Liam and Tatiana walked away from the warehouse floor without rushing.

His arm was still wrapped around her waist as they moved through the crowd of workers and guards, both of them maintaining the same calm expressions they had used earlier. From the outside they looked exactly like a couple who had simply reunited inside the massive building and were now leaving together.

The fake soldiers nearby barely spared them a second glance.

The moment they crossed the large sliding doors and stepped outside into the open air the atmosphere changed immediately.

The loud noise of forklifts and machinery faded slightly behind them while the cool outdoor breeze brushed against their faces.

They kept walking a few more steps across the open yard between warehouses.

Then Liam finally removed his hand from her waist.

His movement was quick and smooth as if the contact had only ever been part of the act.

Tatiana felt the sudden absence of his arm but before she could say anything Liam had already pulled out his phone.

He dialed a number without hesitation.

The call connected almost instantly.

Irina picked up.

"Report."

Her voice came through the phone sharp and direct.

Liam spoke calmly.

"Has the rest of the team found the bombs yet?"

There was a short pause on the other side before Irina answered.

"Yes."

Her tone carried a hint of urgency.

"I already picked up a signal from Tatiana’s scanner."

Tatiana glanced at Liam slightly when she heard that.

Irina continued speaking.

"And we’ve picked up signals from two other warehouses as well."

Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly as he listened.

So there were multiple bomb locations.

Irina’s voice remained firm.

"We are preparing to send backup now so you can take the bomb out and destroy it."

Liam immediately shook his head even though she could not see him.

"No no no."

His voice was calm but firm.

"There is no way we can fight the men here."

He glanced back toward the warehouse entrance briefly.

"They are just too many."

He paused for a moment before adding.

"And they are armed."

There was silence for a second on the other side of the phone.

Then Irina spoke again.

"What do you suggest I do?"

Liam didn’t hesitate.

"Call the team back."

Irina went quiet again.

"Tell everyone to return."

Tatiana turned her head sharply toward Liam the moment she heard that.

Call everyone back?

Irina sounded just as confused.

"Huh?"

"What do you mean tell everyone to return?"

Her tone carried disbelief now.

"Liam this is our only option."

Her voice grew more serious.

"If we fail to take the bombs out and they move them again then I don’t know if we can stop their plan."

Liam didn’t respond immediately.

Instead he slowly turned his head and looked at Tatiana for a moment.

Tatiana blinked at him in confusion.

She had absolutely no idea what he was thinking.

Then Liam brought the phone closer to his ear again.

"We can stop their plan if we play our cards right."

His voice was steady.

"But you have to trust me."

There was another pause on the other side.

"Call back the pack."

"Withdraw all operations."

Then Liam added something that made Tatiana’s eyes widen slightly.

"I will proceed only with Tatiana."

Tatiana turned fully toward him now.

Only the two of them?

Her mind struggled to understand the logic behind it.

Inside the warehouse there were dozens of armed men guarding the place. Even if the rest of the pack came together the fight would still be dangerous.

How were just the two of them supposed to deal with something like that.

Irina stayed silent for several seconds.

The line remained open but neither of them spoke.

Tatiana could almost imagine Irina thinking through the situation carefully on the other side.

Finally Irina spoke again.

"How sure are you of getting this done?"

Her voice had lost some of its earlier resistance.

Now it sounded like she was weighing a difficult decision.

Liam answered without hesitation.

"About eighty percent."

The confidence in his voice was calm and direct.

Tatiana stared at him again.

Eighty percent.

That was a huge claim.

Irina remained quiet again for a few seconds.

Then she finally sighed.

"Fine."

Her tone carried reluctant acceptance.

"I will call the pack back."

There was a short pause before she added.

"Don’t disappoint me."

Liam nodded slightly even though she could not see him.

"I won’t."

He ended the call.

The moment the phone screen went dark he barely had time to lower it before Tatiana stepped directly in front of him.

Her reaction was immediate.

"Liam."

Her voice carried both confusion and concern.

"I’m sorry but how is the two of us meant to stop something like this."

She gestured back toward the warehouse behind them.

"There are dozens of armed men in there."

Her eyes searched his face.

"Wouldn’t it be better if we had the pack’s support?"

Tatiana crossed her arms slightly while waiting for his answer.

From where she stood the situation made absolutely no sense.

They had just confirmed that explosives were hidden inside multiple warehouses.

The place was heavily guarded.

And now Liam had just convinced Irina to pull back every single member of the pack.

Leaving only the two of them behind.

Tatiana stared at him seriously.

Because right now she truly wanted to know what kind of plan could possibly make that decision make sense.

Liam had just finished explaining his plan.

For the last ten minutes the two of them had been standing near the back side of the warehouse complex where the noise of the trucks and workers could barely reach them. The wind moved softly through the open industrial yard while the distant sounds of machinery hummed behind the buildings.

Tatiana paced back and forth in front of him.

Her arms were folded across her chest as she tried to process everything he had just told her.

"So let me get this straight," she said while turning to face him again.

Her voice carried disbelief mixed with nervous amusement.

"Me and you will disguise ourselves as one of them."

She pointed vaguely toward the warehouse behind them where the fake soldiers were stationed.

"Then we go into this Shadow Lounge place."

She took another step and turned again as if trying to walk off the stress building in her head.

"And then we try to capture their boss."

Liam nodded calmly.

"Yes."

Tatiana stopped pacing and stared at him.

For a second she simply looked at his face as if she was waiting for him to suddenly laugh and admit it was a joke.

Instead Liam stood there completely serious.

Tatiana suddenly laughed.

It was not a normal laugh.

It was the kind people make when they cannot believe what they are hearing.

"Very nice plan Liam," she said while clapping slowly once.

"Very very nice."

Then her expression slowly changed.

The humor faded from her face as the reality of the situation settled in.

"Except," she said while pointing a finger at him, "that place will probably be crawling with guards."

Her tone became more serious now.

"If that really is where their boss is hiding then there will be security everywhere."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"We walk into that place and we will be surrounded by armed men."

Liam listened without interrupting.

Then he smiled slightly.

"Leave the guards to me."

Tatiana blinked.

Liam shrugged lightly.

"We just need to sneak in and identify the boss."

His voice remained calm as if the problem she mentioned was barely worth worrying about.

Tatiana looked at him for a long moment.

Her brain was still trying to catch up with the level of confidence he carried.

Then she slowly nodded.

"It’s a very crazy plan."

She paused.

"But I guess it can work."

Liam nodded again.

"Yes exactly."

Tatiana sighed quietly.

For better or worse she had already committed to this mission the moment she followed him earlier. If his instincts were right then capturing the boss of this entire operation could shut everything down at once.

Still the thought of walking into a den full of criminals made her stomach tighten slightly.

Liam suddenly spoke again.

"Come here."

Tatiana blinked and looked up.

"What?"

"Come again," Liam said while gesturing toward her.

Tatiana stepped closer without asking more questions.

When she reached him Liam gently turned her around so her back faced him.

Then he wrapped his arm around her waist again just like he had earlier.

Tatiana felt his chest behind her and the warmth of his arm settling around her middle.

This time the contact was not part of an act.

It was simply practical.

But Liam could not deny the feeling.

Holding her like this felt surprisingly satisfying.

Her waist was slim beneath his arm and the natural curve of her body pressed lightly against him. The shape of her ass and the softness beneath the fabric made it very clear why that idiot soldier earlier could not stop staring.

Her body rested naturally against him.

The curve of her ass pressed lightly against his crotch.

Liam forced himself to stay focused.

He had to control his thoughts.

Now was definitely not the time to get distracted.

Tatiana seemed unaware of the thoughts passing through his mind. She simply adjusted her stance slightly so she was balanced properly against him.

"Are you ready?" Liam asked quietly.

"Yes," she replied.

The moment the word left her mouth something incredible happened again.

A bright glow suddenly appeared behind Liam.

Tatiana felt it before she saw it.

Then the massive white wings burst open from his back.

The feathers spread wide with a powerful motion as they caught the air.

Before Tatiana could even react Liam pushed off the ground.

The two of them shot upward into the sky.

The sudden acceleration made the air rush violently past them as the ground below began shrinking rapidly.

Tatiana grabbed his arm instinctively as the wind roared around them.

Her red hair whipped wildly in the air while the city spread out beneath them.

Then she shouted loudly over the rushing wind.

"Where are we going?!"

Her voice was almost swallowed by the air currents.

Liam leaned closer to her ear so she could hear him clearly.

"Your house."

Tatiana’s eyes widened instantly.

"Huh?!"

Her voice carried pure confusion.

"How do you know where I live?"

Liam simply smiled.