Kylie was deep in her book when her bedroom door suddenly banged. This broke her focus. She ran to the door and opened it quickly, her heart racing with worry. Selena stood there, her chest going up and down with each breath and a look of panic on her face.
Selena barely got the words out: "I've been looking for Max, but I can't find him here. I do not know where he is!"
Kylie's brow furrowed in surprise and fear.
"Max went to the Silver River pack with Cayden. To catch Alpha Hawk."
"It's not safe! Please call him and ask them to return." Selena pleaded, her voice trembling with concern.
Kylie quickly pulled out her phone and dialled Max's number, her hands trembling with anxiety. As she waited for him to answer, a sense of unease washed over her, fearing the worst probable outcome.
"What are you talking about? Come inside."
Kylie urged, grabbing Selena's arm and pulling her into her bedroom.
Selena's voice was shaking with fear as she said, "Hawk is planning something bad. It's a trap."
Kylie was worried about her mate, but she couldn't figure out how Selena knew everything. She stuttered, "Selena, how do you know this?"
Selena's eyes went far away, and she shivered as if she had just been hit by an icy wind. "My mother told me. I mean, her wolf came to me in a dream that was clear and scary. She told me that Hawk had no plans to give up. He was leading everyone into a trap, and he would strike when they least expected it."
Kylie quickly pulled out her phone and dialled Max's number, her hands trembling with anxiety. As she waited for him to answer, a sense of unease washed over her, fearing the worst likely outcome.
Kylie's heart dropped when she heard what Selena said.
"He is not answering," Kylie said in frustration.
"So, you believe me?" Selena asked with a hint of surprise.
"I've been transformed into a werewolf, and you want to know if I believe in your dream? Nothing is weird any longer." Kylie chuckled.
Selena let out a relieved sigh, grateful that Kylie was taking her seriously. "I know it sounds crazy, but we need to stop them before it's too late," Selena pleaded, her eyes filled with desperation. "Cayden promised he would take me along. So much for being there for one another in a time of crisis."
Kylie gave a firm nod. "Men! you know. Alpha Cayden ordered everyone to stay in, and the pack stays on lockdown until they return."
"I'm going to defy my mate and go after him." Selena said it determinedly. "I can't just sit here while he's out there risking his life. I'll help, with or without his permission."
"By yourself?" Kylie asked incredulously. "But you are pregnant!"
Selena's eyes filled with determination as she replied, "Yes, I may be pregnant, but that doesn't mean I'm helpless. I am still an alpha wolf. I have to save Cayden."
"Think you might need some help?"
Selena considered Kylie for a moment.
"Are you ready for some more excitement today?"
"Madam Alpha," Kylie remarked, sauntering closer, "this is the excitement I was built for."
Somehow, they pulled a truck from the garage. The night was dark, and Kylie sped through the forest. The moon was only a sliver in the sky above them. They drove with the headlights off to keep them hidden as long as they could. With their werewolf senses, they could see just fine at night.
"Do you have a plan?" Kylie is taking a curve much too fast. "We need a plan to make them stop."
"Just try to keep reaching Max, Cayden, or anyone. Once we can talk to them, we can stop them." Selena said.
*******************
As Kylie and Selena got close to the edge of the Silver River pack's area, the moon's silver light lit up the thick forest. They parked their car in the shade of the bushes so as not to be seen. From where they were standing, they could see the line of cars and SUVs that formed the defensive perimeter of the pack. At night, the headlights of these cars and SUVs gave off an eerie glow.
Kylie looked at the situation with a worried look on her face. "Selena, we're at the edge of the pack. Look at all those cars and trucks. We could just call Cayden and tell him to go. We can't just walk in like that."
Selena kept looking at the faraway house, which was just a dark shape against the night sky. Her voice had a sense of urgency. "Kylie, it's too late to do that now. Cayden is in there, and he's not going to get out on his own. We need to get to him quickly."
Kylie's eyes grew wide with worry. "But what can we do?"
Selena took a deep breath, but she didn't take her eyes off the house. "I do not know, Kylie. But no matter what it is, we can't leave him alone to deal with it. I have to reach him quickly."
Kylie nodded her head. "Okay Selena. Let's do it."
They walked away from the car and silently climbed up to the pack's guarded gate. Two guards stood watch and were alert and careful. Selena told Kylie to stick close, and the two of them moved together like ghosts.
"Shift!" Selena shouted. Kylie shifted into her hybrid form and swiped at the two men. Selena hit the other man's head with a branch. He fell, knocked out.
When they got to the big front of the house, Selena whispered to Kylie, "There's a back door. I know where to go. We can get in without getting caught."
Kylie said nothing right away. "But Selena, why do you have to go in? Can't we just call Cayden and tell him to come out of here?"
Selena led them into the heart of the silver river pack's territory.
"OK, now what?" Kylie asked.
"Now we go in and get rid of my dad!" Selena said it with a determined voice. Kylie hesitated, unsure about Selena's plan.
"But Selena, are you sure this is the right way to handle things?" Selena paused, considering Kylie's words. "I understand your concern, Kylie, but I've tried talking to him before. It hasn't worked. He is crazy. This is the only way to protect ourselves and the pack."
As they walked through the manicured lawn, Selena appraised the house. It was several stories high and surrounded by a guard wall. They could see figures moving at regular intervals in the house and along the roofline. There were guards watching for an attack.
"Follow me," Selena said to Kylie.
They slipped into what was obviously a servant's or delivery entrance. There was just one guard, and before he could say anything, Selena snapped his neck.
They put the body quickly in a closet.
Selena's mind was suddenly filled with Cayden's voice: "You're not in the pack. I asked others to see how you were doing. I didn't want to wake you up because it was dangerous. Now it looks like you should be afraid of me.'
"Cayden! I have been trying to reach you. You must leave. My dad is planning something. I came here to warn you."
She heard Cayden panicking in her mind.
"Get the hell out of here, Selena!"
"No, I am not leaving without you!" Selena said adamantly.
"We don't have time to argue. We are in the middle of an attack. I didn't come here to talk either. Please trust me and go."
Cayden's voice trembled with urgency as he pleaded with Selena to leave. A sudden boom exploded around Selena and Kylie. It was earth-shattering; her ears rang.
The floor cracked open. Selena and Kylie crouched. Plumes of smoke billowed around them. Chunks of the ceiling were falling.
"Fuck! Someone blew up the mansion!" Kylie muttered.
"It him! This is what my mother was trying to warn you about," Selena said in panic.
"Cayden, are you there?" She calls him through the mental link.
"Yeah, I can scent you. Just take cover. I am going to kill that bastard!" Cayden responded with determination. "Stay safe; I'll be there soon."