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Amelia

Lowering the now unconscious wolf in my grasp to the forest floor, I take a deep breath of the fresh air and try to calm my jittery nerves. It’s been forty minutes since the operation started—forty minutes since Kaylee and Lucas left for the packhouse to kill my little brother. In that hour, our wolves have found many of Ramos’ supporters, who are now drugged and tied up. As soon as we know Ramos is gone, we’ll gather these wolves, execute them at dawn, and cleanse Oak Fur once and for all.

“Daisy found many rogues in the dungeons, and Evette is on her way to help them,” Avery calls out, making me jump. Titus had sent his beta with us to help in our part of the plan while he and Ash went off to help Kaylee and Lucas.

“When did this happen?” I ask, worried that this may be a trap.

“About five minutes ago,” she answers, looking up at the night sky. I can feel her worry for her mate. Jamal had gone with Daisy to protect his cousin and Luna.

“They will be fine,” I reassure the she-wolf, getting a small smile in return.

“I know,” Avery whispers, turning her gaze to me. “Jamal and Daisy are close, and they have been since they were pups,” she shrugs before staring at the night sky. “I just feel a sense of unease knowing so many rogues were found in the dungeons. Jamal told me they were used for more than just menial labor or sparring practice.”

I shudder at her explanation and frown. I knew Ramos was a sick bastard, but the evidence is still hard to hear.

“Do you think Daisy can find out which wolves participated in the abuse of those rogues?” I ask, hoping they’re the same wolves we plan on executing.

“Let me ask her,” Avery says, closing her eyes.

“Amelia?” Simon calls out, coming out of the shack he and David had disappeared into, checking to see if any enemies were hiding. I hold out my hand, signaling for Simon to be quiet while I wait for Avery’s reply.

“Daisy says there are a few books on a shelf. Looks like records of who came to ‘borrow’ a rogue for their own pleasure,” Avery finally states, a low growl coming from her throat. “What disgusting beings this pack holds,” she mutters in disgust, and I agree instantly. Oak Fur has indeed become disgusting.

“What’s going on?” David asks, finally emerging from the shack. I sigh, running a hand through my hair as I recount the situation with the rogues in the dungeons. Both Simon and David let out snarls of anger, the sounds shaking the trees around us.

After learning his mate and our medical team are heading there, Simon wants to rush to the dungeons. I remind him that Kaylee and Lucas need us to finish searching for Ramos supporters and incapacitating them. With great reluctance, Simon accepts that he can’t go to Evette’s aid and follows our group to our next target.

[Checking in,] Alexander’s voice calls through our pack link. [Fifteen of the twenty-five groups have already completed their part of the plan. Some warriors were lost on Oak Fur’s side because they tried to kill our wolves.]

I smile, happy to know that everyone has worked quickly and efficiently since our takeover started.

[Have they started working on gathering their unconscious captives towards the pack house?] David asks, getting a chuckle from Alexander through the link.

[Already working on it,] Alexander responds. [Many of them have asked the omegas to bring the vans to transport the unconscious wolves to the packhouse for dawn.]

I relay this information to Avery and Simon and tell Alexander that we need to finish our part in capturing Ramos’ supporters. After telling him to keep us updated, I close the link and we make our way to the next target, passing through the shadows of the many trees. Suddenly, Simon stops ahead of us, his body rigid as his gaze is captured by something to our left.

“Simon, what’s—” I begin to ask, my words getting stuck in my throat. In front of us is the shell of what used to be a beautiful home. One that Simon, David, and I had spent a lot of time in.

“Who would do such a thing?” Avery asks, her voice a rumble from the growl spilling forth as we stare at the burned remains of what used to be Kaylee’s childhood home.

“Marilyn did,” Simon states, his voice so dangerously low that I wonder if I heard him.

“Keep this from Kaylee until we’ve cleaned out Oak Fur,” David states, his eyes narrowed in a glare.

“Agreed. A house can always be rebuilt,” I whisper, closing my eyes and turning away from the scene. Marilyn must have burnt the house down just after Simon and Lucas escaped the pack, as Simon had been transferred ownership of the place. No one would have dared touch this place unless Simon was gone.

“Where is our next target?” Avery asks, changing the subject. I hear Simon scoff, his eyes still on the burned house.

“My parents’ house,” he states coldly. “They choose to support Ramos instead of protecting their pack. It doesn’t surprise me. They cursed Kaylee’s name after she was banished.”

He starts moving towards his own childhood home.

“My father will still be up now. Let’s go pay him a visit.”