Kian's dad, who happened to be called Magnus, had been the only one who hadn't balked at my question. I could understand that I was a total stranger. An unknown threat. Unfortunately, Jace and Ace were the only familiar faces among the other shifters. Their response to me only generated suspicion among the Pack members.

"Let's start with the obvious." Alpha Bennett spoke since no one was willing to reply to my earlier question.

The man was tall, and he wore his dominance like second skin. It was obvious the man was used to having all the attention.

"Mila, how could you lead her here?" He asked the girl.

The Rogue girl winced, hiding her flushed cheeks. "I didn't think she would follow me. I took one of the most difficult entries into the caverns. She shouldn't have made it in."

I now could understand why I had thought she was a boy. She had a naturally raspy voice she had cleverly used to make it sound like she had a deeper voice but now her voice was only slightly husky but lighter with feminine undertones.

"She's an Elite Syndicate Enforcer." Someone pointed out.

It sounded like an accusation.

It was clear their views of the Shadow Hunters were tainted. It was weird considering there were five members from their Pack who had taken on the training to become an Elite Syndicate Enforcer, with two only succeeding. It may have been bitterness that blackened their perspectives. Jace and Ace hadn't made it, therefore, it wouldn't have surprised me if their Pack found it an injustice on their behalf.

Packs usually spoke of the Shadow Hunters with reverence or fear, not outright disrespect.

I felt eyes from all directions in the cave rest on the golden insignia woven into my uniform. It was the first time I felt the influence of the title. I usually forgot that I was part of the Elite Syndicate.

"And how did she spot you in the first place?" Alpha Bennett asked.

Mila dipped her head in embarrassment. "She caught me."

"Stealing." I added. "You tried to steal from my friends."

Curses echoed from the small crowd.

"You were supposed to be careful Mila." Magnus silenced the growing invectives bursting from the group of people. "We couldn't be found out too soon or by the wrong people." He gently chided.

"I'm sorry. I was hungry." She didn't look up as she fiddled with her blade.

I noted that they all looked as if they missed more than a few meals, but they were safe despite the misery and fatigue surrounding them like a clingy shadow.

"We can't trust her Alpha." Jace piped up, "She poses a risk to us. As soon as she leaves our sight, she'll be yapping to her Alpha."

"Quiet son."

He obeyed, albeit reluctantly since I could feel his glare burning holes into my profile. I ignored the heat of his narrowed gaze and glanced around the caverns and hollow passages. Although the place was dim, the little cracks in the ceiling gave way for enough light to seep in.

They had transformed the place into their temporary abode. There were thin blankets sprawled in different corners and wooden crates that held what looked to be like food supplies, although there seemed to be half empty.

Some of the kids had taken some of their toys. My attention snagged on the gaggle of children hiding behind the adults. They peeked over their thighs, watching me with mixed emotions ranging from caution to awe.

There was a strange tension in the air, I kept my senses alert, trying to get a feel of their intentions.

There were more of them than there were of me. I couldn't be completely relaxed or too trusting, especially since Jace and Ace had a hand in leading the poisoned changelings to the Shadow Hunters' Pack.

They'd also kidnapped Allison and had kept her out of consciousness with nightshade.

There were more sins on their heads, but I knew Aella, Tatum and Alpha Slater would deal out the consequences.

I could only do my part in making sure I protected the Pack from their devious plots and intentions.

"Why are you in here?" I asked no one in particular. I was hoping someone would come forward and just spit out their secrets but when the silence drew on, I sighed.

I was aware this could be a trap, but I was convinced that Mila had been caught by mistake and bad luck on her end.

I still scented the distinct smell of Rogue imprinted on her skin. It baffled me.

What was a Rogue doing with the Blue Cave Pack?

It wasn't only their scent that separated the two parties. Mila kept a physical distance from the other shifters, keeping to her corner. I had so many questions, but time wasn't adequate enough to unwrap each one. I was more concerned about Alpha Bennett and his sons.

What were they planning, lingering in the hollow orifices of these caverns?

How long had they been in here?

The Bennetts already had a scarlet mark on them. The Shadow Hunters had first go in dealing with them but I couldn't try anything with innocent children lingering nearby. It would be too difficult to keep the violence at a minimal and there was no guarantee that they would be safe if I were to unfurl into a weapon.

The children didn't need to witness such thing if it could be avoided.

"Who are you?" Alpha Bennett demanded, ignoring her earlier question.

I didn't find any harm telling him my identity. Jace and Ace were present, and they knew me already. Jace had already called me by name and said a bunch of things about me that had the Pack still scrutinising me with suspicion.

"I'm Penelope Rivers."

"An Elite Syndicate Enforcer?" He urged.

"Yeah, and you're Alpha Bennett." I stated, unimpressed. It was difficult keeping the distaste fully from my tone. You could say I was bias. Alpha Bennett was firmly on my naughty list and yet, he didn't even know me.

The man instantly caught the disfavour in my tone. I shrugged guilelessly when his eyes narrowed. "So, what is happening here? My Alpha will be terribly interested to know where you have been hiding."

I could feel the tension rise in the air.

I ignored the muttered curses hurled at me, keeping my gaze locked on the Alpha. "So?"

"You're either fearless, or stupid." He said, "You don't approach a Pack and lay a threat at their feet, taunting them to fight."

"What if I was looking for a fight?" I asked, insouciant.

"Then I'd say you're stupid."

In all honestly, I could live with that. I wouldn't be losing any sleep just because the Alpha of the Blue Cave Pack thought I was stupid. I had a mile long list of adjectives I could use to describe him, but I lacked the motivation to go through with it.

He was just a shifter who happened to be the Alpha of a Pack.

That didn't count for anything.

"What are you doing around here?" Jace cut in, standing by the Alpha. They presented a pretty front, although they were wasting their time trying to intimidate me. Those tactics were worthless on me. "This is quite the distance away from your Pack." He sneered.

"There seems to be a lot of interesting activity happening around this neck of the woods. You wouldn't know anything about the red-eyed changelings, would you? You know, the same ones you've been leading to the Shadow Hunters the last time you were there?" I fluttered my lashes, catching the various looks of dubious expressions that appeared on their faces. I glanced to the side where Magnus had been standing. His expression was more arduous to decipher.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The Alpha looked away but not before I caught the guilt on his face.

I found Ace standing a litter further from his family members. He hadn't spoken a single word since I appeared, choosing to stay a distance away to observe the back-and-forth communication.

I notched my chin higher, not in the least discouraged by their obvious lies. "I want to know how you're connected with those changelings."

"We already told you we don't know what you're talking about." Alpha Bennett snapped.

"Then why is the land in your Pack barren? Why are you here instead of there?"

"Stop asking questions girl."

"You guys are hiding."

"Stop talking-"

"Then stop lying through your teeth and look at me. Whatever your connection to those wolves, it has spilled over your control because clearly, they're not completely under your control anymore, if they ever were. They prowl on their own, invading through Packs and preying on shifters who are too weak to effectively protect themselves. The moment those changelings became a problem, this whole thing became part of my business. No matter what angle I think of, a lot of it leads back to this Pack. It doesn't help that your sons have led them to the Shadow Hunters with the intent to eliminate my Pack members. I take personal offense with that."

"Tell her Alpha Bennett." Magnus spoke when only heavy silence remained. "We've been down here for a long time. Things are worsening and sooner or later, people are going to find out what happened. We have innocent people in our Pack who don't need to suffer along with the consequences of what happened."

The Pack members watched their Alpha as he began to pace back and forth.

For once, Jace kept his lips pressed tightly together.

It was like everyone was holding their breath.

A woman with strawberry blonde locks stepped forward. Eyes gravitated to her. She wrung her hands in front of her worn skirt, trembling with uncertainty. She was slender and had the bluest eyes I'd ever seen, it almost looked like they glowed. "Alpha, please. We can't live in here any longer. You can't expect us to stay here for the rest of our lives. We've supported you for a long time but...but I'll walk away, and I won't be the only one to go if we don't settle things soon. If that happens, you won't even have a Pack to lead."

"What is this Marcel?" Alpha Bennett demanded, casting a heated glare her way.

The woman flinched but kept talking. "We've suffered enough Alpha. You know that but this issue lays with your sons. They're the reason why we're in this position."

Jace cussed, approaching the woman with fisted hands.

Mila blocked him immediately, appearing out of thin air and slamming him against the cave wall. Her forearm pinned him by his neck. It was a sight to see, considering she was shorter than him.

Everyone seemed to be shocked by the sudden interception, but no one dared to peel her away from him.

"Get off me you bitch!" He growled.

"Don't touch her then you bastard." Mila added a little pressure against his neck until he choked. She abruptly released him. He sucked in a breath, leaning over his thighs as he gathered more air into his lungs. Mila simply dusted her forearms, stalking off with a glare still aimed on him.

"I d-don't know why we keep her around." He drank in another gulp of air.

"Shut the hell up." Alpha Bennett growled. "That's enough son. Stop."

Magnus approached me; his expression troubled. "We have answers to your questions, but they're all convoluted. A lot of things have happened and unfortunately, you're not wrong to think that we're involved somehow."

"I have time. Tell me. I can help you."

It was the truth. I could potentially help them, but it depended on their answers and how much trust they extended towards me.

"Why aren't you scared?" Magnus asked. "There is only you here. We could hurt you."

"Are you going to hurt me?" I clasped my hips, steeling my spine.

"No but you didn't know that before."

"Maybe your Alpha is right with me being stupid. If I was smart, I would've left already and gone back to my Pack members."

Magnus smirked. It reminded me so much of Kian, I could just make out his face in Magnus's features. "You're not stupid and I think you certainly know that. You're brave. That's an absolute truth and we both know that makes you dangerous." His murky eyes blazed with wisdom as they lowered to the E.S initials on my suit. "You may have been a Rogue at some point, but you've come far Little Wolf. The Shadow Hunters are lucky to have claimed you as one of their own."

I fought the urge to snuggle up to him and bawl my eyes out like a baby.

He was just so nice.

Instead, I settled for a small head nod, genuinely surprised by the man's warmth. This was the same warmth Kian possessed when he wasn't busy brooding or throwing sarcastic comments around, only to piss people off.

"Where is your Alpha?" Alpha Bennett questioned.

I met Alpha Bennett's gaze, "Are you agreeing to explain what has been happening?"

He blew out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "We'll have to see after I speak with your Alpha."