Jax's pov
Friday night Ivy didn't show up for her shift at the bar. Betty called her phone three times with no answer and that's when I started to worry. Ivy was stubborn and independent but she was also responsible about work. Missing a shift without notice wasn't like her.I called her phone and it went straight to voicemail. Tried again ten minutes later with the same result. Ghost was pacing inside me, agitated by the lack of contact with our mate.Something's wrong, he said. Can't feel her through the bond like usual. Distance or blocking or she's unconscious.Don't jump to worst case scenarios yet.When mate disappears without word, worst case is only logical conclusion, Ghost argued. We should have marked her when we had the chance. Then we could track her anywhere.I found Cain in the back office going over supply orders and looking as calm as ever. But I could smell the tension coming off him which meant Max was just asCain's pov That couldn't be true. It couldn't be. My father had been a strong alpha and a fair leader. He wouldn't have killed innocent people without reason. But as I looked at Marcus's face and saw the certainty there I felt doubt creeping in."You're lying," Ryder said but his voice lacked conviction."Am I?" Marcus asked. "Why don't you ask your pack elders? I'm sure they know the truth. Your father covered it up well but I found out. I've known for years what really happened to the Walshes.""Why would our father kill them?" Jax asked and his voice was tight with barely controlled emotion."Because they knew too much," Marcus said simply. "They found out about werewolves and about Sarah's true nature. Your father couldn't risk them exposing the secret so he had them eliminated and made it look like an accident."I felt like the ground was shifting beneath my feet. If what Marcus was saying was true then everything Sarah believed about her parents' death was a lie. And worse than
Cain's pov I looked at Jax sitting across from me and felt my jaw tighten as I thought about Marcus down in those cells. The bastard had been asking to see Sarah and part of me wanted to go down there and make sure he understood that he would never get near her again. But another part of me knew I needed to see him face to face and find out what his real intentions were."We should go see him," I said suddenly.Jax looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Marcus?""Yeah," I said. "I want to talk to him myself and find out what he thinks he's doing asking for Sarah. Maybe he'll tell us something useful.""You think he'll talk to us?" Jax asked."He might," I said. "And even if he doesn't I want him to see our faces and understand that Sarah is under our protection now. He needs to know that he can't manipulate her anymore."Jax nodded slowly. "Alright. Let's go then."I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to Ryder telling him to meet us at the underground cells. If we were going t
Cain's pov I watched Sarah close her door before I turned and headed back down the hallway toward my office. My mind was still processing the conversation we had just had on the patio and the way she had looked when I told her about Marcus wanting to see her. There had been pain in her eyes mixed with anger and confusion and it made my chest tight knowing she was dealing with all of this.The mate bond was pulling at me constantly now and every instinct I had was screaming at me to protect her and keep her safe. But I also knew that she needed space to process everything and make her own decisions without us hovering over her constantly. It was a balance I was still trying to figure out.When I reached my office I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to Jax asking him to come see me. I needed to talk to him about Sarah and get his perspective on everything that had happened today. Jax had always been the most suspicious of our mate when she first showed up at the bar and I wa
Sarah's pov When we pulled up to the pack house Ryder helped me carry all the shopping bags inside and we were heading toward the stairs when I saw Cain walking down the main hallway. He looked like he had been waiting for us to get back and when his eyes landed on me his expression became serious."Sarah," he said as he approached. "I need to talk to you about something. Can you come outside with me for a few minutes?"I glanced at Ryder who just gave me an encouraging nod before taking the bags from my hands. "I'll bring these up to your room. Go ahead.""Okay," I said and turned back to Cain. "What's this about?""I'll explain outside," Cain said and gestured toward a side door that led to one of the patios. "It's private out there."I followed him through the door and out onto a stone patio that overlooked part of the grounds. There were a few chairs and a table set up but Cain didn't sit down. Instead he walked over to the railing and looked out at the trees in the distance. I c
Sarah's pov I was still thinking about the kiss with Jax when Ryder came bounding back into the garage with his usual energy and a huge grin on his face. He had a set of car keys dangling from his fingers and he looked like he was up to something."Alright Sarah," he announced. "You and I are going on a little adventure."I had just climbed off the motorcycle after my last practice run and I looked at him in confusion. "What kind of adventure?""Shopping," Ryder said like it was the most exciting thing in the world. "You need clothes and toiletries and all that stuff women need. Plus we're going to swing by your apartment to grab anything else you want to bring back here."I glanced at Jax who just shrugged. "Cain's orders. He thinks you need to get some of your own things so you feel more comfortable here."The thought of going back to my apartment made my stomach twist with anxiety. I hadn't been there since the night Tommy showed up wounded and begging me to follow him. Everything
Sarah's pov I stared at Jax as his words sank in and felt my hands tighten on the handlebars. The engine was still rumbling beneath me and I could feel the power of the bike waiting to be unleashed. Part of me wanted to twist that throttle and feel what it was like to move forward on my own but another part of me was terrified of messing up."I don't know if I'm ready for this," I said and my voice barely carried over the sound of the engine.Jax reached over and placed his hand on top of mine where it rested on the right handlebar. His touch was warm and steady and somehow it made me feel calmer."You are ready," he said firmly. "I wouldn't let you try if I didn't think you could handle it. Trust yourself Sarah."I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but confidence there. He believed I could do this even if I wasn't sure I believed it myself. That faith he had in me meant more than I could put into words."Okay," I said. "What do I do first?""First you're going to let out the clut