Chapter 135 – Sinclair Stages a Rescue

After waking from my dream with Ella, I immediately began working to find a way into the Royal Palace. I hoped Ella might escape on her own, but I wasn't taking any chances. I contacted Adolpho and my father for information on secret passages while Hugo and Roger assembled a small army of our best fighters. None of us had slept much since the battle—another of Lydia's tactics. The Prince and his men would be well-rested and energized, while mine would be exhausted. Still, Ella and the baby were all the motivation I needed.

Adolpho told me about a tunnel near the river that could help us breach the Palace without a violent assault that would attract public and media attention. This was good; it would be difficult to explain why the Moon Valley Alpha was attacking the Royal Residence, but I'd been prepared to do it if necessary. When I shared this with my father, he frowned thoughtfully. "What is it?" I asked.

"Are you sure you want to keep this quiet?" he asked, rubbing his jaw. "Maybe this is our chance to show the world Damon's true colors. No one would blame you for attacking if they knew the Prince kidnapped your mate, especially after you so valiantly defended the territory against the rogues—no one would accuse you of weakness."

I considered his words. We'd always kept our shadow war with the royal family secret because accusations without proof were more likely to backfire. However, this time there was plenty of action, and the early "all clear," along with Ella's testimony and injuries, could be the proof we needed. We hadn't found her guards' bodies, and the CCTV footage in the area had been erased, but we might not need a smoking gun if we could get Ella back safely.

"We will get her back safely," my wolf corrected fiercely. "And then we should kill Damon and Lydia. Just think of the possibilities," he suggested slyly, beginning a bloodthirsty rant.

I tuned out the violent images flooding my mind. I was again surprised by my wolf's willingness to harm our fated mate, but I shared his desire to eliminate the Prince. This had always been tempting, but I'd held back for the same reasons. Shaking my head, I groaned, "I fucking hate politics."

My father's lip quirked. "Care to share your train of thought?"

"If I accuse him without acting, I'm weak. But if I kill him without authorization from the Alpha Council, I'm an anti-government rogue—a usurper," I explained gruffly. "Sometimes I think the old ways were better. No diplomacy, no voting—just taking what's rightfully yours."

My father cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows, patiently waiting for me to reach the right conclusion. "I know, I know!" I griped. "That's what they did. That's the kind of ruler we're trying to protect the united packs from. But it still makes me want to rip my hair out. I hate that we have to play by the rules just to prove ourselves worthy of a position they stole by flouting them."

"But we do, because ultimately our responsibility is to the people, and we can't do that if we're exiled or deposed," Dad reasoned calmly.

This reminder, more than the implications for my campaign, made the decision for me. "And I have to do right by Ella, which I can't do if I'm distracted by politics. The most important thing is bringing her home safely, and that means using the plan that gives us the best chance. A full-scale incursion is riskier. Sneaking in through the evacuation tunnels and keeping a low profile is our best bet."

"Alright then," Dad agreed with a proud twinkle in his eye. "And afterward, we can consider how to handle the Prince."

I nodded, feeling calmer. I spent the rest of the day strategizing and waiting anxiously for Ella's call. Every ring or notification made my heart leap, only to sink when it was one of my men or a news alert. We'd been inundated with media requests since the rogue attack, and though I was worried about the optics, I'd refused to hold a press conference. I sent Hugo to issue a press release while I focused on the rescue, hoping that would suffice.

I called the Prince an hour before his deadline to set our meeting, figuring that if Ella hadn't escaped by then, she wasn't going to. I used the same protocol as our first rendezvous, promising to send the location shortly. Meanwhile, I mobilized my team to the tunnel entrance and sent backup squadrons to surround the palace. Nearly every enforcer was ready to infiltrate if the plan failed. I hoped the Prince would empty the palace of guards for the meeting.

We saw them leave—truckloads of shifters heading toward our meeting point. I immediately guided my forces into the passage, moving at a steady trot. It was about a thousand meters to the tunnel entrance, which led into the opulent palace library through a bookcase. I'd been there before and knew it was in the east wing. Luckily, it was unguarded. I moved to the windows to gauge our location. I wouldn't be able to pick up Ella's scent until we were closer; the palace was too large.

"Okay, we've got ground to cover, boys," I said determinedly. "Keep your eyes and ears open."

I opened the door, checked the corners, and emerged into the corridor. We stealthily moved through the halls, checking corners and dispatching unsuspecting guards. We tried to hide their bodies to avoid detection, but our scents would betray us. When we crossed the second-floor atrium, I finally caught Ella's scent, and it was simply a matter of following my nose. I kept an eye on the outside to ensure our path matched the room Ella described.

Reaching the third-floor corridor, I knew we were in the right place by the guards at Ella's door. I dealt with them quickly, letting my enforcers hide the bodies while I stormed inside. The room was as Ella described, and her scent was everywhere. I scanned the area, noticing the drawn curtains and unmade bed. Worry surgedif she'd found a way out, why hadn't I heard from her?

I saw a piece of paper on the desk, covered in Ella's handwriting. I chuckled at her sassy note, though it offered no comfort. She'd found a passage but hadn't contacted me. She was either lost or caught. I pocketed the note. Ideally, the Prince would find our scent and the disabled guards, assuming we'd taken Ella the same way we'd entered. In reality, we'd be elsewhere.

"All right, let's move," I ordered. It took a minute to open the passage, but once we did, my team stormed into the fireplace, ducking under the low ceiling. The last man shut the passage, and darkness fell. Ella's sweet scent filled the air—all I could smell.

Milesa fresh stab of fear. My little troublemaker could only walk for twenty minutes at a timewhat if she wasn't lost or recaptured, but further down the tunnel having a medical crisisor worse?

"We're running," I announced, my voice echoing. "Try to keep up."

I took off into the darkness, hoping we weren't too late.

Shuffle! Shuffle!