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Keep your head up, my wolf orders, not wanting me to get too emotional in front of my mother. It wouldn’t be because she told me she’s proud of me, but because I am claiming that no wolf gets left behind while I did just that. I left two members of my pack to die. Tom during my last mission, and Adele not long before Garren joined. As much as Tom’s death hurts, at least he died fighting witches while Adele was killed by a pack of rogue wolves that were supposed to cover our backs.
We’re here. We’re alive. Second chances do exist, my wolf says in encouragement.
Except that this is our third chance, I reply bitterly.
Good thing that a third time’s a charm, she comments with a low chuckle that reverberates through my soul.
After we salute our mother goodbye, Malia hooks her arm through mine, and together we leave her office. As we make our way to the north side of the camp where the storage facility is located, we catch up a bit, talking mostly about the mission that we’re embarking on and exchanging the latest intel on our two brothers who are both deployed on other continents along with their respective packs.
My heart goes crazy when I come in close proximity to my fated mate. It’s as if we’re two magnets, connected by an insane pull that cannot be ignored nor resisted. Same as I feel him, he also feels me and is already looking my way before we even come to view.
“He’s a hottie,” Malia whispers, teasingly elbowing me in the ribs. “I always thought he was handsome even when he was ruining himself with drugs and alcohol, but now...Damn, Sis, you really achieved some sort of a miracle. Dare I say that he’s even hotter than any of his brothers?”
“Careful,” I growl under my breath, unable to contain the growing feeling of possessiveness. “He’s mine.”
Malia chuckles, the sound so light and carefree. “You must hate to have such an obvious weak spot now.”
“He’s not weak,” I reply, unsure of what she meant by it or how to take her comment.
“You’re right,” Malia agrees. “He’s not, and neither are you. Don’t forget that and never forget where you come from. Especially when you’ll be forced to enter his world and they try to remind you that you’re not one of them. Keep your head high and make us commoners proud.”
Before I can even dream up a reply, Malia releases my arm and hurries up to the wolves, letting out an especially loud cheer when she comes up to Blaine and throws herself into his arms.
“I can’t believe she completely ignored you,” I whisper to Garren after I give him a quick kiss.
“I sent ahead an order that I’m to be treated as one of you for the time of the mission, and if anyone is to refer to me as something else, I’ll have them whipped,” Garren says, sounding quite serious.
“In that case, you better keep your hands to yourself, Delta,” I order him with a hint of a smile playing on my lips, referring to his new and official title.
“Yes, Alpha,” Garren replies, tucking his hands behind his back. He gives me a wicked grin and lowers his voice, “Mark my words, I’ll have you begging me to use them.”
A sudden wave of heat washes over me, coloring my cheeks with unkind redness. Not for the first time, I’m grateful that my skin is a bit more tanned, and the flush can’t be seen so clearly.
I roll my eyes and offer Garren a small smile, hoping that he can read all unspoken words and hidden emotions behind it. It’s the last time that we’ll be able to get a bit more personal because once the mission starts, we need to be on our best professional behavior. Our lives and the lives of everyone around us depend on it.
“Is everything ready?” I ask Blaine when I reach him and Malia.
“Yes, Alpha,” Blaine confirms, being his formal self as he always is when we’re in public. “The vans are loaded up and the wolves fed.”
“We’d hate the witches to know we’re coming by hearing our hungry bellies,” Malia comments, probably finding the phrase just as ridiculous as I am. “The Lightbringers are also ready. We depart at your say, sis.”
“There’s no point in delaying any further,” I tell them. “The longer we wait, the higher the chance that the witches will have moved on. We might never get a chance like this again, so we better not miss out on our window of opportunity.”
“On it,” Blaine says, then turns to the wolves. “Time to go, Dark Hunters!”
One after another, my pack passes me, each one of them giving me a respectful nod before they enter the van. Even though he’s a Delta now, Garren’s still last in line. Much like the others, he also gives me a slight nod, but unlike the others, he accompanies his with a wink. It’s the last unprofessional and personal thing that we share, because the moment the doors close, the mission is on.
Blaine takes his place in the driver’s seat, and I join him on the passenger’s side with my phone turned on to navigate him toward the spot where Gavin agreed to meet with us with his Pack of Shadows and with the Lafayette pack. Even though I trust the wolves that I’m going on a mission with, it’s safer not to tell anyone about the location. Garren and I have first-hand experience of just how important it is to be on a need-to-know basis.
Malia’s van follows us out of the camp and through the busy roads, leaving the skyscrapers behind. Blaine’s a good driver and keeps an eye on the traffic lights, making sure that we don’t accidentally lose Malia. Crossroads are the worst because that’s where some idiots try to jump in and cut us off, but our Betas are too skilled to let them do that.
My phone vibrates with an unknown number flashing on the screen. I frown and hesitate to answer because I’m not expecting any calls, nor do I want to deal with any arising situations before the mission.
It could be related to the mission, my wolf says, urging me to answer to satisfy her curiosity more than anything else.
“Alpha Hunt,” I answer the phone.
“Alpha,” a familiar voice greets me, but before I can put a name to it, a commotion from the back of the van distracts me.
