Chapter 167
Chapter 167
89 – Ryker
“Damn it!” I roar, the frustration bubbling up so fiercely I have to clamp my jaw shut to stop myself from punching a hole in the wall of my office. He was right there— right under our noses—and somehow, we completely missed him. We combed through the entire abandoned camp, every corner and shadow, but came up empty. I can’t tell if they were warned ahead of time or if they simply spotted us before we even got close, because when we arrived, everything was packed up and vanished.
I trust my beta’s instincts. He’s one of the most stealthy operatives I have on the team. It’s hard to believe he slipped up and allowed the rogues to catch wind that we were closing in. The camp itself was barely half a mile from where we found Emily. That proximity can’t be just coincidence. I’m starting to suspect they used wolfsbane as a kind of cloak, masking their presence. Who knows how long they’ve been hiding out there? If Emily hadn’t disappeared, we might never have stumbled onto this secret. That ravine borders what’s known as neutral ground—an unspoken truce zone. I remember hearing stories about a massive wildfire that tore through that area when I was a kid, a blaze so intense it took weeks for the neighboring packs to finally extinguish it. In the twenty years since, the land has never truly healed. Some of the more superstitious members of my pack whisper that the place is cursed. It’s a spot no one dares to tread.
But what stings the most is the faint scent I caught-Claude’s. It was subtle, maybe a couple of days old, but unmistakable. That bastard is here, in my territory. And I have this sinking feeling he’s after my mate. What he hopes to gain by hurting her, I can’t fathom—except to provoke my full, unrelenting fury.
I try to steady my pounding heart by pacing the length of my office, the walls closing in as my thoughts spiral. I can’t face Kennedy like this—not tonight. It’s late, and I’ve given Claude’s scent far more attention than it deserves. Kennedy has suffered enough trauma; she doesn’t need to see me unravel. I take a deep breath, pressing the heels of my hands against my eyes, hoping to ease the headache that’s threatening to take hold. Oddly, just thinking about her calms me. I can almost feel her presence nearby, like a warm pulse in the quiet house. If I concentrate hard enough, I might even be able to pinpoint exactly where she is.
A sudden shiver runs down my spine, stiffening my back before melting it into a soft, warm sensation. “I can feel this tension all over the packhouse,” she murmurs, her voice gentle as her nails trace slow, soothing lines down my back-not in any intimate way, but in a way that somehow eases the knot in my chest. Her cheek rests between my shoulder blades, and her arms encircle my waist, grounding me. “What can I do to help p>
I inhale deeply again, letting her scent fill my senses. She shouldn’t consume me like this, yet I’m powerless to resist. Lost in thought, I hadn’t even noticed her slip into the room. And now, this is exactly what I need to clear my head. My mind is a mess. My father never prepared me for this the mate bond. If he had, I might have rejected her outright. I’ve always craved control, needed it to feel safe. But here, now, with her, I’m utterly out of control—and for the first time in my life, I don’t mind.
“Hey,” she coos softly, breaking through the storm in my mind. “Stop overthinking. Let me help you p>
I wrap my arms around hers, finding comfort in her touch. “It’s Claude. He was at the rogue camp. He’s never been able to mess with my head before My voice trails off, unwilling to say the words aloud. It sounds too close to blaming her, and she’s not at fault-Claude is.
“Before me?” she asks quietly, curiosity coloring her tone rather than pain.
“Yeah. I took his pack from him. Looking back, I realize it was too easy. I was just a teenager, and we fought hard. Both sides lost people, but I thought I had him beat. Turns out, he’s spent the last decade using me to strengthen his pack. Now, he wants it back.” Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs.net
“He’ll never get it,” she says with fierce certainty, her conviction unwavering.
“What makes you so sure?” I ask, turning to face her.
She shifts, coming around to stand in front of me. “Oh, shit! What are you wearing?” she exclaims, eyes widening as she takes in my appearance. It’s rhetorical-she already knows the answer. I gently push her back just enough to get a better look. Her bare feet rest lightly on the floor, and her long, toned legs are exposed. The hem of my white t-shirt grazes her mid-thigh, and it’s clear she’s not wearing a bra underneath. Her hair is loose and tousled, framing her face in a messy halo.
“You look stunning,” I growl, pulling her close again. I can’t seem to get enough of her today.
“You’re crazy,” she laughs softly. “I look like a mess. But you needed to calm down, so I didn’t have time to change p>