Page 132 of Carnage Island

“Yeah you did.” Pride bleeds into Volt’s tone. “The best.”

“Is there enough surveillance footage for us to use as proof of intent?” Tieran asks, clearly done with that part of the conversation. Or maybe he’s just eager to know if he can hunt Bryson now—a notion that has my nerves fraying all over again.

This was the easy part.

The assault on Nantahala Territory is going to be a lot more intense.

“Yeah, Pan is taking close ups of all the wolves now,” Alpha Duncan says, watching a fourth screen that appears to be tied to whatever video equipment Alpha Pan is using. I think it’s a camera secured by his vest. “I’m running the visuals through a database for a match. I’ll have them any minute now.”

“Good. Let me know when they’re appropriately identified.” Tieran is in full Alpha mode now, his tone harder than I’ve ever heard it.

My wolf is pleased. She likes the demonstration of power.

But my stomach is still twisting with discomfort.

“Four positive IDs and counting,” Alpha Duncan says, lips curling. “All Nantahala Wolves, Alpha T.”

I try to look at the screen to see who they are, but the images are moving too fast. He’s already scanning the next dead wolf, who I briefly recognize as a male not much older than me.No, that can’t be right. He wasn’t an Enforcer.

The image is gone before I can really see it.

“Make that five,” Alpha Duncan adds.

“All I needed was one,” Tieran drawls. “We’re going in.”

“Make it rain, gentlemen,” Alpha Ebony says, excitement coloring her tone.

“I’ll bring back souvenirs,” Volt promises.

“Good,” she replies. “Bloody ones.”

“What other kinds are there?” he asks, sounding genuinely curious.

Tieran clears his throat. “Going radio silent in three, two…” He doesn’t utter the word “one,” his comms already off.

My heart skips a beat.

What if something happens to them?

I didn’t even get to say goodbye.

Was that intentional? A way to keep them focused on the task at hand? Because they don’t need to say goodbye as they’ll be back soon?

My mind races, my skin going cold.

It’s happening. It’s really happening.

And I can’t hear them.

I can’t see them.

I can’tfeelthem.

Alpha Ebony places a hand on my knee. “Hey. They need your faith, not your worry.”

I don’t bother pointing out the concern I caught on her face during Alpha Pan’s part of the mission. She knows. She’s just trying to offer support.

But it’s not helping.