Page 65 of Unmasked Prophecy

“Maybe,” I say, my voice firm. “But it’s the only option we have. They will kill Talon if they catch him, and I can’t have that. I won’t. This is the only thing that could work, and if we pull it off, the world will see the monsters they truly are and the police will have no choice but to step in.”

Wolfe nods slowly, a grudging respect in his eyes. “You’re serious about this?”

“Deadly.”

The room is quiet, and I feel the tension, the uncertainty. But I also feel the shift, the slow acceptance. They know it’s the best shot we have. There is no other option without risking the club, or innocent lives.

“Then let’s do it,” Wolfe says finally. “I’ll call in the hacker.”

Mera’s voice is uneasy. “Are you sure, Nia? You don’t have to—”

“Yes, I do.” I look at her, my heart twisting. “After everything, this is my choice and I’m not changing my mind.”

Kael frowns, his eyes hard. “You aren’t going in unarmed. I’m going to find you a weapon, something you can hide so they won’t find it. At the very least, you need some kind of protection if this goes south.”

I nod.

There is a solid chance my father will search me, but it’s better than nothing.

“So we’re doing this, tonight?” I say, staring around the room.

“Tonight,” Wolfe nods.

I exhale, my chest tight with nerves.

I hope this goes to plan, because if it doesn’t...I may very well die tonight.

And it would all be for nothing.

16

The sun is setting, casting a fiery glow over the club as they prepare for tonight. The hacker has arrived and has given me instructions on what I need to do for him to access the system. Now, we just wait for night to fall, so we can go in and try to pull off a plan that could go wrong in so many different ways.

But if it goes right, then this is all finally over.

Kael stands beside me, his expression calm and reassuring, like everything is just another day, like I’m not about to risk everything. I know I hurt him, doing what I did, because he is one person I have grown closer to outside of Talon. But, at the same time, I can see he has a newfound respect for me after I told them what I was willing to do.

“Here,” he says, handing me a small knife. It’s tiny, barely the size of his palm, but sharp and deadly. “You can hide it easily, put it down your boot, up your sleeve, anywhere you can.”

“Thanks,” I say, taking it and feeling the cold steel against my skin. “What if they search me?”

He ponders that for a moment, then uses his finger and indicates that I lift my shirt. Confused, I do as he asks and he reaches forward, pulling my jeans out just slightly before taking the knife from my hand. He cuts the fabric on the inside of my jeans, right where the material is thickest, and slips the knife in the little slot he made. “There, doubt they will check the inside of your pants.”

My brows go up. “That’s genius. Where did you come up with that?”

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