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Despite the sensory overload, she can’t look away from the screens. She has complete trust in Gage's leadership, but the fear of the unknown tears at her thoughts. She wishes she could be out there with him, supporting him, but her skills are best utilized here in the control center.
The tension building inside her is suffocating. A warm hand squeezes hers, and she drags her gaze away from the monitors.
Brook gives her a reassuring smile and whispers, “He’s going to be okay.”
At that moment, the camera catches one of Vance’s men pulling out his gun and aiming for Gage’s bear. She drops Brook’s hand and grips the edge of her desk, her eyes fixed on the scene unfolding as if she is right there with her mate.
“Behind you!” she screams. Her heart is in her throat, just as two other polar bears appear on screen.
“The twins,” Brook breathes from behind her.
“Yes!” Lilly shouts as the pair rip the gun wielder to pieces before he has a chance to fire. Bowing her head, she says a prayer of thanks to Taryn and Kaitlyn for saving her mate.
Time stands still for Lilly as the battle rages. Even her breathing is sporadic. The odds tip in their favour with every passing moment, but her eyes never leave the monitor.
Finally, the last of Vance's men fall as Gage’s bear and Lennon’s wolf tear the remaining men apart. The once-calm lake has become a scene of triumph and chaos, with Gage and his group standing victorious. She exhales a shaky breath, relief washing over her in waves. Her mate is safe.
Tears of both joy and lingering anxiety stream down her face as she gazes at the monitors. This battle is won, but the war is far from over. With renewed determination, Lilly wipes away her tears and prepares herself for the next phase.
Chapter twenty-nine
Brook'salarmedcrypiercesthe air, drawing Lilly's attention to a different monitor. Her mouth opens as she follows Brook's pointing finger, focusing on the figure rushing out of the door leading to the dam.
Lilly sucks in a breath. “Harold!” Before she can fully comprehend the situation, Harold begins firing at the advancing men.
“What’s he doing?” Brook gasps.
A knot forms in her stomach as she replies, “I don’t know.”
Lilly's heart pounds as the scene unfolds, her skin prickling. Harold's sudden appearance outside doesn’t bode well. She snatches the coms and urgently contacts the dam. “Pete! Jax! What the fuck is Harold doing outside?" she demands, her voice trembling.
"The snare traps worked," Pete explains, his guttural voice crackling over the radio. "Took a few of the men out, but the explosives didn't. Harold took off to see if he could get to them and reset the wiring. Demanded that Jax stay back and guard the control center, the old fool!"
Her anxiety intensifies as she listens to the transmission. Harold is a selfless and determined man, but she fears for his safety. He’s capable, but he is also older and not quite as fast or agile as many of the men attacking on Vance’s behalf. Time stretches as she waits for further updates, her mind racing with thoughts of the risks he’s taking.
On another screen, Harold ducks back into the dam, leading Vance's men through a labyrinth of corridors and firing shots off as he goes. With each step, he navigates the hallways with the ease of someone who has spent years going over every inch of the massive building, drawing the intruders deeper into the heart of the structure.
“What are you doing?” Lilly whispers through numb lips. He looks like he’s moving with purpose, but for the life of her, she can’t put together what his plan is. He obviously couldn’t get to the explosives. The men were too close. She taps her fingers on her chin as she paces behind Brook’s chair, her eyes never leaving the screens.
Harold leads the attackers into a vast, cavernous room. Lilly’s breath catches as Harold kicks over a barrel and swiftly climbs onto a stack of crates behind the partially open door, concealing himself from view.
“Fuck!” She lets out a guttural cry when his intentions dawn on her. She forgot about that camera as its only purpose was for dam integrity surveillance.
Lilly pivots and leans heavily on the table, her nose a hair's breadth away from the screen. Harold retrieves his radio, his weary voice trembling as he opens a channel. “Look, I don’t have much time. I know you’re listening. You all are like the children I never had. I need you to live. To be the amazing people I’ve grown to love. Don’t let this old man’s death weigh on you. I have no regrets. Look out for Pete. He’s an ornery old bastard, but he loves you as much as I do.”
His heartfelt goodbye slices through her to the bone. The weight of his actions, the severity of the sacrifice he's about to make, hangs heavily in the air.I can’t breathe.A firm grasp on her arm shakes her out of the impending anxiety attack. She glances at Brook, whose bright blue eyes shimmer behind her glasses. As the last of the attackers rush into the room, he switches the radio off.
Her eyes well up with tears as the magnitude of Harold's decision begins to sink in.
Harold pulls a lever, locking the door, transforming the room into a chamber of horror. As water surges in, the turbines roar to life, their menacing blades slicing through the liquid chaos. The room rapidly becomes a death trap, drawing in everything and everyone within its grasp and forcing it through the deadly blades. Her heart aches as she envisions the horrific fate that awaits Harold. He is trapped within the merciless embrace of the swirling water and relentless blades of the turbines that will dice up him and the other occupants before sucking them out through the other side.
“Noooooo!” Lilly yells, a keening yowl leaving her throat as she bangs her clenched fists on the table. Brook’s quiet sobs can be heard in the background amongst the radio chatter.
Tears stream down her face as she hears Pete screaming over the comms. His anguished cries for his dear friend echo through the room. She is helpless to the unfolding events. Her panther prowls just under the surface, its mournful cry ripping through her. Wails and cries flood the airwaves as Harold’s last words echo through the communication channels.
A surge of anger floods Lilly.Vance. He’s responsible for all of this.She turns back to Brook and grips her shoulders. “Find Vance, now!”
Wave after wave of rage rolls through her. Phantom pain courses through her hand, and she catches herself rubbing the offending appendage. So much pain, so much suffering, so much loss–all because of one man. Lilly’s heart beats rapidly in her chest, and her breathing comes in short bursts. She wants to eviscerate Vance, remove him from existence, and erase him from time itself.
