The pack house corridor stretched long and quiet, polished stone floors reflecting recessed ceiling lights that never dimmed. One wing of the duplex had been sealed off from the rest of the mansion, its luxury stripped down to steel doors, reinforced walls, and the faint echo of suffering that leaked through concrete. Nikki stood at the end of the hallway where the prison entrance cut sharply into the architecture, an iron door set into the wall like a deliberate scar.
Two sub-alpha guards stood in front of it, positioned with military precision. Their shoulders were squared, hands clasped behind their backs, eyes alert even as tension crept into the set of their jaws.
Behind Nikki, Lyra and Lena hovered close. Their gazes moved on instinct, cataloging exits, listening for any footsteps.
One of the guards swallowed, his gaze darting to the passageway. His voice dropped low. "We will be in serious trouble if the Alpha finds out about this."
