As the echoes of battle died, Scarlett's heart pounded on. The Shadow Pack had retreated, taking Lucas with them as their prisoner. Eerie shadows were cast on the moonlit floor of the forest, with the tang of blood still fresh in the air.
"We've got to go," he said with a sense of urgency, his voice tight as he stood and tugged Scarlett to her feet. "Whatever's left of Lucas's pack could be regrouping. We're not safe."
Scarlett nodded, forcing the gale of emotions inside of her. She had to put what had just happened about how close she had come to ending it all out of her mind. There was too much at stake.
Rachel's eyes darted to where the Shadow Pack had disappeared into the trees. "Even so, do you trust them? They are creatures not easily given to honesty."
Scarlett's jaw tightened. "We don't have a choice. We need them, and they know it. But we have to stay alert. They could turn on us at any moment."
With every step further into the forest, there was this ticking clock as they proceeded. Scarlett's head was racing to piece together what to do next. They had Lucas, but keeping hold of him was just the beginning of their real battle. They needed to figure out what exactly they were going to do with him and how to utilize him to their advantage.
They finally reached a secluded clearing to regroup. The feelings were tense, in every definition, as each of them settled in for their quiet, personal thoughts. Scarlett's eyes flickered over to Lucas, who sat bound and under guard by Ethan's wolves.
Scarlett kept on target, though, locked in by Lucas's gaze, anger and something else she couldn't place. But being this close to him churned up a jumble of emotions, yet she made herself remain focused.
Ethan took a step closer, his face unreadable. "What's the plan, Scarlett? We do have Lucas, but we can't keep him here forever."
Scarlett knew he was right. Holding Lucas was a temporary victory, but it wasn't enough. They needed to find a way to use this to their advantage, something to shift the scales in their favor.
"We have to get intelligence," Scarlett finally said, her voice strong. "Lucas has information we don't know. We can use that to get to the heart of his pack."
Ethan nodded slowly, his mind working over this. "Yeah, and we have to be careful. He's not going to talk if we push too hard."
Scarlett turned her gaze back to Lucas, the look in her eyes cold. "He will talk. He has no choice."
She walked over to where Lucas was sitting, crouching down to his level. The tension between them crackled like electricity, but Scarlett kept her voice steady. "You're going to tell us everything we need to know about your pack. And if you don't, things are going to get very bad for you."
His features grew steely, though the barest flicker of something in his eye was hesitation? May have revealed a flaw in the show. "You think you can break me, Scarlett? You don't know me at all."
She leaned in closer, her voice low and dangerous. "Maybe not. But I know what you care about. And I'll use that to make you talk."
Lucas snapped his jaw shut but didn't answer. Scarlett knew she was reaching him; after all, it wasn't going to be easy. Lucas was a powerful, obstinate man, bound by the strongest of loyalties to his pack. Breaking him would not come easily.
But there was no time. They needed results, and they needed them fast.
Scarlett rose to her feet, and that's when Ethan closed up on Lucas, squinting his eyes. "You're outnumbered and outmaneuvered, Lucas. Give us what we want, and maybe we'll let you walk away from this."
Lucas looked between Scarlett and Ethan, his expression unreadable. For a second there, he looked like he was going to fight, but then his shoulders slumped just a little, the barest sign of resignation.
"What do you want to know, finally?" Lucas asked, his voice laced with bitterness.
Scarlett exchanged a glance with Ethan. This was their chance, and they had to make it count.
"We want to know the weak points in your pack's defenses," Scarlett said, her voice firm. "And we want to know who's loyal to you and who might turn on you."
Clearly, Lucas was torn between the loyalty of his pack and the reality of things. "There is a border patrol that is weaker than the others. It is located near the old crossing of the river. If you attack there, you might just have a better chance of breaking through."
Scarlett nodded, storing the information away. "And the loyalties?"
Lucas's face darkened. "There are a few who question my leadership. But they're not the kind to act on it. They're too scared of the consequences."
Ethan snorted, obviously unimpressed. "So you're saying we'd have to deal with your whole pack?"
Lucas met his gaze, his voice cold. "Yes. My pack is strong. They won't go down easily."
A spark of frustration surged inside Scarlett. Lucas was only confirming what she knew, that they were fighting an uphill battle. But she couldn't let that deter her.
"We'll find a way," Scarlett said, her voice determined. "And when we do, you'll wish you'd never crossed us."
Lucas said nothing, but Scarlett saw the doubt begin to creep into his eyes. He was coming to the realization now that his situation was more tenuous than he may have already thought.
Scarlett had the feeling of their mission pressing down on the weight upon their shoulders. Their alliance with the Shadow Pack was fragile now, and although the information from Lucas was valuable, it wasn't enough to guarantee them a victory. They would have to be smart and outthink their enemies every step of the way.
That feeling came to her that night as they set out into it: things were about to turn even more dangerous. Enemies and treachery littered their way forward. But there was no retreat now.
They were in this fight until the end, whatever that might be.