29. Opal
I linger in the shadows, dressed in nothing but black as I sneak through the prison hallways, heart thumping in my chest.
This is where they lock up the Rogues and sentence them to death.
Ella was one of the lucky ones, and I push the morose thoughts aside.
I have a mission to complete, and I cannot afford to get distracted.
The warden is counting on me.
He has gone radio silent since he appeared in the bookstore, but I know he is aware of everything that is happening.
Every spike of fear and dread as I evade guards at every turn.
When a troop of black armored men move down the hall, I crouch in the shadows, ignoring the painful beats of my heart as they pass.
Fuck. My scent is strong, and if I’m not careful, one of them will sniff me out.
Luckily for me, they wear face shields.
It may just be enough to mask their sense of smell.
My face burns beneath my stealth suit of black. It covers my mouth and nose, leaving only my eyes exposed as I carry out my mission.
I left the dresses and high heels back at the pack house.
Just one small knife is all the protection I have as well as my claws.
When I’m sure the guards are gone, I slink out from the shadows, staying clear of any security cameras.
When one camera rotates, I merge with the shadows, counting each wet heartbeat until it does another sequence.
So far, so good.
No alarms go off.
I’m safe.
For now…
How will I even make it out of here after I kill the governor?
The warden expects me to return to him, but did he ever stop to think that I wouldn’t make it out?
This could very well be a suicide mission I have embarked on here.
Unless he doesn’t care…
Maybe I truly am expendable.
After all, he has hundreds of more Omegas like me.
Others who can do his bidding.
I traipse more hallways, then slip up more stairs until I find the one room I'm looking for.
The warden’s office.
This is it.
My fate awaits me on the other side of that door.
Still, I hesitate a few moments, thinking of the pack.
This will devastate them.
Gryphon is their head of state.
I will throw their world into utter chaos.
But my hands are tied; I have no choice.
Otherwise, the warden will make me kill them, and I won’t have their blood on my hands.
I don’t know Gryphon.
He is a stranger to me…
But he isn’t a stranger to Mila and Belle.
No. He’s pretty much Belle’s brother, and to Mila, he is her Alpha.
Her world.
I can’t do this.
A shock runs through me, and then my body moves of its own accord as I make my way to the office.
My movements aren’t my own anymore.
This is all the warden.
He is tugging my strings again.
Hopefully, Gryphon is alone.
He won’t be unarmed, but if I am lucky, I may have just gotten him at a bad moment.
To my surprise, the door clicks open, and it’s dark inside.
Good.
He isn’t here.
I can wait in the shadows until he returns.
Just as I sneak into the room, searching the dark shapes for a place to hide, the lights switch on, and I whirl around.
There, I meet the burgundy eyes of the Alpha I have come to kill.
The eyes of Gryphon Hart.
They burn red. “You must be Opal. I’ve been waiting for you…”
My world crashes around me, and then I hang my head.
I failed.
But it's just as well.
Because the warden cuts all my strings.
He finally breaks our bond, and now his bite no longer burns at the nape of my neck, the one I keep hidden beneath my hair at all times.
I am free.
No longer his puppet.
Now, I must face the music alone.
For I am definitely a goner.
There is no way they will let me live after this, and I knew Oliver suspected me.
Hence why he warned his Alpha in advance.
I just hope Zayden can hear me somewhere as I didn’t mean to betray him.
Ever.
But I had no choice.
We’re not bonded, but he may just hear me when I say, “I’m sorry, Zayden.”
END Will Opal make her way back to Zayden and the rest of Pack Gold? Find out in Seized , part eight of The Beta Trials. Coming in summer 2025 (the date on the product page is just a placeholder for now).