Page 52 of Bite for Sore Eyes

"Torren here," he answered, his voice still rough from their earlier exertions.

"We have a major problem on our hands." Jace's voice crackled through the speaker, tight with barely controlled panic. "Multiple major problems, actually."

Torren sat up straighter, his Alpha instincts fully engaged. "What's going on?"

"Our systems are crashing fast—faster than anything I've seen before. Whatever Lana discovered earlier, they've escalated. But that's not the worst part." Jace paused, and Torren could hear the sound of alarms blaring in the background. "There's also a perimeter breach on the eastern edge of the territory. Multiple hostiles."

"We'll be right there," Torren said, already swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

The movement woke both Rath and Lana, who sat up almost in unison, their faces immediately alert despite having been asleep moments before.

"What's wrong?" Lana asked, her analytical mind already shifting into crisis mode.

"There's not only a major systems failure, but there's also a perimeter breach on the eastern edge," Torren explained, reaching for his clothes scattered across the floor.

Lana was already moving, throwing back the covers and reaching for her discarded dress. "I need to get to the security center now and help Jace stop the system from crashing before your entire infrastructure is compromised."

Rath was pulling on his pants with military efficiency. "And we need to get to the eastern perimeter to stop whatever's coming for our people."

The three of them moved with the synchronized precision of a well-oiled machine, dressing quickly while their minds processed the implications of coordinated attacks. This wasn't random—someone had planned this carefully, timing the system failure with a physical assault to maximize damage.

Within minutes, they were fully dressed and rushing from their chamber. Torren's hand found the small of Lana's back as they moved down the corridor, a gesture of protection and connection that felt undeniably right. The mate bond thrummed between all three of them, providing a steady stream of emotional support even as they prepared to face whatever threats awaited.

They descended the grand staircase at a near-run, their footsteps echoing through the castle's stone halls. The urgency of the situation had transformed them from lovers back into leaders and warriors, but the bond remained—a source of strength that would carry them through whatever came next.

As they reached the main level and headed for the front doors, Torren could see Lana's jaw set with determination. Her cybersecurity expertise would be crucial in stopping the system attack, while he and Rath would need to coordinate the physical defense of their territory.

"I don't want to leave you alone," Torren said as they burst through the castle's front entrance into the cool night air.

"I won't be alone—I'll be with Jace," Lana replied, already scanning the path toward the security center. "And you two need to protect our people."

The possessive way she said 'our people' sent a fierce surge of pride through their mate bond. She already thought of herself as part of the Varkesh Bear Sleuth, ready to defend their territory with the same intensity she'd once brought to protecting Earth's infrastructure.

They finally reached the point where their paths would diverge—Lana heading toward the security center while he and Rath moved toward the eastern perimeter. The separation felt wrong to Torren's bear, every instinct screaming to keep their mate close during a crisis. But he forced himself to trust in her abilities and Jace's protection.

"Be careful," Torren said, catching her hand for one brief moment.

"Be safe," she replied, squeezing his fingers before releasing them and breaking into a run toward the security center.

Torren watched her retreating form for just a moment—his brilliant, fierce mate racing toward danger to protect their people—before turning to follow Rath toward whatever threats awaited them at the eastern perimeter.

Ten minutes later, the eastern perimeter stretched before them like a deceptive mirage—empty hills rolling beneath the twin moons' pale light, purple trees swaying in the night breeze, and everything appearing perfectly normal. Torren's boots crunched against the grass as he and Rath crested the final hill, the adrenaline from their frantic sprint across the territory still coursing through his veins, but confusion began replacing urgency as he surveyed the tranquil landscape.

Three familiar figures stood silhouetted against the moonlight—Magnus, Tavis, and Kael, their best enforcers—all bearing the same bewildered expressions Torren felt settling across his own features.

"Magnus," Rath called out as they approached, his deep voice carrying the sharp edge of command. "Report."

The head enforcer stepped forward, his massive frame somehow managing to look sheepish despite his intimidating presence. "We arrived two minutes ago and swept the entire perimeter twice. No signs of breach, no tracks, no scent trails, nothing disturbed." He gestured toward the peaceful valley below. "Whatever triggered the alarm, there's nothing here now."

Tavis nodded grimly, his dark eyes scanning the treeline one more time. "It's the strangest thing, Alpha. The alert came through as urgent—multiple hostiles attempting infiltration—but we might as well be standing in the middle of a meditation garden."

A cold weight settled in Torren's stomach, different from the fear he'd felt during their desperate run here. This felt calculated and deliberate. His analytical mind began connecting dots he didn't want to see.

"Someone wanted us here," Torren said quietly, the words tasting bitter. "Away from the security center."

Rath's green eyes met his across the moonlit grass, and Torren saw his own realization reflected there. A false perimeter breach. Lana's discovery about the sabotaged systems. The convenient timing of everything falling apart at once.

"We've been played," Rath growled, his bear's fury bleeding into his voice.