Briar’s POV
"They murdered Elena’s friends just to reach ?" The words left my mouth in a whisper, disbelief washing over like ice water.
"Exactly. Those vampires weren’t even dangerous. They survived on animal blood, never touched humans. That’s the only reason Luna Elena trusted them in the first place. Julian was decent too, from what I can recall. I was young back then, but he treated everyone fairly. He visited our pack territory several tis." Asher’s voice carried a weight of mory and regret.
Maybe pushing Asher away wasn’t my brightest move. He clearly understood this world far better than I ever would, and right now I desperately needed guidance.
The amount of werewolf knowledge I needed to absorb felt overwhelming. My brain threatened to shut down from information overload.
My training had focused entirely on elimination tactics. Nobody had bothered teaching about werewolf culture, their bonds, or their way of life. The oversight infuriated now.
I headed toward the library with determined steps, abandoning any thoughts of recreational reading. Today I wanted facts about the supernatural world that had been hidden from .
"Try this one. The information is solid." Asher pressed a thick book into my hands.
"It’s shelved with fiction." I frowned at the misleading placent.
"Has to be that way. Most personnel here don’t know werewolves exist." His words ca out barely above a whisper.
I claid a corner table and cracked open the book, diving straight into the opening Chapter about Astraea, the Peak Goddess who governed werewolf destiny.
"Tell about my siblings." I kept my voice low, hungry for details about the family stolen from .
"Caleb’s solid. He’ll make an exceptional Alpha when the ti cos. Then there’s Finn and Tate, the young twins. They’re complete terrors right now, but that phase passes. Werewolf kids always seem hyperactive to outsiders, but it’s just excess energy. Totally normal for our kind.
Seraphina’s the youngest. She’s less chaotic than the twins, but she’s got attitude for days. Definitely inherited that from Luna Elena.
That little girl will tell anyone exactly how things should be done. Just like your mother actually. Elena takes control of situations and sees them through to completion." Asher’s description painted vivid pictures in my mind.
A smile tugged at my lips despite everything. These were my blood relatives, and apparently I shared so of their fundantal traits. Characteristics that had been programd into my DNA from birth by my real parents.
"How do we break them out of prison?" The question ca out matter-of-fact.
Asher’s eyes widened in surprise at my directness.
Yesterday I’d been questioning everything about my werewolf heritage, doubting whether Elena and Damien were actually my parents.
But Blackwood had changed all that this morning with his manipulative gas. His actions had crystallized my certainty about my true identity.
They had stolen from my rightful life. This military existence wasn’t supposed to be my reality.
I belonged with Elena and Damien, with Caleb and the younger ones. My real na was Briar, which felt infinitely better than the fake identity of Dawn they’d forced on .
I had two little brothers and a sister who’d been ripped away from before I could even know them.
The Hunters had destroyed my life, my family, my entire future. My patience with their control was completely exhausted.
Getting my family out of their prison had beco my sole priority. I also needed to ensure these Hunters would leave all werewolves alone permanently. Staying calm required every ounce of self-control I possessed, and Asher was working overti to keep from completely losing it.
We needed a strategy, but planning would be challenging with so many people constantly around us.
Another helicopter appeared on the horizon, descending toward our base. More figures in black tactical gear erged from the aircraft. Additional Hunters ant escalation.
They were mobilizing for sothing massive, preparing to target every pack with overwhelming force.
The Hunters intended to eliminate the entire werewolf species, and from what I could observe, they planned to execute this genocide quickly and systematically.
Asher and I exchanged worried glances as we watched the new arrivals march across the base. The difficulty level of our rescue mission had just increased dramatically, but we couldn’t abandon the plan.
More helicopters dotted the distant sky, black specks growing larger as they approached. This wasn’t just reinforcent. This looked like preparation for war.
"They’re moving faster than we anticipated." Asher’s voice carried barely concealed anxiety.
"Which ans we need to move faster too." I closed the book and stood up. "How many packs are they holding?"
"I don’t know the exact count, but it’s not just your family. They’ve been collecting werewolves for weeks."
The scope of their operation hit like a physical blow. This wasn’t just about rescuing my parents and siblings anymore. Dozens of innocent werewolves were imprisoned here, waiting for whatever horrific fate the Hunters had planned.
"We can’t save everyone at once." The admission tasted bitter.
"No, but we can start with your family and work from there."
Asher was right. We had to prioritize, even though leaving others behind went against every instinct screaming inside .
The base buzzed with increased activity as more personnel arrived. Whatever tiline the Hunters were operating on, they were accelerating their schedule.
We were running out of ti, and I hadn’t even figured out where exactly they were keeping my family prisoner.
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