The Omni-Wolf’s Choice novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85 When the War Starts…

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Connor’s POV

“Watch Ryder for me,” Bridget pleads as the portal starts to seal.

Behind her, King Griffin is holding her like a trophy, his mouth twisted in that sick,

satisfied smile. The urge to peel him apart is almost physical.

With whatever she has left, Bridget shoves Evelyn toward me.

The royal guards pinning me hesitate-just enough. Drake floods my veins, and I rip forward. The men restraining me are already getting dropped, and I know exactly who is

doing it.

I launch for Evelyn and catch her midair.

A shadow cuts over us.

Ryder vaults-already shifting-Talon’s massive form stretching for the portal like he

can outrun it.

It snaps shut.

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Talon hits hard, skidding and rolling across the ground.

Bridget is gone.

Around us, the last clashes die out as if someone slammed a door on the battle.

Then Talon throws his head back and unleashes a howl so raw it feels like it scrapes the

bones of the entire pack. The grief is a wave. It moves through everyone.

“Evelyn-are you hurt?” I ask, hauling her upright. I need her steady. I need her

breathing. But my pulse is already chasing Ryder.

“I’m fine,” she gasps, wild-eyed. “Goddess-he took her. She saved me. She risked

everything for me! What do we do?”

Her stare snaps to where Ryder fell.

My answer is immediate. “I’m going after him.”

I grip her shoulders. “You have to help check everyone. Get the pack organized. Luna

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duties until we bring Bridget back. Understood?”

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Evelyn swallows hard and nods as warriors arrive to guide her toward Luna Kendra, who

is already barking orders and taking injury reports.

“I’ll mind-link you,” Evelyn says, voice shaking. “Please-be careful.”

She kisses me once, quick and desperate.

I’m moving before it’s even over.

I shift, Drake exploding into motion, and follow Talon’s scent.

He is running like he’s trying to tear the world open.

I get it. If someone had dragged Evelyn away, there wouldn’t be enough of me left to be

called a man.

Bridget made damn sure nobody else was taken. Now we return the favor.

As I run, I mind-link every witch we have. *Pack house. War room. Now. We’re locating

Bridget.*

If Griffin is using dark magic-and he is-then time is not a luxury.

We circle the edges of the battlefield, picking through the wreckage and bodies, until

Talon veers hard toward the pack house.

He’s still howling. Still fracturing.

We have to get Ryder back in the driver’s seat.

Lucas and Pierce catch up in wolf form, flanking me as we herd Talon toward the side of

the house. He whips around, teeth bared, grief turning into threat the moment we step

too close.

His pain is everywhere.

*Talon,* I push through the mind-link, keeping my tone steady. *Ryder has to take control. We move now, or we lose her.*

He paces, enormous and terrifying to anyone who isn’t family.

*Bridget needs both of you,* Lucas adds, voice firm. *This-this isn’t helping. You’re burning time.*

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“Talon!”

Luna Kendra’s command cuts in from behind us.

“Shift. Now.”

He freezes, a broken sound slipping out of him, almost a whimper.

Then the wolf collapses back into skin.

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Ryder is on his knees, shoulders caved in like the air has been sucked from his chest.

Luna Kendra rushes to him and wraps him up, holding him like she can stitch him back together by force.

“We’re not done,” she tells him, low and absolute. “There’s work to do, sweetheart. You *will* bring your mate home.”

We shift back as well.

A warrior jogs up with shorts, and I snag a pair for Ryder, handing them over.

I can see the exact moment sorrow gives way to something sharper. His breathing turns heavy, his eyes going flat and dangerous.

“Brother,” I say, stepping close. “We need you. She needs you. Get inside. We find our

Luna.”

Ryder looks at me, then at Lucas, then Pierce.

He nods once.

“I want every hand available,” he orders, voice carrying. “Every Alpha. Every leader on these lands. Every head of any species-war room. *Now.*”

“Yes, Alpha!” we answer together.

I mind-link the top warriors to sweep the grounds and drag every required body inside.

Ryder doesn’t slow. “I want injury reports immediately. Hospital on full alert.”

“Already done,” I tell him. “I mind-linked Dr. Kira. Bridget had them on standby-with

extra blood lined up.’

Ryder’s jaw tightens.

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< Chapter 85 When the War Starts

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Menis

Pierce’s voice goes rough. “She was protecting us before we even knew we’d need it.”

That lands like fuel.

We run.

Ten minutes later the war room is packed tight-shoulder to shoulder, standing room

only, leaders squeezed around the long wooden table. No one is leaving. No one is

sitting this out.

Ryder takes the head of the table, thirty or so leaders seated near him.

“The royal guards are secured in the cells,” he reports. “The Queen is sedated. We will

question her shortly. The hospital is operating at full intake.”

Alpha Marcus rises. “We’ve got two teams prepped to hit the castle. Intelligence also c

onfirms the king owns several other properties. We’ll clear them one by one.”

Lord Jude leans forward. “My teams can move fast. Give the order.”

Marcus looks to Ryder.

Ryder nods.

“Good.” Ryder slides papers across the table to Jude. “Coordinates for every location we

have. I want confirmation the second you verify. Then I go get my Luna-and I end

Griffin.”

Alpha Nolan speaks up, steady and loud enough for the room. “Alpha Ryder, you have

our warriors. You have whatever you need. This isn’t your fight alone.”

Ryder’s gaze sweeps the room. “Thank you-for staying. If you have resources, contacts,

any way to locate King Griffin, use them *now.* My men and I are going to question the

queen and then we move.”

He stands and gestures.

Lucas, Pierce, and I are already set.

An older voice stops him as we turn.

“Son, I’ll manage surveillance and coordinate incoming reports. Go get what you can out

of the Queen.”

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< Chapter 85 when the War Starts

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Meny

We leave the war room to the sound of calls being placed, favors being collected.

networks activating.

On the stairs down to the cells, Ryder’s voice drops to a razor line.

“Connor. Don’t let me kill her before she gives me what I need.”

“Understood, Alpha,” I say. “For her sake, she should start talking fast.”

Beatrix and Montgomery fall in with us as we reach the cell block.

I nod at the guards.

The door swings open.

Queen Eleanor is strapped to a hospital bed, restraints cinched at wrists and ankles.

Cords trail to monitors that beep in steady, indifferent rhythm.

Dr. Yvette stands beside her, waiting.

Ryder gives a single nod.

Yvette pushes medication into the IV.

Eleanor’s eyelids flutter. She coughs, gagging as she wakes.

Ryder is on her in a blink, fingers locking around her throat as she jerks in panic, trying to

scream.

“Where is my mate,” he snarls. “Why did your worthless mate take her-and you are

going to tell me *right now.*”

Eleanor’s face purples as she claws at his arm, lungs failing her.

We hold position and watch.

Ryder releases.

“Talk,” he growls, teeth clenched so tight the words come out like a threat carved in

stone.

Eleanor sucks in air and immediately launches into outrage. “How dare you keep me

here! I am your Queen! I will destroy all of you for this!”

Ryder doesn’t even blink. “We contacted the council. You’ve both been stripped of title

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and power.”

He tips his chin toward Beatrix.

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Beatrix steps in and punches Eleanor so hard the crack is unmistakable-bone giving way under force.

She’s been training. And whatever she’s tapped into, it shows.

Montgomery rolls a cart forward. Polished blades glint under the lights as he parks it

beside the bed.

Eleanor’s eyes go wide-then her gaze flicks past us to the wall.

Chained there is the witch. The one who helped attack our pack.

Dead.

Her chest has been torn open, organs spilling down in a grotesque heap onto the floor.

Eleanor’s breath catches in horror.

“Oh my goddess,” she chokes, jaw ruined but still forcing words out. “You’re animals.

Savages. You never deserved sacred land or any of your powers-look at you!”

“Eleanor,” I say quietly, leaning in. I grip her jaw, steady but brutal. “We need answers.

I’m doing everything I can to keep my Alpha from taking you apart piece by piece. He’s

talented at torture. He will make sure you last a long time while you regret every second.

So speak.”

She trembles, fighting not to cry out as pain lances through her face.

“I swear he didn’t tell me anything,” she says, rushing the words. “I didn’t even know

he planned to do this!”

“But you planned to kill our Luna,” I remind her, nodding toward the corpse on the wall.

“That carries one sentence. Same as your friend.”

Her eyes flicker, and something ugly loosens in her expression. “You have no idea what

it’s been like. Our entire relationship-him obsessing over the Omni-Wolf. Talking about

what he could do with her power. Talking about how he wanted *me* to be the Omni-

Wolf.”

She swallows, voice cracking.

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“My whole life with him has been being measured against some myth. And then she

shows up for real-in our lifetime-and he turns into a monster. All he cared about was

getting her to the castle.”

Ryder leans forward, rage vibrating off him. “Why? What does he think he gains?”

“An heir,” Eleanor says. “We had a son. He died in the Trybial War. There was never

another. Griffin always said he was destined to create the perfect ruler-his title and her

blood.”

I keep my eyes on her. “And you? He has a mate. What were you to him?”

Her mouth twists. “My lineage gave him the claim. He was going to keep me as the face

-the Queen-then take her as a second mate.”

She looks at Beatrix, who is still holding a knife like she was born with it in her hand.

“He’s insane,” Eleanor whispers. “The things he made me do-because of her-I can’t

even say them out loud.”

Pierce steps closer. “Where would he take her? He can’t just crawl back to the castle and

expect us not to level it.”

Eleanor shakes her head, frantic now. “The witches are helping him. They have realms-

places-I don’t know. I don’t know how they work.”

Her voice breaks into pleading. “You have to believe me. He’s been preparing this for

years!”

“And you were Queen,” I say. “You let it happen.”

Ryder goes still-too still.

“If that’s all you’ve got,” he says, voice empty, “we’re finished here.”

Then his gaze cuts to Lucas.

“Lucas,” Ryder says, cold and deliberate. “Consigue la rata y el cubo.”

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