Novel-novel oleh STARLIGHT

~ Declan ~"Tonight," Norah whispered.I stared at the tablet, my hand tightening until the plastic casing cracked.I shut off the audio feed. I didn't need to hear any more. Krane had given the order, and the war I had been preparing for was here.My phone vibrated in my pocket. Elias. My Beta.I answered. "Report.""Alpha," Elias said, his voice tight. *"The shipping grid is down. The Kranes hit the mainframe. We’re locked out.""It's a diversion," I said, walking to the window to look out at the dark forest. "Krane doesn't care about cargo. He wants territory.""The Elders are panicking," Elias said. "Silas wants to surrender the eastern docks.""Silas is a coward," I snapped. "Secure the Tower. Lock down the perimeter. And send a strike team to the nurseries.""The nurseries?" Elias paused. "But the cyber attack—""Is a distraction," I said. "Krane strikes at the bloodline. Get the pups to the safe room. Now."I hung up.Norah was watching me from the sofa, huddled under my jacket

~ Norah ~"Julian is following you," Declan’s voice said in my ear. "Do not go out the front."I didn't answer. I shoved through a group of women in feathered masks."Wait!" Julian’s voice cut through the music.I glanced over my shoulder and saw him at the top of the stairs, scanning the crowd. He looked furious."Service exit," Declan ordered. "Kitchen. Go."I turned left, ducking under the arm of a waiter carrying a tray of champagne.I hit the swinging doors of the kitchen and burst through.The staff froze as I ran past them in my black gown."Hey!" a chef shouted. "You can't be in here!"I ignored him, spotting the heavy metal exit with a red *Emergency* sign above it. I slammed my hip into the crash bar.The door flew open, and I stumbled out into the cool night air."I'm out," I whispered, touching the earpiece. "I'm at the back.""Keep moving," Declan said. "Go right. There's a path leading to the lower road. I'm there."I turned right. My heels sank into the soft grass, slow

~ Norah ~The music was loud enough to vibrate in my chest.We weren't at a hotel; the Krane Pack gala was being held at a private estate on the cliffs, the driveway lined with Bentleys and Rolls Royces.I sat in the back of the SUV, my hands clenched in my lap. The dress Declan had sent to my room was beautiful, a floor-length black silk gown that felt restrictive."Nervous?" Declan asked.He was dressed in dark jeans and a black jacket, blending into the shadows of the car. He wasn't coming in. He couldn't. If a Sutton stepped foot on this property, the guards at the door would smell him instantly."I'm terrified," I said. "This is insane.""It's necessary," he corrected. "Here."He handed me a small, discreet earpiece."Put it in," he said. "I'll be listening. If anything goes wrong, I'll guide you out."I put the earpiece in my left ear, hiding it under my hair.The car stopped at the front entrance. Through the tinted window, I saw the security checkpoint where four guards were l

~ Norah ~Twenty minutes later, the heavy gate slammed shut behind us with a sound like a gunshot.We were underground. Declan killed the engine, and the garage fell into sudden silence.I didn't wait for him to open my door; I wasn't a princess and he wasn't a chauffeur. I shoved the door open and stepped out onto the concrete, my hand still gripping the empty pepper spray in my pocket.Declan got out, standing tall and adjusting the cuffs of his coat. He didn't look at me as he walked toward a reinforced door at the far end of the garage.Two guards stood there, massive and holding assault rifles across their chests. As Declan approached, they straightened and bowed their heads in submission.Declan ignored them. He pulled a black key card from his pocket and swiped it against the panel until the door hissed open.He held it, waiting.I looked back at the gate. It was thick metal with cameras pointing at every angle. If I ran, I’d be dead before I made it ten feet.I walked through

~ Norah ~The back of my head hit the brick wall hard.Pain exploded behind my eyes. I slumped forward, but a heavy hand wrapped around my throat and pinned me in place."Where is he?" the man growled.He smelled like onions and stale beer. His grip tightened, cutting off my air."I don't know," I choked out. I clawed at his fingers. My nails dug into his skin, but he didn't let go. He was huge, too strong for me to fight."Your dad owes forty grand, Norah," a second voice said from the shadows. "And he isn't answering his phone."I kicked out. My boot hit the big guy's knee. He grunted and loosened his grip just enough for me to suck in a breath.I didn't scream. I reached into my pocket, grabbed the pepper spray, and jammed the nozzle into his face.He howled and released me. I scrambled sideways, slipping on the wet pavement. I needed to get to the street.A hand grabbed my hair.The second man yanked me back. My scalp burned as he threw me toward the metal dumpster. My shoulder hi