Page 116 of Awakened
It was going to be a long night.
The path to the Cornerstone base was far too easy to traverse. We didn’t encounter a single person, which was absolutely suspicious.
We got in formation in the tree line right outside the cabin holding the most concentrated scent of the Crescent Pack and thewomen taken as “mates.” Who fucking knew if they were actually their mates?
We waited for a Cornerstone Pack member to appear, but none did. Then we waited some more. After an hour of doing nothing, I’d lost my patience.
I whispered to Aiden, “I’m going to check the cabin out.”
He looked at me, looked at the cabin, then nodded. Seth frowned but remained in place.
Using trees and bushes, I was able to get right next to a first-floor window. I hoisted myself up to get a better view and almost laughed at what I saw.
Women calmly sitting, drinking tea.
What the fuck?
Hope looked right at me as if I had said it out loud. She slowly stood and came to the window. After fiddling with the latch, she finally got it open. Glancing over her shoulder at the other women, they began speaking to one another a little more loudly.
“Beta Spencer, I knew you would come,” she whispered.
I gestured down at my outdoor gear. “Sorry, I’m underdressed. I didn’t know it was teatime.”
Hope’s eyes widened. “Oh, oh, this must look so odd. The men are downstairs, and Father told me to calm the women down. My mom always said a cup of tea can fix anything.”
Trying to maintain my cool, I took two deep breaths. The girl was wonky as hell. “Are there any guards?”
“Outside the door. It’s improper for them to be alone with us unmated wolves.”
“Okay . . .” I didn’t have time to correct that line of thought. “Are any of the girls in this room sympathetic to the Old Church?”
“I don’t think so. The Wolf Pack and its die-hard followers are being kept somewhere else.”
“I need to let the reinforcements in the tree line know the situation. I’ll be back.”
“Understood.” Hope shut the window quietly, not latchingthe lock. She was one smart cookie. Too bad she was raised bythem.
Following the same path back, I made my way to Aiden and Seth. Before I could say a word, Aiden jumped into interrogation mode. “What did you see? Are the women okay?”
“I would say so, although I think one burned her mouth.”
Seth grimaced. “What are they using to burn them? Silver? Fire?”
“It smelled like Earl Grey, but I’m no expert.”
Both men held identical confused expressions.
“I’m sorry. I guess now’s not the time for jokes. Noted.”
Aiden pursed his lips. “Les.”
“Twelve women are drinking tea in the room with no guards.”
Seth shook his head. “Tea?”
“Yup. I think we should have them climb out the window one at a time. I can climb in to keep the noise levels right as they get out.”
Aiden nodded. “Good plan. Take Gamma Wright with you. That way, you’ll have backup in the room. We’ll all move closer.”
