CHAPTER 26

CATRIONA

The old man vanished as suddenly as he appeared, leaving the air heavy, like his shadow still lingered. My knees gave way, and I crouched, clutching my chest, my heartbeat hammering wildly.

For a moment I couldn’t breathe. My hands trembled against the floor, and fear clawed at my throat.

But then Jayden’s words echoed in my mind. That old man must be scared… because he knows Selena Jones is going to help us.

I closed my eyes, drew in a shaky breath, and whispered to myself, “Let’s bear it. We will overcome it.”

Forcing myself upright, I pressed my palms together to steady them and got back to packing. If I kept moving, if I kept busy, I wouldn’t crumble. Suitcases filled one after another—clothes, travel bags, medicines, even Abriel’s favorite toys. Every zipper I pulled shut was like a small act of defiance against the fear gnawing inside me.

Hours blurred by until my phone buzzed on the nightstand. My brother’s name lit up the screen.

We’ve arrived.

I didn’t waste a second. I hurried downstairs, my steps quick, purposeful.

Abriel was already nestled in Miss Oliver’s arms, his little body swaying gently as Edrine rocked his back with a soothing rhythm. My heart softened at the sight, gratitude flooding me.

“Miss Oliver, Edrine,” I greeted, my voice tight but warm. I gestured toward the living room. “Come, sit.”

As we entered, Miss Oliver set Abriel down. He blinked up at her, then reached for Edrine’s hand, tugging him away with unspoken urgency. Edrine let himself be led, a small smile playing on his lips.

Once they were gone, Miss Oliver leaned close, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Catriona… What happened? What shook Abriel that you talked about?"

The question cracked open the wall I’d built around myself. My throat tightened as I told her everything—about the deer, about Abriel’s strange state and about the old man, and our trip to Europe with Gabriel.

Miss Oliver’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide. “Oh my God.” She glanced around as though the walls themselves might be listening. “What are you going to do?”

I steadied myself, even as the weight pressed heavier. “We’re leaving tomorrow. Europe. To seek help.”

Her brows furrowed, and she edged closer, lowering her voice further. “Is Jayden really okay with Gabriel going with you?”

I exhaled, long and slow. “It was Jayden’s idea.”

“Oh, I see.” Her tone carried something between surprise and concern. “But Catriona… even if it’s about saving Abriel, you and Gabriel had a real thing in the past.”

I shook my head, firm. “Miss Oliver, that was in the past. It’s not there anymore.”

She tilted her head, studying me with eyes that saw too much. “You’re going to spend a good amount of time with him. Don’t forget, you were his mate too. Do you think just because time passed, the connection between you two is gone?”

Her words landed heavy. Silence stretched. Finally, I admitted, voice low, “To be honest… When I was pregnant with my daughter, I thought about Gabriel all the time. Constantly. I even wanted to see him.” My throat tightened, the memory sharp. “But when I lost her… all of it died with her. Since then, I’ve never thought of him. Not once. Not even when I saw him at the mall recently.”

Miss Oliver’s hand touched mine gently. “I understand. So… how do you really feel about him coming with you on this trip?”

I cut her off before she could dig further, shaking my head. “Nothing, Miss Oliver. I feel nothing. I just want to do what’s needed to save my son. Even if it means reuniting with my ex-mate.” My eyes hardened. “And moreover—it wasn’t my idea.”

Miss Oliver studied me in silence, her lips pressed thin. But she said no more.

~~~

The evening blurred by in soft warmth, Miss Oliver and my brother filling the house with chatter and comfort. We ate dinner with the pack, laughter spilling in moments I thought I’d forgotten how to feel. For a while, it almost felt normal.

But Jayden never returned. Not during dinner. Not after. I tried to keep my smile in place, but inside, worry gnawed at me. Where had he gone?

Later, when I tucked Abriel into bed, pressing a kiss to his forehead and pulling the blanket up around his shoulders, my heart ached. My poor baby looked peaceful, but I couldn’t stop the thought that he carried more weight than a child ever should.

As I slipped out of his room, heading downstairs to join Miss Oliver again, the elevator doors opened with a soft chime.

And there he was.

Jayden stepped out—naked, his hair damp, dried blood streaking across his chest and arms. He looked like he had been through a war. My breath caught in my throat.

He just winked at me casually, like this was normal, and said, “Hey there.” Then he strode past me, toward our room.

I stood frozen, stunned. My heart thudded painfully in my chest as I followed him, confusion and dread twisting in me. By the time I pushed the door open, he was already in the shower, water thundering against the tile.

I leaned back against the closed bathroom door, my voice trembling. “Does… whatever happened have to do with the old man?”

No reply.

I swallowed hard, louder this time. “Does it?”

Still silence.

I shut my eyes, breath shaking. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

The water stopped. A beat later, Jayden emerged, steam curling around him as he walked right past me, ignoring my questions, his body still scarred from whatever fight he had been in.

Concern surged through me, so heavy I leaned against the frame that divided the bathroom from the closet hallway. My voice broke. “You’re scaring me, Jayden.”

He stopped, then turned slowly. His steps brought him close—so close I could feel the thunder of his heartbeat.

“Have sex with me.”

I blinked up at him, stunned. “Jayden, are you serious right now? I’m asking you—”

But his hand snapped around my wrist, pulling me hard against him. In the next second he spun me, my chest slamming against the wall.

“Jayden!” I gasped, panic surging as his heat pressed against me. I struggled, shoving at him. “Snap out of it!”

His hands were rough, tugging at my clothes, tearing at fabric like he couldn’t stop himself. My heart raced, fear slicing through me.

“Stop!” I cried, stamping down on his foot hard. He didn’t flinch.

Terror spiked. I stamped again, harder, screaming his name. “JAYDEN!”

This time, he jerked back. I spun to face him, chest heaving—only to see his eyes wide, confusion carved across his face. He looked… lost, like he had no idea what just happened, or how he’d even gotten there.

My lips parted, but the words came out softer than I intended, trembling. “Not even you… now he wants to use you to hurt me.”

Jayden’s brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

I swallowed hard, my chest tight. “You mean… you don’t remember what just happened?”

He shook his head, eyes narrowing in confusion. “I remember having a meeting with the pack. And the next thing—I was in the woods. Then… here.”

A shaky breath escaped me, relief and fear tangling in my chest. I forced my voice steadier than I felt. “You’re just tired, Jayden. From the long day. You haven’t eaten anything.” I turned, needing space, needing to move. “I’ll go get some food for you.”

But before I could step away, his hand closed around mine.

“Catriona.” His voice was soft now. Too soft.

My heart jolted painfully. My first instinct was to pull away, but I forced myself to look back at him.

His gaze was searching, troubled. “Did I hurt you? Because… I feel like I wasn’t myself.”

My throat tightened. I nodded slowly. “You weren’t yourself. But you didn’t hurt me.” My chest rose sharply. “That old man—he just took over your body. Or your consciousness.”

Jayden’s jaw clenched, his grip loosening until his hand fell away. His silence was heavy, his fury directed at himself, at something he couldn’t fight.

I stepped closer, cupping his face between my palms, forcing him to see me. “We will get over it,” I whispered, even if the words were more hope than certainty.

I pressed a brief kiss to his cheek, then straightened, pulling strength from the motion. “Now… get dressed. Come down for dinner.”

I didn’t wait for an answer. I turned and left the room, each step heavy, each breath reminding me that tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

Dinner was quiet, but steady. Jayden ate without a word, though I caught the heaviness in his eyes, the way he chewed like his mind was far from here. I forced myself to eat too, even though my stomach twisted.

When it was time, I saw Miss Oliver and Edrine off, hugging them tightly at the door. A pack member trailed behind them, making sure they’d arrive home safely. Only when their car lights disappeared into the night did I exhale, my body sagging against the doorframe.

I turned back inside. Jayden was behind me, his presence steady, following close as we made our way upstairs.

In our room, I all but collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion dragging me down. Jayden’s voice broke the quiet.

“I asked Sandra to come with us.”

I lifted my head, a small smile tugging my lips despite the weight pressing on me. “Oh, thank you. That would be great—to have Sandra with me.”

He nodded, and when I settled down again, he leaned over, brushing his lips against mine. The kiss was soft, grounding. Goodnight.

Sleep took me quickly.

---

The morning came too soon. Still dark, too early for the world to stir, but we rose anyway. Our bags were ready, packed with everything we could think of. Sandra moved quietly through the house, helping me as I roused Abriel. He was half-asleep in my arms, his small head tucked into my shoulder, a soft whimper slipping from his lips as I carried him to the car.

The drive to the airport was hushed. Even the roads felt empty, as though holding their breath.

When we arrived, the sky was only just beginning to gray. And there—leaning with that familiar composure, waiting as though he had known the exact second we’d arrive—was Gabriel.

His sharp eyes caught mine immediately.

And in that moment, everything about this journey became real.