Ford

Two hours later, Catherine, Layla, and I sit beside Alexander's bed in the infirmary-Catherine on one side and Layla and I on the other-ready to deploy on a Maxim-approved mission to Montreal.

Chase, Juliet's ex, planned to join us, but Maxim sent him on a diplomatic mission down the East Coast, hoping his powers of persuasion will light a fire under the Alphas who have sworn allegiance to Maxim's pack. Lost Moon needs fighters, ammunition, and health care workers to care for the wounded, STAT.

Chase insisted he'd be back as soon as he could and promised to help find Juliet when he returned, but I'm praying we won't need his help. If Juliet isn't safe by the time Chase gets all the way down to North Carolina and back up again, stopping at all the major city centers along the way, I'm going to lose my shit.

I need her safe and here with me. Now.

"I can come," Alexander says, wincing as he pushes himself higher on the pillows. "I just need to shift into my wolf form and shift back and I'll be good as new."

"No, you won't, you have three broken ribs," Catherine says, her voice still thick from crying. She and Alexander were sobbing all over each other when Layla and I came in, but she quickly pulled herself together and apologized for her part in putting everyone in danger.

I assured her that she played no part-it was her brother's decision to betray us-but she clearly feels responsible. She says she provoked Beck when he first arrived and got on his bad side. If she hadn't, she thinks maybe things would have been different and Alexander never would have been manipulated into helping the New Lupine Brotherhood.

It's a classic case of a victim blaming herself for someone else's bad behavior, but that's something she'll have to work on with the school counselor after we save Juliet.

Maxim's given us one day. One day to use the element of surprise to our advantage before he leads a scorched earth offensive against Jean-Paul and his people.

We have to get Juliet out before then. If we don't, there's a good chance she'll be caught in the crossfire.

"And we can't trust you," Layla says, adding with a casual shrug, "Sorry, man, but that's the way it is. You broke the friend code, and this mission is trusted homies only. Honestly, you're lucky we aren't telling Maxim what you did. I'm sure he'd do a lot worse than kick you out of the inner circle. You feel me?"

Alexander sags against the pillows. "I know. And again, I'm so f*****g sorry. I'll work hard to regain your trust. No matter how long it takes. I swear to you, I just want to help. Any way I can."

Catherine squeezes his hand. "We know. But be quiet now. This isn't about you. This is about Juliet. Jean-Paul is a sadist with a serious dark side. We have to get her away from him, the sooner the better."

Next to me, Layla leans in. "Tell us everything you know, then we can go over the layout of the Montreal pack compound and the latest intelligence on what kind of weapons he's been collecting. Maxim's tech team AirDropped a shit ton of stuff to my phone." "Let's do that outside," I say, shooting Alexander another hard look. "Where we can be sure no one's listening."

"They aren't letting anyone call in or out of Lost Moon until tomorrow night, to keep the lie that Hammer's still in charge alive as long as possible," Alexander says wearily. "Even if I wanted to betray you, I couldn't. And I don't. I promise."

"But you should rest," Catherine says, standing and bending to press a kiss to Alex's forehead. "Rest and heal and I'll be back as soon as I can."

He grabs her hand, squeezing tight. "Be careful. Remember your training and make the most of your secret weapon."

A tight smile pulling at her lips, Catherine nods. "I will."

Out in the hall, as we move past other injured men and women on gurneys in the overflowing infirmary, Layla asks, "What's your secret weapon?"

"My hedgehog. I'm small enough to climb through tight spaces and gain entrance to hard-to-get places." Catherine glances over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing as she adds, "One time I swam up into a toilet to let Alexander and my dad in through an enemy's window."

I turn in the same direction Catherine did, but don't see anything except patients awaiting care and two very busy doctors bustling between rooms.

"Sorry," she says, "I thought I smelled Beck, but I'm probably imagining things. All the New Lupine Brotherhood wounded are being treated and held in the chapel."

"We could set fire to it on the way out," Layla says, displaying a bloodthirsty side that isn't normal for her. But I expect being told she was going to be sold back into slavery again-a fate she only recently escaped before she came to Lost Moon-struck an ugly chord. "No, but maybe we should swing by for a visit," Catherine says. "Beck's father is close with Jean-Paul. Their family has stayed with the Montreal pack on several occasions. Beck might know things about the compound that even Maxim's spies don't." "Doesn't matter," I say. "Even if we can get him to talk, we can't trust he's telling the truth."

"No," Catherine agrees. "Not without leverage. But if we work out a deal with Maxim-a reduced sentence for Beck upon our successful return from our mission, aided by intelligence supplied by the world's worst wolf-he could be of use to us." Layla growls. "He doesn't deserve a reduced sentence. I want him to hang. I want them all to hang."

"Oh, he will," Catherine says with a dark smile I've never seen on her face before. "Because there won't be a deal with Maxim. We'll be lying about that."

Layla laughs low in her throat. "Nice. I like the way you think when you're pissed as hell."

"Beck had terrible plans for me and nearly got my brother killed," Catherine says. "Seems only fair that I return the favor. I'll tell you what I know about Jean-Paul and his people on the way over to the chapel."

We push out into the warm, sunny summer day and start across the quad, where several tents have been erected and are serving as triage stations for the steady stream of wounded allies coming through the front gate. Thankfully, more of Maxim's force survived than originally expected, including Hermione who lifts a hand to me as we pass by her tent.

"Glad to see you in one piece," she says.

I cross to clasp her offered hand. "You, too."

"I hear you're heading into Montreal on a rescue mission," she says, glancing over to Layla and Catherine before fixing her gaze on me. "I tried to convince Maxim to let me go with you, but he wants me here, just in case Hammer has something unexpected up his sleeve. Or if he decides to ransom President Benoit."

I told Maxim what I saw in the helicopter earlier, and it looks like he's kept Hermione up to speed. It's proof that she's in fighting shape, despite the large bruise on her temple and the bandages around her upper left arm. content rights.

"That's probably smart," I say. "Hammer doesn't admit defeat easily. Even when it makes sense to cut his losses."

Hermione nods. "But the good news is his chopper was last spotted on radar headed north into the wilds, not west. You shouldn't have to worry about him in Montreal."

"Unless he calls Jean-Paul and warns him that Lost Moon isn't under his control, after all," Layla says, extending a hand Hermione's way with a big smile. "I'm Layla by the way. Bear shifter. Big fan of badass women leaders. Appreciate you coming to help us out." Hermione's expression softens. "You're welcome. And I agree. The element of surprise hinges on getting to Montreal and to Juliet before Hammer decides to make contact. In light of that, I've arranged for a helicopter for the three of you. It's fueling on the pad now. Should be ready to go in a few minutes."

"Then we'd better hurry," Catherine says backing away. "We have a piece of shit to interrogate before we go." She lifts a hand. "Thank you for the help!"

"Yes, thank you. So much," I agree as Layla and I hurry after Catherine.

When we're out of earshot, Layla lets out a rush of breath. "Wow. Is it just me or is she the hottest, most magnetically amazing human being in the entire world?"

"She's stunning," Catherine says. "But she's also at least a decade older than you are. Probably more. And she doesn't seem like a cradle robber."

"I'm not in my cradle," Layla protests.

"You're cradle adjacent," I say. "I wouldn't date you, and I'm only twenty-eight. Hermione's at least thirty-five."

Layla grunts. "Fine. But I'm getting older every day. I won't be cradle adjacent forever. Someday, I'm going to be grown and accomplished enough for a woman like that to take me seriously."

"I hope so," Catherine says in a wistful voice that seems to remind Layla how dangerous our mission truly is.

The smile falls from her face and she's silent the rest of the way to the chapel, where two armed guards refuse to let us in to talk to Beck, no matter how sweetly Catherine wheedles.

But it's probably for the best.

Convincing Beck we made a deal with Maxim would take time we don't have and then there's the very real chance that I wouldn't be able to stop myself from strangling him in his makeshift hospital bed. And I can't afford to waste precious minutes murdering Beck right now.

But as soon as Juliet's safe?

Well, then... all bets are off.