ENCHANTED WORLD SERIES BOOK 4: MOON CHILD'S WAR

A persistent dull thudding against Alli’s ear brought her back from a great sleep in what felt like a long time. The thudding matched her heartbeat and it was very comforting to hear. As she tried to stretch when the morning light filtered into the room and teased her eyes to open, she felt a hand tighten around her.

That sure brought everything about last night gushing back into her head. She was in Ruvin’s arms and in his room. Her head was resting on his chest and the calming thudding she heard was his heartbeat. She tried to move her legs but they were tangled with his. She was happy to learn that she was still clothed. She could feel her sweater rubbing against her skin as she tried to move away.

This was the second time she fell asleep in Ruvin’s arms and it always tended to give her the best sleep. She turned her nose against his t-shirt and inhaled deeply. He smelled of the forest with a tinge of something dark and dangerous. She did that because she knew this had to stop before it even started. She couldn’t deny that she was rather attracted to Ruvin but she had allowed him to fill her up with ridiculous rubbish about true mates. Alli was beginning to believe that shit but she knew no good end could come from it.

The kiss last night made her realize that this was just too good to be true. Yes, she was terrified out of her mind last night and she needed comfort. Ruvin was there to provide it and he was exactly what he needed but that moment was over and reality was a bitch because she came and bit her on her ass.

Alli tried to move her hand but Ruvin caught it before it slipped from around his waist.

“Why are you so feisty when you wake up? It’s not even seven yet, go back to sleep.” He murmured to her.

Alli looked up at his face. His blond hair was sexily tousled on his pillow, his eyelashes long and dark, his nose straight, and his mouth full. He was a beautiful man to look at but she was way over her head if she ever thought such a man would stay by her side all her life. I mean, look at how the only boyfriend she had ever had--the hot, clan leader’s son--dumped her mercilessly just because she refused to jump in bed with him. Ruvin was a man who always got what he wanted. He was a leader and a predator. He wasn’t afraid of anything and she was barely a wolf. How the hell she even managed to stumble under his radar, was still beyond her.

“Let me go, Ruvin.” Alli tried to get up but Ruvin’s arms tightened around her. “I need to go and see Corleen.”

“She’s still out so come up with a better excuse than that.” He muttered in her hair.

“I need to go to the bathroom?” She said.

His eyes opened and he stared at the ceiling for about five seconds then they dropped down to hers. Alli’s breath hitched. What was it about him that had her hot and bothered? Even a stupid stare had her stomach tighten. Was it because he was the forbidden fruit, the one thing that she shouldn’t have? Was it because he was the thing that was taking her on that crazy cleansing trip over the weekend? She wondered how many people signed up for it. She didn’t want to believe she was the only one with a nasty habit in need of cleansing.

“You should sleep in my arms more often. You stop being a drama queen when you do.” A slow sly smile spread across his lips.

Ally frowned and punched him on his chest before she struggled to get off. “I’m not a drama queen.”

Ruvin clamped both her hands and threw a leg over hers. “Yes, you are. You always want to have all the attention focused on you...well, now you have all of mine.” He pinned her under him and stared down at her.

He was bloody heavy that she couldn’t even lift a finger to save her life. He pinned her with his lower body so that she didn’t suffocate to death and as Alli struggled to get him off, she felt his thickness against her thigh and her eyes bulged.

Ruvin shrugged as if it were nothing. “It’s a morning thing.” He muttered against her cheek as he nuzzled her.

It was not the first time she felt one because after Tyson had transformed, he took every opportunity to rub onto her and make her aware that he was always ready. All she had to do was to say the word and he would pounce on her. However, that was nothing compared to what she was feeling against her from Ruvin! It had her think of the worse scenarios that made her buckle against him and they both landed on the floor in a heap of tangled limbs and covers. Ruvin ended up landing on his arms and rolling over to the side so as not to crush Alli.

“Heavens, you’re brutal.” he groaned softly. “Can’t you take a joke?”

“You call that a joke?” Alli pointed to his stomach in disbelief.

A cocky smile appeared on his face. “No, I call him Thrum.”

Alli had heard just about enough from this new Ruvin. She pulled a pillow from the bed and smacked him on the face with it. As she tried to crawl away from him, her phone trilled on the bedside table and his hand shot up taking it with a grim line on his face.

Here we go again....she thought but suddenly his face relaxed as he showed her the screen.

“It’s Donny.” He was about to answer it when Alli dived onto him and yanked the phone away.

“Hello?” She answered breathlessly.

“Hey, you--whatsup? Why are you breathing like you have been running a mile?” Donny asked.

She looked down at the grinning man that had his arms around her waist and rolled her eyes. “I wish I was running that mile just about now--far, far away from here, believe me. How are you?”

“I’m--uhm--I’m great.” She stuttered then took a deep breath. “No, I am not! I am having sex dreams about a stranger and I need my best friend here." She wailed.

“Uh!” Alli’s eyes widened as she looked down at Ruvin and he was smirking. Did he just listen to her phone call? “Hold on a moment.” She placed her arm over the phone and narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t you have something better to do like--uh--learning the basic rules of privacy?”

Ruvin hefted her up as if she weighed nothing and placed her back on the tangled covers on the floor. “Tell your friend that it is just the beginning.”

“You’re not helping!” Alli called out as Ruvin disappeared into his bathroom and she went back to her phone call, sneaking out of his room while she was at it. “Okay, talk to me, Donny.”

“I said I was not going to tell you this over the phone but you’re taking so long to come back and I can’t control my urges anymore.” Donny protested. “My wolf--goodness, she is bringing out the slut in me and all I can think of is jumping into bed with Blake!”

“Hold up, who is Blake?” As Alli made her way to her room, Zach exited his and crossed his arms with a knowing smile on his face. She rolled her eyes and pushed her way into her room.

“He is...an enchanted beast?” Donny sounded off and funny.

“Wait a minute, don’t tell me it’s Blue Eyes?” Alli remembered him.

“How did you know he has blue eyes?”

Alli smacked her forehead and groaned in frustration. “Because the night of your transformation and your first run as a wolf, I met him in the forest. I thought he was a Varga and I followed him to warn him off.”

“You what?” Donny was no longer timid to talk to her. “How can you be so careless and follow a beast into the woods, Alli?”

“That’s in the past. You had your chance to scold me back then but now even the grace period is over, back to the present--so you basically want Blake to fuck you, I don’t see Titus in the equation.” Alli frowned in confusion.

Donny hissed making Alli remove the phone from her ear. “You use such raw words, Alli, you make me feel so guilty. I don’t know what happened to the crush I had on Titus but suddenly my wolf doesn’t even want to be in close proximity with him. She is into Blake more than I am comfortable to admit.”

“I hope he didn’t tell you anything ridiculous like you being his true mate--”

“That’s exactly what he told me! Alli, how do you know all this? Have you talked to him before? Are you the one who put him up to this?” Donny asked angrily.

“What? Me? How?” Alli exclaimed. It was so frustrating that both girls were on the same boat with the enchanted beings. Alli was a little lucky that she wasn’t having any sex dreams about Ruvin.

Yet....the word shimmered in her head causing her to quiver on the spot.

Stay out of my head, perv! She yelled.

“I don’t know what to do. He left this morning but he was here all night because he was sure something terrible was in the forest and so he stayed over to protect me. Louise is upset, my mother is too be she hasn’t said anything so far and I am terrified that she might say something horrible when she finally does. Everyone is so tensed but I just can’t help wanting to be around him.” She whimpered softly. “He’s only been away for several hours but I am already missing his presence.”

Alli felt sorry for her friend. “Donny, calm down. Where is the strong girl I have always known? You can do this. You can stand up for what you believe in. If it feels right in your heart then it is the right thing to do. Remember, this is for the rest-of-your-life shit we are talking about here. Don’t mess it up now and regret it later.”

“But I don’t know what is right--and I don’t want to get my mom and Louise mad at me,” Donny said quietly.

“Donny, I love you very much but sometimes you are such a pain in the butt! If you are having sex dreams about a guy, it means you are way past liking him. You have never told me about having sex dreams about Titus. I know I doubted Blake’s motives in the beginning but this could be it, Donny. This could actually be your mate--” she stopped and giggled. “Won’t it be awesome to rub everyone's faces on it? Especially West and his gang. That prick always thought he had his chance with you.”

Donny giggled. “Actually West met Blake and it wasn’t pretty. The poor boy looked like he was about to shit in his pants!”

“And I did see Blake the last time in the forest--I can understand why you are lusting after him--”

A low growl echoed in her and she shook her head tiredly.

“Thanks for the advice, Alli. I really needed that. I can’t wait for you to come back. How is Corleen doing?”

“She is doing well. I think we will be back by tomorrow.” Alli answered. “I miss you.”

“Miss you too. Louise and Titus are still searching for you. Apparently, Lord Faelen hasn’t been sleeping at all. He’s been very worried.”

Alli snorted inelegantly. “Yeah right. So, have you already picked up your debut dress? Wish I could come and see how beautiful you look.” Something close to self-pity tightened in her chest. Most of the guys and girls her age had already made their transformations and they were allowed to attend the debut parties but any wolf that had not made the change wasn’t allowed to attend.

She expected to pull the transformation even before Donny but now her friend beat her to it.

“I’ll take photos, lots of them, and send them to you,” Donny assured her excitedly. “I will even take you to town to help me select a dress if you don’t mind.”

“Of course, we will go together.”

“I know you are assaulting yourself with questions as to why you haven’t transformed yet but truth be told, it’s nothing to write home about,” Donny stated. “Plus I believe you will have a special and amazing transformation.”

Alli giggled softly and pursed her lips. “I know so too, huh? So, I am living under very strict rules right now I have a feeling they are listening to all our conversations so why don’t I hang up and go raise hell? I will talk to you later.”

“Okay, and I will go and try to do something that will keep my mind from wandering off to Blake,” Donny said quietly. “He said he wants to claim me at the debut party.”

“Awesome...I wonder how Titus will take it?”

“Titus never liked me the way I liked him,” Donny answered.

But Alli was positive somehow Titus liked Donny. She had seen the way he always stole glances at her when he thought no one was watching. “You’ll be surprised. Laters Donny. Kisses.”

“Kisses." Donny hung up.

Alli sank down on the bed and sighed. She was truly missing everyone back home. She really needed to get back out there or else she was going to go crazy.

Her door flew open and Ruvin peeped in. He smelled fresh and was changed into a white v-neck t-shirt and faded jeans. “You know, it doesn’t hurt to take your own advice every once in a while--beats the brutality that you are putting me through.”

“Go dig a hole and bury yourself, Ruvin. It’s not happening.” Alli said tersely.

He smiled at her knowingly. “If only I had a camera and recorded how you snuggled closer to me last night...” He made a moaning sound and bit his lower lip.

Alli grabbed her bumblebee sleeping shoe and threw it at him.

He ducked and said. “By the way, I am way hotter and sexier than Blake, Tyson and Titus combined--” Alli threw the other shoe and he ducked once more.

“Your ego is about to collapse the planet, Ruvin!” Alli yelled.

“Come down for breakfast...then I want to show you something.” he chuckled and closed the door.

Just to make sure he didn’t come back, Alli locked her bedroom door and went to take a shower.

Everyone was congregated in the kitchen, where breakfast was like the most important meal of the day. It was the only meal they ate together and sometimes dinner too. Everyone was murmuring to one another about the events of last night. Quentin was standing next to Tessa with a cup of coffee in his hands while Tessa cut out a blueberry pie into pieces and placed it on the table. All the pieces were gone before the plate even touched the table.

Good thing Tessa always made at least four of them. Vixen slipped around the crowded table as she nibbled on her piece of pie while making her way to her phone that was charging on one of the kitchen sockets. She had a discoloration on her upper arm from a run-in with several weakbloods that were about to make a terrible mistake by bullying and killing a human boy who was apparently dating a weakblood that one of the guys had a crush on.

Vixen made sure all the weakbloods landed in the hospital.

Lukas and Jake were arguing over something on Jake’s phone and for the first time, Izzy was sitting far away from them with Raul showing him a bite mark she got last night after they managed to meet a pack of mountain wolves. Ruvin zeroed on the bite mark and it looked more beastly than a normal wolf’s.

“Ruvin!” Tessa called to him and when he looked up, she threw him an apple. “You might starve if you stand on the sidelines.”

Ruvin grinned at her. “Thanks, doe.” he took a bite into it as a heavy arm landed on his shoulder. He winced turning to the Mage next to him.

Zach looked worn out and Ruvin knew the weak energy banks in the human world were taking their toll on him. “See you survived the night in one piece, where’s the terror-magnet?”

Ruvin’s eyes flashed at Zach and he gritted his teeth. “My mate is not a terror-magnet and you should start packing and returning to the enchanted world. You look like shit.”

“Yes, she is!” Izzy soon forgot Raul and turned to him. “We heard what happened last night. Tessa said the Varga was huge!”

“I didn’t say that.” Tessa paled down at she fidgeted nervously. “I just saw the eyes. It looked straight at me and moved away quickly.”

“Raul and I went scouting this morning but we couldn’t even catch a scent of this Varga.” Lukas looked up suddenly interested in what was happening around him. “Edon and Briar have gone to do a second scouting in case we missed something--but you should see the size of claw-marks outside the window.”

“Never seen anything like it.” Raul shook his head in disbelief.

“And it is no ordinary Varga.” A voice rang beside them and when they turned, they saw Corleen walk quietly in.

Zach frowned. “How did she overcome the sedative power and walk around like that? I am sure I gave her enough dosage to keep her down for the whole day.”

“I have a feeling you have come across him once before?” Ruvin turned to her ignoring the muttering Mage next to him.

She looked better than yesterday although the small pink lines on her skin were going to take at least another week to completely heal. Her eyes were alert as she darted them around everyone. Ruvin had no doubt she was analyzing everyone and everything around her. “Yes, when Alli was young and had her first vision in the woods during a camping trip. I doubt she remembers this event but that night, this same Varga showed up.”

“How do you know it’s the same one?” Vixen asked suddenly.

“Because I have memorized his print in my brain and because he got away before Xavier could kill him,” Corleen explained.

“You and Alli are quite strong for weakbloods.” Ruvin remarked.

Corleen suddenly dropped her eyes, an action that reminded Ruvin so much of Alli when she didn’t want to say something. “Our mother was a gifted woman. We both took after her.”

“Explains that scary white eyes shit Alli pulls,” Izzy muttered and Lukas reached for her and yanked a loose hair lock. That morning Izzy had her hair down. “Ouch!”

“So, you believe this...this Godzilla’s son is after your sister? Why?” Jake asked.

“I don’t know and I am not sticking around to find out.” She turned to Ruvin to show him the resolve in her eyes.

“This is the safest place you can be right now.” Quentin reminded her.

“That thing came all the way to the window. If it wasn’t for me, he would have gotten to my sister and you call that being safe?” Corleen turned to the older man.

Everything in Ruvin froze. He couldn’t trust anyone to keep his mate safe other than himself but Corleen was stubborn and would not want to spend even another second there.

After witnessing Alli breaking down in fear last night, new determination to keep her beside him morphed. He felt so helpless because he couldn’t assure her that everything was going to be alright but he was going to do everything to make sure Alli never looked that helpless again.

Unfortunately, Alli had never given him a chance to prove himself and would follow her sister anywhere which meant Ruvin was on the losing end. “Where do you think is safer for her? Your house?”

“Lord Faelen’s Fortress.” Corleen said out tightly.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Vixen exclaimed. “That’s not a Fortress! That’s a toyhouse!”

Corleen sighed and lifted her chin up to eye her. “It’s the best choice so far. He has very good security.”

“Fine,” Ruvin answered quietly.

“What?” Everyone turned to him in surprise.

“I said, fine, she can do what she thinks is best for her sister. Does anyone object?” Ruvin growled.

The kitchen fell silent and Ruvin turned to Corleen. “You can take her tomorrow morning when you are strong enough to walk out of here on your own.”

Corleen gave a small nod, her brave demeanor collapsing around her a little. “Thank you.”

Ruvin wasn’t hungry anymore so he stalked out with rage burning in his veins like hot irons. Yes, he was going to let Corleen take his mate to Faelen’s Fortress but what he didn’t tell her was that he was going to prove her wrong by thinking she was safe there when he went to steal Alli back. And just to emphasize the point, he was going to go in alone.

Corleen thought the best thing was to run away from the creature but Ruvin wanted to fight it dead-on. Alli was just exiting her room when he arrived on the first floor. Her sudden cautious gaze made Ruvin realize that she must have known something was wrong.

“What now?”

Ruvin gave her a grim smile. “Your sister is downstairs dampening everyone’s good moods after the fullmoon havoc.”

“She is? I thought you said she is still out cold?” Alli frowned looking nervous suddenly. So, it seemed it wasn’t only them that were a little nervous around Corleen. The female had cold hard determination and was as stubborn as they came!

“That was the plan. Get down there before she gets into a catfight with Vixen.” Ruvin smacked her butt gaining a yelp from her.

He got into his room and got his coat and keys before making his way out to The Treasure House. He needed to talk to Blake.

Titus.....

Titus was getting ticked off as he listened to the frustrating conversation that was going on in the meeting room with the House of five and the Wolfen family representatives. Faelen was there but Titus could tell that he wasn't taking well either. The man looked twice as old as he was. Never once had Titus envied his brother’s position and he always wished that a challenge for the clan leader position came before it worked Faelen to the grave.

“Our children are being attacked in the same places that were supposed to keep them safe. Two of my sons are healing in the Wolfen hospital....” The voice faded into the background as Titus tried to figure out what was happening.

The Wolfen families were so pompous that they requested for the clan leader to give them different health facilities as compared to the commoners. Lord Faelen allowed them that and so much more that it felt they were more the leaders of the clan than Faelen.

To Titus, it didn’t feel right that the minority of the community benefitted more than the normal individuals who were supposed to be ones who had first priority to everything.

“These Ghost Runners need to be caught and they need to answer to what they are doing.” The Boxwell Wolfen family representative banged his fist on his table and caused everyone to jump.

Titus sighed and massaged one of his temples. “We are doing the best we can--”

“Well, you are not doing enough!” Jerome turned to Titus, his eyes dark and cold, they could make anyone shrink away but not Titus. He was used to this. If he didn’t have his own brother about to bite his head off, he had the Wolfen, if not that, he had the older House of Five members, Jerkins and Monroe, about to mow him down. Zacharius was not able to make it to the meeting due to an emergency he had. “These are the prominent wolf bloodlines we are talking about. If they can’t be protected then I guess we should look for someone who can.”

“Not only are we facing the Ghost Runners but there are the human hunters to think about too.” Diedre looked at Titus and gave him a small smile of encouragement. “So, Titus has his hands quite full. But we are all here now. We can put our heads together and come up with a good solution for all this.” Her voice echoed through the room, calling to everyone’s attention, including Charissa and the newest member, Robin.

Charissa was young but she was always beside Lord Faelen silently combing through everyone’s minds to find out who meant anything ill upon Lord Faelen. Robin was a newly transformed wolf, whose debut was that coming Saturday but she already proved a force to reckon with. She had the ability to introduce and induce an emotion to anyone she chose.

Looking at where she was sitting with her dark hair coming down her forehead in a fringe and around her face in a bob, she looked like the most harmless of creatures you could come across but the moment she ensnared her dark eyes with yours, you had no chance against her.

“We can safely say that this full moon there was only one life lost and it was to a hunter that was mercilessly killed by the humans, other than that, there were minor injuries--”

“Minor?” Vanny of the Geordan Wolfen family shot up from her seat. “My son has suffered a broken arm and he is in hospital, and you call that minor.”

They all deserve it! Titus wanted to scream but kept his mouth clamped. Titus was rather glad when the Ghost Runners sent the youngsters to the hospital because Titus believed if they didn’t, he would have done so himself.

The Wolfen families believed they were invincible and that they could get away with anything so they went around causing trouble for everyone. Last night, they got hold of a human boy who was dating a wolf and would have killed him if the Ghost Runners didn’t step in. His hunters wanted to intervene and help the youngsters but Titus held them back and if anyone was to know of what he did, he was going to pay heavily for it but he was glad his hunters were loyal and no one mentioned it.

“He is a wolf! He will be out of that hospital by the end of the week.” Diedre exclaimed hushing Vanny then quirked her eyebrow at her. “I think you are forgetting yourself and that you are speaking to your superior.”

Vanny murmured her apologies and settled back down.

“I have no time for this.” Lord Faelen finally intervened. “I have a missing HOS and her sister. It looks as if they have fallen out of this earth just so suddenly. I also have a madman killing off newly turned wolves every month. I have no time for anything else other than these two. Your sons are in the hospitals with broken bones, so what? You should be thankful they are alive. What do I say to the parents who don’t get to see their children recuperating? What do I say to the wolf community that Corleen and Alli have simply vanished into thin air?

“My teams are doing the best they can to keep everyone safe but we can only do as much. Your sons have been doing nothing but torment and bully others in the streets. Aren’t you surprised that it is only your sons that land in the hospital every full moon?” Falen asked in irritation.

Titus watched as heads turned away from Faelen’s dark gaze.

“Why is it that the Ghost Runners are only targetting your sons?” Faelen repeated the question.

“Because they are the future of this clan.” Someone dared to answer.

“Because they are the troublemakers of this town and if we are not careful, your sons will reveal us to the open world and we wouldn’t have anywhere to hide,” Faelen exclaimed.

“But why should we hide?” Tucker, the Noble Wolfen representative asked. “I mean we are stronger than any human, why should we hide from them? Our numbers are increasing and soon enough we will have more power in the government than them. They should cower from us, not the other way around.”

Murmurs of agreement rang among the Wolfen.

Greedy little bastards...Titus thought. If they only knew the Ghost Runners they were talking about were actually enchanted beings they wouldn’t have been saying all those things.

Titus never told anyone that he had come across enchanted beings twice, once in the woods when he mistakenly took Donny and Alli to get the injured wolf out only to end up being attacked by a creature of nightmares, and the second time, yesterday when he met Blake.

He wondered if Blake was part of the Ghost Runners. He wondered what he knew about what was happening around Ashwick and what his role was in it.

“Do you think you are the only ones who want power? And what of the Nightwalkers? The cats? What of the witches and warlocks and other species we don’t know of? This world once belonged to humans and we invaded it. If you think you are strong here, you are gravely mistaken. The few that know about us already know how to use silver against us. Their technology morphs into something bigger and more complex every day. Imagine if the entire world knew.” Faelen barked.

“We wouldn’t last a fullmoon.” Jerkins snarled Tucker down. “Your greed for power will one day become the end of our species because in all my years of living, I have never come across such a greedy bunch like you.”

Everyone quietened down because Jerkins somehow had power and authority over everyone. When he talked everyone listened whether they liked it or not.

“Instead of putting blame on past mistakes, let’s look ahead,” Jerkins said. “The debut is coming up and this time were have about ten transformed wolves to introduce.” His eyes moved around and landed on Vanny. “I believe you have one new wolf in the Geordan family.” She proudly nodded and Titus almost snorted out loudly.

One more brat to endure, he thought bitterly but his mind couldn’t help but stray to Donny who was one other newly transformed wolf. It was interesting how much change she had gone through. Though she always appeared timid in front of him, he always caught her in her zone when she was with Alli. A small smile appeared on his face when he recalled the last argument he had with Alli. She was right. He had no right to tell her to grow up when she was mistreated all the time. However, Alli always managed to get up again after being cut down.

He planned to apologize to her and prayed she was still alive to hear his apology. Somehow, there was an easy feeling in his gut that told him that she was safe and so was Corleen. His best guess was that they were taken by the Ghost Runners.

“Concentrate on getting good mates for your new members instead of conspiring against the clan leader because I have to tell you beforehand; you will fail miserably and you will pay dearly if it ever comes to that.” The warning had Titus’ hairs ripple on his skin.

Soon the meeting was over and Titus followed his brother to his office.

“Any news about Corleen and Alli?” Faelen asked once they got into his office.

Titus shook his head when suddenly someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Faelen answered tiredly as he settled down on his chair and closed his eyes for a moment.

Manny entered. The man healed well but his arm was still in the healing process. He had several scars that were not going to go away anytime soon and it still was kept stiffly against his chest. “I have some news from Oz, Lord Faelen.”

“Speak.”

Manny inclined his head. “He wants to take his team back to that old ruin in the middle of the woods, sir. He said the last time he got a reading from there but soon it stopped abruptly as if someone turned it off. He said he is sure there is something there.”

“What ruin?” Titus frowned pensively.

“There is an old mansion that everyone believes is haunted in the middle of the woodlands. It is in a secluded area and I doubt anyone goes around there so it could be the perfect hideout for someone who doesn’t want to be found.” Manny explained.

Faelen turned to Titus as if their heads were churning with the same possibility.

“Titus, take a team there right now,” Faelen instructed.

Titus inclined his head and went out with Manny behind him. If his gut was right, this was where the Ghost Runners were hiding. “Get the team prepared, Manny.”

“Yes, sir.” Manny went to get the team ready while Titus went to prepare for the raid.