Xena''s POV.


    "Um..." Ryder was trying to catch his breath,


    I was panting too, feeling my heart still racing in my chest. The quiet forest around us made our heavy breathing sound even louder than it was.


    His phone rang, and we both instinctively looked toward his pants on the ground. He reached for them and fished out his phone. Without hesitation, he put it on speaker.


    "Yeah?" His voice was still husky.


    "Ryder, you both need toe back. We''ve got a report on the attack


    I stared at him, my mouth falling open in shock. The peaceful afterglow we''d been enjoying shattered in an instant.


    "Alright, we''re heading back now." Ryder ended the call with a quick tap.


    "That was fast," I said, already gathering my clothes, my fingers trembling slightly with nervous energy.


    "It''s been a week already. If they know something, it must be connected to an open case." Ryder was pulling up his pants, his


    movements swift and precise.


    I''d already slipped my tank top on and was working on my pants. "I mean, we already figured it was Tatum or Alpha Wiley. They''re suspicious as fuck."


    "Hopefully this gives us something we can use against them." The determination in his voice matched the tight set of his jaw.


    "Are you still going through with the n during the dance?" I askedcing up my boots.


    "Yes, everything''s still in motion." Ryder nodded as I finished with my boots. My hair was aplete mess, but I''d fix it on the walk


    back.


    "Ready?" he asked, helping me to my feet.


    "Yeah, let''s go." I moved quickly through the forest, not looking back as I worked on fixing my hair.


    Ryder didn''t speak again until we were putting on our helmets. "Hey, babe?"


    It was my favorite thing he called me, always sending a warm feeling right through my chest. "What?"


    "I made youe without even touching you."


    The smug look on his face was infuriating. Yes, it was true, but I didn''t want him getting too cocky about it. Men, always so proud of these things.


    "Hmm..." I took off my helmet and walked over to him, grabbing his shirt and pulling him toward me until our lips were almost touching. "Next times my turn, and I won''t y fair." I gave him the lightest kiss before turning away.


    Ryder caught my hand and spun me back around, giving me a powerful kiss that left me breathless.


    You''re fucking perfect," I heard him murmur as I climbed onto my motorcycle. A dirty thought crossed my mind as we pulled away.


    "Hey, Ryder?" I tried to make my voice sound sexy through our mind ink.


    "What?"


    I nced over at him. "You know why I love riding motorcycles so much?" "Why?" He seemed genuinely curious.


    I looked right at him, "Because I love the power between my legs. His eyes narrowed at my double entendre, and I gunned the engine, shooting forward.


    "You won''t be able to walk to school tomorrow." Ryder promised as he caught up. I didn''t respond, just shed him a smile.


    As we descended the hillside, the curves came fast and tight. Feeling exhrated, I leaned into them effortlessly. I was one with my bike, twisting left and right, my knee nearly touching the ground. The ride back home was perfect-a beautiful afternoon, though I knew another storm might be waiting for us.


    When we rode into pack territory, the tension was palpable, the atmosphere distinctly unfriendly. Ryder and exchanged nces as we removed our helmets and walked toward Alpha Benedict''s office. Ryder knocked once and entered. I was surprised by how many people were inside-Dad, Logan, Penelope, Leonard, William, Ama, and Luna Kestrel all stood in silence, staring at the wall with vacant expressions.


    The air felt heavy with something I couldn''t quite define, as if something terrible was about to happen. My heart rate elerated.


    "Where''s Vi?" I asked Leonard, trying to break the awful silence.


    "In the kitchen," he replied, his tone morose.


    "What''s going on?" Ryder looked toward his father.


    "This." Alpha Benedict tossed a paper toward Ryder. It fell to the floor, and Ryder bent to pick it up, holding it low so we could both


    see.


    "I don''t understand what I''m reading." I frowned, trying to make sense of the technical terms and data, but they blurred together


    before my eyes.


    "It says the bullet came from a 9mm Smith & Wesson, which we already knew. But the gun has been linked to a series of murders across the United States. What''s concerning, however, is this." Ryder pointed to a small line at the bottom. My heart skipped a beat, my blood seemingly freezing in my veins. This couldn''t be real.


    "It says... no..." I must have read it wrong. My brain refused to ept what my eyes were seeing; it was too absurd, too unbelievable.


    "It says there was additional DNA on the bullet, and it matches Penelope''s DNA." Ryder''s body vibrated with anger.