Only Joshua could operate Apocalypse for now, but with the access he’d granted, Shermaine could issue commands through it as well. She was mildly surprised to learn that Roy was in Ustrana and asked, “Where is he now?”

The coordinates weren’t far. Apocalypse returned another location: the vehicle had stopped at a hospital. What was strange, though, was that as soon as Roy appeared there, the system lost track of him. The surveillance feed blanked. A new message came through: [Tracking target lost.]

Shermaine was momentarily stunned. [He’s gone?]

Apocalypse: [Affirmative.]

She couldn’t help but wonder what Roy had been through over the past two years. He was clearly in Ustrana, yet he had made no attempt to contact them, least of all Molly, who lived there too.

Shermaine was already near the bar and walking toward the entrance when her phone rang. Joshua’s voice came through. “Roy showed up, Sheary.”

“I know,” Shermaine replied. “But then he vanished again, completely.”

Roy’s skills with technology were formidable. It wasn’t surprising that he could mask his movements. But Apocalypse’s tracking system was designed for more than standard evasion. It was high-end and aggressive. Even if Roy attempted to shield himself, the system should’ve pierced through the interference. Yet now, he had disappeared entirely, without a trace. That was something else altogether.

Joshua, well-acquainted with Roy’s methods, remained calm. “If he’s in Ustrana,” he said, “he’s probably keeping tabs on Molly. Sheary, set the bait. Draw him out.”

Shermaine arched a brow. That had been her plan all along.

Under the cover of night, Roy shifted back into his wolf form and made his way toward the bar. He kept to the shadows, avoiding crowds so as not to cause alarm. Within ten minutes, he returned to the sports car and climbed inside through the window.

Inside the bar, Shermaine and Molly had already met. Though it had been some time, the familiarity between them remained. Shermaine lifted her glass in greeting, the rim clinking crisply against Molly’s. Molly thought Shermaine’s presence had changed, more composed, colder perhaps, but striking all the same.

As they settled in, Shermaine asked, “You came out of that assassination attempt unscathed?”

Molly gave a soft laugh. “Of course. Haven’t you heard what they call me now? The Lady Reaper , the Demon Queen , the Wolf Queen.” She swirled the liquor in her glass before downing it smoothly. “That attack turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The old guard who opposed me have gone silent since. I’d call that progress.”

Shermaine took a slow sip, then, seeing Molly’s glass empty, refilled it for her. “When did you start keeping a wolf?”

“You mean Roy?” Molly smiled faintly at the name. “I didn’t raise him. During the attack, he came out of nowhere, filthy and wild, but immediately protective. He stuck close, followed my lead.”

Animals had always been drawn to Molly, but this was different. She hadn’t given it much thought at first. She brought the wolf home out of sympathy. She had never seen a wolf so affectionate, loyal, and reminiscent of the Roy she had once loved. Hearing that the wolf was named Roy, Shermaine understood. Molly still missed him deeply, and the wolf must’ve reminded her uncannily of Roy.

A thought stirred in Shermaine. She kept her tone casual. “So the wolf’s at your place? I’m curious. Mind if I see him?”

“He’s actually with me tonight,” Molly said. “But I didn’t want to scare anyone, so I left him in the car. If you’re interested, we can take a look later.” Still, she seemed a little uneasy. Roy had been left alone in the car. She wasn’t entirely sure he’d stay put.

Shermaine’s eyes flashed with subtle recognition. “No rush. Let’s enjoy the drink first.”

Molly, in rare good spirits, nodded. She usually drank alone. It was dull, with no one to talk to. Tonight was different. But as the evening wore on, something felt off. She hadn’t had much to drink, yet a wave of dizziness washed over her. Her vision blurred. The next moment, she slumped forward, unconscious.

The woman who hardly got drunk hadn’t passed out from liquor. Shermaine had slipped a mild sedative into her glass, just enough to induce sleep for about forty minutes. Molly slumped forward onto the table. Before her bodyguards could react, Shermaine stepped in with a calm wave of her hand. “She’s fine,” she said casually. “The drink just hit her a little too hard.”

Most of Molly’s people knew Shermaine. Seeing her here, they instinctively relaxed. After all, tonight’s gathering had been arranged to welcome her. “I’ll take her home. You guys go enjoy yourselves.” Shermaine said.

Just then, a man happened to pass by. Shermaine called out to him, pulled a thick wad of cash from Molly’s purse, and handed it over. “Hey, could you give us a ride?”

The man glanced at the money and took it without hesitation. “Where to?”

Shermaine gave him the address and passed Molly off to him. “Get her in the car. I’ll be right back. Just need to hit the restroom.” But the guy could feel something wasn’t quite right. Molly’s bodyguards were watching him like hawks, making his skin crawl. He handled her like glass, doing everything he could to avoid actually touching her.

The bodyguards didn’t know why their boss was suddenly being handed off to a stranger. But Shermaine, claiming she needed the restroom, didn’t go inside. She circled the building quietly and followed them instead. They were left puzzled. Shermaine didn’t let them follow, so they exchanged a few glances, shrugged, and let it go.

The man helped Molly into the car and waited inside, expecting Shermaine to show up any second. But instead of a woman, what showed up was a wolf. It stared him down with a predatory glare, teeth bared, ready to pounce. The man’s heart dropped straight to his shoes. ‘What the hell… a wolf? In the middle of the city?!’ he screamed in his mind. The beast lunged forward, and he didn’t wait to see what would happen next, bolting from the car and yelling at the top of his lungs, “Help!”

Roy didn’t bother chasing him. He leapt into the car and nudged Molly gently with his head. She didn’t respond, still and silent. But her breathing was steady and peaceful. She was just sleeping. Her scent lingered in the air, a mix of liquor and something sweetly familiar. It was the scent he couldn’t get enough of.

‘Idiot,’ he thought, a flicker of frustration in his eyes. “How could you drink this much? And those useless bodyguards almost let some random guy take you away.” He was furious but helpless. There wasn’t much he could do, except carry her out of that car and gently place her back in the sleek sports car she’d come in. He fished her keys from her bag, started the engine, and drove off.

As the car pulled away into the night, Shermaine received a new message from Apocalypse. [Target located. Currently operating a vehicle. License plate: RR1]

She smiled to herself, satisfied. There was no mistake. The wolf was Roy.