Dawn’s POV
The morning light filtering through the bunkhouse windows found already awake, staring at the ceiling as the events of the previous night crashed over like waves. When I finally turned my head, Asher’s eyes were already open, watching with an expression I couldn’t quite decipher.
The silence between us was fucking awkward. I didn’t know what the hell to say to him now. I couldn’t get it out of my head: he was a fucking wolf. Not just any werewolf, but one planted here by Damien and Elena, sent specifically to get close to . His entire presence in this Hunter training facility was a carefully orchestrated lie designed to awaken sothing in that I wasn’t sure I wanted awakened.
The betrayal mixed with confusion left speechless. I had trained my entire life for monts like this, yet nothing had prepared for the complexity of discovering that soone I’d grown to trust was exactly what I’d been taught to hunt.
I forced myself to get ready for breakfast, going through the motions chanically. It wasn’t until I was pulling on my boots that I noticed the conspicuous absence of Koa and Nico. Their bunks were empty, stripped of the few personal belongings they’d been allowed to keep.
A chill ran down my spine. Sothing was wrong.
The feeling only intensified when I stepped outside the bunkhouse and found Corbin waiting for , his usual relaxed deanor replaced by sothing more rigid and official.
"Dawn." His voice carried an edge I’d never heard before. "You’re wanted in the office."
I nodded without speaking and fell into step behind him. The walk across the compound felt longer than usual, each step heavy with dread. The morning air that should have been refreshing felt thick and oppressive instead.
As we approached the main building, the chaos beca impossible to ignore. People rushed past us with urgent expressions, voices carried from open windows, and the general atmosphere crackled with tension. Whatever had happened, it was big enough to throw the entire facility into overdrive.
We stopped outside Captain Blackwood’ office, and Corbin’s knock echoed in the hallway. The familiar voice called for us to enter, but sothing in the tone made my stomach twist.
Blackwood stood with his back to us, silhouetted against the window, hands clasped behind him as he surveyed the training grounds below. The morning sunlight cast harsh shadows across his face when he finally turned.
"Beautiful morning, isn’t it, Dawn?" His voice carried a satisfaction that made my skin crawl.
"Yes sir," I managed, though beautiful was the last word I’d use to describe how this morning felt.
"I find it quite beautiful indeed." His smile was all teeth and no warmth. "Because last night, we achieved sothing that many thought impossible."
My heart began to hamr against my ribs. The knots in my stomach tightened as I tried to keep my expression neutral. Around us, the sounds of activity continued, voices and footsteps creating a symphony of urgency that my enhanced hearing picked up with crystal clarity.
That’s when it happened. A voice, clear as day, spoke directly into my mind.
"This is very bad."
I jerked slightly, looking around the room for the source, but saw only Blackwood and Corbin. My confusion must have shown on my face.
"Don’t look around like that. You’ll appear unstable. And don’t speak aloud. We can communicate without words."
My breath caught. "Who are you?"
"Nyx. I’m your wolf." The voice carried a mixture of urgency and ancient wisdom. "Koa and Nico had to run. They were discovered."
"Are you feeling alright?" Blackwood’ sharp question cut through my internal conversation.
"Fine, sir. Thank you." I fought to keep my voice steady.
Through the chaos of my thoughts, another sensation hit . A scent, familiar and comforting, though I couldn’t place its source. It definitely wasn’t coming from anyone in this room.
Blackwood moved closer, his predatory smile widening. "I understand you had quite an eventful evening."
My blood turned to ice. "I’m not sure what you an, sir."
How could he know? Asher and I had been so careful. Every precaution had been taken.
"Koa and Nico." The nas dropped from his lips like stones. "They’ve vanished. Disappeared in the night like the wolves they truly were."
I let genuine shock color my expression. "Wolves? That’s impossible. How could werewolves infiltrate a Hunter facility?"
"An excellent question." His eyes never left my face, searching for any tell, any sign of deception. "You’re saying you never suspected anything unusual about them?"
I drew on every bit of training I’d ever received, channeling the confusion and betrayal I genuinely felt about Asher into my response about Koa and Nico.
"How could I have known? My combat experience is limited to brief encounters. The first ti, Luna Elena interrupted before I could engage properly. The second ti, the entire pack had evacuated before I arrived." I t his gaze directly. "I’ve trained extensively, but training and real-world recognition are different things. I’ve never been face-to-face with werewolves long enough to develop that instinct."
Blackwood nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with my explanation. "A valid point."
I glanced back at Corbin, who stood motionless behind , absorbing every word of our exchange. His presence felt heavier now, more watchful.
Despite my fear, one thing remained clear in my mind. Asher and I hadn’t been caught. Whatever had exposed Koa and Nico, it hadn’t touched us. Sohow, Asher had managed to keep us safe from detection during our midnight excursion.
The question now was how long that protection would last, and what Blackwood planned to do with the knowledge that werewolf spies had successfully infiltrated his operation.
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