Page 53 of Alpha Queen
"She did," said Zeke. "Ares told us to let her in."
"Did anyone stay with her?"
"I don't think so."
Apollo shook his head at Ares' stupidity. He should never have left her unsupervised in the house. But then he couldn't blame his twin for being distracted. After all, his mate had been with another man. So it was as much Apollo's fault as it was Ares'.
Silas entered the room. "I took photos of the vehicle tracks and sent them to Terrance."
Apollo nodded and closed the closet, which contained the server. "Which way did those SUV tracks go?"
"North."
"North? But north just takes you further into the area. The only way out is to go east."
"You think they didn't leave the neighborhood?" asked Cherry.
"I'm sure they are gone by now, but they could have been hiding out near here."
"It would explain how they got so much intel on what was going on here."
Apollo nodded. "Let's go."
"Where?" asked Zeke.
"To research every house in this gated community." He looked at Silas. "Except for you. I have something else I need you to do."
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
ARES
AQZZZZZZAAQd would get them inside the warehouse.
Ares' nostrils flared as he took in the dank, musty odor. Duncan pried the rusted metal grate open enough for them to slip through, leaving jagged edges threatening to snag their clothes. He glanced at Theo and Santiago, nodding before squeezing into the opening.
The faint glow of their phone lights barely illuminated the space. Ares moved carefully, on high alert for any sign of danger. Moisture slicked the walls, covering them in a thick layer of slime, making every step treacherous. Shallow water sloshed around their ankles, its murky surface concealing who knew what.
As they progressed deeper into the tunnel, the air grew thicker, heavy with the stench of decay and stagnant water. Ares fought the urge to gag, focusing instead on the steady rhythm of his breathing. Behind him, Theo coughed, and Santiago gagged and spat on the ground.
"Are you sure this is the only way in?" Theo croaked.
Duncan chuckled and shook his head but didn't say anything.
The tunnel seemed to stretch on, twisting and turning like the bowels of a great beast. Ares lost all sense of time and direction, trusting Duncan's guidance as they navigated the labyrinthine passages, he realized that if Duncan screwed them, he would never figure his way out again. Every so often, they would pause to listen, straining for any sound that might indicate they'd been detected.
Duncan tapped Ares' shoulder. "We're here."
Ares peered ahead toward a faint square of light in the distance and spotted the outline of a metal grate similar to the one they'd entered through. Duncan produced a small tool from his pocket and worked on the bolts holding the grate in place.
With agonizing slowness, they eased the grate open, wincing at every creak and groan of protesting metal. Ares exited first, hauling himself up into what appeared to be a dimly lit storage room. Boxes and crates were stacked on top of each other haphazardly around them, providing ample cover as Theo, Santiago, and then Duncan emerged.
Duncan checked his phone. "Shift change is in two minutes."
They crept towards the door, pausing to listen for movement. Ares eased the door open, peering into a long, sterile hallway. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting harsh shadows across the concrete floor. He sniffed the air, and his wolf growled. The scents of shifters mixed with chemicals and gun oil.
Easy, boy. We don't want to make a bigger mess than necessary.
Though truthfully, Ares was willing to slaughter, maim, or torture anyone he had to to get River back.
