cloud

The room goes quiet as Councilman Steele makes his way down, his eyes never leaving Alpha Demos'.

On a large screen in the front of the room is a picture of the lab where I was found. It shows the insides. The number of rooms filled with red-eyed wolves. Young children with eyes wide and full of fear. Chains hanging from walls.

"We all remember this, right?" Councilman Steele questions. "We remember the horrific conditions that were exposed to months ago. We remember how Dexter Fullman and Michael Cain were involved in this...monstrosity, right?"

"What does this have to do with the case at hand, councilman?" One of the councilwomen asks.

"Previously, we were asked if it was too coincidental that all this happened when Onyx was found, but all we've been doing is looking at the surface level. Onyx Harper is only one part of this whole issue at hand. We've seen the large number of ferals who've been created recently, but we never asked how they came to be."

"We know how," Alpha Demos says. "Michael and Dexter."

"But they were also only another piece to the puzzle," Councilman Steele retorts. "But you knew that already, didn't you councilor?" Alpha Demos' eyes narrow. "When everything broke out, both Michael, Dexter, and Beta Gaius made claims of there being another party involved in the creation of ferals. It doesn't make sense for three people to say that and for there to not be any truth to it. Around a month after the feral situation and Michael and Dexter were brought into custody, I was assigned the case of investigating these claims, and what I found led me right to the source. Not this supposed third party, but the spy among us," he turns to Alpha Demos. "You, Councilman."

"Excuse me?" Alpha Demos lets out a laugh. "Is this your attempt to save Mr. Harper? By making up lies? Is this what you've resorted to, Steele?"

Councilman Steele's eyes narrow. "Ten years ago, the original Lunar Moon pack was attacked by the Dark Woods. Their Alpha was killed by Cyrus Cade — Gaius's father. Every member of the pack was meant to be killed and destroyed. It didn't make sense that Michael Cain had managed to survive. Though, upon further research into the Lunar Moon pack's history, I've recently uncovered that one of their main allies was your pack, Alpha Demos. I didn't understand why you'd visit Michael Cain so much until then."

"So that's what your accusation is based on?" Alpha Demos chuckles. "Speculation?"

Councilman Steele ignores him. "So, I went to speak to the two next best people. Dr. Glassman and Dexter Fullman. Both of them admitted to not only seeing you on multiple occasions but also were kind enough to provide pictures."

On the screen, images of Alpha Demos in the lab showed up. He was younger looking through which told me that the pictures were older. Standing beside him was a woman who was crouched down on the floor being seen as she injected something into some poor girl's arm.

The second showed him and Michael Cain talking in the lab. There were big smiles on both of their faces. Alpha Demos' hand was resting on Michael's back.

"Had these been the only evidence, I would've been more reluctant to come up here today. But we've also received word from Alexander Whitman, your younger daughter's mate, who confirmed that the lab wasn't the only time you've done something this cruel. No, he told us about your breeding lab — the lab that is currently being raided as we speak. It may already be finished."

The amused expression that was once on Alpha Demos' face is now replaced with anger. The other councilors look at him, but nobody dares to say anything.

"Everyone here has been so focused on Onyx, but we've been letting the real culprit sit right under our noses. What is the point of holding this trial? We all know that Onyx clearly isn't feral or a true one at that. He's the victim in all of this! How about instead of trying to put him away or kill him, we focus on solving the real crimes at hand? We focus on putting people like Alpha Demos away."

Nobody in the room dares to speak, not even Alpha Demos. He glares at Councilman Steele with such hatred. More than he's directed at me.

Councilman Steele turns to look at us. "Please return to your rooms we have—"

His sentence is cut off with Alpha Demos abruptly shifts. All calmness he had earlier is gone as he lunges at Councilman Steele and knocks him to the floor. The other councilors break out of their trance and seem to rush after him. They attempt to pull Alpha Demos off of Councilman Steele, but he fights against their hold. His claws and canines extend out and Gray quickly rushes over to aid. When they finally pull him away, Alpha Demos is escorted out of the room and Councilman Steele's body is covered from our view. Guards push us out of the door, ignoring the calls and pleas from everyone else.

When the crowd is out, the door is slammed shut leaving us all out there with wide eyes.

"What just happened?" I glance over at Quinn.

She bites her lip. "I don't know."

"Do you think the councilman is okay?"

Her eyes drop down to the floor. "I...I don't know."

...

It's hours later when we finally receive an update on Councilman Steele's condition and even longer until we could see him. When they said we could, everyone quickly raced to the hospital and toward his room. Laying in the bed was the councilman. Luckily, the less serious wounds had already healed and the bigger ones would hopefully be gone by tomorrow.

"How are you feeling?" Onyx asks him.

The councilman stares at Onyx blankly. "Like I got attacked by a wolf. Guess that's what I get for trying to help you. Maybe I should go back to being an asshole. I didn't get hurt that way."

The councilman attempts to sit up, causing Onyx to frown.

"You're still hurt," he scolds the councilman. "You need to lay down and get some rest."

Councilman Steele rolls his eyes. "I'll be fine in a day or two."

Onyx crosses his arms. "If you keep moving, you're going to break your old man's body even more!"

The councilman's eyes narrow and he scowls. "Who the hell are you calling old? I'm the youngest one out of all these fuckers. I'm only thirty-seven you piece of shit."

"Just because you're the youngest out of the councilors doesn't make you young."

I'm sure if he could, the councilman would lunge at Onyx. He opens his mouth to retort but comes to a stop when the door is thrown open. A man with deep brown skin, curly hair, and dark brown eyes races into the room. Tears stream down his face as he races to the councilman and hits him in the chest.

"I told you not to come here," Councilman Steele scolds the man, but his tone is lighter.

"You promised you wouldn't get hurt!" The man cries out. "You promised you wouldn't go anywhere!"

The councilman's eyes soften. "I'm still alive and kicking, aren't I? Don't be so dramatic."

The man wraps his arms around the councilman as if the rest of us don't exist. It's only when Gaius lets out a cough to get the councilman's attention that they seem to remember we were here.

"Who's this?" Gaius teases.

The councilman glares at him. "Shut up and get out you fucking busybody."

"What? You don't want to introduce us?"

"No. Not at all."

The curly-haired man looks up at the councilman. "Stop being so mean!" He turns to Gaius with a smile on his face and quickly wipes his eyes. "I'm Oakley!"

Councilman Steele sighs. "What did we say about stranger danger?"

Oakley blinks twice and tilts his head confusedly. "But they're not strangers. You know them."

"But you don't," Councilman Steele retorts. "Making them strangers to you."

Oakley pouts but doesn't argue with the assessment. Watching him made me miss Raiden even more.

I turn to Gray and gesture for him to follow me out into the hall. The two of us slide out of the room and he waits for me to talk.

"Is Team B done?" I ask.

Gray stares at me for a few minutes before nodding. "They should be out of the lab by now. You can try and call Raiden."

He quickly hands his phone to me — reminding me that I needed to invest in one before Raiden and I left. While I didn't know what Raiden's number was, saved in Gray's contacts was Tatum's number so I decided to call him instead.

The phone rings and I wait impatiently for him to pick up. I'm ready to go back home now with my mate.

"Hello?" Tatum's voice rings through the speakers.

"Tatum!" I call out. "I heard that your mission was over. Is Raiden there? I want to speak to him," the phone goes silent and I wait for a reply, but it never comes. "Tatum?"

Tatum lets out a sigh and he finally replies. "You can't speak to Raiden right now. He was injured badly during the mission..."

He's still talking, but I don't hear any of the rest of his words. My chest begins to pound.

You can't talk to Raiden right now.

Raiden's been injured.

And everything begins to spiral.