FRAGILE

Chapter 37: Dismantling the Nightmare

The night of the raid on the auction arrived, and the atmosphere in the penthouse was charged with tension. Maximus stood near the large windows overlooking the city, the skyline glowing beneath a starless sky. He was dressed in a tailored black suit, but beneath the cool exterior, his wolf was restless, agitated by the anticipation of the coming confrontation.

Levi stood quietly near the doorway, watching Maximus with wide, uncertain eyes. The plan was in motion. The wolves who had been bought and sold like livestock would finally have their freedom, but the reality of what they were about to do weighed heavily on Levi. He could feel the weight of his own fear creeping in, suffocating him with every passing second. His heart thudded in his chest, loud and erratic.

Maximus turned to look at Levi, his eyes softening as he saw the anxiety written across his mate's face. He crossed the room in long strides, his presence commanding, but his touch gentle as he cupped Levi's cheek. "You don't have to come if you're not ready, love. You can stay here, and I'll take care of everything."

Levi blinked up at him, trying to find the words, but they caught in his throat. It had been days since his wolf had come back to him, since he'd started to rebuild the shattered pieces of his identity. But now, standing on the precipice of the mission that would end the very empire that had nearly destroyed him, Levi felt like he was drowning again.

"I need to do this," Levi whispered, his voice wavering but resolute. He didn't want to be the broken omega anymore. He didn't want to hide in the shadows while Maximus faced the dangers alone. He needed to confront his past, to see the place where his torment began crumble to ash. Only then could he truly begin to heal.

Maximus searched Levi's eyes, seeing the pain and determination etched into every line of his expression. His mate was still fragile, still healing, but he was strong. Levi had come so far, even if he didn't fully believe it yet. With a nod, Maximus leaned down, pressing his lips softly to Levi's forehead. "We do this together, then."

Levi nodded, swallowing hard as Maximus's warm hand lingered on the back of his neck, offering a comfort that soothed some of his raw nerves. He had to trust Maximus, had to trust that they could get through this.

They arrived at the auction house just before midnight.

The location was hidden deep within the industrial outskirts of the city, surrounded by abandoned factories and warehouses. The building itself looked inconspicuous from the outside, just another crumbling relic of a bygone era, but inside, it was a hive of corruption and cruelty. Wolves were bought and sold to the highest bidder, treated like property, stripped of their dignity.

Maximus's penthouse had been the command center for weeks now, as his mafia pack had meticulously gathered intelligence. Saxon had worked tirelessly, infiltrating the slave ring's upper echelon, and tonight, everything they had worked for would come to a head.

As they approached the building, Maximus's team of enforcers, all skilled wolves, fanned out around the perimeter, preparing to strike. The tension in the air was palpable. This was not just a mission—it was personal. For Levi, for Maximus, for every wolf who had ever been enslaved by this vile operation.

Saxon, Maximus's trusted beta, approached with a serious expression. "Everything's in place. We're ready when you are, Alpha."

Maximus gave a single nod. His focus was unshakable, but Levi could sense the storm of emotions raging beneath the surface. This was the culmination of years of planning, of gathering strength and resources, and it was all about to go down.

Levi stood close to Maximus, his fingers nervously twitching at his side. His wolf was anxious, pacing inside his mind, urging him to be strong. He wasn't ready to face the place where he had been broken, but there was no turning back now.

The first team moved in silently, taking out the guards at the rear of the building with expert precision. Levi watched as the darkness swallowed them, feeling the intensity of the moment sharpen his senses. The adrenaline coursed through him like wildfire, igniting a mixture of fear and resolve.

Maximus turned to him one last time before they made their move, his gaze intense. "Stay close to me, Levi. No matter what happens, don't leave my side."

Levi nodded, swallowing hard as Maximus's words settled over him like a protective shield. He clung to that promise, knowing it was the only thing grounding him in the storm of emotions swirling inside.

With a subtle hand signal, Maximus led the second team forward, Levi sticking close at his side as they entered the building. The air was thick with tension, the scent of fear and desperation clinging to the walls. Levi's heart pounded in his chest as they moved silently through the dimly lit hallways, his mind flashing back to the countless times he had been dragged through similar corridors, beaten and broken.

Every step felt like a battle against the memories, against the instinct to run and hide. But Maximus was there, his presence a solid, unyielding force beside him, and it gave Levi the strength to keep moving forward.

They reached the main auction floor—a large, open space filled with rows of chairs, a stage at the front where wolves were paraded like cattle. Levi's breath hitched as he recognized the cold, clinical setting. It was so similar to the place where he had once been sold, where Thomas had claimed him. The memories hit him like a freight train, but he forced himself to stay present, to focus on the mission.

Maximus squeezed his hand, a silent reminder that he wasn't alone.

At the far end of the room, several men were huddled around a table, oblivious to the wolves moving in from all sides. These were the leaders of the ring, the ones who profited from the misery of others. Maximus's lip curled in disgust as he recognized a few familiar faces from the intel his pack had gathered.

Saxon and his team moved in swiftly, surrounding the men before they even had a chance to react. Guns were drawn, and within seconds, the men were subdued, their eyes wide with panic as they realized what was happening.

Maximus stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous. "It's over."

One of the men, clearly the leader, sneered in defiance. "You think you can shut us down? You think you're going to save these animals?"

Maximus's eyes darkened, his wolf bristling with fury. "You don't get to call them that. They're free now, and you're done."

The man's sneer faltered as Saxon moved in closer, his own wolf barely restrained. The tension in the room was electric, but Levi's attention drifted to the cages along the side of the room—cages filled with terrified, broken wolves, just like he had once been. His heart ached for them, for their suffering.

But tonight, that suffering would end.

Maximus's pack worked quickly, securing the building and freeing the wolves who had been held captive for far too long. Levi watched, his chest tight with emotion as the last of the cages were opened. For the first time in years, these wolves had a chance at freedom. A chance at healing.

It was over. The slave ring had been dismantled.

But as Levi stood in the wreckage of what had once been his nightmare, he knew the real battle was just beginning. Healing would take time—for him, for the others. But with Maximus by his side, Levi knew they would face it together.