Chapter 14 #2
I reminded myself, over and over, of who and what I was: Sera Moore, trained assassin of the Watch.
Wolves were targets, enemies. They were dangerous beasts who destroyed lives, shattered families, left ruin in their wake.
Every gentle touch, every concerned glance was a carefully constructed lie, nothing more.
I wouldn’t be fooled.
Ahead of me, Logan’s soft voice broke through my silent thoughts, tense with urgency. “Aidan, tell us exactly where you last saw Declan. We need to pinpoint a location if we’re going to have a chance at finding him in time.”
Aidan exhaled roughly, his voice strained, clearly battling his own guilt and pain.
“We were about half a mile from the main street leading toward the docks, right by that old church on Mill Street. That’s when the lycans hit us, but then the Elder Lycan showed up, and everything went to hell.
He took Declan and dragged him away heading south, toward the old warehouses near the waterfront. ”
Edward’s voice sharpened with obvious calculation. “Warehouses are a good location to hide. Lots of cover, plenty of exit points.”
Jamie nodded grimly. “Plenty of blind spots and ambush points too. We move in carefully.”
Aidan’s voice dropped lower, strain evident in every syllable. “If he got bit… we don’t have long. I can’t lose him too, Logan.”
I stubbornly kept my eyes forward, refusing to let myself sympathize with the anguish in his voice. They were wolves, monsters even. They didn’t deserve compassion or sympathy. I knew their kind, knew the pain and destruction they could bring.
And yet… a faint, traitorous whisper lingered in the back of my mind. The raw anguish in Aidan’s voice was familiar, a mirror to my own buried pain. He’d lost someone too.
I quickly shook myself free of the thought, tightening my jaw and pulling in a calming breath. It didn’t matter if he’d felt loss or not; these wolves were still dangerous creatures. I couldn’t let myself forget that simple truth, no matter how familiar their pain felt to my own.
Finally, the familiar outline of the pub appeared through the darkness ahead.
A soft glow of lamplight spilled through the windows, promising warmth and safety, at least for them.
For me, it represented nothing but a temporary refuge, a place where I’d be forced to pretend a little longer, until I could escape and return to the Watch. A place filled with enemies.
Logan moved ahead, opening the door and stepping aside to allow us through, his gaze watchful as he ushered us inside.
Warmth washed over me instantly, along with the smell of wood smoke, whiskey, and something savory cooking in the back.
It would have felt welcoming if my entire body wasn’t tense and ready for any opportunity to slip away.
Before I could even gather myself properly, footsteps echoed from the stairway at the back of the pub. One by one, unfamiliar wolves came into view, their gazes quickly scanning us.
“Logan!” a woman said abruptly, relief clear in her voice as she pushed forward, her dark hair swinging behind her.
This must be Zara Yorke, Logan’s sister.
Her eyes were intelligent, assessing, and she paused for just a moment, gaze flicking suspiciously toward me before she wrapped her arms around her brother in a warm hug.
Logan hugged her back briefly, then pulled away, his expression grave. “We’ve got trouble, Zara. Big trouble.”
Behind her, the others filed in—five wolves whose identities I already knew well from my intel.
The largest stepped forward first, with silver-gray hair and green eyes glittering with cautious curiosity. Magnus O’Rourke. He moved like he owned the room, quiet confidence radiating from him even though he wasn’t officially their alpha.
“About bloody time you lot showed,” Magnus drawled, a lazy smirk on his lips. He eyed Logan, then glanced at me, a brow arched. “And you’ve brought company. Didn’t realize we were expanding.”
Logan scowled slightly, clearly not in the mood for Magnus’s teasing. “We’ll explain later. Declan’s missing. He was taken by a creature called the Elder Lycan.”
Magnus’s humor vanished instantly, a deadly serious expression taking over his face.
He glanced back at two wolves standing behind him, one dark and brooding, the other younger, warmer.
Tobias and Callum McDonagh. Brothers. I remembered their dossier clearly—Tobias intense and protective, Callum gentle and empathetic.
Tobias immediately straightened, stepping forward. “Declan’s been taken? How? When?”
Aidan grimaced beside me, pain clear on his face. “Not long ago. Near the old church on Mill Street. We got jumped—regular lycans at first, then the Elder Lycan appeared. Bigger, stronger. He dragged Declan away. By the time I got free, they were gone.” His face conveyed his dread eloquently.
Callum moved quickly, resting his hand gently on Aidan’s shoulder, concern radiating from his warm gaze. “Easy, Aidan. We’ll find him.”
The desperate determination in Aidan’s voice tugged uncomfortably at an emotion buried deep in my chest. I forced the feeling down, annoyed at my own weakness. They were wolves. Dangerous, heartless, and unpredictable. Compassion had no place here.
A quiet movement caught my attention, drawing my gaze toward a lean figure in the corner.
He was pale-haired, ice-eyed, meticulously carving a small piece of wood with calm precision.
Thorne Winchester, SAS-trained, lethal and cold.
I’d heard plenty about his skills, the dangerous quietness about him, his painful past etched into every haunted line on his face.
I met his icy stare briefly before looking away, suppressing a small shiver.
He was quite possibly the most dangerous of them all.
A final wolf, younger, rougher, with unruly reddish-brown hair stepped forward, crossing tattooed arms over his chest, openly studying me with mischievous curiosity.
Killian MacDermott. His lips curled into a crooked smile, clearly amused by my discomfort.
“Well now, who’s the pretty stranger you’ve dragged home, Logan? ”
Logan exhaled audibly, clearly fighting for patience. “Everyone—this is Sera. She’s… with us. For now.” He glanced pointedly at me. “Sera, this is Magnus, Tobias, Callum, Thorne, and Killian.”
I remained mulishly silent, glaring defiantly back at Killian’s mischievous grin. Magnus hummed softly, a traditional Irish melody under his breath, his quick gaze sliding carefully over me.
Edward moved forward quietly, his voice calm and assertive. “Sera’s our mate. She also happens to be an assassin from a secret group called the Watch.”
“The Watch?” Killian cocked an eyebrow.
“We don’t have time for this. If Declan’s been bitten, we have less than twenty-four hours to find him and reverse the bite. Otherwise, he’s lost,” Aidan blurted out.
Thorne’s icy eyes narrowed, his posture visibly sharpening. “How certain are we?”
“Completely certain,” Logan answered firmly, glancing toward me briefly. “Sera’s information is solid. We’ve seen him. He attacked Declan directly.”
Magnus cursed softly, running a hand roughly through his silver-gray hair. “Then we move fast.” He shot a meaningful look around the group. “Gear up quickly, lads.”
Killian cocked his head, curiosity glittering behind his amusement. “So, our Watch lass here—is she friend or foe? Seems risky bringing an assassin into our midst, Logan.”
Logan tensed visibly, and I raised my chin with my characteristic boldness. “I’m standing right here, wolf. You could just ask me yourself.”
Killian laughed, genuinely entertained, eyes dancing. “Fair enough. Friend or foe, then, love?”
I hesitated, torn between persistent defiance and reluctant honesty. Finally, I exhaled slowly, keeping my voice carefully neutral. “Neither. I’m here because right now we’re on the same side.”
“For now,” Tobias rumbled darkly, his piercing gaze fixed intently on me, suspicion clear in his tone.
Callum sighed, nudging his brother gently. “Ease off, Tobias. If she wanted us dead, we’d already be dead. I mean, just look at her.”
Magnus chuckled softly, though his eyes remained cool and calculating. “She certainly looks capable.”
Heat flooded my cheeks, irritation prickling sharply beneath my skin. I was standing in front of nine powerful wolf shifters, naked and recently ravished under just my coat. I probably reeked of them. Fuck. I crossed my arms tighter, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge their blatant scrutiny.
Logan cleared his throat, refocusing attention. “Enough. Declan needs us. Let’s gear up fast and get moving.”
Magnus nodded decisively, authority settling over him easily. “Agreed. We’ll load up, head out in twenty.”
The wolves moved swiftly, scattering to gather weapons and supplies, their ease and familiarity with each other clear.
I remained apart from them, my spine rigid, watching quietly as they prepared.
My mind raced, carefully assessing my options.
I’d cooperate for now, help retrieve Declan, though every instinct screamed at me not to trust them.
Afterward, when their guard was down, I’d slip free, report back to the Watch, and complete my mission.
I couldn’t allow these wolves to worm their way deeper into my resolve, couldn’t afford to question who I was or what I’d been trained to do.
They were dangerous. They were wolves. No amount of charm, or humor, or stubborn protectiveness would change that.
They might be allies today, but tomorrow they’d be targets once more.
And I wouldn’t fail a second time.
I heard quiet footsteps approach me, then Jamie cleared his throat gently, stepping into my line of vision.
He held a bundle of clothing out to me, his expression a careful balance between wary amusement and genuine respect.
“Thought you might like something more comfortable than that oversized jacket, lass.”