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"I'd know her scent anywhere," I growl. "She's close."

We move quickly down the corridor, staying alert for any sign of resistance. The lack of guards makes me nervous. Either Evan's plan is working perfectly, or we're walking into a trap.

"Anyone else think this is too easy?" Axl mutters, echoing my thoughts.

"Definitely," Leo agrees. "Stay sharp."

We reach a junction where the corridor splits again. I pause, sniffing the air.

"She's that way," I point to the right. "And she's not alone."

"Hammond?" Leo asks.

I shake my head. "Evan. And someone else…"

"That would be Hammond," Leo confirms. "What's our play here?"

"We go in hard and fast," I say. "Grab Dahlia and get out."

"And Evan?" Axl asks.

I bare my teeth. "If he's helping us, then great. If not, he dies with Hammond."

We move silently down the corridor; our footsteps are barely audible on the polished floor. The sterile hallways all look the same with white walls, bright lights, and locked doors with small windows. This place feels more like a prison than a research facility.

"I don't like this," Leo mutters, his eyes constantly scanning our surroundings. "Where is everyone?"

He's right. We've encountered no resistance since breaking free, which makes no sense for a high-security facility.

"Maybe Evan cleared the way," Axl suggests, though he doesn't sound convinced.

I'm about to respond when a door at the end of the hallway bursts open. Six men pour through, weapons raised.

"Contact!" Leo shouts, immediately dropping into a fighting stance.

The men rush toward us, and I feel my wolf surge forward. I let the partial shift take over, my nails lengthening into claws, my teeth sharpening to points. The first man reaches me, swinging a stun baton. I catch his wrist, crushing it in my grip. He screams as bones crack beneath my fingers.

Beside me, Leo has fully embraced his bear. His massive form tears through his shirt as he roars, the sound echoing through the corridor. He grabs one of the attackers and throws him against the wall with enough force to crack the plaster.

Axl moves with surprising speed for someone who isn't fully shifted. He ducks under a swing, delivering a brutal uppercut that sends his opponent sprawling.

"Behind you!" I shout as another guard rushes Axl from behind.

Axl spins, but not fast enough. The guard slams his baton into Axl's side. Electricity crackles, and Axl drops to one knee with a grunt of pain.

I leap over a fallen guard, tackling Axl's attacker before he can strike again. We crash to the floor, and I pin him with my weight, my clawed hand at his throat.

"Where is she?" I growl, pressing just hard enough to draw blood. "Where's the woman?"

"Fuck you," he spits.

I tighten my grip. "Wrong answer."

"Onyx!" Leo calls. "We need to move!"

I glance up to see more guards pouring in from both ends of the corridor. We're about to be surrounded.

"This way!" Axl shouts, kicking open a side door. He's recovered quickly from the stun baton, his eyes glowing with a golden light I haven't seen before.