The moonlight reflected off the lake's black surface. As they slithered past cypress trees and neatly trimmed boxwoods, everything fell silent.
"Alpha, are you prepared?" Cayden could hear Max's voice in his head.
"Not yet," he grumbled.
He was dressed in a stretchy black bodysuit that could change him into a wolf if necessary, like a cat burglar, if everything went as planned.
They stalked through the night like thieves; their destination was a mountainside villa built in eighteenth century fashion.
There were several levels of security at Fred Rubestin's home. It was on a hillside beside Lake Blue. There was only one heavily guarded entrance and exit. It was now time to swim because Cayden had already gotten past security. He was greeted by the sound of the lake lapping at the rocks. He wriggled into the water while gritting his teeth to stay warm. The water didn't really appeal to Cayden's wolf. Given their weight, werewolves didn't enjoy swimming much.
Until the walled fortress of Fred's house was in front of him, he swam with smooth strokes and stood in the shallows. Cayden landed again and gave himself a good shake before throwing the water off like a wolf.
Cayden reported to his team that he was "approaching the house."
He spun as he cleared the top of the wall with a running leap. He silently rose to his feet.
"Do we require distraction?" Max enquired.
"No. Guards would arrive immediately, and Fred would be alerted. The more time I can avoid Fred learning about a security breach, the better," Cayden answered.
Max muttered in his mind. "We are following."
Cayden's wolf noticed the recent arrivals—guard dogs sprinting in his direction. Rottweilers. He shifted and let his wolf greet them by growling and baring his teeth. Once the dogs realised they had encountered a larger predator, they stopped in their tracks. Their trained senses were overwhelmed by Cayden's alpha wolf. Some packs also kept guard dogs to discourage human intruders. But the dogs recognised a superior alpha and retrained. Cayden strode forwards, and the dogs tilted their heads to reveal their necks and backed away.
He lumbered over the pitch-black lawn to the house. There were no motion sensors in this area, probably because Fred expected no one to make it this far. Oversight. He circled the building until he was beneath the villa's gleaming glass windows, which were the only contemporary addition to its otherwise centuries-old structure. Cayden was just below Fred's office.
Cayden climbed the wall using toeholds he found in the stone wall. He eventually reached the roof. He could get closer to the glass cupola from this point.
"Almost there," he announced. He was armed with a glass cutter, but as he snuck along the tiled roof, he noticed an open window in the tower from the eighteenth century. He climbed the turret while blindly, painstakingly feeling for holds with his fingers. He felt the chill of the lake breeze on his exposed skin. After reaching the same height as the open window, he finally hugged the stone. He carefully pushed the antiquated glass. It had indeed been unlatched. Unbelievable. He entered a hallway by sneaking through the open window.
"I'm in."
Anxiety rose in his spine as he padded down the hallway towards Fred's office. This mission involved more than just an attack. Cayden kept this a top secret. He also needed to enter Fred's office, get proof of his subsequent slave purchase, and plant some bugs. His heart raced with adrenaline. He knew he was taking an enormous risk, but he had to get his hands on the evidence that would prove Alpha Fred's misdeeds. He had been planning this mission for weeks, studying the layout of Fred's office and gathering intel on his schedule. Cayden knew Fred was a dangerous man, but he was determined to expose him and take him down.
He stopped in the hallway before the office door and watched for any approaching guards. Cayden passed through despite Fred's excellent security.
He whispered to Max, "I'm at the office; there's no sign of increased security."
When he placed his hand on the latch, it opened easily. "The door is open."
"Noted. Security cameras have been disabled. Be careful what you do," Natasha's voice said.
Cayden reached inside the office, and he paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. He knew he had to be quick and quiet if he was going to get in and out without being detected. He checked the lock on the door, and to his relief, he found it was unlocked. He pushed the door open and slipped inside, closing the door behind him.
The room was dark, but Cayden's eyes adjusted quickly. He moved cautiously, scanning the room for any signs of Fred's presence. He saw a desk against the far wall and made his way over to it, keeping a low profile.
Cayden began searching the desk for any incriminating evidence. He rifled through the papers and folders, looking for anything that would prove Fred's wrongdoing. As he searched, he could feel his heart beating faster and faster. He knew that time was running out, and that he had to find something soon.
Just then, he heard a sound from the other side of the room. He froze, his heart in his throat. He listened carefully, but he couldn't hear anything else. He thought about making a run for it, but he couldn't leave empty-handed. He had come too far to give up now.
Suddenly, the lights in the room flickered on, and Cayden was momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness. He shielded his eyes and squinted through the glare.
"Welcome to my home, Alpha Cayden."
Fred was lounging in the corner on a chair that looked antique and was probably as old as the house. The idiot was dressed in a velvet dressing gown. Black silk slacks and beaded slippers. He looked like an imperfect copy of a 1970s villain. Fred sat cool and collected, with a sly grin or a smirk, as he delivered his lines.
Cayden's teeth could reach his neck with just one leap. But Fred was brandishing a gun with a long, black barrel.
"If I were you, I wouldn't," he said calmly. "It took you too long to arrive," Fred muttered. "I rolled out what amounted to a red carpet". His head cocked to the side.
"You might think that you arrived here undetected, but the truth is, I was watching you all the time," Fred said with a smug smile.
Cayden felt a surge of panic and anger rise in him. How had Fred known about his plan? Who had betrayed him?
Fred walked over to Cayden, his hand hovering over the gun in his pocket. "Well, well, well," he sneered. "What do we have here? Trying to steal my secrets, are you?"
Cayden gritted his teeth, feeling a surge of defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
Fred laughed, the sound grating on Cayden's nerves. "You're not very good at this, are you? I have a spy in your ranks, Cayden. They told me everything."
Cayden's mind raced. Who could Fred's spy be? He couldn't believe that someone would do that to him.
Fred reached for his gun, his eyes flashing with malice. "Now, I'm going to kill you, Cayden. And then I'm going to destroy your pack."
Cayden braced himself, ready to fight for his life. But before Fred could pull the trigger, there was a sudden commotion outside the room. Cayden heard shouting and the sounds of a scuffle.
Fred looked momentarily distracted, and Cayden made a move. He lunged at Fred, tackling him to the ground. The gun went off, and Cayden felt a searing pain in his chest.
He staggered to his feet, clutching his wound. Max and his warriors had burst into the room, weapons drawn.