My Fated Alpha's Cruel Game (Elena and Marcus) novel Chapter 137

Chapter 137: Chapter 137 Selective Orders

Dawn’s POV

The morning air felt crisp against my skin as I stepped out of my dormitory. My muscles ached from the previous night’s disaster, but I forced myself to walk with purpose toward the mess hall. The familiar sounds of clattering trays and hushed conversations filled the space as I grabbed my breakfast tray and loaded it with whatever looked edible.

I found an empty seat at one of the long tables and began eating mechanically, my mind still replaying every moment of my failure. The food tasted like cardboard, but I needed the fuel.

"How did things go last night?" Liam’s voice broke through my brooding thoughts.

I set down my fork and looked at him with defeat written across my face. "I’m going to get torn apart when they debrief me. The whole thing was a complete disaster."

Liam shook his head, his expression reassuring. "Come on, it was your first real mission. They’re not going to destroy you over one setback. They’ll want to analyze what went wrong, sure, but that’s how you learn."

"Maybe," I muttered, pushing food around on my plate. "But I feel like I let everyone down completely."

He nudged me gently with his elbow, trying to lighten my mood. "Listen, you’re not a failure by any stretch. Nobody truly understands what it’s like to face werewolves until you’re staring them down in person. We can drill until we collapse from exhaustion, but that doesn’t compare to the real thing."

His words brought a small smile to my face, though the weight of disappointment still pressed down on my chest. I had been given one job, one specific task, and I had blown it completely. Why had they chosen me for something so important if I wasn’t ready?

But my thoughts kept drifting back to Luna Elena. I had studied her photograph during briefings, but seeing her in person was entirely different. She moved with deadly precision, and when she tackled me, I realized I had severely underestimated her strength and protective instincts toward her pack.

The strangest part was when she called me Briar. The name echoed in my head, making no sense whatsoever. She had stared at me with such intensity, as if she recognized me from somewhere. But I had never seen her before in my life, and I certainly wasn’t this Briar person she seemed to think I was.

After finishing breakfast, I received the summons I had been dreading. Captain Gardner wanted to see me immediately. I made my way to his office, my stomach churning with anxiety.

Standing at attention across from his desk, I clasped my hands behind my back and waited for the interrogation to begin.

"Tell me exactly what happened out there," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"I apologize, sir. Luna Elena spotted me before I could reach the target location. She brought me down hard and managed to pull off my hood during the struggle. She saw my face clearly."

His eyes narrowed as he processed this information. "What occurred after your cover was blown?"

"Something very odd happened, sir. She seemed to freeze when she looked at me, and then she called me Briar. I have no idea why."

The Captain leaned forward slightly, crossing his arms over his chest. "How did you respond?"

"I fired at her and escaped into the forest as quickly as possible. I must have only wounded her because I heard her pursuing me afterward. I barely managed to lose her in the trees."

"At least you made it back alive," Captain Gardner said. Through his office window, I could see helicopters being loaded with tactical equipment and weapons.

"Sir, is there another operation planned?" I asked.

"We’re hitting a different pack tonight," he confirmed. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"I’d like to request permission to join that mission, sir. I believe more field experience will help me improve my performance."

His response surprised me. "That won’t be necessary for this particular operation. I’ll contact you when we plan our next strike against the Obsidian Pack specifically. You’re dismissed."