📎A/N - Hello my lovelies,

Many of you have PM'd me, or placed a message to my page wondering why I haven't posted the next chapter of Evolution. 

As many of you are already aware, in light of the mirror sites, and software allowing people to download and pirate our stories, many Wattpad authors are evaluating whether to leave their work on Wattpad, or remove it to protect their copyright. You would have noticed that many have already removed their stories. In light of the fact I am attempting to publish some of my work, I too have had to rethink, not only what to do with my current portfolio of stories, but my long term strategy moving forward with new stories.

The developers of the software causing the issues, and the people actually downloading the stories, are not hurting Wattpad. They are hurting the author. There is nothing more devastating than to have your hard work and effort stolen—without your consent—and then see it posted elsewhere with another person taking credit. It is even more devastating if that author had dreams of publishing the story one day.

I have weighed up my options, (and the risks) and made the decision to keep my stories on Wattpad.

My decision, in part, came down to each and every one of you. Many of you have been so supportive during my tenure on Wattpad, and have become part of my wider family, that I found the risk at this point was something I am willing to live with... for now.

In light of all this, if you happen to see any stories, whether it's mine or another author, published elsewhere, especially when it's under the name of another claiming they wrote it, please notify the author and Wattpad. Also, if you are aware of software or programs that provide the ability to download stories from Wattpad, DO NOT use it! You are effectively stealing...

...enough of my rant, and on with the story...

Take care,

❤ ℳ

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Daniel stormed through the doors of the Pack House and glanced around the inside of the building. His eyes quickly adjusted to the dimmed lighting as he found what he was after. In the far corner, Joshua was arguing with his guards. The obscenities hurled at them would have made a sailor blush. Daniel let out a low growl in irritation. This whole situation was getting out of control. It had taken two of his men to subdue Joshua and get him away from the infirmary before Dr Baghurst noticed the commotion outside. This was the worst time for this to happen.

Of course, that doctor would turn out to be somebody's mate.

However, they couldn't afford any distractions and she was too high profile to let them play this out as they normally would. He needed to go into damage control and make Joshua understand the need to stay clear of her—for now.

Daniel took a deep breath before approaching Joshua.

"You cannot do this to me," Joshua shouted out as Daniel drew close. Joshua tried to push through the two guards, only to be propelled backwards, yet again.

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest and gave a curt nod at the enforcers. "Leave us." He turned Joshua and noticed his face had taken on a red hue in his anger. Veins popped from the side of his neck and pulsed as the blood surged through Joshua in his heightened agitated state.

Once they left, Joshua scowled at Daniel and mirrored Daniel's stance. "You can't do this to me. She's my mate," he repeated.

Daniel's lips pursed into a grim line. "I can, and I will. You need to control your wolf's instinct until this mess is over."

Joshua dropped his arms and clenched his fists. "You don't understand what it's like to have waited this long to find her. To have almost given up hope."

Daniel raised both brows and cocked his head.

Joshua let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, so maybe you do... which makes this all the more callous. I have to see her."

Daniel ran a hand through his hair. While he could empathize with the man, there were far reaching consequences.

"Joshua, right now, she might be the only person that can help us find a way to fight Elise's Lycans. We need her to not be distracted by something she doesn't know exists."

Joshua snorted. "I hardly think I'm about to break out in wolf form, just at the sight of her. Give me some credit."

"The problem is, I don't know what you'll do. I can't risk it. She's also going to think it odd when a total stranger declares his undying love and fidelity."

Joshua fell quiet and stared at a spot on the floor. "I'm hardly likely to do that at my age." He looked up at Daniel, his expression pleading. "I'm not a hormonal teenager or a young wolf any more. I've lived among humans. I know their world and I know how to act around them."

Daniel let out a deep sigh. There was no doubt this was tearing Joshua up inside. Knowing his mate was close by, and not able to see or touch her. To an outsider, what he was doing would be considered cruel. However, he needed to protect his people. Exposure at this point was not an option. Daniel moved across to the nearest window and stared at the valley below. The vibrant colours of fall were already making themselves noticed as they fought with the summer leaves. Right now, he understood the reluctance of the seasons handing themselves over to the next. He hated change. Always had. However, nothing could grow unless summer gave way to fall, and fall to winter.

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. Damn it!

Decision made, he thrust his hands into his pockets and sighed. He was taking a risk, but the man was one of his most stable first responders he placed into the human world. Joshua had not only policed the Werewolf race, but the human one as well.

"Dr Baghurst is staying at a local Bed and Breakfast. I imagine she will be working late and arriving early while she is here. The road leading to our village is treacherous in the dark. I suspect we may need to supply a driver. Know anyone who may be interested?"

***

1 Week later

Daniel thrummed his fingers on the desk and frowned at his phone. Of all his First Responder teams out in the field, the one in Philadelphia hadn't check in. Any attempt at contacting them had been unsuccessful.

As with all the other large cities where he placed teams, he also had assigned a sleeper agent which wasn't known to the others. This allowed him to quickly call on their services if he needed additional help. He was about to contact his sleeper in Philly, when Simon wandered into his office and tossed folders onto his desk.

"You need to sign and initial those," he said, "and Markham wants you to call him after we've met with the auditors."

Daniel groaned. "I don't have time for this, can't we put this off?"

Simon shook his head. "No can do. We've already postponed them two times. I know we have this Lycan shit to deal with, but you know as well as I do, we still have a business to run, and we need to keep everything squeaky clean to make sure no government department looks our way."

Daniel slumped back in his chair. "Fine, but I don't want the meeting dragged on like last time."

He was distracted by the buzz from his cell phone. Before he could reach for it, his desk phone rang and, a half beat later, Simon's went off.

Daniel reached towards his cell phone. This can't be good.

"Locke."

He bolted up in his chair when a woman's sob cut through the silence. He could make out the distressed voices of children in the background.

"You need to help them." The woman's voice broke and she let out a low wail. "It happened so fast."

Daniel's gaze darted towards Simon, and a heavy weight dropped to the bottom of his stomach. Simon's face had drained of all colour and his eyes were wide with shock as he listened to whomever was on the other end of his phone call.

"Who is this?" demanded Daniel. "Help who?"

Another broken sob ripped through the phone. "Alpha Rossi."

Daniel, heart thud in his chest as he leapt out of his chair. "I need you to calm down and tell me what happened."

His office phone stopped ringing, but began again in earnest within ten seconds. When he heard Simon ask, "How many?" A cold chill ran down Daniel's spine. He knew what was coming next.

The woman hauled in a shaky breath. "Th-the patrol was attacked at dawn. Alpha Rossi sent us to site B before the Lycan could get to the main gates. It's taken us all this time to get here and we can't reach any of the others that stayed behind to fight."

Footsteps running down the corridor caught his attention before Vic bust into his office. "Alpha you need to turn the TV on to Fox news!"

She was quickly followed by his other two betas.

Daniel reached for the remote and threw it to Vic as he continued the conversation with the woman. "Are you all okay? How many of you managed to get away?"

"I-I think so. Vanessa is setting up teams to patrol and... and the others are trying to calm the children down. We haven't done a head count yet, but I think at least half are here already."

A persistent beep from his phone, alerting Daniel there was someone else attempting to contact him.

"Look... what's your name?"

"Trina," said the woman.

Daniel indicated for Dominic to come closer. "Trina, I am going to hand you over to Dominic. I need you to tell him where you are. We will be there as soon as we can. In the meantime, I need you and the others to stay low and keep safe. Can you do that for me, Trina?"

There was another sob before Trina finally said, "Yes."

Daniel handed the phone to Dominic, then turned to Simon while keeping an eye on the TV.

"The shit's hit the fan in New York state," said Simon as he ended his call.

"How bad?" asked Daniel, "Rossi managed to get word to the pack to head to their alternate site. At least half got away."

When the advertisements returned to the morning news, Daniel had his answer. He was paralysed when the news choppers footage of a gated community was plastered on the screen. Bodies littered the streets. At least a dozen houses were on fire, or already a smouldering pile of ash. Daniel winced when the camera zoomed in on the semi-automatic rifles that lay near each of the men and woman as they were felled by a force far greater than them. The pavements were tainted red with blood. Scattered like grain across the front lawns and streets, were bullet casings from the battle that was doomed from the start.

The air rushed from Daniel's lungs and his heart ached. Nothing had been spared, not even the children who hadn't escaped with the others. Words escaped him. Every emotion ran the gauntlet as he tried to come to terms with the devastation of one of the largest packs in the continental US. Every nerve ending became numb and the words from the news anchor dulled into a low hum.

Simon, unable to hold himself up, collapsed on the chair and his mouth hung open as his head shook from side to side in denial.

Elise had made her move. Something he truly believed she wouldn't do. At least not in such a public manner. The words 'terrorist sect', 'fbi denies knowledge' and 'massacre in quiet middle class neighbourhood' flashed across the screen.

As the numbness cleared, the noise from the television, the constant ringing of the phone as well as the panicked questioning from his betas drowned out his ability to think.

Daniel closed his eyes. He needed to focus. They needed to protect what was left of Rossi's pack and regroup. His first instinct was to make sure that Parker was safe. However, his rational mind urged him to see sense. She was in the safest place possible.

"Quiet," he shouted across the din.

The voices fell silent as everyone froze. He reached for the remote and muted the speakers.

Daniel turned to Simon. "I want the kids out of school and into site B. Parker had an early meeting this morning. Get hold of her and warn her to lock down the building and stay in the bunker. I will come and get her when I can."

Daniel flicked through his phone's contact list, he needed to speak with the council. "Dominic," he said, without looking up. "Get hold of the pack in Toronto. See if they have any spare enforcers that could help what's left of Rossi's pack."

He sent the others to alert the rest of the pack. They needed to assume the worst and that they could be the next on her list. Daniel was about to dial Morgan's number when he halted. Thinking better of it, he brought up Murphy's details instead. He needed to know just how much the authorities knew. Both Murphy and Kaitlyn had returned to Boston to see if they could find any clues on the whereabouts of the real Lycan who had escaped.

Daniel was about to dial Murphy's number when Joshua raced in. From the light sheen of sweat on his forehead, he had sprinted the entire way. "Alpha Locke, you're needed at the front gates."

Daniel tensed. "What's happened?"

Joshua half shrugged. "There's a delivery truck insisting it has a crate for you and they refused to leave without a signature. They also won't to take it with them and leave." Joshua scratched the back of his neck. "The boys couldn't leave their post so they asked me to come and get you."

"What sort of truck?"

"One of those refrigerated ones."

Daniel let out a low growl from deep within his chest. This is all he needed. "Shit!" He headed towards the door as he dialled Murphy. This day could not possibly get any worse.

"I'm assuming you're watching this?" said Murphy as he answered the phone. "The bureau just announced a taskforce to find out what happened. Kaitlyn's trying to get onto it as we speak."

At least they would have eyes and ears on the ground. "Part of the pack managed to get to site b," said Daniel, "Do you think you could get up there and find out as much as you can? We need to know how many got away, and we have to protect them."

Not surprisingly, as Daniel made his way down towards the compound, pack members that had heard about the attack, were pouring out of the pack house and racing down towards the valley. Others were running to their cars. Undoubtedly to collect their children from the local school. As he gazed towards the inner gates, the drivers of the medium sized truck Joshua had told him about, were unloading a large crate from the back.

Daniel continued to discuss strategy with Murphy as he continued towards the truck. "Wait a sec," he told Murphy before he addressed the driver of the delivery truck. "I believe there's been a mistake—as these gentlemen would have undoubtedly already informed you. This delivery is not for us. You have made a mistake."

The driver, a portly, beer bellied man, took of his cap and wiped his brow. "You Locke?" he said.

Daniel nodded.

The driver shrugged. "Then no mistake. This manifest is for you, and I 'ain't taking it back with me. There's a thousand-dollar bonus to deliver it on time."

Daniel's eyes snapped to the large crate. He listened intently to the sounds around him. Apart from the trucks motor, there was nothing out of the ordinary. As carefully as he could, without arousing suspicion, Daniel sniffed the air. Again, nothing that would indicate anything amiss.

With the flurry of activity, he needed these men out of the village as fast as possible. Seeing no other option that would not arouse suspicion, Daniel signed the delivery docket and sent the two men on their way. The moment they exited the gates he ordered one of the guards to find a crow bar.

"Why would you need a chest freezer?" Joshua asked once the lid had been pried off.

"I don't," said Daniel. He ordered his men to stand back and reached in the crate to open the lid of the freezer.

"Are you sure that's wise?" asked Joshua as Daniel's fingers touched the smooth white surface.

Daniel took a deep breath and with very little effort, pulled the lid up, and took a quick step backwards. He could feel the others flinch as it swung upwards and bounced a few times before stopping. If he were honest with himself it hadn't escaped him how foolish the action was. A rancid stench hit Daniel in full force before he could peer his head back over the crate.

"No!"

He drew in a sharp breath and the stench rushed up his nostrils. It was a smell he knew all too well. Daniel steeled himself and peered over the crate and into the open freezer that had been used as a coffin.

Daniel's fists clenched tight around the phone as he cleared his throat. "Pull them out."

Joshua and the others rushed forward. When they saw what had been stuffed into the small container they looked like they were about to lose their breakfast.

"What the hell is going on there?" Murphy's deep baritone cut through the shocked silence.

As his men pulled out the four bloodied bodies, Simon arrived at full speed and skidded to a halt when the first body was laid on the ground. The legs and arms, which had been broken to fit inside the small confined space, was straightened and they went back for the next.

"What the.."

With each body, that was removed Daniel's rage escalated to the point he was physically shaking. Simon took a step closer and swore under his breath. "Aren't they...?" He stopped short as he looked up at Daniel.

Every fibre of Daniel wanted to lash out. He wanted... No needed to tear something or someone limb from limb. Preferably Elise.

Dead, on the ground, a half a country away from where they should be, was his missing men from Philadelphia. A reverent hush fell across the area as they struggled to come to terms with the exact nature of the macabre delivery.

An angry muffled voice boomed from Daniel's phone. "What the hell is going on?"

Daniel up the phone to his ear as he stared at the four victims in shock. This wasn't possible. Shouldn't be possible.

"Murphy, get up to Rossi's site b as fast as you can before it's too late. I'll send you the location." There was no mistaking the panic in his voice. Simon, Joshua and the others froze.

"Why? What happened?'

"Elise has taken out the Philly team. Including the sleeper."

"Fuck!" both Murphy and Simon responded in stereo.

"Leaving now!" said Murphy before he severed the connection.

Simon crouched down as if he were about to throw up. A gust of wind took that moment to send a flurry of dust and air across the compound spreading the stench further.

"How did she know about the sleepers?" asked Simon. His voice faltered as he spoke. "That information is restricted to the council, you, me and Vic."

Daniel drew a deep breath and breathed through the rage that was building. He pushed his wolf down. It would not do to lose control right now. However, his need to draw blood was matched only by his wolf. There was only one-way Elise could have known who to target.

"We have a traitor in the council."

The words hung heavy in the air. Daniel wanted to deny it. However, he and Morgan already had their suspicions. But to have it confirmed this way, cut him through to his core. A trusted member of a group whose whole purpose in life was to protect others had signed the death warrant of innocents.

Daniel gazed down at the Philly team and a chill ran up and down his spine. Two of them had families. Families who were now under Elise's crosshairs.

Simon stood and his voice broke as he asked, "Why?"

Daniel ground his teeth together. Elise had gone too far this time. "Because she wanted to make sure I got her message."

Simon frowned and looked over to the crate then back down at the mangled bodies. "What message?"

"Philadelphia is hers; and so is the rest of the eastern seaboard."

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📎A/N.. duh duh duh dumm. So, what did you think?? Things are certainly heating up!!!

If any of you wanted to be part of my launch team for Masked, head on over to my website http://www.mgreenhill.com and sign up to get an advanced reader copy of Masked as well as be in a chance to win some great prizes.

Next chapter will be posted in two weeks, as I am away next weekend.

Take care,

❤ ℳ