The single beacon was active for only a minute before it vanished.
"It was a trap," Kaelan growled, slamming his fist onto the desk. The sheer force made the encryption screens ripple. "They knew we were close."
"They're not just traitors; they're smart," Anya corrected, her mind already calculating counter-measures. "They anticipated the breach and used the beacon as bait. I need more data to predict their pattern."
"You will ride with me," Kaelan announced, already grabbing his rifle. "They know you exist now. You're safer under my direct sight."
Anya shot up. "I am not field material. I am not leaving this office."
The familiar Alpha Command thrummed through the bond, urging her towards him. She fought it with practiced, desperate effort. "I am useless to you if I'm distracted by pack politics and chasing shadows!"
"The Mate-Contract demands proximity, and my instinct demands I secure my assets," Kaelan snarled, stepping into her personal space. "You will not defy me again."
Suddenly, the office door was wrenched open by Zara. The Beta's face was tight with barely concealed hostility. "Alpha! There is an incoming human delegation demanding to see the Head of Ghost Security. They are demanding Anya Rylan."
Kaelan's blue eyes flashed with panic. He grabbed Anya's arm, his grip crushing. The outside world had found them.