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U sing her high-powered binoculars, Commander Chawni Reed meticulously observed the cave entrance from beneath the timberline.

Her lips were a thin line, revealing the frustration bubbling inside her.

The lone human woman was a thorn in her side, always causing trouble.

The clear bond between the two shifters and the woman further entangled the already complicated situation.

“You’re sure about them imprinting on her?” she demanded.

“Yes, Commander,” the barred owl quietly responded.

As the group of shifters exited the cave, her focus stayed fixed on them, intrigued by their movements. A group of at least twelve mercenaries were making their way out. The two wolf shifters her scout had spotted lay motionless on the ground surrounded by eight of the mercs.

This situation could get very messy, she grimly acknowledged to herself.

General Eric Singleton’s appearance only added to her growing sense of unease.

The situation had reached a critical point where the risks involved were too high to ignore.

She grappled with the dilemma of whether to expose their existence in order to protect a lone human and her shifter companions.

Sacrificing them as collateral damage might be a more strategic approach.

“I don’t see the human among them,” Julius murmured.

She didn’t either, and that surprised her.

Watching intently, she observed the group moving downwards.

Five of the mercenaries had shifted and were in tracking mode.

Just as she was about to lower the binoculars, a subtle movement above the cavern grabbed her attention.

Zooming in, she was taken aback to see the human woman positioned above the group, causing her lips to part in surprise.

“Well, well, well,” she murmured.

“Ma’am?” Julius’ tone was questioning.

“Twelve o’clock.”

It took Julius two sweeps of the area before he spotted the woman. A low whistle escaped his lips, followed by a chuckle. A smile played on her lips at his reaction.

“Unexpected,” she commented.

“What are your instructions?” he asked.

After a moment of contemplation, she lowered her binoculars. It could be prudent to exercise patience at this juncture. It was clear that the woman possessed a great deal of resourcefulness.

“Keep an eye on her. Instruct the others not to engage unless they have a clear path to take the mercs out without being seen,” she instructed.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Chawni remained where she was as Julius left to instruct the four members of the team she had brought. Her eyes shifted to the barred owl perched on a nearby stump. Its piercing gaze was fixed on the distant point of the cave.

“Axios,” she murmured.

“Yes, Commander.”

“Help her mates if you can,” she ordered.

Axios bobbed his head slightly before taking off into the air, his wings creating a soft whooshing sound.

She lifted the binoculars to her eyes once more, this time taking extra care to focus on the distant object in the distance.

The woman vanished from her hiding spot above the mercs.

As she glanced back at the group of men, she silently prayed that the decision she was about to make was the correct one.

“Julius.”

“Yes, Commander,” Julius said, stepping closer.

“I need the satellite phone,” she murmured.

SBSI Headquarters

“Agent Southpaw, there’s a message for you.”

Darlene Southpaw casually lifted her hand in acknowledgement, the soft glow of the computer screen casting a soft light on her face as she picked up the phone.

She was meticulously analyzing the evidence collected by the Bearclaw, Timberwolf, and Redfoot Security Agency, along with the mysterious disappearance of Lorne Timberwolf, to determine any possible connections to the shifter’s body found washed up in the Sound.

“Darlene Southpaw, how may I help you?” she greeted.

“Does the name General Singleton mean anything to you, Agent Southpaw?”

The woman’s question caused Darlene to stiffen involuntarily.

The mere mention of Eric Singleton brought back vivid memories, making her stomach clench with unease.

The name was not unfamiliar to her. Unfortunately, she had encountered it many times before.

The truth she had discovered was met with a cold, calculating gaze from Eric the last time she confronted him.

“Why do you ask?” she asked.

“He’s in the Olympic National Park hunting a human woman with a team of mercenaries. There are two shifters being held hostage,” the woman continued.

Before Darlene could inquire further, the call abruptly ended.

Staring at the receiver for a few seconds, she suddenly sprang into action.

Dropping the phone by her keyboard, she felt a sense of urgency as her fingers rapidly typed on the keys to locate the number.

Startled by the sudden sound of her hand hitting the desk, the agent in the next cubicle turned to look at her.

As she rose from her seat, she hastily grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair before briskly walking out of her cubicle and down the rows towards the exit.

Three minutes later, she was standing outside the grand mahogany doors adorned with a gleaming metal office plate.

She took a deep breath before lifting a hand and knocking twice.

“Come in.”

She took a deep breath as she entered, feeling the intense scrutiny of Talon Nightsky on her. Closing the door behind her, she walked towards the desk, the sound of her footsteps loud in the silent room. Talon closed the laptop he was using and stood.

“Director,” she greeted. “Sir, you instructed that you wanted updates about any activity regarding the humans. I received a call a few minutes ago stating that there was a human woman in danger in the Olympic National Forest.”

Talon frowned at her. “Did the caller give any idea of where the woman was?”

“Yes, sir, though it was cryptic. She said a cave. You should also know the caller specifically identified General Eric Singleton as being part of the team pursuing the woman. There are also two possible shifter hostages.”

The cold expression that came into Talon’s eyes made her thankful that they were not focused on her. She waited for his instructions. When they came, it surprised her.

“Thank you. I’ll handle this.”

She frowned with confusion. “Would you like me to call the team?”

He sent her an impatient glance and shook his head. “No. I’ll oversee this myself.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but closed it when he shot her a warning look. Still, her past with Eric refused to allow her to let the situation go. She waited half a second before she stiffened her spine and spoke.

“Sir, Eric Singleton is a very dangerous man. I can’t emphasize that enough. I… would like to go after him,” she said.

His intent gaze lingered on her face. She hoped that she had kept on her mask of professionalism and not revealed her personal feelings. He paused before he shook his head.

“Not this time, Darlene,” he said.

“Talon… I know Eric. I know how he thinks,” she argued in a low voice.

He paused again, his frown deepening. “I know your history with him… and your desire for revenge. This is all the more reason that you should step aside. I’ll handle this. Eric won’t get away.”

Her shoulders slumped slightly and she looked away from his intense scrutiny. “I understand. Let me know if you need a team put together. I can still do that.”

She waited a fraction longer to see if he would request one. When he didn’t, she bowed her head, turned, and crossed to the office, exiting as quietly as she had entered. Outside the door, she breathed deeply before stiffening her shoulders.

There were some things in life you just needed to take care of yourself, she decided, turning left outside the outer office door and heading for the elevator.

Jayden listened as she worked on sharpening the green branches she had cut.

Despite the shifters’ impressive speed and strength, her thorough knowledge of these mountains provided her with a crucial advantage over them.

Using that knowledge, she retrieved supplies from the back of the cave and managed to escape through a hidden opening that had been sealed to keep animals out and prevent chilly drafts.

The narrow slit she squeezed through led to a ledge where she could feel the mist from the cascading waterfall that plummeted several hundred feet. She clung to the rock face, moving inch by inch until she found a way to climb higher. She couldn’t have asked for a better vantage point.

The wind was on her side, helping to conceal her scent as she perched high above, out of sight of the group of shifters below her. She listened intently as the leader of the group directed five of the shifters to track her down. The others would travel down to their base camp.

Crawling backwards, she had slipped down back along the ledge and worked her way down far enough where she felt confident the trackers wouldn’t locate her scent.

Setting her plans into motion, she took the first steps towards her goal.

She knew she had to eliminate the trackers first before she could proceed with her mission.

Once they were no longer a threat, she would turn her attention to rescuing Van and Peterson.

She collected the armful of sharpened branches. Less than half a mile from her, a ravine cut through the landscape, adding depth to the river. Several years ago, a tree had fallen across the path, and now her people used it as a makeshift bridge. That was the spot she chose to set her first trap.

It took her close to an hour before she dug into one of the woven bags she had grabbed from the cave during her escape. The heavy, fist-sized bag contained the magic black powder that her grandfather had warned should only be used in emergencies.