Azalea

I paced the floor, waiting for Liam to link, call, or do anything. The boys were curled up asleep on the couch, nestled in blankets. Leo hadn't woken up, forcing Felix to lift him from his bed and bring him here. After some coaxing and gentle pulling, Junior followed me but quickly fell back asleep in our room. Felix stood by the door, arms crossed, his usual serious expression etched on his face. Even if Liam had linked him about the prison incident, I knew Felix wouldn't tell me without Liam's permission. His loyalty to Liam was admirable, but also incredibly frustrating.

The guard had said something was happening at the prison, and that worried me. I'd denied every request from Gwen and her therapist to release her. My conversations with her therapist hadn't eased my concerns about her recovery. Although she'd long since been forgiven, I still didn't trust my children's safety with her roaming freely. Her adamant insistence that I didn't deserve to be Liam's mate fueled my fear of her retaliating against my children more than anything. I'd gradually made her lodgings more comfortable, but I wasn't ready for her release.

A small pain flared in my side, but I ignored it, chewing my fingernail and continuing my pacing. "Luna, sit," Felix's gruff voice commanded from the doorway.

"No," I retorted. "Not until I know what's going on." I didn't leave room for argument, knowing he wouldn't offer one. Felix remained motionless, watching me pace.

My phone rang from the table, and I lunged for it, answering without checking the caller ID. "Liam?" I asked urgently.

"No, Lea, it's me. What's going on?" Lily's worried voice asked. "Damien just left in a hurry, telling me to stay put. What's happening? Austin said he got orders to lock down the pack house!"

"I don't know. I was with Liam in his office when a guard from the prison burst in, saying Liam needed to come immediately. He didn't explain anything before Liam made me get the kids and go to our room," I explained rapidly.

"Liam and Damien both have their blocks up. Damien said Liam needed to see him," she said, her worry evident. It was unlike them to exclude us. Liam usually ensures the situation is under control before letting me near it, and I don't blame him. His concern for my safety can be a distraction in dangerous situations. I try not to push him, but I hate not knowing, and I hate Lily being in the dark even more.

"Lily, I'm worried," I confessed.

"Lea, you're pacing! You need to sit down; this isn't good for the baby," she fussed.

"Lily, I left Liam almost an hour ago. He should have contacted me by now. No link, no call, not even a message. And Felix either doesn't know anything or isn't telling me," I said, glancing at my ever-present bodyguard. His stoic expression gave nothing away, revealing nothing about whether my mate had linked him without telling me.

"I'm coming over. Delilah and Lucas are in their rooms, and there are patrol wolves on every floor. Tell your brute I'll be there in a minute and to let me in," she said. I nodded, forgetting she was on the phone. The line went dead, and I replaced my phone, hugging myself.

"Felix, Lily will be here any minute," I said softly. He gave a slight nod. I resumed pacing, rubbing my arms. The longer I didn't hear from Liam, the more anxious I became. If someone was hurt, I needed to know. Missy still hadn't returned, and her absence added to my worry. I knew calling her during a run was pointless, and I silently cursed the Moon Goddess for not allowing me to link anyone but Liam.

Sure enough, there was a firm knock. Felix turned, pausing before opening the door; I was sure he was linking Lily for verification. Once he unlocked it, she pushed it open forcefully, nearly knocking him over. She rushed to me, pulling me into a hug. "Oh, Lea. They'll tell us soon. If Liam didn't immediately call Damien, it couldn't have been that dangerous," she attempted to reassure me. I hugged my best friend tightly.

"Lily, Damien didn't say anything? He didn't say why Liam called for him?" I asked.

"No, he didn't. He just said to stay put. Austin was the one who told me the pack house is on lockdown," she replied. I knew she was worried too. They don't often leave us out of the loop. "Let's sit down." She guided me to the bed. Letting go, she frowned. "You're shaking. Let me get you a sweater. Where's that hoodie?" she asked, heading towards the closet.

Liam

I couldn't believe my eyes. Gwen lay on the floor of her cell, her neck broken. The brutality of it made me cringe. The body was untouched. "When did this happen?" I asked.

"The guard stations at the end of the hall. Since she's the only one in this section, we check on her hourly. She was fine an hour ago, during the last check. We changed guards during that hour. The new guard found her like this during the next check," the wolf who'd retrieved me explained.

"I want the previous and current guard before me now," I demanded.

"They're waiting in the interrogation cells below, Alpha," he said. "We immediately sequestered them for your questioning."

"Good," I said, my anger rising. This was orchestrated; it had to be internal.

This was either one of the guards, or they let someone in, Gavin surmised in my mind.

"I agree," I said. "But what's the motive?"

She tried to kill their Luna. Any pack member aware of the events who's loyal to Little Mate would want to rip her head off, he reasoned.

"Just because you want to rip her head off doesn't mean everyone does. Plus, the only people who know are the Hales, us, and the guards who've been here," I countered. While I understood his reasoning, I needed to remain calm and logical. My gut told me this wasn't simple revenge for Gwen's attempt on Azalea's life years ago. Why the delay?

You're a fool if you think no one in this pack has wondered about her, Gavin sneered.

"I want this cell and the surrounding area thoroughly searched. Any evidence of others being present must be reported to me immediately. I also want a log of visitors for the past six months," I ordered. The guards nodded and began their work. The wolf who'd fetched me paused.

"Alpha, Miss Hale's only visitors have been Beta Damien, Mrs. Hale, and her therapist," he reported. "No one else. Beta Declan has never visited."

"I still want the record. Get the therapist here immediately. I need to speak with him," I instructed. He nodded and went to work.

"Damien," I linked, turning towards the interrogation cells.

"Yeah," he linked back lazily, sounding drowsy.

"Something's happened," I informed him.

"Where are you?" he asked, instantly more alert.

"I'm at the prison. Don't bring Lily. Just come quickly," I said.

"Understood. I'll be there in five minutes," he replied.

"Interrogation rooms first," I instructed, putting up my block to prevent Lily from seeking answers prematurely. Damien needed to be told first so he could inform his family.

I could feel Azalea's anxiety growing. We need to tell Little Mate, Gavin said.

"Not yet," I said. "I need answers. And I should tell her in person."

She's worried. It's bad for the pup, Gavin growled. I agreed, but I needed more information before telling her. I didn't know how she'd react, but it would be jarring. I needed to control the situation before telling her, ensuring I could be there to calm her.

Lily will go find her. She’ll call her when Damien doesn't tell her anything and she can't link us. She's with Felix; if this involves an outsider, she'll be safe, I said. Lily and Azalea were incredibly close. When Damien and I refused to tell Lily something, she went straight to Azalea, and vice versa.

Little Mate doesn't want Lily. She wants us, he countered. He was right, but first, my best friend needed me. I braced myself for his reaction as I waited for his arrival.