Page 113 of The Alpha's Fallen Spell
Fiona never had a chance at real freedom. Even when she thought she’d escaped, even when she created something beautiful and independent, they were there. Watching. Waiting.
The scope of the betrayal is staggering. Olivia, whom Fiona confided in, who became like family to her. Dylan, whom she mentored and worried about. They were never her employees—they were her jailers, keeping her contained while maintaining the illusion of choice.
And the timing makes sense now. They positioned themselves when she was most vulnerable—newly free, desperate to trust someone, eager to believe she could build real relationships. They exploited her hope, her kindness, her fundamental need for human connection.
“Commander?” Hayes pulls me back to the present. “What are your orders?”
“Get the team ready. Full stealth. And Hayes—this is a trap. They want us to come, just not the way we’re going to.”
“Got it. What about backup from the palace?”
I think about it. Griffin is dealing with attacks everywhere. Resources are stretched thin, and opening a portal would announce our presence to anyone watching.
“No. We handle this ourselves. Quiet and clean.”
I end the call and focus on driving, pushing down the rage that threatens to cloud my thinking. They didn’t just use her trust against her; they manufactured it from the beginning. Every relationship she thought was real, every connection she believed she’d made, was a lie designed to keep her docile and monitored.
The bond pulses again, stronger now. Still alive. Still fighting.
Hold on, sweetheart. I’m coming.
The industrial complex squats against the horizon like a cancer, all rusted metal and broken windows. Security lights create harsh pools of illumination, but large sections remain in shadow—perfect for a stealth approach. Or a perfectly orchestrated ambush.
I park two miles out and proceed on foot, my enhanced senses scanning for threats. The night air carries scents of rust and decay—and blood. Not much, but enough to confirm this is the right place.
My earpiece crackles. “Strike Team Alpha in position. No external security detected, but thermal shows eight heat signatures inside the main building. Four stationary, four mobile.”
Four stationary suggests prisoners. Fiona, Alex, and possibly others. Four mobile means guards or researchers.
“Neutralize external threats first,” I reply. “Silent takedowns only. We can’t afford to trigger any alarm systems they may have rigged.”
“Copy that.”
I circle the building, looking for the best entry point. The bond is stronger here, pulling me toward the eastern section where the heat signatures are clustered. But it feels wrong—too easy, too obvious.
My wolf stirs anxiously, catching a scent that makes my hackles rise. Other shifters. But not quite right. The smell is off somehow. Not natural.
More artificial shifters? Or something else entirely?
“Commander,” comes Hayes’s voice in my ear. “We’ve got a problem. Satellite shows vehicles approaching from three directions. Military-grade, moving fast.”
“ETA?”
“Ten minutes. Maybe less.”
A pincer movement. They knew we’d track the van, knew we’d come. But they didn’t simply want us to find them; they wanted us to be isolated and outnumbered when their reinforcements arrived.
“Change of plans. We go in hard and fast. Extract the prisoners and get out before those vehicles arrive.”
“Sir, with respect, we should abort. Call for backup, regroup—”
“Negative.” The bond flares with sudden pain, Fiona’s pain, and my decision crystallizes. “She doesn’t have time for us to regroup. We end this now.”
I can hear Hayes’s reluctance, but his response is immediate. “Roger that. Breaching in thirty seconds.”
The next few minutes unfold with brutal efficiency. My men move like shadows, neutralizing guards with surgical precision. No gunshots, no screams—just the soft sounds of bodies hitting the ground.
While they clear the perimeter, I slip through a side entrance, following the bond’s pull deeper into the building. The smell ofblood grows stronger, mixed with fear and rage and something chemical that makes my wolf recoil.
