<h4>Chapter 60: 60. Getting Involved</h4>


    From the moment Maria woke up from the terrifying nightmare, an unusual feeling settled deep in her chest. Something felt off.


    Still sitting on the bed, her mouth felt dry, and a strange thirst nagged at her. With a sigh, she stood up and quietly left her room, heading toward the kitchen to grab a ss of water.


    It was the only ce she could get a drink at that odd hour of the night. As she descended the staircase, faint voices drifted up from the living room.


    Maria froze.


    Her curiosity kicked in immediately—who could be up and having a conversation at around 2 a.m.? And what could be so important to discuss at such ate hour?


    She tiptoed softly down the remaining stairs, pressing herself close to the wall as she neared the voices. Carefully, she leaned in just enough to hear the conversation clearly.


    One voice she immediately recognized: Beta Gilbert. But the second voice was unfamiliar.


    "What do you have for me towards Elijah Simons’ ns?" Beta Gilbert asked, his tone filled with urgency and interest.


    The unknown man responded calmly, "Firstly, I’d say our ns are progressing well against Elijah. He had an initial date and time he wanted to attack, but since I managed to drop that letter at his office doorstep, he’s been scrambling. He’s changing all his strategies now, and from what I’ve observed, he’s not preparing with his usual focus."


    "What do you mean by that?" Gilbert asked, sounding confused.


    "I mean he’s nning out of haste," the man replied. "Since receiving that letter, he believes the elders of the pack are still with him. But his actions have be erratic. This isn’t the calm, calcted Elijah we’re used to. Still, he’s not someone to underestimate—he always has a backup n. That’s why I suggest we prepare more than one strategy too, just in case."


    Maria narrowed her eyes slightly as she listened. The mention of Elijah Simons made her heart beat a little faster.


    "Hmmm... you’re doing a great job," Beta Gilbert responded. "I promise you, you’ll be rewarded for this. So, when exactly is Elijah nning his attack now?"


    "Tomorrow night," the man answered firmly. "He’s bringing all his most powerful resources. He believes tomorrow will be the day he ims everything he desires."


    "Very good," Gilbert said with satisfaction,ughing softly. "He’s walking right into our trap."


    Just then, Maria heard a sound behind her. Her heart leapt, and she quickly ducked under the staircase.


    She barely managed to hide before Bernard appeared, walking toward the living room from his room.


    As Bernard entered, the unknown man smiled and greeted him.


    "Dad," Bernard said, walking over to them, "I see you have a visitor." He looked at the unfamiliar face curiously.


    "This is Mr. Brooks," Beta Gilbert introduced. "He’s a great friend of mine and a key informant in Elijah’s camp. He brought us all the vital information we need to take Elijah down."


    Gilbert turned back toward Mr. Brooks. "And this is my son, Bernard—the Alpha of our great pack."


    Mr. Brooks stood and extended his hand respectfully. "I’ve heard so much about you, Alpha Bernard. It’s an honor to meet you."


    "The honor’s mine," Bernard replied politely, shaking his hand.


    "So, what updates does Mr. Brooks have for us?" Bernard asked, sitting down beside his father.


    Gilbert quickly ryed everything that had just been discussed. But just as he was about to reveal more about their counter-attack n, Bernard raised a hand gently to interrupt him.


    "That’s great information," Bernard said with a smile. "It definitely makes our work easier. Mr. Brooks, what you’ve done won’t go unappreciated. You have our deepest thanks."


    Gilbert immediately caught the message. Bernard didn’t want to go into sensitive strategy details in front of the informant.


    "Thank you, my friend," Gilbert said warmly, standing up. "I’ll have one of the guards escort you back to your hotel. Please keep me updated with any more information from Elijah’s camp."


    The men stood and exchanged farewells as Mr. Brooks left the house.


    Once the door closed, Gilbert turned to his son with a nod. "I almost started talking about our ns in front of him. Good thing you stopped me."


    "It’s fine, Dad," Bernard said calmly. "We’re in a very delicate situation. We can’t afford to trust anyone fully right now."


    Gilbert nodded, taking the point seriously. "What do you think about Mr. Brooks’ warning—about not leaving any family members behind, unless they’re part of the fight?"


    "I agree," Bernard said firmly. "We can’t be overconfident about Elijah. He’s cunning. There’s even a chance he has informants among us. That’s why I’ve decided we’ll move Mom and Maria to a secret location—only you and I will know where."


    "That’s smart," Gilbert agreed. "But we need to be ready for every kind of threat Elijah might bring."


    "Exactly," Bernard said. "That’s why tomorrow morning, we’ll head to the safe house with our men. We’ll finalize our strategies and brief everyone clearly on their roles."


    Under the staircase, Maria remained still, absorbing every word. Her heart pounded, but not from fear—this time, it was a mix of purpose and determination.


    She was going to be involved. She had to be. This battle wasn’t just theirs—it was hers too. She had her own reasons, and her parents’ deaths still echoed loudly in her memory. Elijah Simons would pay.


    After the conversation ended, Beta Gilbert rose and climbed the stairs to his room. Momentster, Bernard followed suit.


    Only when she was sure they were both gone did Maria finally crawl out from beneath the staircase.


    Her breath came fast as she raced back to her room and shut the door quietly behind her. Sitting down on her bed, she tried to process everything.


    "I need to get into that car... I must be at the safe house," she whispered to herself.


    Then a second thought crossed her mind. "Should I talk to Bernard? Should I just tell him what I n to do?"


    But almost immediately, she shook her head. "No, he won’t let me. He’ll try to protect me and stop me from joining them. I have to find a way... before morning."


    Her eyes burned with quiet resolve as she leaned back on the bed, lost in thought.


    Whatever it took, she was going to be part of the fight. And this time, nothing would stop her...