The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 155

Saphira stood near the window, her silhouette framed by the soft firelight that danced across the office walls. Outside, the wind stirred the trees, but inside, the air was still, thick with tension and the weight of decisions yet to be made. Her arms were folded tightly across her chest as she turned back to face the others.

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” she said, her voice steady. “Question is… do we wait for them to make a move, or do we make it first?”

Jed leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, fingers laced together. His voice was low, but firm. “If we wait, it could backfire. They might retreat before we act. We can’t risk them slipping away.”

Saphira’s gaze narrowed slightly. *He’s right. If they vanish, we lose our chance.*

Raven nodded, her fingers drumming lightly on the armrest of her chair. “True. But Lupus and Cassandra won’t leave without Ruby. Even if the others pull back, those two will stay im sure of it. And they’ll have information.”

Saphira’s jaw tightened, her mind already racing through possibilities. *Then they’re the key. The leverage.* She nodded once, decisive. “Okay. Then we capture them.”

Nikolas turned toward her, his brow lifting slightly. His gaze held a flicker of hesitation, not resistance, but caution. A silent question.

Saphira met his eyes, her voice unwavering. “I’m sure.”

That sealed it. Nikolas gave a small nod, the doubt fading from his expression. “Then we wait. We’ll have a better chance at capturing Lupus and Cassandra if they’re alone. But we need to stay alert. The Elders could still be involved. We keep our guard up. It won’t be easy, and things can go wrong quickly.”

Jed straightened, already shifting into planning mode. “I’ll work out a rotation for monitoring. Jasper’s been pushing hard, we need to conserve his energy.”

Raven added, her tone brisk, “I’ll do the same with the witches. We’ll report any changes immediately.”

Nikolas nodded. “Good. We’ll let the others know.”

Jed and Raven rose, exchanging a glance that spoke of quiet understanding. As they stepped out, the door clicked shut behind them, leaving the room in a softer rhythm.

Saphira watched them go, a small smile tugging at her lips. “They really are perfect together.”

Nikolas chuckled, leaning against the edge of the desk, arms relaxed. “It’s nice to see Jed happy. He’s steadier with her. Less guarded.”

Saphira turned toward him, her voice gentler now. “It seems like everyone’s found someone. That’s what we need to protect.”

Nikolas’s gaze warmed, the firelight catching the gold in his eyes. “I’ll protect every member of this pack. No matter what.”

A pause settled between them.

Then Nikolas shifted, his tone thoughtful. “About Vaelora… and the mind-link. We might need to look into what kind of dragon she really is. It’s clear she’s not just any standard dragon.”

Saphira tilted her head, curiosity stirring beneath the calm. “You think she’s something rare?”

“Possibly,” Nikolas said. “Other than royals, which would be impossible, there aren’t many dragons with that kind of ability. But whatever she is, we’ll find out. Together.”

Saphira nodded, her voice soft. “I’d like that. It would make things easier… when things like this happen.”

Nikolas reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek with the back of his fingers. His touch was warm. “Then we’ll start looking. One mystery at a time.”

Saphira leaned into the moment, letting the quiet settle around them.

The next few hours passed in a blur of movement and voices. Saphira and Nikolas moved through the pack house with quiet urgency, their footsteps echoing through stone corridors and wooden floors. They stopped in rooms lit by lanterns and firelight, in training spaces thick with sweat and tension, in corners where warriors whispered and witches prepared sigils.

Wolves, witches, vampires, and dragons, each received the plan in full. Roles were clarified, contingencies laid out, and questions answered with calm precision. Saphira watched their reactions closely, furrowed brows, clenched jaws, nods of understanding, flickers of fear tempered by resolve. She met each gaze with quiet strength, her voice steady.

*They’re ready,* she thought, catching the determined look in Finn’s eyes, the way Raven’s fingers tightened around her spell book. *Or as ready as they can be.*

By the time she and Nikolas returned to the office, the fire had burned low, casting long shadows across the walls. The room felt quieter now, more intimate.

Saphira sank into the chair opposite Nikolas, rolling her shoulders to ease the ache. Her body was tired, but her mind remained sharp, focused.

Nikolas leaned forward, elbows on the desk, his fingers steepled. “We need to lock in the strategy for capturing them. Strength, magic, or surprise?”

Saphira tapped her fingers against the armrest, her gaze distant as she thought. “Strength’s risky. They’ll expect it. Magic alone could work, but it’s unpredictable. Surprise gives us the edge.”

Nikolas nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing. “Then we use both. We’re tracking their movements. If we combine that with magic, we can get the jump on them.”

Saphira’s lips curved slightly, her mind already mapping the terrain. “Exactly. We know where they’re going. We use that. Hit them when they’re isolated. No warning. No time to regroup.”

Nikolas’s expression darkened slightly, his voice dipping. “But if the others don’t leave… we can’t wait forever.”

Saphira leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. “If they start making moves, we act. And if they don’t leave by the end of tomorrow, we act. We use the witches to bind the one they brought with them. We don’t know how powerful she is, but multiple witches will always out-power one.”

Nikolas nodded, his tone sharpening. “Once she’s down, we ask Raven to bind Lupus and Cassandra. Like she did with Cassandra before.”

Saphira’s voice dropped, steady and cold. “While the rest of our pack takes out the others. We isolate Lupus and Cassandra, inject them with wolfsbane, and take them into the cells.”

Nikolas sat back, arms crossed, gaze steady. “It’s clean. It’s fast. And it gives us what we need.”

Saphira nodded, her fingers curling slightly against her knees. “We’ll need a contingency, though. If the Elders are helping Silvermoon…”

Nikolas’s jaw tightened, his voice low. “Then we use the original plan. The strongest of each species take the lead. Hit hard. Hit fast. No hesitation.”

Saphira exhaled slowly, the weight of it all settling into her chest. *It’s dangerous. But it’s solid. And it’s ours.*

Nikolas looked at her, a flicker of pride in his eyes. “We’ve got this.”

Saphira stood, her voice clear and resolute. “Let’s bring the others in. Time to walk them through it.”

Nikolas nodded, already moving toward the door, his steps purposeful.

And as the fire crackled behind them, Saphira felt the shift, strategy becoming action, fear sharpening into focus. *This is what leadership feels like. This is what war demands.*