I was almost asleep, so, so close when I felt something poking in at my mind. I groaned, tightening my fist against the sheets, I pulled myself up and let the mind link come through.

Intruder in the basement, I've been stabbed, she's already running off down the hallway, broken into Gamma Myra's supplies, come quick.

Suddenly, I was completely awake.

I ripped open my door, rushing over to where I knew my sister and her mate would be. I knocked my fist rapidly against the wood until someone opened.

Farren answered, her hair everywhere and her eyes barely open, "What-"

"Another intruder, they've broken into Myra's supplies, go get Vance, I need to see if I can reach them." I rushed before turning away and leaving her in the dust.

I don't think I've ever run so fast in my life, feeling as if every step was one away from me completely falling down.

My heart was wrenched in hope, what were the chances that it was the Nightstalker, if I could catch her...

I pressed my hand against the pad, disabling all the traps. I could see the door was open, the guard lying on the floor with a bleeding wound.

"Someone is on their way to help," I yelled as I ran towards their direction. "I need to see if I can catch them."

The door of Myra's stock room was completely open, and I could already see that it was in a catastrophic state. How much had been stolen?

The guard weakly pointed in the direction that the thief had ran, and I quickly followed swift. While I couldn't see or hear anyone, it was a dark corridor so maybe, just maybe, I could catch her.

All available wolves to the north boundary line, we've had another intruder. Expect the Nightstalker,

I linked, hoping that if I wasn't quick enough, someone else would be.

Her scent clung lightly to the walls, all the more incentive for me to run faster. Hell, it could have even been here from the last attack, since no one really knew how she got out. But the jewellery store had been cleaned, so her scent had disappeared.

I finally reached the end, the trapdoor wide open as the cool night breeze rushed in. I climbed up the ladder and poked my head out, I saw nothing, not even a running outline. I cursed before dropping to the floor and starting to run back.

When I reached back to where the guard was, Vance was leaning over the body, Harmony delicately running her hands over the guards injury in order to help heal it in some way before we got him to a healer.

I walked into the room, Myra sitting on the floor sobbing with Farren's arms wrapped around her. Her scent was much stronger in here, as if it were the very essence of the flowers, or the fragrance being brewed into the potions.

Farren gestured to the floor where a large black mark was.

Confirmation of who exactly orchestrated this event.

"What was taken, Myra?" I asked softly, unable to really recognise anything on the shelf.

"Um... flowers, hibiscus and wattle from Australia and some other stuff, the basis of an identification potion and then just some really rare items for mixing, incorporating, crushing etc." Myra sobbed, tears running down her face with her eyes already red. "Some of it's irreplaceable, some were gifts from family. That damn Nightstalker bitch."

I felt my face fall into a frown, but I said nothing. "We need to get the guard into a medical room. But this is the second attack, and so soon after... we need to be prepared for more, and who knows how many more attacks they have planned. We need the Nightstalker in our custody,"

Farren nodded, just as Vance walked into the room. "Two guards have just come down and taken Smith up to a doctor. What would you want to be done with the Nightstalker should she even be captured?"

"Killed of course," Farren interrupted, "She has stolen from us, caused damage to our facilities and is part of a nameless organisation that has been aiming to take us down for years. She has to be killed."

"To be taken into custody," I said firmly. Though, nothing was confirmed. Thinking that my mate was the Nightstalker is crazy and unrealistic, "From there she can be... terminated. However, we may need to extract information. Vance, make sure that every pack member is aware of this, and an order specifically for her is to be put out."

I waited until I received a nod from everyone, making sure that my instructions were clear. "Good. We can regroup in the morning but for now, I'm going to bed."

I still couldn't get her scent out of my head.

-----------------------------------

"You're alive." Was the first thing Madame Beaudeline said to me as I walked in the door. "It took you longer than last time.

I bowed, mainly to hide my gritted teeth, "Apologies, I needed a break in between. Though all my injections have been administered."

All I could hear was the echo of Madame Beaudeline's nails against the marble desk. "Did you get everything?"

I heaved the duffel bag up onto the desk, too tired to take out the individual bag. Mistress Hemlock moved it so it was facing her, digging her hands into the bag until she found what she wanted. Her eyes carefully took in every item in the bag.

She looked up at me, "Not a single thing was missed. Well done Ms Verano,"

Master Skotus snorted, "And you thought we needed someone else for this mission. Nightstalkers the only one we'll ever need, might as well just get rid of the others."

He sent a wink my way, and I smiled cockily as my answer. Madame Beaudeline quickly brought my attention back to her.

"The Bloodlust pack has been collecting information on us for a while now. As you could understand, this is completely unacceptable. Your job is to sneak into the Alpha's Office and take these files, therefore bringing them back to square one. It is of utmost importance that we keep our organisation as unknown as possible." She delivered, the gleam of the ruby pendant hanging off her collarbone shining into my eye.

My mouth hung open, "Are you trying to get me killed?"

Her eyes narrowed, "Is the task too difficult?"

"Damn right it is! Madame Beaudeline with all due respect, That room would be one of the most guarded rooms in their entire pack, plus, after a second attack, they will be expecting me."

She leaned forward, resting her head on her palms, "Then I suppose you'll have to be a little more careful." She spared a glance to Master Skotus and Mistress Hemlock, "Nightstalker, you are the only thief in this building capable of this mission, and you're the only one who will make it a success."

"It's a mind game Nightstalker, a mind game we know you can play very well. A game of manipulation." Master Skotus assured me.

"There's nothing psychological about breaking into a building? The issue is, is that I'm going to get caught-"

"With that attitude, yes, you will be caught. You are the one who will make this mission a success." Madame Beaudeline assured, her tone telling me that this wasn't up for discussion.

I raised my finger to my face, wiping off the now hardened blood. For some reason, this damn scratch hadn't healed over.

"You'll leave in the morning. However, the length of the mission is up to you. However, you may not open the duffel bag containing your information and injections until you reach Bloodlust. Understand that no matter what details are there, you are required to see them through and to completion-"

This sounded wrong. This didn't sound like a regular mission. Did they not trust me? Or is it they simply aren't telling me what's truly going on.

"You may only open the duffel bag to retrieve the potion which will ensure you are undetected as you walk over their grounds. Is this clear to you Nightstalker?" Madame Beaudeline asked with a raised brow.

"Yes Madame," I murmured. I turned to leave until Madame added one last thing,

"Oh, and Nightstalker, say a proper goodbye to your friends and those you care about. Who knows, you may be gone a while." She said, watching my every move.

I bowed again, lower this time, "Thank you, leaders, for your time. I will now take my leave. If I'm needed, I'll be in my quarters resting."

I walked out, not saying a word as my face twisted in anger. I headed straight to the living quarters, not having the energy to bother with anything else. Thankfully, it was empty, Cora and Ti either being on a mission or at training. I practically ripped off my suit, dropping it into the floor as I changed into a pair of long comfy clothes. I started to re-thread my ears, putting in every single earring that I had taken out. I found comfort in them for some reason. I then unbound my hair, left the bathroom and collapsed on my bed.

Stealing files from the Alpha's office,

What a load of bullshit.

----------------------------------

"Cas, Cas wake up," was my alarm, Cora's face only inches away from mine with her hands on my shoulders. Once I had opened my eyes, she jumped away. "Are you ok?"

I lifted myself up, "Yeah, I suppose so."

"We thought we'd come in and wake you for dinner, but I think it might be better if you stayed resting and we bring some food back in case you want it."

I ran a hand over to smooth my hair, still exhausted. "If you could, yeah, that would be great. But I need to talk to you guys about something, and it's not exactly a discussion I want to have over breakfast."

The both sat themselves down on the end of my bed. Watching me with cautious, anxious eyes.

"I'm leaving for my final mission tomorrow morning. I have to sneak into the Alpha's office and take any files regarding the organisation." I said slowly, "I have no limit for this mission, so who knows, but I think that the chances of me coming home are... slim. I'm considered a kill-on-sight operative in every single pack in the country, and after what I've already done to Bloodlust, I doubt that it will be any different. I can't plan for the mission, I can't prepare, I'll be going in completely blind."

Ti leaned forward, "Cas, they would never make you do something that would get you killed."

I sighed. "Our leaders are egotistical power freaks, I wouldn't put it past them to overestimate my abilities. I just wanted to thank you two for being here, and for being my closest friends. I'm not sure what I would have done without you."

Cora slapped me lightly, "Cassandra Verano, don't you be saying shit like that-"

"You never know, so I just wanted to make sure that you guys know that you are my closest friends, my sisters. No matter what." I finished, the back of my eyes beginning to burn.

Ti leaned over and grabbed my hand, "Nothing will happen to you Cas, but we've been sisters since we arrived here, and we will never be anything else."

Cora grabbed onto my other hand, "We're the power trio babe, hell, we'd still be together even if we were normal and shit."

"Now, you go back to sleep, get as much rest as you possibly can. I'll burn some sage once the moon is fully out." Ti promised.

I let go of their hands, mumbling thanks as they stepped out of the room, turning off the lights and closing the door as silently as possible. I let my body fall back down against the mattress.

As I leaned my head down on the pillow, a small tear leaked out of my eye, running down my face and onto the sheets.

I was going to die tomorrow, and there was nothing I could do about it.

-------------------------------------------------

When I walked into my room after my injection to pack a personal bag, I could still smell the sage. I had said my goodbye to those who I cared about, though the number of people was small.

I packed small items, nothing too important since I didn't want to have them lost to a foreign pack. Mainly, they were good luck charms and trinkets. I pulled open my draw, dropping in a crystal or two. I hesitated,

The tiara was staring at me, willing to be picked up. In the end, I shoved it in the bag too. I mean, at least they could have it back? I'm sure it was important, no matter how beautiful it was and no matter how much I loved it, this tiara didn't belong to me.

I carefully made my bed and bid one last goodbye to the room before walking out.

When I picked out the duffel bag from storage, it was heavier than it usually was. What the hell could be in here? Regardless, I swung the straps over my shoulder and left the base. I flourished with the hot sun beaming onto my face before shifting.

This was it.

I ran a different route than I usually did, just in case someone had managed to track me and I was being waited for along that way. I knew it would extend my run by a few more hours, but it would be worth it.

Just like the last two times, I arrived at the edge of Bloodlust when the moon was already high in the sky.

I opened the bag partially, fishing around the vial. I drank it all before dropping it in. I then crossed the border and made my way back to the house that I had so recently visited. This time, I wanted to be on the roof, so I quickly scaled up the side of the building. The house was enormous, with multiple layers and extravagant detailing. I was almost positive that the Alpha lived on the top level, so, chances were, that's where his office would be.

I hid myself behind a chimney, hoping to keep myself undetected from any guards.

Then, I opened up the duffel bag. On the top was a piece of paper, words were delicately written over it in Madame Beaudeline's familiar, loopy handwriting.

Nightstalker,

We made the decision not to tell you your true mission until you arrived in Bloodlust, hence your order not to open this bag until you had reached your destination. Your true mission is to infiltrate the pack. Destroy the files on our organisation, feed them fake information and collect anything that may be of interest to us. You have three month's worth of injections, should you have not completed your mission by then, you must return, successful or not.

Find some way for them to trust you, find some way for them to take you in. We do not care how, only that it happens. We trust that you are the one most able to carry out this mission.

The Alpha's office will set off in alarms the moment that you step onto the floor. Make sure that you are ready to be captured.

And while you're there, try to kill the Alpha.

Good luck,

Madame Beaudeline, Master Skotus, Mistress Hemlock

I raised a shaking hand to my mouth. Almost in disbelief, I kept going through the bag, hoping and praying that the letter had been a mistake.

It wasn't.

I pulled the mask off my face. Dropping it into the bag, along with the smaller bag I had for some reason been carrying around in my hand. I then zipped it up and slung it over my shoulder,

I knew exactly what I needed to do.

Inside the duffel bag had been a map showing me exactly where the office was on the house, so it took no time to find it. I hung half my body off the roof, peering through the window and sure enough, it was the office.

I used my nails once more to cut through the glass, easily pulling myself through and hanging myself on the wall. Once the glass was back in the window, I took a large step and placed myself on top of the Alpha's desk.

For just a moment, I allowed myself to raise my head, taking in the delicious scent of the room. I then pulled out my dagger. I took a few deep breaths before launching the blade into my stomach and let my body fall to the ground.

The alarms started to ring.

-----------------------------------------