Celestial Star

Chapter 19

Maliks POV

Everything was in place when I heard the first roars from Wyatts army. A shudder ran through Tristan as he stood with his finger tightening on the detonator.

"Not yet." I calmly commented to try and keep everyone levelheaded.

Our trap was set and all I had to do was give the signal for the bridges to be blown but I wanted to leave that as a worst case scenario. My thoughts kept twisting from element of surprise to somehow letting Wyatt know we were all lying in wait for him to make his move. I was stuck trying to think of a way to get a message to him to at least attempt to convince the Alpha male to leave peacefully but at the same time didn't want to tell let on that if he didn't there would be consequences.

I was running out of time, and he was just over the river readying his torps to attack. I couldn't send a guard in to deliver a message. The pack males couldn't figure out how to deescalate a situation to save their lives so what to do?

"Hang on." I turned quickly and started making my way inside the tower.

"What the fuck do you mean 'hang on'?" Tristan shouted following me inside.

"I'm going to try and convince him to leave." I spoke quickly as I snatched up a flare gun laying out on one of the desks and checked it to make sure it was loaded.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Tristan grasped my arm screaming at me.

"Listen!" I snaped back and watched him slightly flinch at my tone.

Calm down Malik! You'll freak everyone out if you start screaming. I thought back to what Norland always said to me when I was just a pup. How a leader should always keep a level head even if things seem dire. I needed to do that now. Being the only one with a clue about anything to do with warfare seemed to have somehow landed me in charge and responsible for each set of eyes that were staring at me like little lost sheep.

"Blowing the bridges should be our last resort. We need more options and there is no way in hell I'm sending any of you out there. You'll get yourselves killed before you even reach Wyatt." I shrugged off Tristan's arm as I walked calmly to the door. "I need to get to Wyatt quickly and need you all to stay here and let me hand it. That includes you, Tristan!" I narrowed my eyes back at him.

All the males stared at their beta wondering if he was seriously about to take orders from someone deemed in their eyes to be less. An outcast that didn't even have a title or pack giving their beta an actual order to stay.

Tristans eyes went around the room to all the males. He could feel the tension as we all could. The problem was simple to me. If he had no intention of listening then the pack would fall. Plain and simple.

"What do you propose?" He offered up as an alternative to following my order.

It was a clever choice of words on his part. It gave the males a false sense of security that their beta was in charge even if Tristan and I knew that whatever I proposed would happen. No questions asked. Now all I had to do was play along and everything would run smoothly.

"I'll take a message to Wyatt. I'll tell him the Manhattan pack knew he was coming and that we're prepared for them. I'll tell him that if he doesn't leave with his army and they attack that we'll be forced to retaliate against them."

"Are you suggesting that we give away our element of surprise?" One of the male standings on Tristan's left pipes up, shock at the idea.

I shook my head.

"Maliks suggesting making a semi bluff." Tristan clarified. "You're going to tell them our pack is lying in wait for them and that's in a way true but not to the extent you'll let on."

I smirked at him and gave a small nod.

"Do you think it will work?" He asked.

Tristan wasn't one to let his worry show out on his features but from the minimal time I've spent with him I'd learnt that his voice would always give him away. You had to pay attention but there was always that slight wobble from his tone if he was stressed or genuinely worried about an outcome.

"It won't but I'm planning on that. They'll take my message as an attempt to scare them off and to retreat to their pack. Wyatt will get cocky and think he's won already. He'll play right into my plan."

Tristan stared at me. I knew he was contemplating everything. He didn't know how I was ever going to convince them to leave but he'd also seen how efficient I was when it came to extreme situations like this. He saw just how quickly I could find Celestia and knew my mind. I thought outside the box but most importantly I always planned fives steps ahead.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked.

"Beta! You're not really going to trust this guy?" One of the guards grumbled.

"He's an outsider. Why should we even listen to him in the first place?" Another sent a sneer my way.

Like I gave a fuck.

My eyes were on Tristan waiting for him to make a move.

"Shut up!" Tristan roared at the lot of them. "Do not address him as such! He not only singlehandedly found our future Luna, but he is also the son of Alpha Norland! You will show him the respect he is entitled to."

He'd left out the adopted part, but it seemed to work. All eyes lowered as a show of submission. Technically you could say I was a future alpha even it would never happen in a million lifetimes.

"Tell me what you need Mal and I'll see it done." Tristan reassured me now that all the males were on the same page.

"I'll head over to Wyatt and see what he'll do. If he has any honor, he'll let me leave in peace. If he refuses, I'll bait him on it and challenge his character. Then once I've left, we'll see what he does. If I don't make it back to give the signal, I'll send up the flare. I can't stress this enough." I hold the signal flare up for everyone to see. "No matter where I am. No matter how calm or normal anything may seem. If you see the flare even if I haven't returned. Blow. The. Bridges."

I made a turn back to the door when Tristan stopped me suddenly.

"What will you do if you don't make it back?"

There it was. That waver in his tone again. I looked over my shoulder at him and smirked. Did he care about me suddenly?

"I will do what I've always done."

I'll fight.

"Good luck Mal." Tristan nodded.

"I don't rely on luck." I scoffed.

"Then rely on me." He insisted without a moments hesitation.

His words stunned me as I halted at the door. I turned to give a small nod over my shoulder but I caught myself and snapped back into my mindset. His words rolled over and over in my head. Rely one someone else? It was a fascinating thought but I'd dwell on it later. Right now my soul focus was on keeping Celestias pack from falling into the hands of a tyrant.