<h4>Chapter 203: Chapter 203 Unwee Reunion</h4>


    Cecilia’s pov


    Xavier stood there like a man who’d just walked away from his own funeral.


    "Xavier," I muttered, "couldn’t you just stay gone?"


    Having him show up felt worse than stumbling onto Hannibal Lecter in your living room.


    Unwee didn’t begin to cover it.


    His face was carved from stone, grim and locked down.


    But his next words hit like a jolt from a defibritor.


    "Cici’s been kidnapped."


    My irritation evaporated, reced by a static buzz of disbelief.


    It felt like I’d been hit by a bolt of lightning.


    "What kind of twisted joke is this?" I snapped. "You think we’re living in a Netflix crime drama? She’s in police custody!"


    Harper appeared behind me, drawn by the raised voices.


    "Where did you hear that?" she asked, her expression sharpening into full ’attorney mode.’ "That’s not possible."


    Xavier pushed past us like a man on a mission.


    Neither of us stopped him--his urgency was too real.


    "My contact in Boulder called thirty minutes ago," he said, tension radiating from every step. "Cici was being transferred to a different detention facility. The transport was ambushed. One officer dead. Another in critical condition."


    A chill slid down my spine, spreading to my fingertips.


    Xavier turned to Harper, desperation flickering in his eyes.


    "I came looking for you. Word is you’ve been representing that boy’s family--traveling back and forth to Boulder. You must have contacts who can confirm this."


    Harper had already recovered from the initial shock. Her eyes narrowed.


    "Why are you helping us?" she asked. "Since when do you grow a conscience?"


    I rubbed my temple, the pieces clicking together.


    "He’s not here to help. He wants leads. If Cici’s on the loose, who do you think she’lle for first? Her precious Xavier--the Romeo of her little psychodrama."


    "Cecilia, I’m worried about you!" Xavier protested, his eyes pleading for understanding.


    "Save it," I said tly. "She’s noting for me. You’re the main event, and she’s got front-row tickets."


    "Fine, she’lle after all of us," he conceded.


    "There’s no ’us’ here, Xavier." Even a nce in his direction made my blood pressure spike.


    Meanwhile, Harper had stepped aside to make a call. When she returned, her face was grave.


    "Let’s cut the chatter. We’re all targets now, not just one of us. Cecilia, call Sebastian immediately."


    I pulled out my phone to dial, but before I couldplete the call, a familiar ringtone sounded from the hallway.


    I took a few steps toward the door and saw Sebastian emerging from the elevator, phone in hand.


    Sebastian surveyed the three of us standing in the entryway, his expression knowing. "I see the news has reached you."


    "You knew?" I moved toward him, incredulous.


    "I’ve known for an hour," he replied calmly, tucking his phone away.


    "And you didn’t think to call me?" I demanded, feeling my temper re.


    "I didn’t want to frighten you," he exined, then his gaze slid to Xavier with the subtlest hint of mockery. "Besides, I figured she wouldn’t show herself so quickly after escaping. She’ll beying low."


    "This is Cici we’re talking about," Harper interjected. "She’s the queen of crazy town."


    Sebastian raised a hand in a calming gesture, then reached for mine, intertwining our fingers as he led me back inside.


    Once we were all seated in the living room, Harper eyed the two Alphas sharing her sofa with obvious difort.


    "Life really does have the worst sense of humor," she muttered.


    Then she focused. "Xavier, any idea who helped her escape?"


    Sebastian didn’t wait for him to answer. His gaze sharpened."You already know, don’t you?"


    Xavier rubbed his brow wearily. "How would I know?"


    "It’s painfully obvious," Sebastian replied, turning to Harper. "Counselor, care to venture a guess?"


    Harper didn’t hesitate. "From what Cecilia’s told me, Cici has a formidable aunt who’s been involved before. Could it be her?"


    "Not ’maybe’--definitely," I said, the pieces falling into ce.


    Sebastian’s eyes locked on Xavier."You’ve been cozy with that woman for months. Even paraded her daughter in front of us like a chess piece. Hate to break it to you, but it looks like she’s just sacrificed her knight."


    Xavier’s expression darkened, but he said nothing.


    The room fell into heavy silence.


    None of us had expected a prison break this bold--or this calcted.


    And the bigger question hovered like smoke:What made Cici so valuable that Mrs. Locke would risk everything to free her?


    "We should alert the authorities," Harper said, closing the balcony doors.


    "Get them to investigate Mrs. Locke."


    Sebastian didn’t look convinced.


    "Do you have evidence? Suspicion isn’t a crime."


    "So we just do nothing?" Harper asked, frustration creeping in.


    "She won’t resurface right away," Sebastian said.


    "Not because she doesn’t want to, but because whoever orchestrated this has arger n. I’ve already dispatched people to search. No need to panic."


    His calm was infectious. I felt my racing thoughts begin to slow.


    He was right. Mrs. Locke never made a move without calcting the payoff. Revenge alone didn’t add up.


    Xavier looked up. "If you hear anything... will you let me know?"


    "Of course," Sebastian said smoothly. "And I trust you’ll return the favor."


    After sitting in brooding silence for a few more minutes, Xavier finally stood and left.


    The weight of his fear was palpable--this was no act.


    After the door closed, Harper rolled her eyes.


    "Look at him. Once upon a time he was writing love poems for Cici.


    Now he’s ready to dive under a table the minute she’s on the loose.Alpha to anxious wreck in under sixty seconds."


    I didn’tment. There was nothing I could say that wouldn’t make this mess even messier.


    Sebastian stood. "We should go. I’ll handle this--she won’t get far."


    I nodded. The emotional fallout of the evening had drained me.


    We stepped into the car, and I slid wordlessly into the passenger seat beside him. Driving was out of the question.


    Sebastian started the engine, his movements smooth and practiced, like he’d done this a hundred times.


    The doors sealed with a soft click, and the cabin fell into a hush--just the hum of the engine, the faint rhythm of the road beneath us.


    Just like that, the world narrowed to him and me.


    I stared out the window, running through ces Cici might hide, people she might contact.


    Then Sebastian’s voice broke the silence.


    "Amara’s leaving Denver tomorrow."


    I blinked. "Wait--what? You forced her out?"