Chapter 110: An insider
~ RONAN ~
After calling off the ceremony, I make sure the pack guards escort everyone back to their homes safely. Confusion spreads quickly through the crowd, and questions are already being thrown around, but I don’t give anyone enough information to cause panic. The last thing I need is hundreds of wolves running around terrified when there could be a dangerous Lycan somewhere within our territory.
"Get everyone home safely and tell them to remain indoors until further notice," I order, my voice carrying over the remaining noise. "No one leaves their house tonight without permission, and I want guards stationed around the residential areas until we know exactly what we’re dealing with."
Several guards immediately move to carry out my orders while I turn toward the warriors gathered nearby. The moon mating celebration that had filled the grounds only minutes ago has completely vanished, replaced by a tension that has everyone on edge.
"I want every available warrior searching the territory," I command. "Check the borders, the woods, abandoned buildings, storage houses, and every fucking corner he could possibly hide in. And no one searches alone, move in groups, stay connected through the mind-link, and report anything suspicious immediately."
They nod before quickly dispersing. My jaw clenches as I stare toward the pack house in the distance. Somehow, a prisoner managed to escape from one of the most heavily guarded sections of my territory, and until I know exactly how the fuck that happened, nobody is above suspicion.
"Logan," I call through the mind-link as I begin walking toward the dungeon. "Lock the entire place down. Nobody goes in or out until I get there, and don’t let anyone touch a fucking thing."
His response comes immediately. Yes, Alpha.
I immediately mind-link Beau. I had ordered him to escort Roselle back to the pack house earlier, and as one of my assistant commanders, he’s one of the few warriors I trust enough to protect her when I’m not around.
’I’m sending Garrett your way, I tell him through the link, my voice firm. Protect your Luna at all costs, and inform me immediately if anything goes wrong.’
’Understood, Alpha,’ Beau responds without hesitation. ’Nothing will happen to her.’
I cut the connection and immediately reach out to Garrett through the mind-link. He’s one of my most skilled warriors, and with a Lycan currently loose somewhere on pack territory, I’m not taking any fucking chances when it comes to Roselle’s safety.
’Garrett, get to the pack house immediately and join Beau. I want both of you guarding Roselle until I get there.’
’Yes, Alpha.’
With that handled, I turn my attention back toward the ceremony grounds, my jaw tightening as a dozen possibilities race through my head.
I immediately reach out to Nikolai through the mind-link as I make my way toward the dungeon. Nikolai, meet me at the dungeon. I need you to help me figure out how the fuck that Lycan got out of his cell.
On my way, he responds immediately, and I cut the connection before quickening my pace.
By the time I reach the dungeon, Logan and several guards are already waiting outside. I order them to remain where they are before stepping inside, and Nikolai arrives only a few minutes later. Neither of us wastes time talking as we head straight toward the empty cell.
Nikolai crouches in front of the cell door and carefully examines the lock before moving his attention to the bars and the security panel beside it. I stand behind him with my arms crossed, growing more impatient with every passing second as he checks for any sign of damage.
"There’s nothing," he finally says, rising to his feet. "No forced entry, or damage to the lock, and nothing has been tampered with."
My brows pull together as I stare at the empty cell. "Then how the fuck did he get out?"
"That’s exactly the problem." Nikolai gestures toward the security panel. "If he had broken through the bars or someone had forced the cell open, the security system you installed would have triggered the alarm immediately. We would’ve known about the breach the second it happened."
A cold sense of unease settles in my stomach as I look at the lock again. "So someone opened it."
"Exactly," Nikolai replies, his expression turning grim. "And whoever did it knew what they were doing. The system records authorized access, which means the only way to open this particular cell without triggering the alarm is with the key."
The fucking key. My entire body goes rigid as the words settle into my head. There is only one key that can open the high-security cells, and I know exactly where I keep it. In my room.
"That’s impossible," I mutter, more to myself than to Nikolai. "The key is kept in my room, and no one gets into my private quarters without me knowing."
Nikolai looks at me carefully. "Someone clearly did."
I don’t respond because my mind is already racing through every possible explanation. The guards wouldn’t dare enter my room without permission, and even if one of them somehow managed to get inside, finding the key would be another problem entirely. Whoever took it would’ve needed access to my room and enough time to search without raising suspicion.
I exhale, as something hits me hard. Roselle.
My mind immediately returns to two days ago, when I’d found her with the tools she’d taken from the closet. At the time, I hadn’t questioned it. Why the fuck would I? She lives in that room with me, and she had every right to go into the closet whenever she wanted.
Except the key was there too.
I shake my head almost immediately, rejecting the thought before it can fully form. No. Roselle taking something from our closet doesn’t prove a fucking thing, and I’m not about to accuse her of helping a dangerous prisoner escape based on nothing more than coincidence.
I’ve known her long enough to know that something like this is definitely beyond what she’s capable of. She’s too fucking innocent to do something like that.
I mean, she was concerned when I talked about killing the Lycan, and...
Wait a fucking minute. If she was that concerned about me killing the Lycan, would she have actually gone as far as helping him escape?
Fuck no. I doubt it. I don’t believe she would betray me like that. She might try to convince me to spare his life, argue with me about it, or even fucking beg me if she had to, but secretly stealing the key and helping him escape behind my back?
No. That’s not Roselle.
By the time I make it back to the pack house, the uneasy feeling in my chest has only grown worse. Beau and Garrett are stationed outside our room exactly as I ordered, and both straighten the moment they see me approaching.
"Alpha," Beau greets me.
"Anything unusual happen while I was gone?" I ask, stopping in front of them. "Anyone come in or out of this room?"
They exchange a brief glance before Beau shakes his head. "No, Alpha. No one has entered since we arrived."
I give him a short nod before opening the door and stepping inside.
Roselle is sitting on the edge of the bed when I enter, and the sight of her sends another wave of conflicting emotions through me. I don’t want to suspect her, and I fucking hate that the thought even crossed my mind in the first place, but right now, I need answers.
She looks up immediately, concern flashing across her face. "Ronan? Did you find him?"
"Not yet," I answer as I close the door behind me and walk farther into the room. "I need to ask you something, Roselle."
Her brows pull together. "Okay."
I hesitate briefly, choosing my words carefully. "Earlier, when Celeste and the pack maids were helping you get ready, did any of them go into the walk-in closet?"
Something flickers across her face, but it’s gone so quickly that I can’t fucking read it.
"The closet?" she asks.
"Yes." I keep my eyes fixed on her. "Did anyone go inside, even for a few seconds? Maybe to get something for you, put something away, or look for anything?"
She shakes her head. "No. I don’t think so. They stayed with me while I was getting ready. Why?"
I drag a hand across my jaw before exhaling heavily. "Because the Lycan didn’t break out of his cell. Nikolai and I checked everything. The bars weren’t damaged, the lock wasn’t forced, and the security system was never triggered."
Her forehead creases. "Then how did he escape?"
"Someone let him out."
Her eyes widen, and I watch her closely before continuing.
"The cell was opened with the key, Roselle." I pause, glancing toward the walk-in closet before looking back at her. "My key. The one I keep hidden in there."
For a moment, she says nothing.
Then she slowly shakes her head. "Ronan, no. I didn’t see anyone go into the closet."
My jaw tightens because that answer only makes the situation more fucking complicated.
"It means whoever helped him knew exactly what they were doing," I explain. "They knew where I kept the key, they knew how the dungeon security worked, and they knew that using the key was the only way to open that cell without triggering the alarm."
Roselle stares at me, and I can practically see the realization settling over her.
"We have an insider," I say quietly. "Someone inside Blackshadow helped that Lycan escape."
Someone inside my own fucking pack is working with the Lycans.