CHAPTER 20

CATRIONA

The tires screeched as I slid into the driver’s seat, my hands trembling as I gripped the wheel. Behind me, Jayden groaned, cradling his ribs like they were barely hanging on. His blood had dried in patches down his shirt, but I could still smell it.

I shoved the key in, started the engine—and that’s when I saw them.

Jerome, now fully human again, sprinted toward the car, naked, scraped, and bleeding. Behind him, Gabriel emerged from the wreckage, wild-eyed and snarling in his human skin.

Both men jumped in—Jerome in the passenger seat, Gabriel in the back beside Jayden. I hit the gas.

Through the rearview mirror, I saw the bar’s doors explode open as wolves—huge ones—lunged into the street after us.

“Shit,” I breathed, heart hammering.

But just as they gained on us, a figure stepped forward in the chaos and barked something I couldn’t make out. A single command—but it dropped every wolf like they’d been smacked by lightning.

They froze mid-charge.

I flicked my eyes up to the mirror again.

Jayden, Jerome, and Gabriel were all looking back—silent. Stone still.

Like that voice had rattled something loose inside them.

“You know that person?” I asked, barely above a whisper. “Those wolves… Why did they send for me?”

Jerome’s voice was the first to cut through the thick silence.

“That was Cassian.”

Jayden exhaled harshly. “Yeah. It was.”

Gabriel turned to look over his shoulder. “You know him?”

Jayden didn’t even blink. “How do you know him?”

Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “Not as Cassian. I knew him as Martin. A rogue I used to run with. Ruthless bastard. Backstabbed more than one Alpha in his time.”

Jayden’s lip curled. “Figures. Of course you ran with scum like that.”

Gabriel leaned forward. “Careful, Alpha. You think you're the only one with a past?”

“You dragged me into this!” Jayden growled. “You and your secrets. I came to talk, and instead I walk into a fucking trap—”

“Enough!” I snapped.

Both men flinched like I’d slapped them.

“This isn’t the time,” I said, eyes flicking between the road and the mirror. “Fighting won’t change what just happened. It won’t fix your broken ribs, Jayden. Or explain why some rogue psycho just lured us into a death trap.”

The car fell silent.

I gripped the wheel tighter, trying to steady my breath. Jayden leaned back, wincing, still holding his side.

“I need answers,” I muttered. “But right now, I need to get you home alive.”

No one argued.

Not even Gabriel.

We sped into the darkness, leaving the wolves—and whatever the hell Martin wanted—with us—in the rearview.

But something told me… we hadn’t seen the last of him.

The car hummed down the dark stretch of road, the trees peeling past us like shadows fleeing the chaos behind. No one spoke for a long while. The tension in the car was thick—Jayden cradling his ribs in the backseat, Jerome riding shotgun, Gabriel silent behind me, but I could feel his stare burning through the back of my skull like a brand.

I needed air. But more than that—I needed answers.

I cleared my throat, voice quiet but firm. “Humans saw the wolves shift,” I said. “They screamed. They ran. Isn’t that… a problem? Isn’t that a massive risk for all of you?”

Gabriel didn’t hesitate. “It’s Martin’s club,” he said flatly. “He’ll take care of it before dawn. His men are thorough. Anyone who ran—they’re already being hunted down. Most of them are probably dead.”

My hands tightened on the wheel.

A cold chill spread through my chest.

Even after all this time, all these years… being part of a world ruled by wolves and blood and territory—I still couldn’t get used to that. That casual cruelty. The way lives could be wiped away like spilled wine on a white shirt.

I exhaled slowly through my nose, the breath shaky. My heart beat just a little harder.

I said nothing.

Just kept driving, eyes locked on the road, but my thoughts were spiraling fast. I flicked glances up at the rearview mirror—not just at Jayden, whose face was pale with pain, but at Gabriel too.

His gaze was still on me.

He didn’t look away.

“Let me out here,” Gabriel said suddenly, his voice low but clear.

I didn’t argue. I just slowed the car and pulled to the edge of the road.

He opened the door without another word, but before he stepped out, he looked at Jayden. “I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow.”

Jayden nodded, his expression unreadable.

My eyes darted between the two of them—something passed in that look. Something unspoken. Familiar. And I hated it.

I narrowed my eyes but said nothing. Not now. Too much blood had already been spilled tonight.

Gabriel slipped into the shadows as I pressed the pedal again, the car rolling forward through the night.

Back toward the packhouse.

---

Back at the packhouse, the gates hadn’t even fully opened before I saw movement.

Figures poured out from the main doors and onto the front steps. The porch lights illuminated the tight brows, shifting eyes, and pale lips of pack members as they crowded closer. All of them wide awake. All of them worried.

They could feel him—his heartbeat, his presence—but still, it was like I’d driven home with his body in the trunk. They looked at me like I might’ve brought their Alpha back in pieces.

Jerome stepped out first, circling the car quickly and opening the back door.

Jayden grunted as he moved. He tried to wave Jerome off, stubborn as always, but Jerome slipped under his arm anyway, supporting him as they walked toward the house. Every step was slow, deliberate. Jayden wasn’t badly injured, but he looked—drained. Like something inside him had been clawed away.

Still, he forced a breath and raised his voice. “I’m fine,” he said. “It wasn't a big deal. Sorry for the scare. You all can turn in.”

No one moved at first. Then, slowly, they began to nod and trickle away, quiet murmurs fading into the night.

I moved to his side, placing my hand briefly on his arm.

“I’ll go check on Abriel,” I said softly.

He gave me a faint nod without looking at me, and I headed inside.

Upstairs was quiet.

When I pushed Abriel’s door open, the lamp in the corner glowed soft and golden. Sandra was curled up on the couch beside his bed, arms folded, one leg hanging over the side. She was asleep, but just as I stepped inside, her eyes flew open like she’d been waiting for my presence.

“Hey,” I whispered. “I’m back.”

Sandra sat upright instantly, her face full of worry. “What happened? Did you come back with Alpha? Is he okay?”

“Shhh.” I crossed the room to her, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. “Jayden’s back. He’s okay. A little banged up, but fine.”

Sandra exhaled hard, relief washing over her features. “Thank God. I was worried. I didn’t want to leave Abriel alone even for a second.”

I gave her a warm, tired smile. “Thank you for staying with him.”

“You’re welcome,” she said softly. “Goodnight, Catriona.”

“Goodnight.”

She left quietly, and I crossed to my son’s bed.

He was sound asleep—soft breathing, thumb tucked under his cheek. So peaceful. So unaware of how close his parents had come to something worse than pain tonight.

I leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Mummy’s here,” I whispered. “And I won’t let anything touch you. Not while I’m still breathing.”

I padded out, closing the door gently behind me, and made my way to our room.

---

Jayden had just come out of the shower, a towel slung low on his hips. His body, as always, was covered in scars that only made him more beautiful to me—but this time, I could see something else. His wounds had healed, yes—but he hadn’t.

There was a weakness in the way he stood. Like his strength had been borrowed and the loan was almost due.

My throat tightened.

Tears welled in my eyes before I could stop them.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out, one hand covering my mouth as I sank down at the edge of the bed. “Jayden… it’s my fault. If I hadn’t insisted on doing what you didn’t want—if I’d just listened—you wouldn’t have gone to that club. You wouldn’t have been hurt.”

In two strides, he was in front of me.

The towel hit the floor as he knelt, bare and unbothered, and took my hands in his.

“Hey,” he said firmly, his voice low but strong. “Look at me.”

I looked.

“This wasn’t your fault,” he said. “Not even a little. I made the decision to meet Gabriel. I could’ve waited. I should’ve. But I didn’t. I went because I thought I could control the outcome. I didn’t realize how far that place had fallen into rogue hands.”

He brushed his thumb gently under my eye, wiping away a tear.

“I chose that path, Catriona. Not you. You didn’t lead me there.”

I leaned into his hand, pressing my lips to his palm.

He pulled me into his arms then, skin still warm from the shower, and I just let myself fall into him. Let myself believe him. Let myself be held.

His arms were warm around me, one hand sliding up to cradle the back of my head. I melted into him, letting my forehead rest against his chest. For a moment, we didn’t speak. We just breathed together, as if syncing our hearts back into rhythm after everything had nearly shattered.

“I hate seeing you like this,” I whispered, tracing my fingers lightly across his ribs. “Tired. Worn down. Like the weight of the whole world’s been thrown on your back.”

He let out a breath that felt like both an exhale and a confession.

“It has,” he said. “But you—you’re the only peace I get.”

I pulled back to look at him. His eyes were heavy, not just from pain, but from a deeper weariness. The kind you can’t sleep off. The kind you carry in your soul.

I cupped his face in my hands, my thumbs gently brushing over the sharp lines of his jaw. “Then let me be that peace,” I whispered.

He leaned into my touch. “You already are.”

Our lips met—soft, searching at first. Like we were both afraid too much had changed. But the moment his hands slid down my back and pulled me closer, all that fear melted. The kiss deepened, grew hotter, and needier. His mouth claimed mine with the same quiet desperation I felt building inside me.

I climbed into his lap, straddling him, my fingers threading through his still-damp hair as his hands roamed my body like he was memorizing every inch again.

He groaned against my mouth. “I thought I’d lose you tonight.”

“You didn’t,” I breathed. “You never will.”

He stood, lifting me effortlessly, carrying me a few steps to the bed before laying me down with care—like I was something breakable, but he didn’t want to stop touching me. He hovered above me, staring down for a long moment.

“What?” I asked, my voice barely more than air.

“You’re the only thing that makes all this worth it,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I don’t care about being Alpha. I don’t care about power or prophecy or spirits. I care about this—about us.

About protecting you. Our son. Our family.”

I pulled him down to me, my heart aching from how much I loved this man. “Then take me,” I said. “Here. Now. While we still have the time.”

He didn’t hesitate.

Clothes slipped away, skin against skin, breath against breath. There was nothing rushed in the way he touched me. He moved slowly, deliberately, letting the tension fall from my bones until all I could feel was him. His love. His strength. His promise.

We made love quietly this time just in case our son was hovering at the door, like we were trying to remember who we were before the world threatened to tear us apart. And afterward, tangled in the sheets, our bodies wrapped around each other, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Safe. Whole.

He kissed the top of my head, voice low. “Whatever comes next—we face it together.”

I nodded, sleep starting to pull me under. “Always.”

But even as his arms held me close, even as peace began to blanket me, I felt something else—deep down in my bones.

---

I was almost asleep, lulled by the warmth of Jayden’s arms wrapped tightly around me, his heartbeat steady against my back. My breathing had just started to even out when I felt him stiffen.

"Jayden?" I whispered, shifting slightly to glance back at him.

He didn’t answer.

Instead, his body tensed—rigid as stone. His hand gripped the sheet so tight the veins in his forearm bulged. And then… his eyes rolled back. White. Empty. As if something had taken hold of him from the inside.

I sat up instantly. “Jayden!”

His head jerked once, then stilled.

And then—

His mouth opened.

But it wasn’t his voice that came out.

It was ancient. Echoing. Like it wasn’t coming from his throat, but from somewhere else—somewhere far beyond this room.

> “Child… find a way to reach us…”

My blood went cold.

I knew that voice.

> “…He is going to destroy your family once again…”

Tears welled in my eyes. I shook Jayden’s shoulders, panic choking me.

“Stop—stop it! Let him go!”

But the voice pressed on, low and final:

> “Or else… kill him.”

And just like that, Jayden’s body dropped limp.