Chapter 114 Chapter 114

Chapter 114 Chapter 114
"It called me brother," Lucious said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Apollo woke me immediately, his energy surging to protect me."

I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. "Diamond did the same. She's still on high alert."

We stood in the dim hallway, the moonlight casting long shadows across the polished floor. Through our bond, I could feel Apollo's golden energy intertwining with Diamond's silver light, both wolves communicating in ways beyond human understanding.

"It's real," Lucious murmured. "The shadow realm, the ancient one, it's all real."

"And getting closer," I agreed. "Whatever barrier has kept it contained all these centuries is weakening."

My brother ran a hand through his sleep-tousled hair, his eyes troubled. "The Priestess warned me this might happen. She said as our powers grew stronger, we might become more... visible to entities beyond our world."

"Like beacons in the dark," I whispered, understanding immediately. Our combined power, especially after the cleansing ritual, had drawn attention we hadn't anticipated.

"I think we need to accelerate our plans," Lucious said, his voice gaining strength with resolve. "If this entity can reach us in dreams now, who knows what it might be capable of in three weeks?"

I nodded, decision crystallising. "We'll move on to the Idaho facility first. Moonstone seems to be the epicentre of whatever they're planning."

"Agreed. But we'll need help, more than just the Maxwell pack can provide."

An idea struck me, one that Diamond immediately approved with a surge of silver energy. "The wolves we freed from the Montana facility. Those who've recovered enough might want to help rescue others still captive."

Lucious's eyes lit up. "They'd know the Northern Alliance protocols better than anyone. And they have personal motivation."

"We should talk to Alpha Maxwell first thing in the morning," I said, feeling more centred now that we had the beginnings of a plan. "And the Priestess. We need to understand what we're truly facing."

My brother nodded, then hesitated, his gaze dropping briefly to my still-flat stomach. "Are you sure you should be involved in this? Given your... condition?"

I placed a protective hand over my abdomen. "That's exactly why I need to be involved. This isn't just about us anymore, Lucious. It's about the future. All our futures."

He smiled slightly, the expression softening his features in a way that reminded me painfully of our mother in the few photographs I'd seen. "You sound like an Alpha already."

"I'm learning," I admitted. "Sometimes I still feel like I'm playing a role, pretending to be someone stronger and wiser than I really am."

"You're not pretending," he assured me, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "I've seen you with the pack, with the rescued children. This is who you were always meant to be.”

I felt a strange comfort in hearing my brother's words. Even after everything he'd been through, Lucious still found the strength to build me up. It was a reminder that despite the Northern Alliance's best efforts, they hadn't been able to corrupt his true nature.

"Thank you," I said softly. "We should try to get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

He nodded, but hesitated before turning away. "If it reaches out again, this presence, let me know immediately. Even if it's the middle of the night."

"I will," I promised. "You do the same."

We parted ways, and I slipped back into the bedroom where my mates still slept peacefully. As I settled carefully between Kane and Fin, I felt Diamond's vigilance ease slightly, comforted by their proximity. Yet I couldn't shake the lingering chill of that voice from the darkness, the way it had called me "sister" with such terrible familiarity.

Sleep was elusive for the rest of the night, but I must have dozed off eventually because the next thing I knew, morning light was streaming through the windows and Liam was gently shaking my shoulder.

"Sera," he murmured, using the nickname only my mates called me. "Alpha Maxwell has called an emergency meeting. Something's happened."

I sat up immediately, all traces of sleepiness vanishing. "What is it?"

"Another group of survivors arrived during the night," he explained, handing me a cup of the ginger-mint tea that had become my morning ritual. "From the Dakota facility this time. They're saying the Northern Alliance is accelerating their timeline."

Cold dread pooled in my stomach. "Operation Eclipse?"

"It seems so. They've moved it up to next week."

I swore under my breath, Diamond's alarm mirroring my own. We'd thought we had three weeks, but our window was rapidly closing. I dressed quickly while Liam filled me in on what little information we had. The new survivors, just six of them, had risked everything to bring us this warning, barely escaping with their lives.

When we reached the command centre, it was already buzzing with activity. Alpha Maxwell stood at the central table with Kane and Fin, while Brent paced nearby, his restless energy filling the room. Lucious was deep in conversation with the Priestess, both of them looking grave.

"Seraphina," Alpha Maxwell greeted me formally, his expression serious. "We have a situation."

"I heard," I said, moving to join them. "Operation Eclipse has been moved forward. What else do we know?"

One of the new survivors, a gaunt man with haunted eyes, stepped forward. "They're preparing for a major ritual at the Moonstone facility," he explained, his voice rough from disuse. "All non-essential personnel have been reassigned there. They're gathering their most powerful wolves."