Single Mother of a Werewolf Baby
Chapter 99: The Containment Operation

Chapter 99: The Containment Operation

It all started with a misunderstanding.

Sebastian had clearly stated that they came in peace. No weapons had been drawn. No threats had been made. The receptionist had calmly relayed the request for a meeting... nothing more, nothing less. And yet, within minutes, Imperial Haven had activated its full battle protocol.

All because of one man’s paranoia.

To be fair, the security officer couldn’t really be blamed. He had no idea that this group of black-clothed visitors bore no connection to the previous attack that had haunted the organization. The figures on the camera looked too similar. Their dark battle suits, the masks, the commanding presence... they triggered old memories and even older fears.

He simply thought isolating them was the safest option... to prevent potential reinforcements from joining the scene. But deep down, a more primitive instinct had nudged his decision. The fear of black-clad warriors had rooted itself so deeply within him that even logic took a backseat. Not that he’d ever admit that, of course.

After initiating the highest-level security lockdown, the officer rushed back to his room. He stared at the camera feed once again, expecting chaos... gunfire, demands, resistance. Instead, he found all six intruders standing perfectly still in the center of the entrance hall.

Unmoving. Unbothered. Unshaken.

The calmness in their stance somehow strengthened his resolve. If they were buying time, perhaps they were stalling for backup. That couldn’t be allowed.

Quickly, he threw on his uniform and secured the holster of his sidearm. A woman, barely dressed and still groggy from sleep, sat on the bed behind him.

"Close the door," he instructed, his tone urgent but calm. "No matter what happens, don’t open it for anyone but me."

The woman nodded quickly, tightening the sheets around her. "Okay."

He spared one last glance at the laptop screen, then grabbed it and rushed out the door.

The officer didn’t bother with the elevator. He was on the third floor and didn’t want to risk delays. Taking the stairs two at a time, he made his way down to the first-floor private box area. Along the corridor, he passed several members of the organization who had gathered and were already whispering about the alert.

"Follow me," he ordered curtly. They fell into step without question.

He led them down through the internal staircase to the restaurant on the ground floor. As they approached, the murmur of voices quieted. Everyone in the restaurant turned toward the officer with expectant, uneasy eyes.

He took a deep breath and addressed them, "Don’t panic. Six intruders have entered Imperial Haven. We suspect they’re here to cause trouble. The building was sealed to prevent any external reinforcements. This is a containment operation."

He glanced around, his voice steady and authoritative. "All security personnel... come with me. The rest of you, remain seated and stay calm."

Walking toward the central counter, he placed his laptop on the table. The camera feed from the main hall appeared on the screen, showing the six strangers exactly where he’d left them. One woman, elegant and composed, stood at the center. The five others, dressed in full tactical black, flanked her in a semicircle formation. Their body language betrayed no aggression... but also no fear.

They just stood there.

Completely still. As if they were the ones in control.

Turning to the eighteen people who had gathered around him, he spoke firmly, "If we all rush out there at once, it’ll get crowded. That’ll make it harder to keep aim and may escalate things unnecessarily. The intruders aren’t visibly armed. If they’re hiding anything, it’s probably handguns. Ten should be enough for now."

He pointed toward the group. "You eight in the back... stand down and return to your seats. The remaining ten... suit up."

The ten selected guards quickly pulled bulletproof vests from the hooks beside the counter. They inspected their weapons, checking magazines and loading fresh rounds. Some even switched out for extended clips. Once fully armed, they assembled in front of the officer.

"Listen closely," he said. "You saw their positions. Don’t let them scatter. Our interior cameras only cover the front hall. If they leave that space, we’ll lose visual and they could disappear into the building. When you exit the restaurant, immediately take control of the surrounding corridors, the staircase, and the elevators."

He paused to let that sink in, then added, "Approach slowly. Demand their surrender. If they resist, fire at their legs. If they attack... shoot to kill. Aim for the head."

He swept his gaze across them. "Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the ten responded in unison.

He straightened to full height and raised his right hand to his temple in a formal salute. "Then go show them the strength of Imperial Haven."

The team snapped to attention and returned the salute, their voices echoing as one: "For Imperial Haven."

Then, without another word, they turned and exited the restaurant.

The door shut behind them.

The officer turned to the remaining eight and said, "Be ready to assist if they need support. Stay alert."

The eight guards nodded, quickly suiting up and arming themselves. If things turned sour, they would reinforce the first wave in a moment’s notice.

Meanwhile, other members of the organization... those woken by the sound of strange metallic grinding of the lockdown... began filtering into the restaurant. Most took a seat silently, eyes glued to the laptop screen at the counter.

Tension filled the air.

***

In the front hall, Eleanor stood with her arms folded and her expression flat. If anything, she looked more bored than angry. The prolonged silence and lack of action were tiresome.

The rest of the team stood in complete stillness. Their masks concealed their faces, but their posture gave them away. They were bored too.

Earlier, when the receptionist had nervously contacted her superior and the immediate response had been to seal the building, the team had felt a spark of excitement. A fight seemed inevitable. Under their masks... they had whispered predictions about how the encounter would unfold.

With their high-grade earpieces, their quiet chatter was imperceptible to outsiders. Even Eleanor, who didn’t join in, found herself amused by their enthusiasm.

But it had been more than fifteen minutes now. The adrenaline had faded. The anticipation had turned into impatience.

Members of Imperial Haven occasionally peeked into the hall via staircases or the elevator, only to disappear again once they saw the masked group standing in absolute stillness. Aside from the two anxious receptionists... who sat frozen at their desks... no one else remained in the hall.

Suddenly, both Sebastian and Raphael spoke at once.

"People are coming," said Sebastian.

"Around ten," Raphael confirmed after scanning with his auditory sensors.

Sebastian added, "Be prepared for gunfire. In this place, everyone’s armed."

He turned his head slightly toward Isadora. "Isadora, protect Madam. We’ll act only if necessary."

Isadora gave a short nod. "Understood." She checked her stance and took a subtle step closer to Eleanor, positioning herself as a human shield if needed.

Then came the footsteps.

Heavy boots echoed in the hall. Seconds later, ten armed men entered through the restaurant corridor, their weapons drawn and aimed at the group.

A burly man with a rough scar running across his cheek barked out in Russian, "Podnimi ruki nad golovoy i vstan’ na koleni. Inache budem strelyat’!"

He corrected himself quickly, switching to English: "Put your hands above your head and kneel down! Otherwise, we will shoot! On the count of ten... One... Two... Three..."

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