The Lightning Wolf Chronicles (Evelyn and Nadia) novel Chapter 117

Chapter 117: We Need to Accelerate Our Timeline

Evelyn’s POV

The New Year’s party hit me like a wall of sound the moment we stepped inside the mansion. Bass thumped through my chest, and the mixed scents of alcohol, sweat, and perfume assaulted my nose. Bodies packed every inch of space swaying and shouting over music that was way too loud.

“Holy crap, this place is massive!” Aria yelled, eyes bright with excitement.

I leaned closer to her ear. “How exactly are we supposed to do recon when I can barely hear myself think?”

“Loosen up! She grabbed my wrist, dragging me through the crowd. ‘Best surveillance happens when you look like you’re having fun!”

We squeezed through the living room and finally found a slightly quieter corner the kitchen. At least here I could hear conversations without people

screaming directly into my ear.

‘Ember!” Aria waved at a girl with a high ponytail who wobbled over to us, clearly tipsy.

“You guys made it! Ember threw her arms around us both. “Thought you’d bailed. Here – Roland’s cocktails are killer.” She thrust red plastic cups of pink liquid into our hands.

I pretended to sip while scanning the room. See any rogues? I asked Aria through our mental link.

Three by the couches on the right. Two more out back, she replied while laughing at something Ember said. Notice how they’re all super alert? Definitely not here

just to party.

I grabbed some chips from a nearby table, using it as an excuse to circle the room. The rogues tried to blend in, but their posture was too rigid, their eyes too watchful. One actually sniffed the air as I passed by.

‘They’re searching for someone, I told Aria when I returned. “And they’re definitely clocking new faces.”

“Then let’s give them something to notice – without being obvious. She winked and pulled me toward a group of dancers.

For the next few hours, we strategically maneuvered through the party, creating accidental” encounters with the rogues. We posed for plenty of photos, making sure our faces would hit social media without looking deliberate.

As midnight approached, the energy ramped up. Everyone crowded around a gian TV for the countdown.

“Ten! Nine! Eight!” the crowd chanted.

‘Watch for midnight kissers,” Aria warned, elbowing me.

“Three! Two! One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Right on cue, some tall guy with glazed eyes leaned toward me. I sidestepped smothly, pretending to get bumped by someone else.

‘Sorry!” I called with fake innocence before slipping away through the mass of people.

I ended up in the backyard, gulping in the cold, clear air. My head finally stopped pounding, but then something else caught my attention – an unfamiliar werewolf scent. Not like the rogues inside, but something more powerful, carrying an unmistakable air of authority.

I tensed, scanning the darkness. Nothing visible, but that scent wasn’t my imagination.

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Chapter 117: We Need to Accelerate Our Timeline

“What are you doing out here? It’s freezing! Aria appeared beside me, rubbing harms dramatically.

“I picked up something weird,’ I said quietly. A strong scent, different from the hers. Definitely Alpha-level, but it disappeared.”

‘Probably patrols from nearby packs,” she suggested. “I’ve heard they monitor campus boundaries, especially during big events.”

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We headed back to the safe house before the party ended. Conrad listened intent as we reported what we’d found, his expression growing more serious by

the second.

“You’re absolutely certain the scent came from outside campus?” he asked me for the third time.

“Positive. It wasn’t just some random rogue.”

He paced the kitchen. “This confirms what we’ve suspected. They’re not just scattered outlaws they’re organized, with territory and hierarchy.”

“Their behavior was weird too, Aria added. “They weren’t looking to hook up or party. They were searching, like they had specific targets.”

Conrad stopped pacing and faced us. “We need to accelerate our timeline. Campus recon is giving us something, but it’s not enough. We need deeper

infiltration.

“What are you thinking?” I asked.

“You need to get into the university system. Early enrollment in college prep courses. That’ll give you legitimate access to places where these rogues keep

showing up.”

I blinked in surprise. “Wait, you’re actually agreeing to let me take university classes? I thought you were against that idea.”

“I still don’t love it,” he admitted, frowning. “But it’s our best play right now. We need strict safety protocols though.”

Aria practically bounced with excitement. “This is perfect! We can take classes together!”

Hold your horses, Conrad warned. “This isn’t a normal college experience. It’s a mission.”

Over the next week, we planned everything down to the smallest detail. Conrad took us through every inch of campus at night, mapping entry points, exit

routes, and potential danger zones.

“Rule one: constant contact,” he emphasized as we slipped through the empty biology building. “Mind-link check-ins every twenty minutes, even if it’s just a

quick all good.”

“Rule two: never operate alone. You move in pairs, especially in isolated areas.”

“Rule three: know the warning signs. If you notice sudden silence, concentrated ents, or unusual attention from strangers you bail immediately.”

The list went on forever. Don’t take drinks from strangers. Always carry energy bs to metabolize alcohol quickly. Have at least three exit strategies for every location.

“These aren’t suggestions,” Conrad said firmly as we finished our final walkthrough. Break any of these rules, and you’re pulled from the mission. Non-

negotiable.

We nodded. His protectiveness might feel suffocating, but I understood where it me from.

Meanwhile, our continued surveillance showed the rogues concentrating in enviromental science and biology programs, giving us clear direction.

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09:49 Mon, Jan 12

Chapter 117: We Need to Accelerate Our Timeline

I should aim for wildlife management, I told Aria. ‘That’s where most rogues hg out, and it covers forest territories too.”

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