SHADOW
“Where are they?” My heart pumped harder as Zack came back alone.
“Um.” He swallowed hard. The moment he met me in the eye, I felt something went wrong.
“What?” I yelled at Zack. My eyes burned. My chest felt about to explode, like something was clenching my heart.
“I’m so sorry, Luna.” He dropped to his knees. “I failed.”
“What happened, Zack? Where are they?”
“After we left Claire’s house, I stayed to scout. I saw Aciano enter the house. I was reporting, sending them video footage, when the link suddenly cut off. I ran through the woods and found the car Lyon was driving totaled in the middle of the road, and they were nowhere to be found but traces of blood. I searched for them, their bodies, but their scents were lost. It was like someone just put a tree in the middle of the road, and they hit it. I’m so sorry, Luna.”
“I can’t believe this is happening!” I screamed and threw my hands in the air. “This is Kain. He betrayed us. How did they know that Califf was going to visit Claire? And I just lost Califf. We just lost our only hope of ending the chaos he created.”
I started crying. The room was spinning, and I began panting. Knowing there was no guarantee that Califf and Lyon were still alive it left a hollow ache in my chest.
I felt like somebody ripped my heart off because I knew what would happen once Califf got caught. Aciano would torture him and then kill him. Or worse, he would give him something to kill his wolf, like what they did to me, or mutilate Califf, like what they did to the werewolves they killed.
My emotions kept filling up until I couldn’t take it anymore. I screamed out the fury in my chest, all the pain I felt inside. And what was worse, I couldn’t even help find my mate.
I took a deep breath and wiped my tears before turning to Zack. “I will kill her.” Only my plan halted abruptly.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Zarah asked.
“I told you your plans sucked. Now, Califf and Lyon are gone, and two of our best are gone. My Alpha is gone, and it’s all because you trust Kain, who pretended to be dead for years and betrayed his boss. Now, he betrayed us, too. And you, all of you.” I pointed at my father and his men, Calder and Everlee, who looked guilty, Waylon and Eleanor Zack, Kairo, and Zarah. “You’re so chill because you’re not the one in my position!”
“Are you done?” Zarah punctuated it with a mad face.
“No! I won’t let this one slide. I’m going to kill Claire. And I have nothing to live for anyway.”
“No, you’re not.” My father came forward. “That’s why we didn’t tell you the exact plan because you’d opposed it and became emotional, and your mate wouldn’t be able to focus on his job.”
“What do you mean?” I wiped my tears on my face, my chin trembling. I had a feeling that I wouldn’t like every word they would say to me.
“It was a part of the plan.”
“Wait a second. You plan all this without me?” Zack sounded hurt.
“I don’t know about this too, bro.” Kairo shrugged. “What plan?” He stared at everyone.
“You.” My father pointed at Zack. “Are too attached and emotional when it comes to my daughter. While you.” He tipped his head to Kiaro. “Can protect my daughter when things go south.”
Kairo blinked as if finding it hard to believe what my father said. “Oh, it’s a compliment, right?”
“Califf was distraught about keeping a secret from you, honey, but it was a solid plan. I almost disagreed, but it was for the best, for everyone, and I believe he can pull it off.” Eleanor walked in my direction. “Aciano has to be stopped. I’m sorry.”
“So, Califf is not missing.” I blinked off the tears in my eyes, hope rising in my chest. “He and Lyon are okay?”
“For now, but the next part is a little bit tricky, but I trust my brother, and Kain will do his part.”
“Great.” I sniffled. “You just depend my husband’s life on a lunatic.”
“Kain is not Kain,” Zarah said.
I stared at her before I burst out laughing. “What do you mean he’s not Kain? Is he some kind of shapeshifter who just took Calder’s uncle’s body?”
“Then why did you test me if I could shapeshift?”
“You can do better than that, Zarah, and you can drop it on me because I’ve had enough surprises for today. And I’m going insane knowing that Califf is out there trying to save everyone from another lunatic like Aciano.”
After all my speech, they just stood there, and Zarah didn’t react. And it suddenly hit me.
My eyes grew wide. “You’re kidding. There’s no such thing as-”
“A shapeshifter? Two days ago, you just met a werecat.”
“He’s a werecat, Zarah,” I still insisted because this was insane.
“Werecat is his go-to animal, yes. It’s easier without shedding, but the real Kain is dead.”
“Oh, my God. I need to sit down.” I felt my world was spinning. Zack helped me to the couch, and Everlee gave me a glass of water. I drank it before I looked at her. “You knew?”
“Before Zack arrived. Calder told me. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. So tell me, who is the Kain we had in our house?”
“Before Kain died, he shifted to the real Kain. He takes all the real Kain’s memory, mimics his actions, and gains everything, including DNA, so he remembers all the people in Kain’s life, including Calder. Still, he can shift to another human,” Zarah explained, which hurt my head even more.
“What made you think he’s not one of us right now?”
Zack and Everlee startled and stared at them.
“You can check it through flares and cameras. Kain has retinal flares,” Zarah added.
“Hence the sunglasses when I first saw him.” I sagged against the sofa.
“That’s why I thought he was a werecat. When we checked the footage, he told us the truth. When Calder’s uncle died, he didn’t find another victim,” my father said. “A shapeshifter keeps his victim alive, but this Kain is different. Calder’s real uncle was a werecat, but shapeshifters should be inherited from both parents.”
“When did it all happen?”
“Years ago,” Calder answered. “So, Aciano doesn’t have any idea what Kain is. All he knows is Kain is a werecat.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
“They’re going to Northpoint Valley, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” my father answered Zack.
“How do you know?” I turned to Zack.
“Alpha found out that Aciano has a property in Northpoint Valley.”
“I thought you sent Kain to his apartment?” I turned to Zarah, crossing my arms over my chest. “You don’t trust me that I can handle this, do you?”
“Quite the opposite. I sent him close to Claire’s house to do his part.”
“I don’t believe you.” Stubborn as I was, and I was a little bit hurt, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it because we still had a battle to fight and end.
“We believe in you, Shadow. Even if your insecurities are drowning you right now, you’re the only one who can save them. Trust me, I’m a pathfinder. So don’t we have somewhere to go and find them right now?”
“We all forget the fact that Claire is also a part of this? She knows her husband is not missing.”
“Yes. That bitch,” said Kairo to Zack.
“Then we’re all going to kill them.” I pointed at Kairo. “Take my things with us.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No, Eleanor. Go to Aira. Stay with her until this is over.” I looked at Waylon. “You are Aciano’s trigger. Come with us. Zack?”
“That’s the plan, honey,” Waylon affirmed.
“Yes.” Zack raised his hand. “What’s my assignment, Luna?”
“Let Duke know about the plan. Take two SUVs to the Northpoint. You know the drill, bring weapons, first aid kits, and clothes. Just take a few from the enforcers. Don’t leave the compound unprotected. Make sure Marcos and Santi know their assignments. Inform Tor, the bullies, Preston, and Sam. Let Raiden and other enforcers stay on watch, and the scouts sweep the perimeters. Drive the first SUV, and Tor will drive the other one.”
“Why two?”
“To intimidate them once they see you coming or a distraction because we will go from the opposite side. And how do we get back home? I’m not going on foot after the fight. Got it, Zarah?”
Zarah nodded.
“See you there. Remember, Aciano knows our secrets, how we think and work, and he probably copies our defense and offense plans. They could have rigged tripped wires or traps and be careful of silver bullets.”
“Sounds like a solid plan, Luna.” Zack smirked and left.
“The main objective is for Califf to get caught by Kain, so he takes him to Aciano’s property. Once they’re inside, Lyon will report to us.” I looked at the remaining pack without the assignment. Technically, my father has his own pack, and so did Calder and Everlee from the Midnight Storm, and Zarah was a witch from the West Coven. “We are all going through the portal. Any objections?”
When they remained silent, I turned to the witch. “I need you to portal me to Alaskan Pack.”
“That’s my girl. Right away, Luna,” Zarah said proudly.
I walked into Frye’s territory, which was windy and freezing cold. I completely forgot I was now a human, and in a few minutes, I would get frostbite and turn into an icicle.
“What the hell are you doing here in the middle of the night in freezing weather alone?”
“Alpha Frey, I need your help, and it’s kind of an emergency. I’ll tell you everything. Will you help us?”
“Are you kidding me? Where’s the trouble, Luna Shadow?”