LOGINAXIELI won't lie, I'd been really pleased with how she was handling this whole situation. Ready to go in there to save Ryan without panic, without hesitation. The way she'd taken down that technician, the cold efficiency in her movements, the tactical mind working through every obstacle we encountered.No lies, the pack really raised her well.But now we had a problem. We needed someone who had card access and.we'd need to use their fingerprint to get through that door. But how was that even possible? We couldn't exactly march someone up to the scanner while they were unconscious, and if we woke them up, they'd raise the alarm.Before I could voice any of this, Olivia spoke."We take the technician from the closet," she said, her voice low and steady. "He's wearing a lab coat, which means he likely has some level of clearance. Maybe not full access to level three, but enough to get us closer."I turned to look at her. "And the fingerprint?""We bring him with us," she said simply. "
OLIVIAWe pulled up about three blocks from the facility and Axiel killed the engine. Through the tinted windows, I could see the Barcelona Biomedical Research Facility rising in the distance… modern building of glass that gleamed under the streetlights. It looked innocent enough from the outside.The kind of place that won architectural awards.But I knew what lay beneath."We go the rest of the way on foot," Axiel said quietly, checking his watch. "Guard rotation in thirty minutes. That gives us time to get into position."I nodded, my hand instinctively moving to the knife at my hip. “What's our entry point?""Service entrance on the east side," he said, pulling up the tablet again and showing me. "Less cameras, fewer guards. There's a delivery scheduled for 2 AM… medical supplies. We slip in during the chaos of unloading.""And if someone stops us?"Axiel's expression darkened. "We handle it. Quietly."I met his eyes, understanding perfectly what he meant. This wasn't going to be a
OLIVIA"My wolf doesn't give up easily," I said quietly. "And neither do I."Axiel was quiet for a moment, then nodded once. "Good. You're going to need that." He moved toward the door again. "I'll be back in two minutes with clothes. There's a bathroom through there," he gestured to a door on the left, "clean yourself up as best you can. We need to move fast.""Axiel," I called out before he could leave.He paused, glancing back."Thank you," I said, the words feeling inadequate but necessary. "For saving me. For helping me get Ryan back." "He's my brother," he said simply. "Even if he doesn't know it yet. Even if he never knew I existed." His jaw tightened. "This is the least I can do."Before I could ask what he meant, he was gone.I stood there for a moment, letting his words sink in. Then I pushed everything else aside- the questions, the confusion, the fear, and focused on what mattered.I moved to the bathroom, my legs still shaky but stronger than they'd been minutes ago. My
OLIVIAI blinked three times. Did I just hear him correctly?"What?" I breathed, my voice barely audible."I know where they took him," Axiel repeated, his expression carefully neutral.My hands tightened in his shirt, anger flaring hot in my chest. "You said you didn't know," I said slowly. "You said you went back and he was gone and you didn't know where he was.""I said I didn't know where he was right now," Axiel clarified. "I didn't say I couldn't find out.""That's…" I shook my head. "That's the same thing! You let me think…"He reached for my hand, his fingers wrapping around mine gently. I pulled it away immediately, stumbling back a step. "Don't touch me."Axiel's jaw tightened, but he didn't try again. "Olivia, listen to me. I can get him out. But we need to strategize. We need a plan. And I need you to get well before we make a move.""No," I said immediately, shaking my head. "No, no, no. I'm fine. I'm fine.""You're not…""I'm not going to lay here and wait while they tor
RYANThe chains bit into my fur, cold metal wrapped tight around my legs and muzzle. Every bump in the road sent pain rippling through my body and I could feel the bullets still lodged inside me, burning like hot coals beneath my skin.My wolf whimpered deep in my chest. We were weak. So weak I could barely feel him anymore, like he was fading into some dark corner of my mind where I couldn't reach him.I had to stay like this. Had to remain a wolf.If I shifted back now, if my body gave out and forced the transformation, they'd see my face. They'd know exactly who I was. Ryan Blackwood. The CEO who'd just opened that new penthouse in Barcelona. The man whose face had been plastered all over the news for days.Everything I'd worked for would be gone. Not just my career, my reputation, my entire life. They'd dissect everything. My company. My past. And worse… they'd find Olivia. They'd connect her to me, and then she'd never be safe again.I couldn't let that happen.But God, I didn't
OLIVIAThe person standing in front of me looked exactly like Ryan. The same face. The same eyes. The same everything.My chest pounded painfully in my chest. "Ryan?" I whispered, my voice cracking. He didn't answer immediately, just stood there in the doorway, watching me with an expression I couldn't read. My mind scrambled to make sense of it. How was he here? How was he standing? How was he…I tried to remember what happened. The forest. The soldiers closing in. Ryan bleeding out in my arms. Then the wolf, the massive silver-black wolf that looked just like Ryan's, carrying me away while I screamed. Leaving Ryan behind.My heart skipped. "Did you go back?" I breathed, my eyes scanning him. "Did the wolf... did he rescue you?"Oh thank God Ryan was here. Alive without a single visible injury. But that didn't make sense. It couldn't make sense. He'd been shot multiple times. I'd felt his blood soaking through my hands, seen the color drain from his face. He should be in critical c







