108:  CAPTURED

As we reached the outskirts of Nashville, the night air was heavy with tension. My heart pounded as I surveyed the area, and there, which was brightened by the faint glow of the moon, I saw Maria’s trap. Massive pits filled with oil, waiting to be set ablaze.

It was a deadly snare, meant to engulf my army in flames if we had come with full force. A cold shiver ran down my spine, but I felt a surge of relief that I had brought only a small group with me. We had a chance, but it would be slim.

“Keep low,” I whispered to the men, my voice barely audible over the distant crackle of torches. “We’re going to have to fight our way through.”

The omegas nodded, their faces set in grim determination. Alpha Jo, his face a mask of fury and regret, gritted his teeth and gripped his weapon tighter. We moved forward cautiously, every step a calculated risk.

The air was thick with the smell of oil, and the shadows of Maria’s soldiers flitted through the trees. We stood low, slipping through the dark