A POV


    "You sure they be still out cold tue of the hired solves leaned against the bars, squinting at our motionles forms through the darkness,


    Monough to keep them under fit at least twelve hours, hispanim replied with a nasty grin. Tspecially two little females,


    1 ke pertly stall, forcing my breathing to remain slow and steady despite the rage building in my chest. Firle females. If these assholes knew what I was capable of, they wouldn''t be so sang


    "Brock said it has to be tonight." the first well fidgeted with a de, turning it so the allure edge caught what little light filtered into dungeon


    Instructions were clear the warrier hitch dies, and she needs to ke


    Gotta bring back the well fan ne a proot, his partner reminded him. The mention of my ne-Dad gift on my first sessful bunt-made my Hood bil


    "What about the blonde princess?


    "Just a bonus," the wolf''s grin widened, revealing unnaturally sharp canines. "Rest a few hours. We''ll finish when they wake up. Always more satisfying to watch your pres squirm."


    Their footsteps faded, followed by the heavy groan of metal as the iron door mmed shut. I waited, counting my heartbeats until I was certain they were gone, then slowly opened my eyes.


    The silver chains burned against my skin like acid, but I''d learned to push past the pain. I looked down at Sophia, still unconscious on myp, her golden hair matted with ditt. Her pulse was steadier than before, breathing more regr,


    I gently wiped sweat from her forehead with the torn edge of my shirt. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, a good sign she was fighting through the venom 1 effects At lept I wouldn''t be facing this alone


    Momentster, Sophia stirred with a pained moan, struggling through the fog of venom like swimming through mud. Finally, her blue eyes opened, clouded


    with monfusion and fear.


    Her voice cracked, dry as autumn leaves. Where where are we?


    "We''re in trouble," I said simply, keeping my voice level despite the anxiety grawing at my insides.


    Sophia tried to sit up, only to let out a sharp cry when the silver chains made contact with her skin.


    "Goddess!! She stared in horror at the angry red marks on her wrists, then back at me. "Are these... silver chains


    "We were attacked,'' I exined, eyes continuously scanning our prison for any advantage, any weakness. Someone ambushed us."


    "My father......... Teats gathered in her eyes. "Hell find us, right?"


    Something in her voice-the raw vulnerability-made my chest tighten. ke''s fierce, confident daughter reduced to this frightened girl. She didn''t deserve any of this.


    “I tried to mindlink Tyler, but these chains are blocking my abilities, I admitted, hating how helpless 1 sounded.


    "Mindlink..." Sophia marmured thoughtfully. "We could try to link with each other."


    I looked at her in surprise. "You mean... between us?"


    Internal connections are easier than extenual ones, she exined, her voice weak but determined.


    "Worth a shot," I nodded, meeting her eyes directly. "If it works, we can at leastmunicate without them heating us."


    We pressed our foreheads together, closing our eyes to concentrate on forming a mental bridge. At first, there was nothing but static, jumbled thoughts crashing against each other. But slowly, like threads being semen inte fatale, a connection began to form.


    Can you hear me? Sophia''s voice whispered through my mind, faint as wind through leaves,


    Yes, barely, but Fcan hear wea, I responded, startled by the intimacy of the connection.


    "It wmkel," Sophia smiled weakly as she opened her eyes. At least we''re notpletely alone."


    "You''re tougher than I gave you credit for, Miss Morgan," I said honestly, feeling the distance between us shrink,


    mestly,


    are they nning to do with us? Sophia asked through our new link, miti


    new link, meniding speaking almal where guards might heat.


    I den i want to scare you, I admitted, but from ulur / brand, they re nning to kill


    us.


    Third Person POV


    Jackson had been explicit in his instructions to Brock: have some wandering Omegas kidnap Ava and hold her captive, but don''t harm her.


    "Trust


    scare her, dont actually hurt her, Jackson had emphasized. T''lle rescue her myself"


    "Once I save her, she''ll be so grateful shell crawl right back to me, Jackson had smiled confidently. "Even with Sophia as my angle, I can''t pass up the taste of my fated mate."


    "Oh, and don''t mark up her face," Jackson had added as an afterthought. "I like it the way it is."


    Eut


    Brock h


    had his own agenda


    Each night, be arranged stolen items belonging to Serena on his bedside table- her training gloves, headbands, photographs. His obsession with her had grown to pathological proportions, though she''d never spared him a second nce. Serena only had eyes for the strongest warriors and wolves of status. Brock was merely one ofckson''s ordinary Betas, not worthy of her attention.


    He''d heard Serena curse Ava countless times, calling het ''Shadow Creek''s disgrace” and “the tractors daughter unworthy of being a warrior." In his twisted mind, Brock reasoned that eliminating Serena''s most hated rival would finally earn her gratitude-perhaps even her affection.


    "Kill the Rivers bitch and tell her she''s dying for Serena Evans, Brock had instructed the hired wolves. "Bring me her wolf fang ne and leave no evidence connecting me orckson."


    By the time Jackson arrived in the morning for his nned "rescue, it would be toote. All me would fall on nameless hired wolves who would be long


    In his office at ckwood Manos, ke''s Alpha energy had be nearly tangible, making the air heavy and difficult to breathe


    "Say it again, Tyler," kes voice was dangerously low. "You let my daughter and Ava leave on their own?"


    rstood at attention, cold sweat beading on his forehead. They insisted on dining privately. Sophia said we only needed to wait outside."


    Tyler


    y disappeared? ke''s voice cut like ice.


    "And you just stood there like logs until they


    "We thought they''d changed ns and headed home themselves," a guard exined nervously. "When we checked the restaurant, the owner said he saw twodies leave through the kitchen''s back door."


    "You are the most elite warriors Ive trained," ke''s anger butted controlled but intense. "Yet you couldn''t protect two women?"


    Tyler took a deep breath. 1... have no excuse, Alpha King. The fault is mine Make suddenly stood, his Alpha energy shattering a water ss on his desk.


    "Gather all warriors, lock down every et from the neutral zone, kemanded,


    his voice making the air vibrate. "Contact Shadow Creek, have them


    search their territory. If necessary, alert the northern packs."


    "My daughter and her friend must be found before sunrise and his eyes shed dangerously gold, I will personally hunt down every all who might have


    "Yes, Alpha king." everyone responded in unison, rushing to action.


    Alone, ke drove his fist into the wall, leaving a deep crack in the stone.


    "Sophia... Ava..." he whispered, unusual fear flickering in his eyes. "Hold on. I will find you,"


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