Henry checks the surroundings once more before nodding at the two women. “Go ahead.”

We follow their movements through our cameras as they silently approach the guards. Harmony easily overpowers the man close to the main gate before anyone can even see her, and swiftly afterward, the two on the side entrance patrolling the building.

Cassiopeia meanwhile shifts to her jaguar form and crawls up the lookout tower, effortlessly and silently killing the two guards up there. She jumps down, landing without making even the tiniest sound, then targets the rest of the guards spread around the west side of the building. Both she and Harmony are back within half an hour, and Cassiopeia shifts back to her human form… fully dressed.

“Handy,” Elise says.

“Royal werecats can shift and keep their clothes on.” She smiles.

“Then let’s go,” I say. We all divide into our teams while Henry hands everyone a mobile transmitter, headphones, and explosives—one for each team.

I look at the mobile transmitter, smiling slightly. The child in me is almost excited to be on a mission and use a walkie-talkie. The adult inside me is very worried, though.

“Do you have everything?” Henry asks. “Your amulets? Cameras? Weapons?” When everyone nods, he takes a deep breath. “Then each team go to your position. Once you are there, report back to me. Tony will then inform Dalila to let us in. Don’t forget, the goal is to kill everyone inside and put up the explosives.”

“Watch out everyone,” I tell them. “And make sure to return safely. And always remember what both Alpha Elden and Maahes told us… be prepared for mind games.”

Silently, everyone splits in different directions. All of us are either dressed in black or in dark grey clothes. Henry and I easily make our way to the main gate but remain hidden in a blind spot of the surveillance camera until the others are in their positions, too. We don’t say anything or talk. Werewolves aren’t usually stealthy, and this type of mission is rare for our kind, but there is no going back now.

“We are set,” Marcel’s quiet voice reaches us through the headphones.

“Set,” Elodie confirms.

Arman and Harmony take a while longer, but their way is the longest. “There was a guard right in front of the building,” Arman finally gets back to us. “We took care of him. And set.”

I nod, taking out my phone and typing a swift message to my mate. I keep my eyes on the camera that is right in front of us until I see how the red dot starts blinking.It’s off.Dalila’s message comes through.I’ve replaced them with prerecorded images from last night. Doors are unlocked.

I nod grimly. “Strike,” I mutter into my mic.

Now, I can only trust in my friends and in the Goddess, hoping that everyone gets through this successfully. Henry and I quietly approach the main door, opening it silently. The infrared camera tells us that there isn’t anyone in the rooms in front of us. Seeing how the upper floor is basically all ruins, I’m not surprised, though. The rooms are old; the walls seem to crumble. There is no furniture here. They are probably all going to be downstairs where our other groups are striking. Dalila did say that this was an underground basis after all.

It’s eerily quiet,Henry links me.Should it be that way?

I’m not sure. It’s not a pack house or a pack. They could be assembling somewhere else.

But there was movement when we set off.Henry frowns.Half an hour ago, the infrared camera showed movement on our floor, too.

I frown at his words. He’s right. Something feels off. I peek into the corridor, checking my surroundings.Lys, do you feel anything?Silence.Lysander?

What… where is he? I’m sure he wouldn’t abandon me like that again. I try to focus on my senses and my gift, but everything seems to work. It’s just that Lys’ presence isn’t here anymore.Henry,I turn around.Can you still contact Arlo?

Nothing. I frown, turning around in search of my brother. I try to use the mic and our link, but nothing seems to get through. I can’t pick his scent up either; we have covered it too well. My heartbeat speeds up as I hurry to the next room, checking as many of them as possible. But nothing, no sign of Henry.

Shit, what the fuck am I going to do now?

I’m about to turn back to the corridor to head downstairs when a guard blocks my way. I don’t even know where he came from or how he managed to surprise me. My first instinct is to attack, to kill him and then find my friends, but something stops me from moving. The man’s expression is vile, a glint in his eyes. He sneers when he sees I want to lunge at him. “I wouldn’t do that, little wolf,” he grins, gesturing towards a second guard.

My eyes widen as they tug a young woman in chains inside. “Dalila!” I blurt out.

Her eyes glisten in tears. “I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “I couldn’t stay at home… I… I’m so sorry.”

48

Triggers

*ANTHONY*

“Dalila,”Iscream,butbefore I can move to her, the guard has already pierced his knife through her body from behind. She gurgles something, her eyes widening. Then he tosses her into my arms.