Page 164 of An Omega for the Lycan Prince

We use the distraction of the moment to our advantage. Elden helps Dante and me to sneak out so we can meet with Jun outside. The latter takes the lead now, walking in front of us in silence. No one from Silverlake will realize we are gone. Elden usually meditates before a fight, so they normally never disturb him. They will further assume that Dante went to look for Liam and that I’m staying behind and returned to the packhouse. Elden left guards there and around his pack borders, just in case. Flora and Marius stayed behind too. I was a bit worried at first, but then I remembered one of the gifts she showed me. She is definitely able to protect her pack, and Marius, despite his aloof attitude, is apparently a pretty good fighter.

I was so focused on my task over the last few hours that I completely forgot to be nervous, but now as I follow Jun through a hidden path through the forest, I can finally feel my nerves. This… could go awfully wrong.

Dante rests a hand against my back as if he feels my nerves. He walks right behind me to ensure we won’t get attacked from behind. Elden made sure beforehand that we covered ourselves in an odor Claire gave us to diffuse our scents completely. Hidden in the darkness of the night, we should be almost invisible even to the wolves’ eyes.

“It’s not far now, Luna,” Jun mutters as he reaches out his hand, carefully pulling me up a steep hill.

I nod thoughtfully before his words sink in. Wait… what? Did he just call me Luna? Why? I’m not Luna of Silverlake pack, and I know he knows I’m Liam’s mate and not Elden’s. I contemplate asking him about it but then shrug it off. Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue. Now is definitely not the right moment to discuss it.

We continue in silence, keeping any noise to a minimum. Meanwhile, I try to think of Liam, our bond, and how I would know if something happened to him. I cling to the words he told me when he linked me before conserving his strength.

Trust him, Annie,Leah whispers. Despite her nervousness, she sounds firm.We would know if something happened. Our mate is strong and smart! He has a plan. So do we.

It makes me nervous about being apart from him and not knowing how he is doing.

I know. Me too, but let’s trust him. He has never disappointed us. Let’s remain optimistic.

She is right. Liam doesn’t need to feel my anxiety. He should rather feel my optimism and my commitment, my trust. I try to think of all the good things we share, of all he has done for me. He helped me grow, and he helped me to turn from an insecure wallflower into a confident woman. Sure, I’m still the same old Annie, I didn’t change magically into a stunning beauty, but I carry myself with so much more confidence now.

It’s all thanks to him. Now it’s time to repay him.

Jun halts for a moment, making us stop too, and points at something in front of us. Following his gaze, we look up at a stone building. It looks massive. That’s how I imagine London Tower back in the day. That monster keeps little kids in this place!?

“That’s the dungeon?” Dante asks, clear disgust in his voice.

“I can’t believe it,” Elden growls. “What a scumbag!”

Jun pulls out a small flashlight and his map, showing us where we currently are and where the guards are staying. “There are three buildings. This is the main one. The dangerous, important prisoners are kept here. There is an old trap door leading to an inoperative laundry room in the cellar,” he explains quietly. “No one uses it anymore.

Elden nods. “I will go with Annie and take her inside.”

Jun looks shocked. “With Miss Annalise? Are you sure?”

I nod, squeezing his arm thankfully. “I need to do it, Jun.”

He nods reluctantly.

“You and Dante will wait outside, ready to strike,” Elden tells them.

“How will we know when to strike?” Jun wants to know.

Elden and Dante exchange an amused glance. “You will know,” Dante says evenly. “Believe me.”

Elden doesn’t wait any longer. Instead, he reaches out his hand, taking my arm and gently leading me down the path Jun marked for us. He seems to know exactly where to go. It’s like the map imprinted itself on his mind, being brought to life there. “You are a tracker,” I whisper.

“Every royal Lycan is. It’s a gift the Council bestows us with,” he answers quietly. “You’ll understand once the Council blesses you. Now keep it low. We are going inside.”

He lets me crawl through the little window first before following swiftly. Once inside, I’m greeted with all kinds of scents. It seems they blocked the scents on the outside but didn’t bother to do so inside. There is fear in the air, tears, and despair.

And… Liam!

It’s faint; he is most likely being kept on a higher floor, but I can smell him.

Elden leads me up the emergency staircase, not saying anything, only commending Jun once for giving us such good instructions. I can see he is impressed by the young man.

The fifth floor is the top one, and once we reach it, Liam’s scent hits me fully. My eyes shift around frantically until I see him. He is in a cell, alone. There is nothing else there. He is chained to the wall with silver chains around his wrists, preventing him from moving. His head hangs low a bit like he is sleeping. There is blood on his chest and his back. They probably whipped him.

Goddess, he has to be in so much pain! My heart stops beating for a second in horror.