SCARLETT

Sweat accumulated on my upper lip as I sat in the passenger seat of the car with Roman. We were on our way to meet Nyx. He'd allowed us to come and see part of his pack, and apparently, that was a big deal for him. He claimed he never let people on his lands.

Roman had tried to convince me to stay at home, but he understood that if he was going, so was I. This was personal between Nyx and me, and I wasn't going to sit back and let Roman do all the heavy lifting. I had to free my own kind.

Brandon hadn't been invited. Apparently, he didn't trust him the way he trusted Roman and requested that the two of us just come. However, Roman wasn't an idiot, and he made sure we were being tailed by a large group of guards. One wrong move from Nyx, and we'd attack.

"Your mark is covered, right?" Roman questioned as he clutched onto the steering wheel of the car tightly, his eyes glancing down at my hand.

I'd covered my mark as best as I could with the foundation I'd bought. It hadn't made much of a difference, but it gave me another safety blanket which I liked.

I was wearing a long-sleeved top with flaring to cover my mark. It looked casual enough to appear as nothing more than a fancy top, and I was certain that Nyx would probably believe that I'd dressed in my nicest attire to try to impress him and his pack.

I was anxious to say the least, but Nyx was like a bloodhound and could sniff out any doubt. I needed to remain confident and act as if nothing was going on. Really, we were here to gather information.

"We're here," Roman said, parking in the lay-by Nyx had instructed him to. "Now, this isn't the pack he usually resides in. It's just one of his bases. He definitely doesn't trust us enough to let us into his inner circle and reveal the location of his home, but I'm hoping that, eventually, he will."

"Got it," I said, gulping as I clambered out of the car, spotting a few guards standing by the tree line. They were nattering amongst themselves, not having noticed us yet.

"This is a quick in and out. We won't be here long. You're good under pressure, so I know you can stand your own. Just tell Nyx what he wants to hear without being too obvious." Roman smiled at me as we approached the guards, and he nodded at them as a greeting. "Alpha Roman and Scarlett. We're here as Nyx requested."

The bald-headed guard dipped his chin, seeming uninterested in our presence. "Yes, follow us." We were led through the shrubbery, a small path having been dug into the ground. "There are a few rules you must follow while you're here," said the guard. "No talking to the gifted wolves. You'll see them around, but Nyx has requested you act as if they're not even there."

Roman nodded. "We can do that."

I was going to see my own kind out in the open. Fuck. I hadn't been expecting that. I was under the impression they'd be locked up somewhere. Instead, I was going to have to meet their eyes and pretend that I was another sick fuck that was here to force them into dominance.

This was about the bigger picture though. I was going to have to play the part for just a little bit. Then, I could hit Nyx where it hurt.

"Don't go into any buildings that aren't approved by Nyx or one of us, and stay with us at all times. As Nyx has said before, gifted wolves can be unpredictable, and although we've got these ones well-trained here, they aren't overly used to visitors. It may throw them off."

Well-trained? We weren't dogs.

But it appeared that this was one of the locations gifted wolves came to once they were trusted and broken in. How the hell was I going to be able to look at them and act as if I didn't care they were being forced into this life? I wanted nothing more than to shelter them from this life and take them all back to the pack with us. But that wasn't an option.

We emerged from the trees, the wind whipping around us and causing goosebumps to arise on my tanned skin. It was a neat and tidy pack - with many buildings dotted around. However, there were quite a few that were still in the process of being made, and people got to work on them, their faces glum.

My eyes almost popped out of their head as I noticed bricks being lifted into the air - with no one touching them. A soft yellow glow emitted from them, and I cocked my head and watched as a gifted wolf moved each brick with a flick of the wrist. Their gift was an amazing one. But, every few bricks, they tired, and they had to go back to doing it with their hands.

"Roman, Scarlett!"

I turned at the cheery voice and spotted Nyx jogging towards us. His dark hair was gelled back, and he was dressed in a white shirt and slacks—he looked like he'd been attending some meetings.

"Nyx, thank you for the invitation," Roman said with an outstretched hand. Nyx took it firmly, turning to me with a wide grin.

"Of course. If we're going to work together, it's only right you see what you'll be a part of," Nyx gestured to the pack lands. "As you can see, my gifted wolves are working hard. We're currently in the middle of creating more training facilities - the perfect place for my wolves to harness their gifts without fear of destroying anything."

I hummed, nodding towards the one wolf who'd been using his powers to build brick walls without using his hands. "How long do you think it will take them to complete one?"

Nyx turned to me. "I love how involved you get, Scarlett. Many Luna's sit back and let their Alpha's do all the hard work. You're an admirable leader. But to answer your question, it shouldn't take them more than a few days."

I picked up on the sweat dripping from the worker's forehead, and he wiped it as he fell to the ground. It was clear he wasn't in a good way.

I couldn't stop thinking about the young, gifted wolf I'd seen being kidnapped in the city. Was she here? I was unsure if I'd be able to look her in the eyes and act so nonchalant about the situation. I'd had the opportunity to save her, and I hadn't taken it - too scared for my own safety to do so. Did that make me a coward? My mind was running rampant.

"I take it these wolves are cared for," I said with crossed arms. "We aren't interested in working in an environment where people are suffering. We're nothing if not fair - despite the fact that these wolves are below us."

My own words hit me harshly in the chest. I was angry, but I was playing a part. It was all about convincing Nyx.

A laugh bubbled up his throat. "Of course, no gifted wolves are harmed here. Unless of course, they bring it upon themselves. We don't want to use brute force, but sometimes, there is no other way. The safety of the guards is the priority."

"That's understandable," Roman interjected before I could snap back. "Safety is of utmost importance."

Nyx beamed. "I can tell we're going to be great partners, and I'm delighted that you are both on board. However, I do like to get to know my partners, and I think we'd all benefit from learning a little more about each other, don't you think?"

I paused. If he was going to try and hound me about my past, then he had another thing coming.

"Of course," Roman said, wrapping his hand around me. "However, Scarlet has a difficult past, and I'd appreciate it if that wasn't brought up. Not all of us were lucky enough to have family stability."

Nyx dipped his chin once, narrowing his eyes slightly. However, he didn't seem overly fazed. "No problem. Perhaps you'll feel more comfortable sharing it once we're closer, Scarlett? I, myself, had a troubled upbringing, and I'm sure it's something we could both benefit from discussing."

Roman stiffened from next to me, and I faked a smile. "We'll have to see, Nyx. We aren't open books. You'll soon learn that about us."

Nyx smiled. "I'm sure I will, my friend."

Nyx continued to show us around the grounds. However, we weren't allowed to go into the depths of the pack; instead, remaining just on the outskirts. I gathered that deeper into the pack were some things we weren't allowed to see. Roman wanted to have an easy escape if necessary, too, so he wasn't complaining.

Roman and Nyx spoke about pack life, but it was a surface-level conversation. My mate didn't give too much away, but Nyx was clearly trying to see how much information Roman would spill. He wanted to see how much he was being honest about wanting to work with him.

I was distracted, though. I couldn't help but try and make eye contact with each and every gifted wolf as we passed them. They hung their heads low, looking defeated and as if they'd given up. There was no way they wanted to be here. This wasn't voluntary. They were trapped here - most likely because their families had been threatened.

"Scarlett, you seem a little distracted," Nyx suddenly said, and I widened my eyes, focusing on him. The lines on his face deepened, and he cocked his head. "You don't feel sympathy for these creatures, do you? If emotions are going to get in the way, perhaps this agreement isn't something that will work."

Roman's jaw tightened, and his eyes darkened slightly. "Sympathy will always be a part of Scarlett, Nyx. That's something you must understand. She has a big heart, but she's not stupid. She understands the importance of ensuring these gifted wolves don't overpower us. That could mean disaster for us and our community."

Nyx hummed. "Of course, you'll have to excuse me. I don't mean to offend you, but I'm very particular about who I work with. I want to ensure we're all on the same page here."

Roman nodded, and I tried my best to pretend that I wasn't surrounded by a bunch of gifted wolves who were being used and abused against their will. "Oh, trust us. We're all on the same page."