CHAPTER 1 The Alpha King's Huntress

"Are you insane, Kasia? You can't go there on your own."

"Am I supposed to sit around and do nothing now that I know that she's alive?"

"Yes, that's exactly what you should do."

"Are you serious right now, Austin? She's all I have left."

"She made her decision by going with the unit to bomb the Moonlight Sanctum. She knew the risks," Austin responded.

"You need to stop talking right now," Kasia warned.

"You're going to throw away everything you worked for. Your rank, the respect,"

"That means nothing to me,"

"I won't come and help you. I'll let the captain know if you leave," Austin threatened.

Kasia looked at the man that she had grown to love, and now it seemed all the love she had for him had evaporated. By snitching on her, it would declare her a traitor to the Hunters. She could potentially be hunted down and killed to make sure she didn't reveal secrets.

"Fine," Kasia said. She turned and continued walking to her car. Kasia pulled out of the parking lot, not even casting a glance at Austin.

It had been three years.

It had been three long years since the day she'd received the devastating news that her sister, Lana, had been captured and imprisoned. Many had assumed Lana was dead, especially after her disappearance while on a mission. But rumors and her health monitor reactivated had reached Kasia's ears, casting doubt on Lana's fate.

"You are not allowed to track the signal. For all we know, this could be a trap. There's no way that she would have survived this long with those beasts."

As far as the Hunters were concerned, if Lana was alive, she had become a traitor, a furry. Kasia didn't want to believe that. Lana would never.

The soft buzz of her phone ringing brought Kasia out of her thoughts. She looked down to see Austin's name. Kasia frowned and let his call go to voicemail.

"I can't be distracted. I have to do this," Kasia told herself, but doubt was creeping forward slowly.

As Kasia's car came to a halt, she took a deep breath to steady herself. She knew the risks involved in infiltrating the Alpha King's territory. Kasia had to take her time in order to not get caught. She left her vehicle well-hidden in the woods, not daring to approach any closer in the car.

"I can do this. I just have to stay calm," she whispered to herself. But she couldn't turn back now.

Silently, she slipped through the shadows, moving closer to the imposing structure where she believed Lana was held. The night was her ally, its obscurity veiling her as she neared her destination.

In the distance, the castle loomed. If this was any other situation, Kasia would have thought it was beautiful. Kasia's heart pounded as she contemplated her next move.

Kasia noticed a woman picking flowers not too far away from her. She moved quickly before she noticed her scent. "Don't make a sound," Kasia whispered as she placed her silver dagger on her back.

"Don't. I have a daughter," the woman pleaded.

"I'll know if you try to contact the pack. You do that, and I'll sever your spine," Kasia warned.

"What…what do you want?" The woman asked.

"How do I get into the dungeon undetected?" Kasia asked.

The woman hesitated for only a second before saying, "There's a small door on the left side of the castle."

"Thank you," Kasia stated before quickly applying pressure to a pressure point on the woman's neck, knocking her out. Kasia had no intention of harming anyone if she could manage it.

Kasia's senses heightened as she crept closer, her trained instincts on high alert. The soft rustle of leaves underfoot was the only sound that betrayed her presence as she closed in on the outer wall of the fortress. Guards patrolled the perimeter, their keen eyes scanning the surroundings.

With utmost care, Kasia observed their routines, noting the gaps in their vigilance. She knew she had to time her entrance just right. It had to be swift and unnoticed.

After what felt like an eternity, an opportunity presented itself. Two guards moved away from the concealed door, leaving it unguarded for a precious few moments. It was her chance. Kasia dashed to the entrance and slipped through the door just as it closed behind her.

"That was close. I don't know how we're going to do this to get out," Kasia thought.

She found herself in a dimly lit corridor, lined with heavy wooden doors. Each held a potential prison cell. Her heart ached, knowing her sister could be hidden behind any of them.

"It would be my luck that they didn't have barred doors," Kasia muttered as she moved further into the dungeon.

She pressed an ear to the door of the closest cell, straining to hear any sound that might indicate Lana's presence. There was only silence.

She moved on, checking each cell one by one, her dread deepening with each empty room. She couldn't allow herself to entertain the possibility that Lana was no longer here, that her mission might be in vain, and that this was a trap like everyone was telling her.

The last cell she reached held a woman; her disheveled hair and haggard face were a sign that she had been in there for years. As Kasia approached, the prisoner's eyes met hers.

"Lana?" Kasia whispered.

Recognition slowly dawned in Lana's eyes, and she uttered a name that hadn't been spoken in years. "Kasia?"

With trembling hands, Kasia unlocked the cell and pulled her sister into a hug. Tears streamed down their faces as they clung to each other, the weight of years of separation heavy in their hearts.

"We have to get you out of here," Kasia said. "I thought you were dead."

"I never thought I'd see you again," Lana whispered. "You shouldn't have come."

But their reunion was short-lived, as the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. Kasia's intrusion had alerted the guards, who were moving in.

Kasia knew they had little time. With her sister at her side, she had to fight her way out.

"I'm getting you out of here," Kasia declared as she pulled a pill out of her pocket and popped it into her mouth. "And nothing is going to stop me."