Page 19 of Anders (The Sunburst Pack #2)

B REATHE , A NDERS INSTRUCTED, WORKING hard to keep his voice calm. Focus on my voice. You’re safe.

Etta nodded jerkily, her features contracting with effort as she tried to control the shift.

Anders cupped her face. I think the chemical suppression is fighting your natural state. Don’t resist it. Let it happen.

Her eyes widened. I can’t—what if—

I’m right here. I won’t let anything happen to you.

Despite his reassurance, Anders could see her struggling against the pain the partial shift was causing.

He needed to help her regain control.

Making a quick decision, Anders let his own eyes shift to their wolf gold, allowing just enough of his lupine nature to surface that Etta’s would recognize it. Pack resonance was a powerful thing; even suppressed wolves responded to it instinctively.

And the mate bond was even stronger.

Look at me, he commanded softly. Your wolf knows mine. Trust that.

Her frightened gaze locked with his, and he watched her eyes as they stayed golden, responding to his own. Her breathing slowed, and gradually, the claws receded back to human nails.

As her features relaxed, Anders noticed something else—the mark on her neck was pulsing faintly in a subtle rhythm that matched her heartbeat. It hadn’t done that before.

The mark on your neck is active, he told her, keeping his voice neutral to avoid alarming her further. Does it hurt?

Etta’s hand flew to the back of her neck. No, but it feels…warm. Like it’s vibrating.

Anders gently turned her head, examining the mark more closely.

In the days since bringing her to his home, he’d studied it extensively, noting its size, shape, and appearance. But this was new—a faint luminescence beneath her skin.

I think the partial shift triggered it, he said. Like an alarm, maybe.

Etta tensed beneath him. You mean they might know? Whoever did this to me?

It seems likely. Anders raced through contingency plans, his mind whirling with possibilities. We need to understand more about how this technology works.

He sat up reluctantly, helping Etta into a sitting position beside him. Etta’s hand found his, their fingers intertwining.

What do we do now? she asked.

Anders considered their options. I need to look at the newspaper office again. If they were using you to gather information, there might be technology there that could help us understand what’s happening to you.

I’ll come with you, Etta said immediately.

Anders shook his head. The mark is active. It’s too risky. If it is transmitting, we don’t want to show all our cards.

It’s my life. My body they’ve been manipulating. I’m not sitting this out. Her chin lifted in that stubborn way he’d come to recognize—and admire, if he was honest with himself.

Fine, he conceded. But we go in quiet, and at the first sign of trouble, you get out. Deal?

She nodded.

Every day, she impressed him more—not just with her resilience, but with her determination to reclaim her identity, her life.

Let me grab my gear, he said. He rose, then paused, glancing back at her. Your scent is changing. The chemicals are definitely breaking down faster now.

Is that good or bad?

Good for you, he said. Maybe not so good for whoever’s trying to control you.

T WENTY MINUTES LATER, THEY approached the newspaper office from the rear alley, moving silently through the shadows.

Anders had equipped them both with comms and basic tactical gear—nothing that would draw attention but enough to give them an edge if things went wrong.

The basement first, Anders decided as they reached the back door. That’s where your episode happened. There might be something there that triggered your memories.

Using Etta’s key, they slipped inside, closing the door softly behind them. The building was quiet, dark except for the security lights that cast long shadows across the main workspace.

Anders scanned the room, noting that nothing appeared to have been disturbed since they’d left.

Do you need a light? he asked Etta.

She shook her head. I can see fine. Better than fine, actually. It’s like…my eyes have adjusted beyond what should be possible.

Enhanced night vision, Anders said. Another wolf trait emerging as the suppression fades.

Anders led the way toward the basement door. The stairs creaked slightly beneath their weight, and he winced at each sound. If there was surveillance equipment in the building, they were announcing their presence with every step.

The basement looked much as they’d left it—scattered papers across the floor, the overturned trash can, the disarray from Etta’s seizure.

Anders moved methodically through the space, examining every nook and cranny with experienced precision.

What exactly are we looking for? Etta whispered, staying close behind him.

Anything out of place. Anything that doesn’t belong in a normal newspaper archive. Anders ran his fingers along the underside of a shelf, feeling for irregularities.

Etta began examining the papers that still lay scattered on the floor. These are all from the 1980s and nineties. Local stories about strange occurrences. I remember reading them before…before everything happened.

Anders nodded absently, his attention caught by something else. The electrical outlet near the floor appeared standard, but there was a faint hum coming from it that troubled him. He crouched, examining it more closely.

This isn’t right, he murmured, pulling a small tool from his pocket to pry at the cover plate.

It came away easily, revealing not a normal outlet but a sophisticated piece of equipment disguised to look like one.

Anders let out a low whistle.

What is it? Etta asked, moving to peer over his shoulder.

Government-grade surveillance equipment, Anders said grimly. This isn’t commercial tech—this is military, maybe even black ops level.

How can you tell?

The casing design, the miniaturization. Plus, I recognize some of the components from my time in the army.

Anders carefully removed the rest of the faceplate, exposing the full device.

This is a passive monitoring system, designed to record and transmit data without drawing power from the building’s electrical system.

Etta’s breath caught. So it’s been recording everything? Even when the power was off?

Exactly. Anders’s mind raced as he examined the device more carefully. And based on the wear patterns on these components, it’s been here for years. Long before you arrived.

But that would mean…

That they planned to put you here all along, Anders finished for her. This wasn’t a hasty operation. This was calculated, with years of preparation.

The implications sent a chill through Anders. Whoever had done this to Etta wasn’t operating on impulse—they were methodical, patient, and thinking long-term.

He pocketed the device and continued his search, now with a clearer idea of what he might be looking for.

Over the next thirty minutes, they discovered three more surveillance devices—one disguised as a fire alarm sensor, another built into an old desk lamp, and a third hidden within the binding of an archive ledger.

But it was when Etta pulled a particular volume from the shelf that they made their most disturbing discovery.

This one feels heavier than the others, she said, handing it to Anders.

He took it, immediately noting the unusual weight distribution. This isn’t really a book.

Carefully, he examined the binding, finding a nearly invisible seam along the spine. When he applied pressure to the right spot, the fake book opened to reveal a compartment containing what appeared to be a small computer terminal.

It’s some kind of control unit, Anders murmured, studying the compact screen and keypad. Military-grade encryption, biometric security protocols…

What does that mean?

Anders looked up at Etta, his expression grave. This is the command center for the entire surveillance network.

Etta stared at the device, her face pale in the dim light. Can you access it?

Not without triggering security protocols that would alert whoever’s monitoring. Anders carefully photographed the unit from multiple angles, making sure to document every component. But this confirms what we suspected. This building was specifically prepared as an observation post.

He continued examining the terminal, noting details that troubled him more with each passing second. The technology is advanced, but there are some aspects that seem…familiar.

Familiar how? Etta asked, crouching beside him.

Like it was designed by someone who understands shifter physiology, Anders said. See these sensor arrays? I think maybe they’re calibrated to detect pheromone patterns specific to wolf shifters.

Etta frowned. Could it be another pack? Some kind of interpack espionage?

No. This goes beyond normal pack politics. The level of technology, the integration with human military design… His jaw tightened as he shook his head. This has government involvement written all over it.

But why? What could they possibly want with us?

Control, Anders said sternly. Knowledge is power, and if they can understand how shifters operate, how we organize our packs, our strengths and weaknesses…

Etta’s hand went to the mark on her neck again. So I’m what? Their first successful infiltration?

Maybe not the first. But definitely one of their more sophisticated attempts.

He carefully closed the fake book, returning it to its place on the shelf.

We need to get this information to Malcolm and Larissa, but we need to be smart about it.

If the people behind this realize we’ve discovered their operation, they might move against us—against you —before we’re ready for them.

Etta nodded, though Anders could smell her fear. What about these devices? Should we destroy them?

No. For now, it’s better they think their surveillance is still active. It gives us time to plan our next move. He stood, scanning the basement one last time to ensure they hadn’t disturbed anything obvious. We should go. We’ve been here too long already.