Chapter 166 Shadows Beneath the Spotlight

Chapter 166 Shadows Beneath the Spotlight

Back at headquarters, Simon was losing his patience.
“The surge is spreading rapidly,” he said, walking anxiously around the power chamber like a trapped animal. “They are trying to crash the mainframe, and if that fails- ”
“The wards around the city will collapse,” Jacob completed grimly.
“We need to find the source of the surge,” Simon said. “Where is the strongest pulse coming from?”
Jacob scrolled rapidly through the readings on his laptop for a while, and then his eyes suddenly widened. “It is here!” he exclaimed excitedly. “This block near the power sector, there is a convergence point there, something they are feeding energy into.”
“Like a battery.”
“Or a bomb.”
Without waiting, Simon grabbed his coat. “I am going. Stay here, monitor it remotely.”
“Understood sir,” Jacob answered, watching him hurry off.
When Simon arrived at the location, he crept around the security guards on duty, cloaking his scent to evade any supernatural presence. As soon as he reached the main power grid, a shocking sight awaited him when he spied at a small hidden supply room close to the control office of the power grid.
A circle of witches stood around a glowing stone altar they had erected, with their hands raised and their voices unified in an ancient chant. A vampire stood guard at the entrance, while two shifted werewolves patrolled their perimeter.
“So these are the people behind these evil surges,” he whispered to himself. “Time to crash the party.”
He pulled out two smoke bombs and threw them into the center of the ritual. A burst of white smoke exploded, shattering the chanting.
The witches screamed and vanished, while he took out the vampire in an instant with a wooden stake he always carried for emergencies. He shifted immediately after that to his werewolf form, fully ready for battle, but the two werewolf guards fled without attacking.
All alone, Simon proceeded to destroy the altar, then called Jacob immediately to confirm that all was normal again at the office and the entire city.
From a distant rooftop, Elara was watching him with hate and anger. She hissed, turned away, and called Maverick immediately. “They just took out the power grid group, Simon found them.”
“Don't worry about that,” Maverick said, laughing darkly on the other side of the phone. “Let them have it. It was only meant to test their response.”
“A test?” Elara asked, irritated that Maverick had not let her in on the plan.
Much to her surprise, Maverick suddenly stepped out of a shadow behind her.
“There is nothing to worry about my love, next time, we won’t aim to disrupt–We will aim to destroy.”
Elara said nothing, but Maverick leaned closer and kissed her passionately.
“I have a job for you, my darling.”

A few days after the episode at the power grid when Simon had finally been able to tell Alex everything that happened that night, Alex finally decided that it was time for some serious answers.
“How exactly are you planning on getting the answers you want?” Simon asked for the hundredth time that evening.
Alex did not look up from the shirt he was checking out in the mirror, taking his time to make sure it was perfect before finally responding. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve, and I would advise you to stop worrying about me.”
“It is not you I am worried about,” Simon shot back defensively. “I am worried about future Luna Avery. You are taking her out, and you have not even told her where you are going.”
Alex chuckled. “Avery is in good hands, and like I said earlier, I am only going to pay a quick visit to some old friends, and possibly find a few answers to the recent happenings.”
Simon finally gave up arguing, and an hour later, Alex and Avery left the estate.
“Are you finally going to tell me where we are going?” Avery asked as they drove into the night.
Alex only smiled and took her hand lovingly. “We are going to a party, kind of like a date and work stuff.”
“So you need work to take me on a date?” Avery asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
“Not really, babe,” he said laughing. “I received an invite to a party, and it is going to have a lot of supernaturals in attendance. It will be a good place to start getting ideas on what has been happening lately.”
“Oh!” Avery exclaimed. “I get it now, why did you not say so sooner?”
“Because I wanted to really take you on a date also,” he said smiling.
When they arrived at the party, Alex and Avery quickly drew attention with their entrance. They were the perfect definition of a power couple, a perfect combination of beauty and wealth. His hand stayed protectively around Avery's waist, feeling proud as he saw everyone steal jealous glances at them.
They had come under the pretense of diplomacy. To mingle, to gather information, and to remind the supernatural world that Alex Ravenswood's pack was still the most powerful and dangerous group in the city of Tenebrous.
Alex had barely shaken the hand of an old vampire baron when the crowd parted like curtains, and in walked the storm herself.
Elara. Whom her father desperately pleaded for and to avoid inter-pack conflict, Alex had overlooked her past antics.
She was stunning, as always, spotting a wavy silver gown that danced and glowed like a living part of her. Her dark hair was swept into an elegant crown braid. She walked towards them with so much purpose that even the warlocks and high fae step aside cautiously.
Avery’s hand instinctively curled around Alex’s arm as she watched Elara approach them like a storm. “She looks like trouble, why is she even here?”
“Don’t indulge her, she is not our target.” Alex whispered softly.
Elara finally reached them with a gracious smile that was clearly a scam. “Alpha Alex,” she said smoothly. “It is so nice to see you again, I had no idea you would be attending.”
“What do you want, Elara?” he replied coldly. “I thought I warned you to stay away from me.”
“Oh really? Don't flatter yourself darling, I have gotten over my love for you a long time ago,” Elara said, smiling wickedly. “I represent several magical guilds now, so you are often likely to find me at high profile events like this.”
Avery scoffed, and Elara turned to her instantly, her smile fading into a look of disdain.
“And I see you brought your–disgusting human plaything.” She hissed at Alex.
Avery scowled at her. “Hi. Elara, the rejected one, nice to see you again.”
Elara let out a sharp, almost amused exhale. “Still has that sharp tongue don't you? I do hope it does not get you bitten.”
Alex’s voice cut in quickly in a warning tone. “Be careful, Elara. Or do you still want to take that trip to Africa?”