Four days before the Winter Gathering. Deep night wraps around us as we move through the outskirts of pack territory. The moon is hidden behind clouds.
I lead the group. Riven is at my side. Thorne and Dane follow close behind. Kira brings up the rear.
"There," Riven whispers. He points ahead to where torchlight flickers between the trees.
Guards. Two of them standing watch near one of Varek's supply routes.
I signal the group to stop. We crouch in the shadows, close enough to hear but far enough to remain hidden.
"Cold tonight," one guard says.
"Every night is cold," the other responds. "At least we're not on the northern perimeter. Those poor bastards have been doubled since yesterday."
"Doubled? Why?"
"Varek's orders. He's convinced the loyalists are planning something. Has warriors patrolling every approach to the main compound."
My heart beats faster. Useful information.
"Paranoid is what he is," the first guard mutters. "Jumping at shadows."
"Can you blame him? Half the pack fled in the last two months."
"Did you hear he hired mercenaries?"
"Mercenaries? From where?"
"Outside the pack. Warriors from Granite Peak and Shadow Creek. Twenty of them at least."
I exchange a glance with Riven. Twenty additional warriors is significant.
"Why mercenaries?" the first guard asks. "Doesn't trust our own wolves?"
"Would you? Three of his scouts just vanished last week. He thinks the loyalists took them."
"Nervous leaders make nervous decisions."
"Nervous leaders get people killed."
They fall silent, then resume their patrol.
I signal the group to follow. We need to observe more patrol patterns.
For the next hour, we track routes. Count guard positions. Note supply movements. Everything confirms what the guards said. Varek has increased security dramatically.
"Over there," Kira whispers. She points to a clearing ahead where at least a dozen wolves gather around a fire.
We move closer.
"The Alpha wants doubled patrols for the next four days," a commanding voice says. I recognize him. One of Varek's senior warriors. "No one in or out of pack territory without his personal approval."
"What about the Winter Gathering? We're supposed to leave in three days."
"The Alpha will announce his plans tomorrow. Until then, we maintain full security."
"This is ridiculous," another wolf mutters. "He's scared of ghosts."
"Watch your mouth," the senior warrior snaps. "The Alpha's caution keeps us alive."
Tension crackles through the clearing. This is a pack coming apart at the seams.
I signal for withdrawal.
We're backing away carefully when Dane steps on a dry branch. The crack echoes like a gunshot.
"What was that?" someone shouts from the clearing.
"There! In the trees!"
"Intruders! Sound the alarm!"
"Run," I command.
We bolt through the forest. Behind us, shouts erupt. Torches flare.
"This way," I say, leading them east. Toward territory I know better than anyone.
Footsteps pound behind us. Getting closer.
"They're gaining," Thorne gasps.
"Follow me exactly," I respond. "Don't deviate."
I lead them through tight turns. Between trees that grow close together. Over fallen logs. Using every trick I learned as a huntress.
The patrol struggles to keep up. They don't know this terrain like I do.
But they're persistent. And there are more of them.
"Arida," Riven says urgently. "We need a plan."
"I have one." I veer sharply north. "Trust me."
We run for another five minutes. Then I see it. The ravine.
"Down there," I say. "It's the only way."
"That's a death trap," Thorne protests.
"The patrol won't follow." I'm already moving toward the edge. "Too dangerous in the dark."
"You hope," Kira mutters, but she follows.
The descent is brutal. Loose rocks slide under our feet. Roots catch at our legs. The darkness makes every step a gamble.
Behind us, the patrol reaches the ravine's edge. Torchlight illuminates the drop.
"They went down?" someone asks in disbelief.
"Let them go," another voice responds. "They'll break their necks in the dark. Save us the trouble."
"Alpha wants them alive."
"Alpha wants a lot of things. I'm not dying for loyalist scum. We report they escaped into the ravine. Morning patrol can search for bodies."
The torchlight retreats. Voices fade.
By the time we reach the bottom, my legs shake with exhaustion.
"That was too close," Thorne says once we're safe.
I lean against the ravine wall, catching my breath. "But we got what we needed."
"We almost got caught," Kira points out.
"Almost doesn't count." I push off the wall. "We know Varek is nervous. He's increased security. Hired mercenaries. Doubled patrols. That works in our favor."
"How?" Dane asks.
"Nervous leaders make mistakes," I explain. "They spread their forces thin trying to defend everything. They make decisions based on fear."
Riven nods slowly. "You're right. All that security makes him look weak. Like he's afraid of us."
"He is afraid of us," I say. "And he should be."
"We still need to get back to camp," Thorne reminds us.
"Follow the ravine south," I instruct. "It opens into the valley two miles from here. From there, we can circle back safely."
We move through the darkness. Exhausted. Battered. But alive.
Dawn breaks as we finally emerge from the ravine.
"Almost there," I say. "Just another mile to camp."
We make the final push. When camp comes into view.
Guards spot us approaching. "What happened?" one asks.
"Intelligence gathering," I reply. "It got complicated."
Hadrik emerges from his cave. Takes one look at us and nods. "Report inside. After you've rested."
"Now is fine," I say. "The information is time-sensitive."
We follow him into the cave and relay everything we learned.
"Twenty mercenaries," Hadrik repeats. "That's significant."
"It's also expensive," I point out. "And it shows Varek is desperate. He doesn't trust his own wolves anymore."
"Can we adjust our strategy?"
"We don't need to." I spread a map across the table. "The mercenaries won't be at the Winter Gathering. Varek can't show up with an army without breaking tradition."
"So his extra security doesn't help him where it matters," Riven concludes.
"Exactly." I look around at each face. "We go forward as planned. Four days until the Gathering. Four days until we end this."
Hadrik studies me for a long moment. "You're certain?"
"I'm certain." I meet his gaze steadily. "Varek is vulnerable. His pack is fracturing. His own wolves doubt him. We have testimony. We have allies. We have everything we need."
"Then we finish what we started," Hadrik says.
"We finish it," I agree.