Chapter 5: Breaking Chains

With Rowan awake and my mission in jeopardy, I couldn’t stay in this cell any longer. I wasn’t built for cages, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to let Kael or anyone else dictate my fate. My mother’s life depended on this, and I’d tear this pack apart if I had to.

I paced the room, the door’s lock was a problem, but not an impossible one. I knelt, examining it. Standard deadbolt, sturdy but not reinforced. Viktor had trained me to pick locks before I could shift, and I’d never met one I couldn’t crack. My dagger was too thick for the job, but the bedframe’s metal slats might work. I pried one loose, wincing at the faint creak, and set to work.

Minutes ticked by, sweat beading on my brow as I teased the lock’s tumblers. My wolf snarled, but I ignored her. Finally, the lock gave way with a soft click. I stayed still, listening for any footsteps. Nothing. The compound was quiet, the pack was likely distracted by the news of Rowan’s awakening. Perfect timing.

I slipped into the hallway, the air was thick with the scents of Kael’s pack, leather, pine, and the faint musk of wolves. I moved silently, sticking to the walls, my dagger was now in my hand. The main room was empty, the fireplace’s embers casting a faint glow. I needed to find Rowan, silence him before he could talk, and get out before Kael realized I was gone. But first, I needed a distraction.

The kitchen was down a side hall, its door ajar. I slipped inside, scanning the counters. A bottle of whiskey sat by the sink, half-empty. Good enough. I grabbed it, along with a dish towel, and headed for the back door. The patrol wolves outside were a problem, but a fire would draw them away.

I doused the towel, stuffed it into the bottle, and lit a match from a box on the counter. The flame caught, and I tossed the Molotov cocktail into a pile of crates near the compound’s garage. The explosion was loud and sent dark flames licking up the wood.

Shouts erupted outside, and I darted back into the hall, heading for the stairs. The hospital was likely on the compound’s grounds. Packs like this kept their own facilities. I followed the scent of antiseptic, my heart pounding as I climbed to the second floor. A sign pointed to the medical wing, and I slipped through a set of double doors, the sterile smell hitting me like a slap.

The hallway was quiet, but voices drifted from a room at the end. I crept closer, peering through a crack in the door. Rowan lay in a hospital bed, his dark hair tousled, his golden eyes lazily opened. He was awake, but barely.

Jace stood beside him, arms crossed, while a woman with black hair and a white coat checked his vitals. A doctor, probably, and not one I’d met.

“Are you sure you don’t remember anything?” Jace asked skeptically.

Rowan frowned, rubbing his temple. “I swear, I don't.”

My breath caught. He didn’t remember anything. Not yet. But that could change, and I wasn’t taking chances. I needed to get in there, but Jace and the doctor were in the way. I backed up, scanning for another entry. A side door led to a supply closet, and I slipped inside, finding a vent above a shelf. It was tight, but I could fit.

I climbed, prying the vent cover off and crawling through the dusty metal. The air was stale, but I moved silently, following the sound of voices until I was above Rowan’s hospital room. The vent’s slats gave me a clear view. Jace was still there, but the doctor had left. Great.

I was about to drop down when the door opened again, and Zane strolled in, his black hair catching the light. My wolf perked up as her interest piqued despite the situation. Zane’s golden eyes flicked to Rowan, then to Jace.

“Any change?” Zane asked, leaning against the wall.

“He’s awake, but his memory’s blank,” Jace said. “Kael’s on his way. He’s pissed about the fire.”

Zane’s lips twitched. “Yeah, I bet. Where’s our guest?”

Jace snorted. “Locked up. Where she belongs.”

Zane’s grin widened, and my stomach flipped. He knew I was gone. Or suspected it. Either way, he was playing a game, and I wasn’t sure whose side he was on.

I shifted, preparing to drop, when the vent quaked under my weight. Jace’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. “What was that?”

Zane’s gaze flicked to the ceiling, and for a split second, our eyes met through the slats. His grin turned wicked, and he winked. “Probably just rats,” he said. “This place is old.”

Jace didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press further. “Stay with him,” he said, heading for the door. “I’m going to scan the perimeter.”

The second Jace was gone, Zane moved to the vent. “Come on out, sweetheart,” he whispered, his voice laced with amusement. “Unless you like playing hide and seek.”

I cursed under my breath, prying the vent open and dropping into the room. Zane caught me, his hands on my waist, steadying me with a smirk. “Knew you wouldn’t stay caged,” he murmured. “You’re too wild for that.”

I pushed against his chest, but he didn’t budge. “Let go of me,” I hissed, glancing at Rowan, who was watching us with a dazed expression.

Zane’s hands slid lower, resting on my hips, and heat flared in my core. “Not a chance,” he said, his voice dropping to a husky growl. “You owe me for keeping your little secrets.”

My wolf purred, drawn to his charms, and I leaned into Zane, letting my lips brush his ear. “What do you want, problem-solver?”

His breath hitched, and he pressed himself closer, his body hard against mine. “You,” he murmured, his lips grazing my neck. “But I’ll settle for a taste.”

He kissed me, slowly, his tongue teasing mine with a skill that made my knees weak. I moaned softly, my hands sliding up his chest, fingers curling into his jacket. The room faded, and the danger was forgotten as his hands roamed, one slipping under my dress to grip my thigh close to my dagger. My body arched into his, craving more, even as my mind screamed to stop.

Rowan’s voice cut through the haze. “What the hell?”

I pulled back, my lips swollen, my breath ragged. Rowan was sitting up, his golden eyes now fixed on me with a mix of confusion and recognition. “You,” he said hoarsely. “You’re the girl from the bar.”

My heart stopped. He remembered. Zane stepped back, his grin unfazed, but I could feel the tension in the room shift. I had seconds to act.

“Rowan,” I said, forcing a smile as I moved to his bedside. “You’re awake. How do you feel now?”

He frowned, rubbing his temple. “Like shit. What did you do to me?”

Zane chuckled, leaning against the wall. “She’s got that effect on people.”

I shot him a glare, then turned back to Rowan. I could kill him now, slit his throat before he remembers more. But Zane was here, and Kael was on his way. Instead, I leaned closer, letting my scent, jasmine, and steel, wash over him. “You were too drunk and then you passed out in my arms,” I said softly and seductively. “I’m sorry we couldn't finish what we started.”

Zane’s grin widened. “Sounds like you had fun, broski.” 

Rowan wasn’t my mate, but there was something, more like a spark between us. “Yeah, I'm trying to remember...” he said and grabbed my wrist, his grip surprisingly strong. “You’re not telling me everything,” he said. “Who are you?”

Before I could answer, the door burst open, and Kael stormed in, his aura a storm of fury. His eyes locked on me, then flicked to Zane and Rowan, taking in the scene. “What the fuck is going on here?” he growled, his gaze settling on my swollen lips and my disheveled dress.

Zane raised his hands, all innocence. “Just keeping an eye on things, broski.”

Now that all three brothers were here, my wolf purred at the thought, her desires tangled in a way that made my head spin. A reverse harem, my traitorous mind supplied, the idea as dangerous as it was intoxicating. Kael, Zane, maybe even Rowan if he didn’t kill me first. But I shoved the thought down. I wasn’t here to play house with a pack of alphas. I was here to kill and find my mother. 

Kael’s eyes narrowed, and the mate's bond bellowed, possessive and raw. He grabbed my arm, pulling me away from Rowan. “You’re coming with me, now,” he snarled, his grip bruising.

He dragged me out, and I caught Zane’s wink and Rowan’s confused stare. But as we reached the hallway, the scent of a woman hit my nose, her aura was cold and lethal.

“Who’s that?” I whispered, my wolf bristling.

Kael’s jaw tightened. “Sienna. My ex. And she’s not happy you’re here.”