Tyler’s POV
The situation was growing more frustrating by the minute. We had been trying to reach Sophia for days, but every attempt seemed to lead to dead ends and vague excuses. It was unlike her to be so evasive, and it was starting to gnaw at my nerves. My younger brother, Jake, and I had sent countless messages and calls, but her responses had been hesitant, her words mumbling something about being abroad and not planning to return to work anytime soon.
I paced back and forth in our makeshift headquarters, my frustration palpable. “This is getting ridiculous, Jake. She’s never been this elusive before.”
Jake glanced up from his laptop, his brow furrowed in concentration. “I know, Ty. It’s like she’s intentionally avoiding us.”
I ran a hand through my hair, my frustration giving way to worry. “And where the hell is Sophia? His schedule shows he’s been MIA for the past three days, and he’s been inactive in human society too.”
Jake’s eyes flicked to the screen, his fingers typing away on the keyboard. “It’s like they both vanished off the face of the earth.”
I sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose. “We need to find out what’s going on, Jake. This doesn’t sit right with me.”
He nodded in agreement, his fingers still flying across the keyboard. “I agree, but we can’t just let the werewolf hunter organization know about this. They might take matters into their own hands, and we know how that could end up.”
I paced back and forth, my mind racing as I considered our options. “You’re right. We need a plan, a way to get information without putting her in danger. And I can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong, that they’re in trouble.”
Jake’s gaze met mine, concern etched into his features. “I’ve been thinking, Ty. Maybe I should go in alone. Sneak into their territory and bring her back.”
I stopped in my tracks, turning to face him with a mixture of disbelief and concern. “Are you out of your mind? Going into the werewolf territory alone is suicide.”
Jake met my gaze, his expression resolute. “I know it’s risky, but what other choice do we have? We can’t just sit around twiddling our thumbs.”
I sighed, my worry for him mingling with my frustration. “Fine, if you’re going to do this, we need a plan. We need information about that place, about the werewolves, about their customs.”
Jake nodded, his fingers still dancing across the keyboard. “I’ve been working on that. I managed to dig into the secret intelligence network of the werewolf hunter organization. I got access to a map of their residence the Shadow City.”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “How the hell did you manage that?”
He smirked, a hint of pride in his tone. “Remember the last meeting? I planted a tracker on the secretary of the highest leader. It paid off.”
I chuckled, shaking my head in disbelief. “You never cease to amaze me, Jake. Alright, we’ll gather as much information as we can before we make a move. But we need to be careful, we can’t just waltz into their territory.”
Jake’s expression turned serious, his gaze intense. “I agree, Ty. We need to consider everything, especially their heightened senses. They can smell a werewolf hunter from miles away.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “We’re stepping into the lion’s den, Jake. We need to tread carefully.”
Jake nodded, his determination unwavering. “We’ll do this together, Ty. We’ll make sure she’s safe, no matter what.”
The tension in the room was palpable as I opened the aged collection box, the weight of generations of our family’s history resting in the items it held. My fingers traced the cool metal of the silver bullets and the cold grip of the handgun nestled within. These were relics passed down from our ancestors, tools forged in a time when the battle between humans and werewolves was more than just a distant memory.
I glanced at Jake, his expression a mixture of determination and anticipation. “We’re going to need these,” I said, my voice steady despite the nervous energy that thrummed beneath my skin.
Jake’s gaze flicked to the objects in my hands, his understanding evident in his eyes. “Yeah, I know. We can’t take any chances.”
I carefully placed the bullets and the handgun on the table, my fingers lingering on their cool surfaces. “And this,” I added, retrieving a small vial filled with a clear liquid.
Jake leaned closer, his brow furrowing in curiosity. “What’s that?”
I held up the vial, the liquid within shimmering in the dim light. “It’s a scent-masking potion. Our ancestors developed it to help them move through werewolf territories undetected.”
Jake’s eyes widened in surprise. “Wait, are you telling me that this can mask our scent from the werewolves?”
I nodded, a hint of bitterness in my voice. “Yeah, but the formula for this potion was lost after the epic battle between humans and werewolves a century ago. What we have here is an experimental version, and it’s not as effective as the original.”
Jake’s gaze lingered on the vial, his expression thoughtful. “So, it can conceal our scent, but only for a limited time?”