LOGINFive's POV It wasn't hard to make my decision after hearing what Cato had to say to Lucien. It had come at the perfect time. Castellan grounds. I didn't know the name or what the intensity behind it meant, but I knew it was a different pack. And I knew that a different pack meant different humans — different slaves, different facility girls. Potential alliance outside the citadel. I needed to be there. I was going. The only question was how. *** Ninety knew about the vehicles. Of course she did — Ninety knew about everything that moved through the citadel's lower levels, had spent two years being invisible in precisely the places that mattered, and had accumulated the kind of knowledge that people with power never thought to protect because they never imagined it would be used against them. The vehicles were kept in the lower east structure — what had once been a stable before the citadel's expansion had converted it into a garage of sorts, housing the flee
Five's POV It wasn't hard to make my decision after hearing what Cato had to say to Lucien. It had come at the perfect time. Castellan grounds. I didn't know the name or what the intensity behind it meant, but I knew it was a different pack. And I knew that a different pack meant different humans — different slaves, different facility girls. Potential alliance outside the citadel. I needed to be there. I was going. The only question was how. *** Ninety knew about the vehicles. Of course she did — Ninety knew about everything that moved through the citadel's lower levels, had spent two years being invisible in precisely the places that mattered, and had accumulated the kind of knowledge that people with power never thought to protect because they never imagined it would be used against them. The vehicles were kept in the lower east structure — what had once been a stable before the citadel's expansion had converted it into a garage of sorts, housing the flee
Five's POV It wasn't hard to make my decision after hearing what Cato had to say to Lucien. It had come at the perfect time. Castellan grounds. I didn't know the name or what the intensity behind it meant, but I knew it was a different pack. And I knew that a different pack meant different humans — different slaves, different facility girls. Potential alliance outside the citadel. I needed to be there. I was going. The only question was how. *** Ninety knew about the vehicles. Of course she did — Ninety knew about everything that moved through the citadel's lower levels, had spent two years being invisible in precisely the places that mattered, and had accumulated the kind of knowledge that people with power never thought to protect because they never imagined it would be used against them. The vehicles were kept in the lower east structure — what had once been a stable before the citadel's expansion had converted it into a garage of sorts, housing the fleet of armored
Five's POVIt wasn't hard to make my decision after hearing what Cato had to say to Lucien.It had come at the perfect time.Castellan grounds.I didn't know the name or what the intensity behind it meant, but I knew it was a different pack. And I knew that a different pack meant different humans — different slaves, different facility girls. Potential alliance outside the citadel.I needed to be there.I was going.The only question was how.***Ninety knew about the vehicles.Of course she did — Ninety knew about everything that moved through the citadel's lower levels, had spent two years being invisible in precisely the places that mattered, and had accumulated the kind of knowledge that people with power never thought to protect because they never imagined it would be used against them.The vehicles were kept in the lower east structure — what had once been a stable before the citadel's expansion had converted it into a garage of sorts, housing the fleet of armored transports th
Lucien's POVShe was in the garden.As I'd hoped.She was below, in the east garden, crouched beside the beds with her hands in the soil and her fringe catching the afternoon light.I watched her without deciding to watch her.She moved the way she always moved when she thought no one was paying attention — with a kind of ease that disappeared the moment she became aware of being observed. Something looser. Something that was closer to the person underneath the managed exterior she deployed for everyone including, most of the time, me.She sat back on her heels and tilted her face up toward the light.I swallowed.She was—Beautiful."Five," I called.She didn't flinch. Of course she didn't.She must've sensed me the way she usually did.She turned."King Lucien."I pressed my lips together.The way she said my name, the softness of her voice when she was not trying, did something to me.Everything about her did something to me."Come with me to the pond," I ordered.She opened her mo
Lucien's POV "Find out who runs Facility Seven," I ordered. "The head administrator. Their name, their location, their direct communication channel." Cato didn't move immediately. Which meant he had something to say about it. "Speak," I said. "Requesting a meeting with a facility administrator through official channels will alert the faction," he informed carefully. "If they have someone watching your correspondence—" "I'm not requesting," I clarified. "I'm summoning. There is a difference." I turned from the window. "Use the royal directive channel. Not the council's administrative system — the crown's direct authority. It bypasses the standard logging." Cato's expression shifted slightly. The royal directive channel was not used often. It was not used often because using it announced, to anyone who understood the kingdom's administrative architecture, that the King was moving on something he did not want the council to see in advance. It was also, importantly, irrefusa
549’s POV“What’re you doing?” I whispered. She didn’t respond, just kept the gun pointed at me with steady hand.Her eyes were fixed on me, cold and calculating. “Answer me!” I snapped, my throat feeling raw, my head starting to pound. “You can’t leave this place.” She finally responded, her vo
549’s POVIt was time. For the first time, I wasn’t clad in a white dress. I wore a black trouser and a black turtleneck top. It felt… thrilling, like my first real act of rebellion. I was getting out of here with my friends. We’ll find other humans, find that paradise I’d dreamed of. We’ll be
549’s POVI curled up in my bed, my head heavy, my throat sore from crying. The higher ups would punish me for not looking after myself. But I couldn’t bring myself to care. Not when everything was crumbling around me, not when my fate had been sealed. I hated it, hated the breeding facility, th
549’s POV"You’ll never return to us." Twelve’s words echoed in my head. The dread tinged with melancholy made it sound more like a sentencing than a prediction. I stood on the far end of the line, my gaze on the floor, my shoulders squared, chest pushed out—just the way we were taught. My body







