Chapter 94

I returned to the forest meeting site the next night, my determination overriding any concern for personal safety. Kane would follow—I knew him well enough to predict that much—but I couldn't let his emotional withdrawal stop me from gathering the evidence we desperately needed.

The night was darker than usual, heavy clouds obscuring the moon and stars, creating perfect conditions for surveillance but also making the forest feel more ominous. Every shadow seemed to hold potential threats, every rustling branch a possible enemy watching my movements.

Kane appeared in the shadows just as I finished setting up the surveillance equipment, his presence both expected and unwelcome. He materialized from the darkness with his characteristic silent grace, like a predator stalking prey.

"I told you I can handle this myself," I said without looking at him, adjusting the camera angle to capture the clearing's center.

"This isn't about us," Kane replied in that carefully neutral tone I'd grown to hate. "It's about the mission."

The way he said 'mission' made it sound like our entire relationship had been nothing more than a professional assignment. Maybe to him, it had been. Maybe I'd been deluding myself about the depth of our connection.

We worked in tense silence, positioning cameras and recording devices with the efficiency born of countless operations together. Our movements were perfectly coordinated despite the emotional distance—muscle memory and training taking over where partnership had once flourished.

But the easy camaraderie we'd once shared was gone, replaced by stilted professionalism that made every interaction painful. Kane maintained proper distance, never getting close enough for accidental contact, never letting his guard down enough for real communication.

Giana arrived exactly on schedule, accompanied by three rogue contacts this time instead of the usual one. The expansion of her operation suggested the conspiracy was growing bolder, more confident in its immunity from discovery.

She moved with predatory grace across the clearing, her confidence evident in every step. This was her domain now, her carefully constructed web of betrayal and manipulation.

I could feel Kane go rigid beside me as we both processed what we were witnessing. She wasn't just meeting one contact anymore—this was a full coordination meeting.

"The next shipment of intelligence will include guard rotations for the Alpha King's upcoming visit," Giana said, her voice carrying clearly in the still night air.

"Payment has been deposited in the usual account," one of the rogues replied, handing her a small device—probably some kind of encrypted communication tool.

I managed to photograph the envelope exchange and capture clear audio of their conversation. This was the proof we needed—undeniable evidence of Giana's betrayal, documented with professional precision.

"What about the Luna?" another rogue asked, this one sporting a jagged scar across his jaw.

"She's playing right into our plans," Giana replied with chilling confidence. "I don't even have to do much work to make her appear crazy. Any day now, her mental health will take a turn for the worse, and she'll be out of the picture."

The casual discussion of my planned destruction made my hands shake with rage. I had to grip the camera tighter to keep it steady.

Kane's entire body tensed beside me. I could feel the fury radiating from him like heat as he listened to Giana casually plan my elimination. Whatever emotional walls he'd built, hearing direct threats to my life was testing their limits.

"And the other representative?" the scarred rogue continued.

"Kane is already distancing himself from her," Giana said with obvious satisfaction. "His professional reputation is more important to him than whatever feelings he might have had."

Kane's entire body went rigid beside me. I could feel the fury radiating from him as Giana casually dissected his character and motivations with such accuracy it hurt.

When the rogues began discussing specific plans to eliminate us during our next official trip—including detailed knowledge of our planned route and scheduled stops—I realized the scope of their intelligence was far worse than we'd imagined.

"The Alpha King trusts them completely," Giana continued. "Which makes them perfect targets. When they're found dead during their diplomatic mission, it will look like rival packs were responsible."

The cold calculation in her voice made my blood run cold. She wasn't just planning our deaths—she was planning to use them to start a war.

"We need to go," Kane whispered urgently as the meeting showed signs of wrapping up.

We began carefully gathering our surveillance equipment, moving with practiced stealth through the underbrush. Every step had to be calculated, every movement silent.

Kane led the way back through the forest, his knowledge of hidden paths keeping us well away from any potential patrols. We moved in complete silence for nearly twenty minutes, putting distance between ourselves and the meeting site.

Only when we reached the safety of neutral territory did we dare to speak.

I felt a surge of hope for the first time in weeks. "This is it, Kane. This is what we needed. With this much evidence, surely it can break through Raymond's magical conditioning. He'll have to see the truth."

Kane's expression remained carefully neutral, but I caught a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "Magical conditioning is designed specifically to make the victim reject information that contradicts the implanted beliefs."

"But this isn't just rumors or speculation," I insisted, holding up the camera. "This is concrete proof. Video evidence of her betraying the pack, planning our deaths, coordinating with enemy forces. Raymond might be under her influence, but he's not stupid."

Kane was quiet for several steps, and I could see him wrestling with something. When he finally spoke, his voice carried a note of reluctant hope.

"You're right," he admitted. "We have to try. This evidence... it's not just about Raymond anymore. This proves there's a larger conspiracy at work. The Alpha King needs to know what we've uncovered."

For a brief moment, his professional mask slipped, and I saw the man I'd fallen in love with underneath. The partner who'd once shared my determination to protect our people.

"We can present this to the Alpha King directly," Kane continued, his voice gaining strength. "Even if Raymond refuses to see reason, the King will understand the implications. He can take action to protect the council members."

My heart leapt at his words. This was the first time in weeks he'd spoken like we were still a team, still working toward the same goals.

"Kane," I started, wanting to reach out to him, to build on this moment of connection.

But almost immediately, I watched his emotional walls slam back into place. His expression became professionally neutral again, the warmth disappearing from his voice.

"We should return to pack territory," he said stiffly. "The evidence needs to be secured and documented properly."

The sudden emotional withdrawal hit me like a physical blow. For just a moment, I'd thought we might be finding our way back to each other. But Kane's fear was stronger than his hope.

"Right," I said quietly, trying to hide my disappointment. "The mission comes first."

We walked the rest of the way back in silence, the weight of unspoken words heavy between us. I had the evidence I needed to expose Giana's betrayal, but Kane remained as emotionally distant as ever.

As we approached the pack house, I realized we were racing against time in more ways than one. Giana's plans were accelerating, Raymond's conditioning was getting stronger, and Kane's emotional walls were becoming more impenetrable every day.

We had the evidence we needed. Now we had to find a way to make someone listen before it was too late for all of us.

The next few hours would determine whether our investigation had been worth the cost—or whether we'd gathered proof of our own destruction.