Simon's stomach grumbled and he placed a hand on his stomach. "I don't understand how we forked out a small fortune to set up this place, and none of you thought to put in a food vending machine."

Parker rolled her eyes. Simon had been pacing the floor for the past hour. The beta wasn't used to confined spaces, and it showed. "This is a high-tech facility, not a restaurant."

Simon huffed then threw himself on the nearest office chair. "I'm hungry and this is a waste of time."

"That will be enough," Daniel said. He let out a low growl and Simon snapped his mouth shut.

Parker hid a smile at Simon's mood. Not that she blamed him. They had repeated the same vigil for the past four nights. Each time with no results. She glanced back at the monitors projecting live feeds from an abandoned warehouse in San Diego and the other from the basement of a deserted carpark structure in San Antonio.

At one o'clock in the morning, both scenes were what you would expect at that time of night... nothing but darkness and no movement, save the occasional mouse that rushed across the warehouse floor.

Daniel rose and moved to stand behind her. He leaned down, placed a light kiss on the crown of her head and whispered in her ear, "I can think of a more satisfying way of spending our nights."

He lightly squeezed her shoulder and shivers ran down her spine when his breath fanned across her face. She reached up and covered his hand with hers. "This is your idea, so you can't complain about your lack of sleep."

Daniel chuckled. "It's not sleep that I'm lacking."

Simon shifted in his chair and he snorted. "Get a room, will you."

Her face heated up and she quickly refocused on the monitors. Erotic images of Daniel wasn't going to help the evening go any faster. Parker sighed and leaned back into Daniel's light touch on her shoulders. She had to admit, she was starting to doubt they would yield results in finding the traitor.

Daniel's plan had been simple in theory, but complex in its execution.

Elise was hunting down the Lycan who had escaped. There was nothing she would not do to get the missing prisoners back. Provided there were still some on the run, they had a chance of finding the traitor in the alliance council. Throughout the week, Daniel and Morgan had contacted each alpha individually and confided an on the run Lycan had contacted them to seek sanctuary. They fed the target alpha a story that a time and place had been agreed for the Lycan to come in out of the cold, and into the protection of Daniel's pack. It would be at this point in the conversation, they would let slip the location. Whoever made the call, would then request the alpha put them up for a few hours to allow Daniel's team to regroup and arrange passage back to Nederland.

To work out the fake meeting locations, Parker and her team found ideal secluded sites within, or near, the target alpha's pack that had existing surveillance system Parker could hack into.

To keep it contained, they limited the surveillance to two or three locations per night. So far, nothing. Perhaps their assumption an alpha was the traitor was wrong?

Simon glanced at his watch. "If she's going to turn up, she's running out of time to hide."

Zeke nodded his head and finished chewing before he spoke. "I agree, it's a quarter to in San Diego."

Simon shot up from his chair and narrowed his eyes. "You're eating. Are you hiding food?"

Zeke shoved the rest of his Twinkie into his mouth, and shook his head in denial.

"Geek, you share your stash now or I'll come over there and—"

Zeke's eye flew open wide and he let out a series of splutters as he choked on the contents of his mouth. His face turned red and Parker grew concerned.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Zeke continued to cough as bits of Twinkie flew out of his mouth. He pointed frantically to a secondary monitor.

Confused, she glanced towards where he indicated and froze. There was movement in the dimly lit building. A cold chill ran up and down her spine when she realized who the alpha attached to the location was. No, it can't be. She tapped on her keyboard and the feed was projected to one of the main screens. Her shoulders sagged when further dark shadows emerged through the door from the stairwell. There was no doubt this was Elise's men. Which could only mean one thing.

Daniel moved closer to the large screen and drew in a sharp breath. His body stiffened and he reached for his phone and dialed. When Morgan came on the line, he placed it on speaker, and sat the phone on the nearest table. His voice came out strained. "You may want to see this."

Parker cleared her throat. They had a job to do, no matter how shocking the current revelation. "I'm sending you a link to the feed."

She, along with the others held their breath. Her chest tightened as she again stared at the Post-it note on the small monitor.

The ding through the speaker a moment later was followed by a short silence. "Where is this?" asked Morgan.

Parker, Simon, Zeke and Jay looked to Daniel. No one wanted to say it aloud.

"San Antonio," said Daniel.

The line went silent.

"Could this be a mistake? It could be a local gang that just happened to congregate."

Daniel rubbed his jaw. The tension that turned his body ridged had left, and acceptance had set in. "You already know the answer to that."

Parker's heart went out to both Daniel and Morgan. This was not what they had expected. Hell, it wasn't what any of them had expected.

Simon fell back down into a chair and his breath came out with a long sigh. "How could Alpha Abraham betray us like that?"

Parker briefly closed her eyes. She had to echo his sentiment. Abraham was one of the founding fathers of the Alliance, and was the last person they would have believed capable. He's part of the Dire line, how could he do this?

"Maybe he's turned senile. He is ancient after all," said Simon.

Daniel tore his eyes away from the screen and he looked towards her. The grief in his expression made her wince. Her heart broke at the pain he must be going through. He rose to full height and drew in a deep breath. His expression turned grim and his mouth set into a ridged line. "He needs to be brought up on charges once we find out how much damage he's done." He turned to Simon. "Get us on the first flight in the morning to Texas, and get the team prepped. Do not tell them why."

Simon nodded and reached for his phone.

"You'll need to wait for me, I'll be a couple of hours behind you." said Morgan.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Daniel.

"Want doesn't come into it. I need to look him in the eye and..." Morgan let out a low growl. "How did I not see this?"

"The better question, is how did we not see this," said Daniel.

Parker buckled her seatbelt and glanced out the window as the plane pulled away from the gate. "What time does Morgan's flight land?"

"Around the same time as Dominic and the others," said Daniel.

Parker's chest ached. Since discovering Abraham was their traitor, Daniel had been closed off. Apart from barking out orders, she'd not been able to get much out of him.

"How do you think it will go?" she asked.

"It all depends on how many are with him."

"That's what I'm worried about." She put her tablet on her lap and took her glasses off. Careful to keep their conversation private she glanced around to make sure no one was listening. "What if it's all of them?"

"The thought had crossed my mind. But with the magnitude of what he's done, and who he's colluded with, someone would have leaked it if it was more than a handful."

Daniel's jaw tightened and he gripped onto the armrest between them.

She rested her hand on his and lightly squeezed. "It's not your fault. You couldn't have predicted this."

"But I should have. This is my responsibility."

She narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Don't you dare blame yourself. Not even Morgan, who's known Abraham for an eon longer than you knew. He fooled everyone."

Daniel closed his eyes and rested his head back on the headrest as the plane accelerated down the runway. "I'm still finding it hard to believe."

Morgan echoed the same sentiments a few hours later when their convoy arrived at the Texas packs small village in Concord, fifty miles north of Houston. They had taken longer than originally anticipated as not everyone could be scheduled on the first flights.

Parker's heart thumped in her chest and a bead of sweat broke out across her forehead when she exited the car. The pack, headed by Alpha Tamas, Abraham's grandson, were the sole occupants of Haven's Landing. A small community on the shores of Lake Livingston. They headed towards the Tourist information center and Parker willed her nerves to calm down.

Get a grip. This is supposed to be a casual pop in. How's it going to look if you give the game away before we've gotten to see Abraham? As far as everyone is concerned we are just passing through and just stopped in to pay our respects.

As expected Tamas was alerted to their arrival well before they reached their destination.

"Daniel, Morgan, Parker, this is a surprise. To what do we owe the pleasure."

Morgan smiled stiffly and shook Tamas's hand. "Daniel and I were on business in San Antonio. It's been a while since I've been down this way, so I convinced Daniel to detour here to see your grandfather before we headed home."

Tamas glanced over their shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "Must be some business to have that much security."

Morgan shrugged. "With everything that's going on, the Elders insisted the extra precaution. You know how it is, they worry needlessly."

Tamas chuckled. "You're not wrong there." He headed down the stairs and indicated for them to follow. "Grandfather is in the library. He'll be pleased to see you."

Parker followed behind, surveying the small township. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There were a smattering of pack members, but nothing to indicate they were on high alert. Maybe Daniel is right. It might be limited to a small group.

She caught up with Daniel and the others just as they arrived at a turn of the century building. When she looked up at the engraved sign above the door, she raised an eyebrow. He wasn't kidding when he said his grandfather was in the library.

Parker had assumed they were headed to Abraham's house, and that his library was an office, full to the brim with books that he potted around in. However, they were entering an actual library. An eerily quiet one at that.

The closer they drew to the back of the library, the harder her heart pumped in her chest. Daniel slowed, reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. His encouraging smile allayed some of her fears. While there were enough enforcers outside to defend them, she was still nervous. The polished parquet floors echoed their footsteps and bounced them off the walls and high ceiling.

"He'll probably be in the reading room," Tamas said without breaking stride.

When they entered the small room to the back of the library, Parker's steps faltered.

He looks so frail. How is he even capable of something like this?

Parker was struggling to reconcile the traitor she knew him to be, to the elderly white-headed man with the rice paper thin skin, and more wrinkles than a Mastiff.

Abraham looked up from his book and his brows furrowed together. When he recognized them his face lit up and he smiled. "What a wonderful surprise. After our last meeting I hadn't expected to see you so soon."

He reached for his cane and leveraged himself into a standing position. "To what do we owe the pleasure. Not that you need an excuse to visit an old friend."

Morgan, stepped forward. His hands were clenched tight and his body shook with the effort to control himself.

Parker's heart ached for Morgan. This was not only a betrayal of their people, but a betrayal of their friendship. A friendship that spanned hundreds of years and two continents.

Daniel's eyes scanned the room. Abraham was alone. Parker breathed out a sigh of relief. She cringed when Morgan's accusatory tone lashed out at his friend.

"How could you do this to our people?" Morgan's voice cracked. "You, above all others, know what we have endured."

Abraham's busy white brows crinkled together and the corners of his mouth dropped into a frown. He glanced at Daniel and then back to Morgan. "Do what?"

Morgan snorted. "Don't play games with me, Abraham. It's too late for that. We know you have conspired with Elise Lauzon. I just wonder how you can sleep at night knowing you have so much blood on your hands."

Abraham's eyes opened wide and added extra wrinkles to his craggy forehead.

Daniel stepped forward and place a hand on Morgan's shoulder. "There will be time for answers." He then turned to Abraham. "We are here to take you into custody for crimes against both the Werewolf and Human races'. You will—"

"What are you talking about," Abraham asked, cutting Daniel off. "Have you taken leave of your senses?"

Morgan's shoulders slumped in defeat. "There is no point denying it. We have proof you are the traitor."

Abrahams grip on his cane tightened. "How dare you accuse me of such a heinous crime. Show me this proof."

Parker pulled her tablet from her bag and turned it on. They were prepared for this, and had brought a copy of Elise's men at the carpark.

"Can you explain to us how Elise knew where to send her men?" asked Daniel

"What are you talking about."

Parker handed Daniel the tablet.

He turned it around to allow Abraham to view the footage from the deserted carpark in San Antonio. "You were the only one who knew where and when the meeting with the Lycan was."

The air in the room grew thick and Parker almost forgot to breathe.

Abraham stared at the small screen in stunned silence. His face grew pale and he placed a second hand on the cane, as if to prevent himself from falling. "I wasn't."

"Wasn't what?" asked Morgan.

Abraham tore his eyes away from the tablet and gulped heavily. He drew in a deep breath and looked straight at Morgan. "I wasn't the only one who knew about the meeting."

Parker froze. There was only one other person he would have possibly told.

Abraham darted a glance around the room his face now in full panic. "Tamas, where's Tamas?"

"Shit!" Daniel roared and raced out of the room. 

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📎A/N. Whoops.. it appears that perhaps Abraham is not the traitor they thought... 

Pending no further disasters in my life, my writing schedule should be back on track... so next chapter out next Sunday PST.

Till then, take care.

❤ ℳ