Dwarfed in her layers, bundled up warm, Leslie offered, “And I hope I have more to buoy you. Before Shepherd’s invasion, Premier Callas had been my betrothed. Our circumstances had yet to be announced.” She waved a flippant hand. “These things have to go through the proper channels, be approved by the Senate, and so on. In the interim, Callas arranged for me to have deputy access to everything. As it was done in secret, Shepherd’s men are unaware that I can infiltrate their communications network.”

Corday’s mouth gaped. “Holy fuck…”

“Yeah, son.” Senator Kantor chuckled. “Holy fuck.”

This changed everything, gave the resistance an actual chance. “Do you know where he’s hidden the contagion?”

Leslie shook her head. “No. The language they communicate in, it’s difficult to understand. But that does not mean we can’t crack it. I just need time.”

But this was still great progress. The secrecy of the meeting began to make sense, no one could know Leslie Kantor’s secret. She would have to be hidden, the information restricted. Corday said as much. “No one can know about her. If Shepherd got wind, it would be an easy thing to revoke her access.”

“Agreed.” Senator Kantor had Corday’s next orders. “If we kept her here, too many people would see her. We can’t have questions raised. I’m entrusting my niece to you, Corday.”

The honor bestowed on the low ranked Enforcer came at a very bad time; however, there was no way to refuse such an important mission. Claire needed him, but the entire population needed the intel Leslie might uncover. Corday shared his news. “You should know sir, the Omegas were freed. Today we’ve struck two victories against Shepherd.”

The Senator genuinely smiled. “I told you my bet was on Claire.”

“You did.”

And that was it.

Jules frowned, a rare thing, and listened to the audio surveillance of Thólos’ pathetic resistance headquarters. The hunt for Claire had been waylaid when report arrived that a certain Alpha female had presented herself on the resistance’s doorstep.

Svana—Leslie Kantor—had a different part to play in the fall of Thólos. She had a specific mission that had nothing to do with playing rebel. And if she’d known where they were all along, why not pass that information to Shepherd.

Jules knew exactly what the bitch was up to.

Svana was hunting Claire. Of course she’d know the Omega had escaped. It was the reason he’d had the Alpha female followed since Shepherd’s mate had gone missing.

And now she’d lead them right to the resistance.

The woman was truly foolish to think this act would go unnoticed. Shepherd might have lauded his beloved, but Jules did not find her cunning clever. Oh, she was useful and she was powerful, and for that reason alone, Jules had not engineered an accident for her years ago.