CLAWS AND LAWS

Sade stood at the head of a long dining table, surrounded by her most trusted allies. Murtala sat to her right, his fingers tapping against the table. To her left, Madam Kofo, a powerful businesswoman with ties to the underworld, watched the unfolding events on a tablet.

The air was thick with tension.

Murtala leaned forward. "The humans are moving fast. They'll deploy the army by morning."

Sade smirked. "Let them."

Kofo raised an eyebrow. "Confidence is good, my dear. But overconfidence?" She gestured at the screen, where a live news broadcast showed riot police patrolling the streets. "That gets you killed."

Sade swirled her wine, her expression unreadable. "You're both missing the point. The government is scrambling because they don't know what they're fighting." She leaned forward. "But we do."

Kofo narrowed her eyes. "You think Akintola will show himself?"

Sade's smile was sharp. "Oh, he will. He has no choice."

Murtala exhaled. "And when he does?"

Sade's voice was ice. "We finish this."

The Forest of Odo Ogun

The moon was high, casting silver light over the clearing. Akintola stood with his pack—werewolves of all shapes and sizes, their eyes glowing in the dark.

Owuye crouched beside him, loading a double-barreled shotgun with silver shells. "They're expecting us to come straight at them." He snapped the gun shut. "So we won't."

Akintola's voice was a low growl. "Explain."

Owuye pointed at a crude map laid out on the ground. "Sade thinks she's got this all under control. She's waiting for you to walk into a trap." He tapped a point on the map. "So we hit them where they're weak."

Akintola's claws flexed. "Where?"

Owuye smirked. "Her money."

A ripple of surprise went through the pack.

One of the wolves, Jide, frowned. "You want to rob her?"

Owuye chuckled. "Not just rob her. Bleed her dry. We burn her warehouses, cripple her supply chains, shut down her operations." He turned to Akintola. "You want to win this war? Don't fight like a beast. Fight like a man."

Akintola considered the plan. It was ruthless. Efficient.

He liked it.

He turned to his wolves. "Tonight, we strike. No more hiding."

Owuye grinned. "Now that's what I like to hear."

The pack howled as they melted into the night.

War had come to Abeokuta.

And there would be blood.

 The First Strike

Sade's Private Warehouse – 2:13 AM

The warehouse burned, flames reaching into the night sky as thick smoke curled upward. Inside, wooden crates splintered, their contents—money, supplies, weapons—consumed by fire. The air was filled with the crackling of burning wood and the distant wail of sirens.

Jide and the others moved swiftly, their forms shifting between human and wolf, their eyes gleaming in the firelight. They weren't here for money. They were here to send a message.

Akintola stood at the entrance, his golden gaze fixed on the destruction. "Move quickly," he ordered. "We don't have long."

Owuye reloaded his shotgun, smirking. "This is my kind of night."

Then—a sharp whistle.

Jide turned, catching sight of dark SUVs screeching to a halt. Men in tactical gear poured out, their weapons drawn.

"DOWN!" Owuye barked as the first shots rang out.

Akintola reacted instantly, his muscles tensing as he lunged forward. His speed was unnatural, weaving through the chaos. He disarmed one of the guards before he could react, sending him sprawling.

Gunfire lit up the night.

Jide and the others moved fast, using the smoke as cover. Some leapt onto crates, using their agility to evade the bullets. Others stayed low, working in pairs to disarm the guards without unnecessary bloodshed.

Owuye ducked behind a burning truck. "They came ready."

Akintola exhaled sharply, scanning the battlefield. "So are we."

With a sharp nod, he signaled the others. They moved as a unit, forcing the security forces back. Smoke and fire provided enough distraction for their escape.

As the last of his team disappeared into the shadows, Akintola glanced back once more at the wreckage. This wasn't just about survival.

Sade had made her move.

Now, it was his turn.

 : Sade's Wrath

Sade's Mansion – 3:00 AM

Sade swirled the wine in her glass, her expression unreadable as she listened to Murtala on the phone.

"It's Akintola," he said. "He hit the warehouse."

She paused. "How bad?"

Murtala hesitated. "Total loss. The fire took everything."

A slow, seething rage built within her. The stem of her wine glass cracked slightly under the pressure of her grip.

"Where is he now?"

"Gone. His people scattered before we could pin them down."

Sade exhaled, regaining her composure. "And our losses?"

"Several guards injured. Some serious. Authorities are already looking into it."

She turned to Madam Kofo, who had been watching quietly.

Kofo tilted her head. "He's forcing your next move."

Sade's fingers drummed against the table. "Then we make sure it's the last one he makes."

She turned back to Murtala. "Call in the favors. Double the reward for his capture."

Murtala hesitated. "And the others?"

Sade's eyes darkened. "We need to end this."

 The Price of War

Abeokuta - Underground Safehouse

Akintola winced as Ajoke pressed a cloth to his shoulder. The wound from the bullet still stung, but it wasn't life-threatening.

"You were reckless," Ajoke muttered, not looking at him.

Akintola gave a tired chuckle. "That's the job, isn't it?"

Ajoke tightened the bandage. "Sade won't stop now. She's going to push harder."

"I know."

Ajoke finally met his gaze, her eyes serious. "And when she does?"

Akintola's jaw clenched. "We make sure she doesn't get the chance."

Owuye stepped into the room, his expression grim. "We got a problem."

Akintola sighed. "What now?"

"The bounty on your head just doubled," Owuye said. "Not just yours—every wolf in the city is being hunted."

Ajoke's fists tightened. "Sade's making her move."

Owuye nodded. "If we don't act first, we won't have a chance to act at all."

Akintola pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the pain. "Then we take the fight to her doorstep."

Ajoke frowned. "What are you planning?"

Akintola's golden eyes gleamed.

"We make sure she has nothing left to fight with."

The final battle had begun.

 The Last Stand

Abeokuta – Governor's Mansion

The city was on edge. The governor's mansion, once a symbol of power, had become a fortress. Armed guards patrolled the perimeter. Spotlights swept the grounds. Inside, Governor Ogungbe stood in the war room, surrounded by military officers, intelligence chiefs, and security officials.

"The situation is spiraling out of control," Commissioner Falana reported. "We have multiple attacks across the city—warehouses burned, convoys hit, informants disappearing."

Colonel Olanrewaju, the military commander, slammed his fist on the table. "This is a coordinated uprising. We can't keep treating it like scattered violence."

Ogungbe took a deep breath. "Where is Sade Ajumobi?"

Silence.

Finally, an officer spoke. "She hasn't been seen publicly since last night. But our sources say she's consolidating her power. She's rallying forces for one final move."

Ogungbe's gaze hardened. "Then we move first."

He turned to Olanrewaju. "I want every available force deployed. Roadblocks. Curfews. No one moves in this city without our say-so."

Falana hesitated. "And if they resist?"

Ogungbe's voice was grim. "Then they'll learn what happens when you threaten the nation."

 The Wolf Rebellion

Abeokuta – Sade's Safehouse

Sade stood before her gathered forces, her expression unreadable. Mercenaries, enforcers, and supernatural allies filled the room, waiting for her command.

She knew the city was against her now. The government had drawn a line. But she had no intention of backing down.

Murtala leaned in. "The governor has declared a lockdown. Troops are moving in."

Sade smirked. "Let them."

Madam Kofo tapped the table. "Sade, this is bigger than you now. You can't fight an entire nation."

Sade met her gaze. "Watch me."

She turned to her forces. "The humans think they can contain us. They think their walls, their weapons, their rules will save them." Her voice rose. "They are wrong."

The room erupted in roars of approval.

Murtala clenched his jaw. "What's the plan?"

Sade's eyes burned. "We take Abeokuta."

 The Siege Begins

Abeokuta – Midnight

Explosions rocked the city. Bridges collapsed in fire. Power grids failed. In one coordinated move, Sade's forces plunged the city into darkness.

The wolves surged through the streets, striking in calculated attacks. Police stations were overrun. Military checkpoints fell. The air filled with sirens, gunfire, and the panicked cries of civilians.

Akintola watched from a rooftop, his pack beside him. This wasn't just a battle anymore. This was war.

Owuye crouched beside him. "She's forcing the government's hand."

Akintola's claws flexed. "Then we force hers."

He turned to his wolves. "We don't let her win. We end this tonight."

With that, they leapt into the chaos.