My father sits at the head of the long wooden table while Damian, Conan, Joel, and several others stand nearby studying a collection of metal equipment laid across the surface.
The moment I step inside, every pair of eyes turns toward me. Amos adjusts his glasses as he gestures to the cuffs resting on the table.
“We’ve finished analyzing the devices used to capture Annika.”
My gaze darkens as I look at them.
“And?”
Amos exhales slowly. “The suppressors are military-grade technology,” he says. “Not black market. Not experimental.”
A heavy silence fills the room as we all seem to understand what that means.
Damian leans forward slightly. “Meaning someone supplied them.”
Amos nods grimly.
“We’ve already started tracing the origin of the alloy and manufacturing codes.”
My fists tighten slowly at my sides. Whoever provided those weapons, whoever helped those humans take my mate, is about to discover something very important.
You do not touch an alpha’s mate and survive the consequences.
“Do we know why the demons are working with humans now?” Conan asks, and I step forward, placing my hands on the table.
“We will when we find the source of the weapons and pull the truth out of the supplier,” I say measuredly. “What matters right now is stopping this operation before it gets out of hand. The humans working with the demons need to be stopped before this leaks into the rest of the world.”
A silence stretches over the meeting chamber as everyone agrees.
We all know what needs to be done, and now, there’s no time to waste. Annika is still recovering, and it’ll take some time for her powers to return. We can’t let them attack again.
Chapter 19 - Annika
Staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, it’s nearly impossible to recognize myself after what happened in that cave. Though the abduction was brief, and thankfully, Heinrich found me before it could have been worse, that demon and those humans stripped me of my powers enough to leave the trauma buried deep in my being.
It’s probably why I can barely recognize myself, but I’m slowly beginning to heal and regain the parts of me that were lost in the cave.
I look down at my hands, feeling tingling sensations in my fingertips and smiling wistfully, because it’s the first time in four days that I’ve felt the awareness of my powers. I look up again and meet my reflection with hope sparkling in my eyes. I hear Heinrich come into the bedroom, and then he knocks gently on the bathroom door.
“Annika…? You in there…?” he calls out gently, and I pull the door open and offer him the first smile I’ve been able to manage since he found me in the cave.
“Hi,” I greet gently as I step out, lifting my hand toward him. He picks up my hand and lifts it to his lips, pressing a chaste, lingering kiss on the top of my knuckles.
My heart does a little flip, butterflies erupting in flight in the pit of my belly at his gentle nature. He’s been showing me this softer side of himself ever since he found me in the cave and rescued me, and he’s been nursing me back to health like a doting partner would.
Seeing this side of him—this side that’s the opposite of the version of him I met at the office—has allowed me to understand what Sophie meant when she spoke of the mate bond, and theinevitable feelings that come with it. It’s impossible to ignore them now, especially when he’s like this—when he’s being the man of my dreams, the man I imagined in my literal dream when I fantasized about what it would be like for him to be gentle with me.
“How are you feeling this morning?” he asks, kissing my knuckles again.
“Better,” I sigh, wiggling my fingers in his hand. “I think my powers are coming back.”
Heinrich’s eyes widen with curiosity, brows raised as a smile warms his lips. “I’m happy to hear that. But you still need to rest.”
“No,” I shake my head, and his brows furrow. “I would like to see how much of my power I’ve regained,” I continue confidently. “No more resting, when they could strike again.”
“While I admire your eagerness, you must understand that I worry about you—”
“You don’t have to worry about me, Heinrich,” I assure him with a heartfelt smile. “I know what needs to be done, and I want us to train together.”
