Page 49 of Alpha Queen
"They have a warehouse, heavily guarded, where they're coordinating everything- the drug distribution, weapons shipments, recruitment of new rogues."
Ares and Theo shared a look. They already knew about the warehouse in New York, but Duncan telling them about it showed that he might mean what he said.
"Alright," he said slowly. "Let's say we believe you. What's your plan?"
Duncan's eyes lit up with a mixture of relief and determination. "I can get us past the outer security. I know the weak points in their defenses."
Duncan's voice dropped to a hushed whisper as he outlined his plan. "The compound is an old factory on the outskirts of Brooklyn, heavily fortified and surrounded by abandoned warehouses. They've got a rotating security detail, but I know the blind spots in their patrols."
He pulled out a napkin and began sketching a rough map. "There's a drainage tunnel here that leads into the basement. It's narrow and partially flooded, but it's our best shot at getting in undetected. Once inside, we'll need to move fast. The main storage area for the drugs is on the ground floor, but the boss is two levels up."
Theo leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "Who's in charge? Titan?"
Duncan shook his head. "No, the compound is managed by an Alpha named Rudy. Mean son of a bitch, built like a tank. He's Titan's enforcer, keeps everyone in line through fear and brute force."
Ares' eyes widened, and his wolf's hackles raised. "Rudy? He was one of the Alphas there the night River was taken."
A cold fury settled in Ares' bones as he remembered Rudy as one of the men who had gotten away unscathed with his Beta and their mates. How many other Alphas had turned against them? How deep did the betrayal go?
Duncan nodded. "Rudy's got a personal grudge against the royal family. Says you've grown soft, forgotten what it means to be true Lycans. He's been itching to prove himself against you."
Ares' lip curled in a snarl. "He'll get his shot soon enough."
Duncan watched them with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Rudy's dangerous," he warned. "Loyal to Titan and Kane, and not afraid to get his hands dirty. If we meet him, we'll need to be prepared for a battle."
Ares took a long swig of his wine, letting the rich flavor ground him. "I'd welcome one at this point," he said. "How soon can you get us inside?"
Duncan's eyes gleamed with determination. "Give me a few hours to make the necessary arrangements. But we need to get to New York."
"I'll take care of it," said Theo.
"Aren't they going to miss your group? Won't someone come looking?" Ares asked.
"Not for at least twenty-four hours. We drive the products to New York. That's about twelve hours, give or take. Trust me, if I thought I couldn't pull this off, I wouldn't have offered. Rudy is cocky and overconfident. He doesn't think anyone would dare cross him or betray him. Not with Kane and Titan at his back."
Ares nodded, then fixed Duncan with a piercing stare. "I'm trusting you with a lot here. If this is a trap..."
"It's not," Duncan said. "I swear it on my life. I want out of this mess as much as you want to find your mate."
As they settled the bill and prepared to leave, a concoction of hope and trepidation coursed through Ares. They were close. But not close enough. Not for him and not for his wolf.
CHAPTER TWENTY
APOLLO
Apollo's wolf paced and whined and paced and growled, wanting to be let out. Apollo still felt weak, but his injuries had finally healed. Neither of them could stand it any longer. The fact that Ares was tracking down their mate while he sat on his ass, was something he could no longer tolerate. He needed to be back in his own home so he could think logically.
Apollo grabbed his coat, jammed his feet in his boots, and marched to his bedroom door. Silas stood from a chair, and Regan rose as well.
"We're leaving," Apollo announced.
"Where to?" asked Silas.
"Home."
His men looked at each other.
"Problem?"
