Chapter 145

• Our group had temporarily split into two. Twenty of us moved directly from the casino district to Alpha Iskander’s mansion, while the others stayed behind to deal with the casino’s workers. I barely registered that Bopha was with us. My focus was entirely on the mission, so much so that she became just another fighter in our ranks. No matter how much she tried, I refused to let her distract me. But when she suddenly appeared beside me, her expression razor-sharp with determination, her body taut with adrenaline just like mine, I realized she wasn’t here to test me—at least, not in the way she usually did. That was a relief. The last thing I needed was another fight with her in a moment this crucial.
• We moved together, nearly shoulder to shoulder, toward the wire fence that enclosed the Alpha’s estate. As we walked, I stole a quick glance at her. Bruises were already surfacing on her right shoulder, one creeping across her collarbone, another darkening her cheek. A cut split her lower lip, fresh blood marking her skin, yet her face remained eerily composed, betraying not the slightest hint of pain.
• "You all right?" I asked, nudging her elbow with quiet concern.