Chapter 156

Chapter 156

ARIA

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“Of course,” Sera said graciously. “I’ll have your vehicles prepared. Safe travels back to Shadowmere, Alpha Kael. And Luna Aria-” Her eyes found mine, that knowing smile returning full force. “I do hope we see each other again soon. Perhaps under more pleasant circumstances p>

The threat was clear even wrapped in false politeness. This wasn’t over. Whatever larger game she was playing, this was just one move. One piece positioned for future complications.

Kael offered polite thanks for the hospitality and headed toward the exit. Nina and I followed, along with the security detail that had been stationed outside. The walk back to our quarters felt endless, tension radiating from everyone in our group.

We’d barely made it inside when Kael’s phone rang. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and then put it on speaker.

“Jordan,” he said, acknowledging his assistant-the one he’d left in charge of pack operations during our absence. “What is it? We’re preparing to leave Blackwood now p>

“Alpha Kael,” Jordan’s voice came through, and even through the phone I could hear the stress and urgency. “I have news. Important news that couldn’t wait for your return p>

“What’s happened?” Kael’s voice became sharp with concern. “Is the pack under attack? Is there an emergency p>

“Not an attack exactly,” Jordan said. “But we have a serious security situation. It’s about the prisoner Damon Cross p>

My heart stopped. Actually stopped beating for a moment before resuming at double speed. Because I knew. Before Jordan even said it, I knew what was coming.

“Damon was confirmed to have escaped from prison five hours ago,” Jordan continued. “The neutral dungeons reported it immediately, but there’s been some chaos in establishing protocols and notifying the right people. Nobody knows where he is. He could be anywhere by

now p>

The room went completely silent. Everyone frozen, processing what we’d just heard.

Damon had escaped. Five hours ago. Which meant while we’d been sitting at breakfast with Sera, while she’d been playing games and making deals, she’d known. She’d known that Damon was free and had said nothing.

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Had probably been stalling us. Keeping us here, distracted, while Damon got further away from the prison. Creating distance and time for whatever plan they had.

Because there was no way this was coincidence. No way Sera’s strange behavior, her deliberate delays, her insistence on conditions and future favors—no way any of that was unconnected to Damon’s escape.

“How?” Kael demanded, his voice dangerously quiet. “How did he escape from a secured facility designed to hold dangerous prisoners p>

“They’re still investigating,” Jordan said. “But preliminary reports suggest inside help. Someone compromised the security protocols. Created an opportunity for him to get out p>

Inside help. Someone who had access. Someone who could manipulate the systems.

Someone like whoever had delivered Damon’s note to my chambers weeks ago. Someone who’d been helping him all along.

I looked at Kael and saw the same realization dawning on his face. The same terrible understanding.

Sera had known. Had probably helped orchestrate it. Had kept us here, kept us distracted, while Damon made his escape and got however much head start he needed.

And the name in that folded paper-my name, my secret visit to him—that had been leverage. Insurance. A way to ensure Kael owed her a favor. A way to complicate our ability to respond to Damon’s escape.

“We need to leave,” Kael said, his voice deadly calm in that way that meant he was absolutely furious but controlling it through sheer will. “Now. Jordan, put every available resource into finding Damon. Contact the regional council. Alert neighboring packs. I want him found immediately p>

“Already in progress, Alpha,” Jordan assured him. “But Alpha-there’s something else. The facility reviewed their logs. They found evidence that someone visited Damon recently. Someone unauthorized. They think that visit might be connected to the escape. That whoever visited him might have helped plan it or provided information that facilitated it p>

My heart stopped. The visit. My visit. They thought I’d helped him escape.

“Who was it?” Kael asked, though his hand was moving to his pocket. To the folded paper Sera had given him. The paper he’d promised not to read until we got home.

“They don’t have a confirmed identity yet,” Jordan said. “They’re still going through surveillance footage and cross-referencing logs. But Alpha, we need to investigate this from our end too. Find out if anyone from Shadowmere had unauthorized contact with the prisoner p>

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“Understood,” Kael said. “We’re leaving Blackwood now. We’ll be home as quickly as possible. Keep me updated on any developments p>

He ended the call and stood there for a moment, the phone still in his hand, his expression unreadable.

Then his eyes found mine.

And I saw the question there. The terrible suspicion he was trying to suppress but couldn’t quite eliminate.

The suspicion that I knew more about this than I was saying.

That I might be connected to Damon’s escape.

That the secret Sera had been holding over me was worse than he’d imagined.

“Aria,” he said quietly. “Is there anything you need to tell me? Anything about Damon? About why Sera was so interested in tormenting you at breakfast p>

This was my chance. My opportunity to confess before the paper revealed it. Before Sera’s version of events became the truth he believed.

But fear paralyzed me. Fear of his reaction. Fear of confirming his worst suspicions. Fear of losing everything right when Damon’s escape had already thrown everything into chaos.

“No,” I heard myself say. “Nothing. I don’t know anything about his escape. I’m as shocked as you are p>

The lie felt like poison in my mouth.

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