Chapter 110 Chapter 110

Chapter 110 Chapter 110
As the survivors were gently guided toward the guest wing, I noticed Peta hanging back, her eyes darting around nervously, an old habit from captivity, I suspected.
"There's something else, isn't there?" I asked quietly, moving closer to her.
She nodded, glancing around before lowering her voice. "I didn't want to say it in front of everyone, especially the children. But there's more. Before we escaped, I overheard the guards talking. They mentioned at least three other locations, one in Idaho, one somewhere in the Dakotas, and another they only referred to as 'the southern facility.'"
My stomach clenched at her words. Five facilities that we knew of now, Montana, Wyoming, and three more, are still operating. How many wolves were still trapped? How many children?
"Do you have any more details?" Kane asked, having moved close enough to hear. "Locations, security levels, numbers?"
Peta shook her head apologetically. "Only fragments. The guards were careful about what they said around us. But I know the Idaho facility was considered... worse than ours. They threatened to transfer troublemakers there."
"Worse how?" Lucious asked, his voice tight. He had come to stand beside me, his presence a steady anchor through our bond.
"I don't know exactly," Peta admitted. "But wolves who were sent there never came back."
A heavy silence fell over our small group. The implications were clear; whatever was happening at the Idaho facility was bad enough to be used as a threat against already captive wolves.
"We need intelligence before we can act," Fin said practically, joining our huddle. "Rushing in blind could get people killed, both our warriors and the captives."
"Agreed," Alpha Maxwell said. "I'll reach out to our network. Someone may have heard whispers about these locations."
"I want to help," Lucious said firmly. "I spent seventeen years inside their organisation. I might recognise names, locations, procedures that others would miss."
I wanted to protest; my brother had barely recovered from his own ordeal, but the determination in his eyes stopped me. He needed this, I realised. Needed to take action against the organisation that had shaped and manipulated him.
"Together, then," I said. "We do this together."
Peta watched our exchange with something like wonder in her eyes. "The rumours are true, then. About the two of you, the sun and moon reunited."
"How do you know about that?" I asked, surprised that such information had reached captive wolves.
"The guards talked," Peta explained. "After what happened at the Montana facility, your cleansing ritual, they were terrified. Said the Blackthorne heirs had returned and were going to destroy everything they'd built." A ghost of a smile touched her lips. "It gave us hope. Enough hope to finally try escaping."
The weight of that responsibility settled over me. Our actions had consequences beyond what we could see, ripples spreading outward, giving strength to those who had none.
"We won't let that hope be wasted," I promised. "Every facility will be found. Every captive will be freed."
Peta hesitated, then spoke again, her voice dropping even lower. "There's one more thing. Something I saw before we escaped."
"What is it?" I asked, noting the fear that had crept back into her expression.
"I saw documents on one of the guards' desks. I only caught a glimpse, but..." She swallowed hard, her eyes meeting mine with troubled intensity. "They mentioned you by name, Luna. Both names, Iris Delta and Seraphina Blackthorne. And there was a date circled. Three weeks from now."
The same date as the council meeting.
"What else did it say?" I pressed, my heart rate quickening.
"I couldn't read most of it. But there was a phrase at the top, underlined twice." Peta's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "Operation Eclipse."
Diamond stirred uneasily within me, her instincts sensing danger even without understanding its shape. Beside me, I felt Lucious tense, Apollo's golden presence flickering in his eyes.
"Eclipse," my brother murmured. "When the moon blocks the sun. Or the sun blocks the moon."
"When one sibling destroys the other," I finished, the implication hitting me like a physical blow. "They're still planning to turn us against each other."
"Not if we stop them first," Kane said grimly.
Alpha Maxwell's expression had hardened into something dangerous. "We need to find out more about this Operation Eclipse. Peta, can you describe exactly where you saw those documents? Which guard, which building?"
"I can try," Peta said, exhaustion evident in her voice despite her willingness to help. "But I was only in the administrative building once, when they were processing a new group of captives."
"That's enough for now," I said gently, seeing how she swayed on her feet. "You need rest. We all do. We can discuss this more tomorrow when you've recovered."
Peta nodded gratefully, allowing one of the pack members to guide her toward the guest quarters. I watched her go, my mind racing with everything she'd revealed.
"Three weeks," Lucious said quietly, moving to stand beside me. "The same timeline as the council meeting."
"And my pregnancy becoming more visible," I added, my hand unconsciously moving to my stomach. "They've been watching us. Planning."
"Then we need to be ready," Fin said, his analytical mind already working. "We know their timeline now. That's an advantage."
"We need to find those other facilities," I said firmly. "Before Operation Eclipse, whatever it is, can be implemented. If we can free the remaining captives, rescue the children..."
"We'd be cutting off their resources," Kane finished, nodding. "Fewer wolves under their control means fewer weapons they can use against us."
Brent cracked his knuckles, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "Sounds like we've got work to do."
I looked at my mates, my brother, my father-in-law, this family I'd never expected to have, who had become my entire world in such a short time. They were all looking back at me, waiting for my lead.
The frightened girl who'd been Iris Delta would have shrunken from this responsibility. But I wasn't her anymore. I was Seraphina Blackthorne-Maxwell, Luna of the combined Shadowmoon-Maxwell pack, carrier of the goddess's light, and I had people depending on me.
"Then let's get started," I said, my voice steady with resolve. "We have three weeks to dismantle what's left of the Northern Alliance. Let's make them count."
As we turned to begin planning our next moves, I felt Diamond's fierce approval pulse through me. The Silver Luna and her golden brother, surrounded by their pack, preparing to bring the fight to their enemies.
The Northern Alliance had tried to use us against each other. Instead, they'd created their own downfall.
And we were just getting started.