CHAPTER 16 – SECRET MISSION

CHAPTER 16 – SECRET MISSION
Sloane P.O.V

It looks like a big farmhouse, but there an electrified fence around its perimeter, and at least two manned gates. Through the fence I can see a loading dock, where two huge and modern trucks are being loaded with boxes. I wonder if this building is just a warehouse, or some kind of factory, although I could not fathom what they could be producing here, the boxes don’t seem the kind to contain anything edible.
Actually, I don’t even know why I’m snooping around this place, it might be a legitimate business, for all I know. Only, the high security and the unmapped road are making alarm bells blare in my head, and my wolf feels restless around here, like everyone’s on edge or on the lookout.
When one of the fully loaded trucks departs, I decide to follow it, to see where it goes. I stick to the woods, this way they don’t see me, and just as I predicted, the truck passes through the border to Silver Moon’s pack, where unfortunately I can’t follow without being noticed.
Out of other options, I run back to the packhouse to find Daniel and get his opinion on what I’ve seen. After a quick discussion, we both agree that we should check out that place, it just looks too suspicious. We will go tomorrow night, this way we’ll have enough time to plan out everything, especially if we are caught by any chance.

Nathan P.O.V

I still can’t believe she Alpha commanded me to keep my distance from her. Petty vengeful woman!
I told her I wanted to be friends with her, spend some time together, and there she goes cutting me off completely.
Deep down I know that I’m the one at fault; I would lose my shit too if she had a lover, my wolf would completely go bonkers. But in my defence, I haven’t had sex with Evelyn since Sloane has come to stay at the Glowing River Pack, and it is not fair of her to resent me for my past actions. I should be given the courtesy of a clean slate. Or at least she should let me explain, instead of running away and shutting me out.
And imagine my surprise when this morning, at training, I find out that Sloane has changed team, she’s swapped places with Evelyn, without even asking her first.
I don’t know if this is some kind of sick game to monitor my interactions with her, see if I’ll slip and touch her inappropriately. I hope this is not her plan, because by the Goddess, I won’t stand for it. Or maybe I should do just that, play in to that part, pretend that Evelyn and I have a thing, make her jealous until she bursts and finally confronts me face to face, like an adult, instead of hiding like a vengeful teenager.
I fucking hate the mate bond and everything that comes with it! 
At lunch in the canteen, I see her enter with Mason and Daniel, they are chatting about something, but she seems kind of lost in thought. I take advantage of her distraction to scoot closer to Evelyn on the bench.
Evelyn turns to me questioningly, but I just smile at her and ask her, whispering in her ear, if she’s free later after training. She gives me a suspicious look but nods in agreement, and I smile widely, making a good show of our interaction.
A glance sideways tells me that my efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, Sloane has stopped in her tracks and she’s staring right at me, and although her expression in void of any emotion, I know very well the volcano of angry lava that is boiling in her brain.
She notices me staring back, and instead of coming over, or lining up to get her food tray, she turns on her heels and takes the stairs to the second floor, most probably to her room.
Run as long as you like, but sooner or later, you will have to confront me, little devil.
To my surprise, when I’m walking out of the packhouse, Daniel, Sloane’s Beta approaches me and asks me to talk in private. At first, I thought it was about my argument with Sloane, but his next words take me by surprise.
“I know that you are loyal to your Alpha, as any warrior should be, but Alpha Sloane and I have reason to believe that Alpha Axel might be implicated in drug and child trafficking. It might come as a shock for you, but I sincerely hope you will help us do the right thing.”
There have been many rumours about Axel being waste deep in shady businesses, so this doesn’t really come as news to my ears, but child trafficking? That I cannot condone.
“Sure, what do you need my help with?” 
“Sloane has noticed an isolated but well-guarded farmhouse on a road in the forest, which is not present in the shared maps, like it’s been hidden on purpose. We want to check that out tonight, but we need someone from the inside to help us in.”
“Alright, I can do that, on one condition,” I raise one finger for emphasis.
“Which is?”
“I’m coming with you,” I say firmly, in a tone that doesn’t admit refusal.
“I don’t think Sloane would be ok with that,” Daniel points out hesitantly.
“I honestly don’t care. It’s either I go with you, or no one goes. Your choice.”
He pursues his lips and studies me for a second, before he warns, “Sloane is currently very upset with you, so much that she’s considering rejecting you and put an end to both your sufferings.”
His words reach my ears like a punch in the guts. She wants to reject me. I suddenly feel cold all over, panicked like I’ve never been before in my life, not even in battle.
I mean, I should be happy, that’s what I wanted from the very start, but now that I’ve held her in my arms, now that I’ve kissed those pouty lips, I can’t let her go, I can’t bear not to be able to be close to her like that ever again.
This will be my opportunity to talk to her, without prying ears trying to butt into our business. I’ll make her change her mind; we can definitely work it out. We can’t be official mates, but maybe she can accept to be my girlfriend, we’ll just have to keep a low profile, so that her father won’t know about us.
“I still want to go. Do we have a deal?” I ask Daniel, pretending that his words haven’t shocked to the core.
He rolls his eyes, in a Sloanish way, and replies, a little exasperatedly, “Ok, but I won’t tell Sloane you’re coming beforehand, otherwise she might decide to back out.”
“That works for me. We meet at 11 p.m., outside the west gate. Try not to be seen leaving.”
He nods in agreement and goes back inside the packhouse, while I make my way back to training thinking of all the ways today’s evening could go wrong. 
After training, which has become tedious now that Sloane has switched teams, I’m getting ready for our mission in my room, when the door suddenly opens without forewarning, and Evelyn struts in, dressed in quite revealing top and skinny jeans. 
When she sees me in my warrior uniform, she tilts her head perplexed.
“Are you on duty? I thought we were going out on a date.”
Fuck! I completely forgot about that.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you, Wilson needed the night off and couldn’t find anyone to replace him, so I volunteered.”
I make an apologetic expression, and she purses her lips, looking displeased.
“Is it because of Alpha Sloane?”
“What does she have to do with anything?” I try to maintain a non-committal tone.
She scoffs and rolls her eyes in a very dramatic way, before she closes the distance between us in a few steps and starts working on straightening my shirt’s collar. 
“Since she’s come to stay at our pack, you haven’t invited me to your room once, and yesterday I’ve found you two making out in this room. Do you two have a thing?” 
She’s trying to sound nonchalant, but it’s clear that she’s not happy about it.
“Are you jealous? You know that you and I are just friends, sometimes we fool around but we are not exclusive.”
I purposely don’t deny what happened yesterday with Sloane; the truth is that we do have a thing, and I hope this thing can keep going, although not in a serious direction.
She smiles the tightest smile I’ve ever seen on her face and then says sweetly, while pressing her body to mine, “I know, I was just curious, that’s it. Tell me, does she kiss as well as me?” 
Actually, one hundred times better, there’s no way to compare it, kissing Sloane is like flying on cloud nine and not wanting to ever come down. But of course, I’m not going to hurt her feelings by saying this, so I settle for,
“You two are just different. Now, I really need to go before I’m late for my shift. See you tomorrow at training.”
I hurriedly run from the room and jog to the location I’m supposed to meet with Daniel and Sloane. I get there early, and when they show up right on time, I come out from my hiding spot, making Sloane’s eyes pop out of their sockets.
“What is he doing here?” she asks Daniel accusingly.
“We needed someone from the inside.” 
That’s the only explanation he gives her, before they start arguing via mind-link, while I pretend, I’m not bothered by her reaction. 
To my amusement, she clearly loses the fight in the end and starts sulking like a wronged kid.
“Shall we?” I offer, leading the way, and they both follow silently behind me.
This is going to be fun.