Chapter 43

The door creaks open, and Cheryl and I slip inside, our footsteps barely making a sound. The room is dimly lit by a few flickering overhead bulbs, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Raina and her accomplices are gathered around a table, engrossed in what looks like a map and some documents. The tension in the room is palpable, and I can feel Cheryl’s hand tighten around mine.

Raina’s voice cuts through the silence. “We need to act quickly. The information we’ve gathered will allow us to take down the pack once and for all. The time for subtlety is over.”

I exchange a glance with Cheryl. This is it—Raina is planning something catastrophic. We have to stop her before it’s too late. I nod to Cheryl, signaling that we should move in, but just as we’re about to make our move, a loud crash echoes from the back of the building.

“What was that?” one of Raina’s accomplices says, his voice filled with alarm.

I freeze, realizing that our presence might have been detected. The distraction buys