The fog rolled through the broken dock like a slow tide.
For a moment, no one spoke.
All eyes were fixed on the tunnel.
The cages.
And the man standing among them.
Vivian's pulse roared in her ears.
"That's not possible," Lucas said again, his voice rough.
But Vivian knew that face.
The scar across the jaw.
The cold, calculating eyes.
Marcus Hale.
Her brother's former commander in the Black Unit.
The man who had died three years ago during the raid that destroyed their team.
Except he wasn't dead.
He stood inside the tunnel now, hands casually in his pockets, as if the chaos above him was just another routine night.
And he was smiling.
"Well," Marcus said, his voice echoing faintly through the open tunnel. "This reunion turned out better than I expected."
Vivian's hand slowly moved toward the knife at her side.
"You're supposed to be dead."
Marcus shrugged.
"Death is flexible when the right people need you alive."
Jamo stepped closer to the edge of the cracked pier, looking down into the tunnel.
His eyes moved across the cages.
Wolves.
Young ones.
Some injured.
Some barely conscious.
His jaw tightened.
"Trafficking," he said coldly.
Marcus looked up at him.
"Business."
Jamo's voice dropped dangerously.
"You're selling wolves."
Marcus smiled slightly.
"I'm moving assets."
Lucas looked like he might rip the man apart with his bare hands.
"You betrayed the unit."
Marcus tilted his head.
"The unit betrayed itself."
Lucas took a step forward.
Vivian grabbed his arm before he could jump into the tunnel.
"Don't."
Lucas's voice shook with anger.
"He's the reason our team died."
Marcus laughed quietly.
"No, Lucas. Your team died because you followed orders."
Silence fell again.
Vale leaned casually against a broken crate nearby, clearly enjoying the show.
"I told you," Vale said softly. "I'm not the one running this operation."
Jamo glanced at him sharply.
"You're still part of it."
Vale didn't deny it.
"I provide access."
Marcus clapped his hands slowly.
"See? Now everyone understands their roles."
Vivian's eyes burned.
"You staged the raid three years ago."
Marcus met her gaze.
"Yes."
Lucas looked ready to explode again.
"You killed our men."
Marcus's smile faded slightly.
"I sacrificed them."
Vivian felt something twist painfully in her chest.
"You're insane."
Marcus gestured toward the cages behind him.
"No," he said calmly.
"I'm building something bigger."
Vivian followed his gesture.
The wolves in the cages were different ages.
Different pack markings.
Some had silver restraints around their necks.
Marcus continued calmly.
"Every Alpha in this region fights over territory. Over power. Over dominance."
His eyes gleamed.
"I'm removing that system entirely."
Jamo's voice dropped like thunder.
"You're enslaving wolves."
Marcus shook his head.
"I'm controlling them."
Lucas muttered darkly, "Same thing."
Marcus ignored him.
"Imagine a world where wolves answer to one command."
Vivian's stomach turned.
"You mean yours."
Marcus didn't bother denying it.
Jamo stepped forward again.
"You won't live long enough to try."
Marcus chuckled.
"You're welcome to test that theory."
Behind him, armed guards stepped out from deeper inside the tunnel.
More than anyone had expected.
At least twenty.
All carrying silver weapons.
Lucas cursed quietly.
"Ambush."
Vale sighed.
"This evening is getting crowded."
Vivian looked at the detonator still in Vale's hand.
"You knew about the tunnel."
Vale smiled faintly.
"Of course."
Jamo turned toward him sharply.
"You planned this."
Vale lifted one shoulder.
"I planned to expose it."
Lucas scoffed.
"You expect us to believe that?"
Vale looked at him calmly.
"You're alive, aren't you?"
Marcus clapped again slowly.
"This is fascinating," he said.
"Three predators arguing over who's more dangerous."
His eyes settled on Vivian.
"But you… you're the interesting one."
Vivian didn't respond.
Marcus nodded toward the cages.
"Did Lucas ever tell you the truth about your brother?"
The words hit like a punch.
Vivian's breath caught.
Lucas stiffened beside her.
Marcus noticed.
"Oh," he said quietly. "So he didn't."
Vivian's voice came out sharp.
"Tell me what?"
Lucas spoke immediately.
"Don't listen to him."
Marcus laughed softly.
"Your brother didn't survive the raid because he was lucky."
Vivian felt her chest tighten.
Marcus continued calmly.
"He survived because he made a deal."
The world seemed to tilt.
Lucas shook his head.
"That's not true."
Marcus smiled.
"Oh, it absolutely is."
Vivian turned slowly toward Lucas.
"Tell me he's lying."
Lucas didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
Vivian felt something break inside her.
"You knew."
Lucas looked at her helplessly.
"I was trying to protect you."
Marcus chuckled.
"Protect her from the truth?"
Jamo watched the exchange quietly, but his eyes had turned colder.
"Enough talking," the Alpha said.
Marcus tilted his head.
"Are you sure?"
Jamo shifted slightly, ready to attack.
Marcus lifted a small remote device.
"Because if you take one more step…"
He pressed a button.
Inside the tunnel…
The silver collars around the wolves' necks suddenly activated.
Electric shocks tore through the cages.
The wolves howled in agony.
Vivian's heart lurched.
"Stop!"
Marcus looked at her calmly.
"Then tell your Alpha to behave."
Jamo froze.
Every muscle in his body looked ready to snap.
Marcus smiled again.
"Good."
Then he said something that stunned them all.
"I'll make you an offer, Vivian."
Lucas immediately snapped.
"Don't."
Marcus ignored him.
"You join me."
Vivian stared at him.
"What?"
Marcus gestured toward the cages.
"You help me control them."
Lucas stepped forward angrily.
"She's not joining you."
Marcus looked amused.
"You might want to let her answer."
Jamo's voice came low and dangerous.
"She's not going anywhere with you."
Marcus shrugged.
"Then the wolves die."
The collars crackled again.
More howls filled the tunnel.
Vivian felt sick.
Marcus watched her carefully.
"Your choice."
Lucas whispered urgently.
"Don't do it."
Jamo's voice followed.
"We'll find another way."
Marcus simply waited.
Vivian looked at the suffering wolves.
Then at Lucas.
Then at Jamo.
Then she made the most controversial decision yet.
"I'll do it."
Both men turned toward her in shock.
Jamo's voice was pure disbelief.
"No."
Lucas grabbed her arm.
"You can't mean that."
Vivian pulled free.
"If I don't, those wolves die."
Marcus smiled slowly.
"I knew you were the practical one."
Jamo stepped forward.
"I won't allow it."
Vivian looked him straight in the eyes.
"You don't get to allow or deny anything, Alpha."
The words hit harder than a punch.
Marcus gestured toward the tunnel.
"Come down, Vivian."
She stepped toward the edge.
Lucas grabbed her again.
"If you go down there, you might not come back."
Vivian met his eyes.
"You didn't tell me the truth about our brother."
Lucas froze.
She pulled her arm free.
Then she jumped into the tunnel.
Jamo swore violently.
Lucas looked like the ground had disappeared under him.
Marcus welcomed Vivian with a satisfied smile.
"Good choice."
Then he leaned close to her and whispered something that made her blood run cold.
Because it wasn't about the wolves.
It was about Jamo.
And what Marcus planned to do to him next.