to keep families together."


    "What route are you taking?" Penelope asked.


    "Do you remember the old dirt road on the back of the territories?" asked, mentally


    Capping the safest route.


    "Yes, it''s been a long time since I''ve been there." I could almost see Penelope''s brow furrowing in concentration.


    "We''ll use that. It will drop off just outside of your territory. It''s a longer route but it might be safest."


    "That''ll be almost a twenty-minute drive there and another twenty back," Penelope sighed.


    "At least," I nodded, though she couldn''t see me.


    "I''ll send over our vans as well. Try to make this go quicker," Penelope offered,


    and I felt a surge of gratitude.


    -Thank you so much. Send them over the road and have them scope out. Make sure it looks safe.


    Will do. I''ll send them now. Expect them in about thirty minutes."


    I nced at the clock, rmed at how quickly time was slipping away. “Okay. That


    will be about the time that our warriors leave.


    Alright, Send the list over email and I''ll be ready," Penelope instructed.


    *Perfect. Thank you so much for your help.


    "We''re family. This is what we do," Penelope said sweetly.


    "Yes, we are." I replied before ending the call. My heart was still pour ding, the sense of crisis tightening around my nerves like an invisible.


    "I think I have it figured out," Ama said, bent over her list. "Each van can fit six people. But we''ll try to squeeze in eight or more, depending on size. I drawn a line under each section. If we have three vans, plus the ones Penelope is sending us..."


    "It''s still going to take as a few hours," I concluded grimly. The thought of evacuating so many pack members in such a short time made my chest tighten with anxiety. Ama nodded and emailed her list to Penelope.


    "What do we do now?" she asked, looking at me with trusting eyes.


    "I guess I need to mind-link the whole pack, tell them to meet in front of the packhouse in twenty minutes." I''d never done this before, wasn''t even sure I knew how.


    "Yes, and make sure you add some authority and urgency to it," Ama suggested, watching me with concern.


    I nodded, steeling myself. Closing my eyes, I focused on extending and opening my mental connection to the entire pack. "Attention everyone! We are evacuating all females, children, and elderly who cannot defend themselves. Report to the front of the packhouse in twenty minutes," Imanded, injecting every ounce of authority I could muster into my voice, even as I silently prayed it would


    be enough.


    Silence met my words, and Ama and I exchanged nervous nces. Had they ignored mymand?


    Then, suddenly, a chorus of "Yes, Luna" responses flooded back to me, sending goosebumps racing across my skin. I quickly closed the connection, stunned by the immediate eptance of my authority.


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