Sabian's heart pounded in his chest as he exited the tunnel near the weapon's storehouse. There were orange lighting above casting eerie shadows on the ground below. A rotten smell mixed with the smell of weres and decaying leaves.

Through his earpiece he heard Isabella's team calling out the location of hidden targets to the snipers hidden just outside the pack. He had to give it to Dark Moon, their people were beyond highly trained. He shoved the idea of sending half the pack to Dark Moon for more advanced training to the back of his mind as he signaled the team to move forward. It had to wait. They had to get Daniel back first and shut down this pack.

The first enemy sentry fell somewhere behind them and his team rushed out under cover fire. Sabian raised his weapon and fired at the remaining targets in their path. The storehouse that was their target was at the end of an open area just twenty short feet from the protected area of the forest.

There were two guards with weapons on the first floor of the three-story storehouse. Marcus and Lacy took them out with their guns and went about clearing the rest of the first floor while Sabian and the others went up the stairs. Dom and two others proceeded to the third floor while Sabian handled the second floor. All in all, there were ten armed guards in the warehouse.

After they were disarmed, they rounded up all the guards and tied them up with magic fused bindings. Dom sat at the computer and went through their inventory. Sabian stood beside him looking over his shoulder. His brows furrowed at the lines of data flying by. Dom shook his head at the arsenal listed in the database.

Sabian sucked his teeth. "Where the hell did they get so many magitech weapons from?"

Dom inserted a thumb drive into the computer and began to download files. "We suspect they've been in cahoots with the murtahz dealing magitech for decades. Dark Moon could never find any evidence."

"How? Why didn't anyone know?"

"Concealed it somehow with help."

Sabian rubbed his chin. The only way that could happen is with help in high places. "That definitely means there's corruption in higher places like the councils."

Dom turned to him with a smirk. "And if there is corruption in the council then it's no surprise that something like this has gone undetected for so long." He pulled the thumb drive out and tossed it.

Snatching it out of the air, Sabian shook his head. More mysteries. More work. "True."

"The problem is finding out just how far up this goes and who else is involved."

Lacy rushed into the room drawing their attention. "Everyone, listen."

They all turned their attention to the front door of the storehouse. The ground began to shake and the sound of rumbling reached their ears as the same time. Isabella's frantic warning came over their coms.

"I don't know where they came from, but a large number of werewolves are headed your way."

Marcus stood to the side of the window and peeked out. "How many?"

There was silence. Dom and Sabian looked at each other. Silence was never a good thing. Either they didn't know or they knew and it wasn't good.

Sabian pressed his earpiece. Even though they'd never experienced an operation of this scale before now was not the time to panic. "Dammit, Isabella. How many?"

There was a low sigh. "A small pack. Maybe a hundred or so."

Marcus's eyes widened and Dom cursed. Lacy slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from shouting out.

"Are they armed?" Sabian checked the ammo in his gun and on his waist belt. Attack scenarios ran through his head. As long as they got the high ground and had enough ammo they should be fine until reinforcements could show up.

"Unknown. But they're built like orcs and at their speed they'll be in front of you in less than two minutes."

"That's not much time."

"We'll do what we can from here. But with this much movement it'll be hard to keep our operation secret much longer."

Sabian shut the door and threw the locks. "Check your ammo. This place has three floors. We split up. Marcus, Dom, and I will cover the first floor. Lacy, some of you go to the third floor and the rest of you go to the second. Take out as many as we can. We run out of ammo, see if those magitech weapons are of any use."

"What if they get by you?"

A golden light flashed in his eyes. "They won't."

The dust flew up obscuring their vision as the enemy pack came into their field of view. Sporadic shouts came from the earpieces as Isabella and the snipers shouted back and forth. None of their shots were fatal. Only a handful of werewolves had been injured.

Sabian licked his dry lips. "Everyone, hold your fire until I say so." He glanced over at Dom for his opinion.

He shrugged. "You're the boss."

The leader of the pack shifted more than a dozen yards out and stared at the building.

Dom glanced over at Sabian. "He's from Luna."

Looking the young alpha from head to toe, Sabian raised a brow. "You know him?"

"He's from a blacklisted pack. The name escapes me, though."

Seeing the young alpha simply standing still, Sabian rubbed his chin. The alpha didn't seem like he was here for a fight. He was standing still observing as if he was watching the river flow. "Whats he doing?"

"Dunno."

An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of the alpha's stomach from the time they got the call to come for assistance. He wanted to ignore it but it only got stronger the closer they got. He sniffed the air and frowned. Beneath the smell of gunpowder, blood, and dirt was the smell of warm bourbon coffee. His wolf was in the corner of his mind just as confused as he was. 

He took a deep breath. He'd analyze it when they were done. Seeing movement at one of the windows on the second floor, he raised his voice. "Surrender and we can end it without any death or injury."

Sabian raised a brow. That was unexpected. "You think he means it?"

"Whether he does or not," Dom looked at him with a cocky grin. "-do you mean to surrender?"

"It's not in my nature."

"Didn't think so." 

Marcus walked closer to the opened window. Alight breeze blew brining in a sweet scent to his nostrils. It was warm and comforting like his mother's apple pies. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. His heart rate increased and his wolf pranced around in his head giggling with glee. A cold chill ran down his spine and his eyes flashed open.

"We have to tell him something." Dom noticed the pacing werewolves had shifted and were talking in low tones to each other. 

"How bout we just let them wait." Sabian grinned. "They don't really seem to want to fight so let's drag it out."

The lock slid from the door and Marcus turned the knob. Sabian looked up as the door opened.

"Marcus, what the hell are you doing?"

For the first time in his life, Marcus ignored his older brother and pack alpha. His dark brows were drawn down over his golden eyes as he walked toward the strange alpha of the enemy pack. His heart beat fiercely in his chest and sadness welled up inside.

The eyes of the enemy flickered between gold and green as if he was fighting himself. He raised his hand to stay the growling pack members behind him as the young beta approached.

"Marcus, what are you doing?" Sabian asked in their link. Although their enemy didn't seem to have weapons, he kept his aimed at their leader.

"It can't be." Marcus took a few more steps forward towards the wolf, ignoring his brother. He inhaled the air taking in the smell of the strange alpha. "You?"

The enemy wolf was dressed in all black compression leggings and long-sleeved shirt. He was barefoot and had a long knife on his hip. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail showing off a handsome face framed with stray curly tendrils. His green eyes looked at Marcus with pain and confusion.

"It can't be." Marcus shook his head and pulled on his hair in disbelief. "This can't be happening! Why is it you!?" he screamed.

"Marcus!" Sabian hissed. "What are you doing? You have to neutralize him."

Marcus looked at the alpha then back at his brother with large, watery brown eyes. His shoulders dropped as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I can't."

Sabian looked over his shoulder. Dom was not far behind him with his weapon still aimed. He turned around and walked up to his brother. "What are you talking about?"

"Sabian, he-he's...my mate."

A few wolves gasped and others cursed. The rest of the wolves with Marcus' mate shifted and began to discuss it amongst themselves.

An older, wiry looking alpha grabbed the alpha's shoulder. "Isandro, is that true?"

Isandro looked down. All this time he was sure he'd be alone for all the things he'd done. He was prepared to die alone. This – to find a second chance mate on the enemy's side - he did not expect.

"So what?" His second in command, a dark man with black eyes, stepped forward. "We're here to fight. They aren't our allies which means they are our enemy."

Sabian touched his brother's shoulder. "Marcus, they're with Stephan and Drake. They took Daniel."

"And are part of all this shit," Dom added.

Marcus closed his eyes. What they said was true but how could he do that to his mate? How could he let anyone else do it? He looked at his brother. >What would you do?<

Sabian's heart ached. If it was Daniel or Zander he knew what he'd do. He sighed and took a step back giving Marcus space. "Do what you think is right."

"Isandro, get it together," someone on the other side urged.

Isandro looked over his shoulder at his people. These were his packmates. He brought them from Blood Moon pack in Luna to help an ally formed when his grandfather was still in charge. Due to his predecessors' incompetence, he was forced into a corner at a young age. He'd been trying to find a way out for years. The young alpha was tired of it all. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn't want to die here for others' problems.

He opened his eyes and looked at Marcus trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. "I acknowledge that you are my mate. I will not fight you. If you wish to discuss...severing our bond, come find me at Blood Moon Pack in Luna. I won't contest it." He turned to walk away.

"Isandro, are you serious?"

He paused in his tracks and sighed. "All of this began with my ancestors making stupid deals with shady alphas and demons. They condemned our pack before many of us were born. I have had to do things I didn't want because of them. I won't be manipulated and used any longer."

Isandro turned to look at Marcus as he spoke to his men. "I'm going home. Anyone that stays, is not part of my pack and is on their own. We will not protect you or accept responsibility for you."

With that, he shifted and ran back the way he came. For a moment, neither side reacted. Then one by one, others shifted and ran behind their alpha. In the end, only one man stood glaring hatefully at Marcus.

He spat on the ground. "Mate bond. What good ever came of it?"

"Obviously you never experienced an unconditional all-encompassing love that comes from having your true mate," Sabian replied.

The man sneered. "Who needs love?" He shifted into his wolf and ran off.

"Is that it?" Lacy called from behind them.

Sabian and Dom looked at each other. The Dark Moon alpha rubbed his chin. "Rather anti-climactic, no?"

Sabian chuckled. "A win is a win." He walked over to his brother who hadn't moved. Marcus was still staring at the spot Isandro disappeared with a look of longing. Sabian placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Was that right?" Marcus whispered.

"How do you feel about it?"

Marcus looked at the ground. "Conflicted."

"Your situation is a little more complicated than others, but you did the right thing."

Marcus turned to look at him. "What do I do?" He put his hand over his heart. "It hurts so bad. My mate left me but in my mind I don't want it to be him."

Sabian sighed. He knew nothing about his brother's mate except his pack was blacklisted which meant they might be bad guys into shady stuff. Thinking of Isandro's words, it was possible that there was more to it. "Learn what you can about the situation first before you make any decisions."

"But...my mate's a bad guy."

"There are no good or bad guys." Sabian squeezed his shoulder. "Just...people doing the best they can with what they've got."

"Do you really believe that?"

"In this case...yes."

"What do we do now?"

"We'll sweep the area for anymore of their allies then return to the pack house to assist."

Marcus wiped his eyes. 

"Are you okay to continue?"

"Yeah." He looked up with a determined look in his eyes. "I'll be fine."