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Kaylee

Staring at Lucas blocking my way to the dungeons, I take deep breaths, trying to calm down. I had woken up twenty minutes ago with a small headache, only to realize it was my packmates freaking out about an attack that had happened thirty minutes ago. Not only that, but it was also revealed that this attack happened practically behind my house while I slept.

I tried linking Lucas, Amelia, and David. Hell, I linked absolutely everyone in the top ranks and got no answer while I threw on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. I was about to leave the cottage when the door opened, and Lucas walked in, his gray eyes finding mine. I guess he realized I must be aware of the fight because he instantly led me to the sofa and explained in detail what had happened.

I left the cottage and climbed into my truck without saying anything else. Lucas asked me where I was going. I told him to get in and come with me or wait at home. My mate reluctantly climbed into the truck with me, and I drove straight to the dungeons.

I kill the engine and jump out of the truck, ready to stride right in and tear those wretched wolves to shreds for attacking my packmates.

“Kaylee, you need to calm down,” Lucas says, intercepting me and holding both of my shoulders.

“Calm down? You expect me to be calm knowing that bastard sent men here, and they attacked us?” I demand, trying to find a way to push past my mate and barge into the dungeons.

I’m tired of being calm. Tired of planning an attack. It’s starting to feel like every time I close my eyes, something bad will happen—that the wolves I care about will get injured, all because of Ramos.

“I know you’re angry, scared, and upset. I can feel it through the bond. But going in there before Aunt Amelia and Uncle David can interrogate them is wrong. We need to wait, and you need to be calm to fulfill your beta duties.” His voice is low, his hands pulling me flush against him.

Lucas is right. I need to wait for Amelia and David. They are the alpha pair of Ivory Fangs. I need to wait and follow their lead. Feeling much calmer, I pull back to see Lucas watching me, his eyes full of concern.

“Better?” he asks, and I nod, standing on my tiptoes and kissing his cheek softly.

“Better. Thank you,” I answer, stepping away from the dungeon entrance with Lucas’ hand in mine. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long as Amelia and David quickly join us, each one in wolf form with their clothes in a tote bag that David carries in his mouth. They enter the open dungeon first to shift back into their human form, and as soon as the sound of clothes rustling ends, Lucas and I walk inside to find them both dressed.

“Thanks for waiting,” Amelia says, reaching out and pulling me in for a hug.

“I wasn’t actually waiting,” I admit with guilt. “Lucas stopped me from barging into here moments before you arrived. He reminded me that you and David are our alphas, and we should wait for your lead,” I continue. Surprise flickers across Amelia’s eyes before vanishing.

“I’m sorry if it feels like I have been stepping over your boundaries. I just...” I begin to apologize, my words trailing off at the end. The only excuses I have are my newfound power—that I need to learn to rein in—and the hormones from being pregnant. But they are no excuse for how I’ve been acting.

“Apology accepted, Kaylee,” Amelia says, pulling me back into her arms. “Your alpha blood is awakening,” she sighs, with a sad smile, as she pulls back to look at me again.

The motherly love she has for me washes over me, and for a moment, I want to cry, curl up, and take all that love. But I hold back—we’re in the dungeons and have to watch how we act with prisoners close by.

“It’s no wonder you’re acting the way you are, and I think we need to give you a crash course in alpha training before we leave to take down Ramos,” Amelia whispers, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

“I’d like that,” I agree, smiling. The tension that had been building between Amelia and me since our first meeting after finding out Ramos’ plans to attack vanished.

Knowing Amelia understands me and knows I feel guilty for causing a small rift between us is all I need to remind myself that she’s not just my alpha but also the woman who took me in as her pup. She’s been my support, my mother figure since I lost my own. Amelia has earned every bit of love and support I have for her.

“Now, let’s go beat the answers out of our intruders. I want to know why they’re here and why they decided to attack Jenny and five pups,” Amelia states, eyes narrowing and blood lust surrounding her. I catch David and Lucas looking at each other helplessly before we head down the stairs.

Thankfully, we only stay on the first level of the dungeons instead of descending further down. From what Royce has told me, the lower levels of the dungeons are used for torturing the worst of the worst, and I’m not ready to see that yet. The first floor is just as I remember, but I’m not as scared to be here this time. The cells are still as clean as before, not a speck of dust or dirt anywhere, and the cots are clean, waiting for someone to occupy them.

Instead of going to the interrogation room, Amelia stops in front of a cell, where the scent of blood and three wolves emanates. Simon is standing guard with Ryder, and the two wolves quickly open the cell door as soon as we approach. Inside, three wolves lay on one cot, their wounds not as grievous as I thought from the scent coming from outside.

“Help me bring them to the interrogation room,” Amelia orders Simon and Ryder. They nod and quickly carry each wolf there. Looking at Lucas, who watches angrily, I ask why they’re unconscious, only to have Simon look over his shoulder and grin at me.

“We got to test out the drugs Hannah made. They worked great on these three,” he says, making me laugh. Of course Simon would be the first to test out our new war toys.

With the wolves now situated in a triangle on the three chairs, Amelia takes the time to walk around them, removing their masks and revealing that we have captured two men and one woman.

“Should we wake them up and find out why they came?” David asks, handing me a sleek yet light gun. Confused, I look over the object to find that it’s a special design, one that is used to inject some form of liquid—probably the reversal drug.

“Hannah’s invention?” I asked with a grin.

“Hannah’s invention,” David confirms. With a nod, I step towards the first wolf, a man, and press the muzzle of the device against his neck. With a pull of the trigger, I listen as the gun injects the reversal drug into his body.