Chapter One-Hundred Forty-Six: Into the Shadows: A Rescue Mission

Stephanie's Perspective:

I stepped beyond the threshold, the corridor sprawling before me like a serpent of stone and torchlight, its flickering shadows concealing secrets and, perhaps, traitors. Mikhail stood sentry-like at the far end—a brooding figure, his aura both menacing and reassuring.

"Ready, Mikhail?" My voice was a beacon in the dimness. We will be leaving as night sets.

He nodded, a gleam in his eye reflecting the torch’s fire. "For you, Alpha Stephanie, always."

The castle’s chill seeped through the walls, whispering omens that tonight would be a night of reckoning. In my core, the twins stirred, as if restless with foreboding. Gripping my resolve like the handle of a sword, the sound of my footsteps echoed out of sync with the quick pounding of my heart.

I made my way to Selena's room in the heart of our packhouse, a space she shared with her mate, Alpha Jackson. Before