Chapter 24

Ethan slammed the phone shut and looked at the hospital doors in front of him, beyond which Ayla lay, fighting for her life. His fists clenched as his mind, set to come up with a resolve as solid as stone, said he was not going to let her down. He was going to find those pups, no matter what it took, then he was going to make their abductor pay dearly indeed.

Still, with all of that, Ethan's mind was spinning into plan even as he waited for Luca. It was crazy, eccentric, and it would take him down to the very depths of the shadows of the world from which he himself had once tried to escape. But for Ayla, he'd do it. Whatever it takes.

He only prayed he wouldn't be too late.

"Ethan, what in the name of all hell happened?" Luca's voice ripped through the hospital corridor, his features torn between concern and anger.

"It's a long story," came the low tones of his return, and with it, features turned grim, "but I'll give you the short of it—Ayla was kidnapped and she was found unconscious in a room filled with poisoned gas. Her wolf is weak and the pups were taken again, just last night. I need your help to get them back."

His eyes narrowed. "Did you find out who did this?"

Ethan growled lowly in his throat. "Not yet. But I'm going to find out, and when I do, whoever is responsible won't live to see another day."

Luca nodded, working his jaw. "For this you know I am with you. What is the plan?"

And now, as fast as Ethan's mouth developed equine fluency, his mind was racing. "First order is to smoke them out. Whoever is behind this. Somebody, somewhere in that forsaken mansion must know something, some guard or servant, anyone acting suspiciously."

"Traitor?"

"It can't be eliminated. We wouldn't want to suspect anybody just yet. We'll start from within."

The next moment was silent, and he did not say a word more, whilst he nodded. "I'll ask the staff discreetly. we don't want them to catch on to what we are really searching for."

"That'll be fine," replied Ethan. "I'm just going to sit right here on the seat with Ayla. Maybe, if she's up to it, she'll give us some information about this issue."

At that moment, he re-entered. The doctor's face told his worry: "Ethan, Ayla woke up. She is looking for you."

Another wave of relief, recently struck with an added touch of more worries, came over Ethan again. Surely, he had no idea in what condition Ayla would be found, but he had to check up on her.

“Luca, wait for me, I'll be right back," Ethan murmured to him before he pushed into the room to join the doctor and passed him to Ayla's bedside.

She was so debilitated, in such atrocious contortion of her face, so labored in her breathing. Her eyes were open, and they found Ethan right at the moment he moved closer.

"Ethan…" she whispered.

"I am here," he said very softly, sitting next to her, holding her hand so tightly. "You are going to be alright, Ayla. Everything is going to be alright."

“Liam?” She said, trying to look behind Ethan, and her eyes returned to him with raised eyebrows, when she didn't see him anywhere.

A pang of jealousy hit Ethan, but he didn't show it. He had to keep his emotions in check. This was not the right time to show that he was affected by their mate bond.

He shook his head. “No sign of him yet,” he finally said. “But the guards are still looking. He's definitely going to be fine.” He assured her.

"Sophia… She's behind this. She hired someone…" Ayla's voice was weak with fear.

That was enough to have blood to be poured into him, turning suddenly so cold with hatred. She was behind it all. His hatred that he thought was firmly placed surged more from Ayla's lips.

"Don't you worry about her," Ethan was cooing softly, meant in some sort of pitiful attempt at comfort toward Ayla. "I'll make it so she'll never touch you or those pups again."

Ayla's eyes watered. "Please… Just bring them back… Bring my babies back…"

And Ethan nodded, his heart shattering to see her that vulnerable. "I will. I promise you."

Just too many words had finally done exactly what he wanted: As Ayla closed her eyes, talking too much had gotten to her, and now Ethan stood and made his way out of the room, his mind already working on what was ahead.

Sure enough, at the other end, he found Grayson. " Ayla mentioned a name," Ethan said, his voice meeting the frigid air with purpose, "Sophia. She believes Sophia is behind it all."

Grayson's eyes were floating with shocked realization. "Sophia? Are you positive?"

He nodded. "Ayla seems sure. She might think that because of the ill relationship they shared. I don't think Sophia can pull this off alone.”

“What if someone helped her?” Luca asked.

“Then we need to find out right away who she's been meeting and been in contact with. If she's really involved, she'll definitely leave a trace.” Ethan concluded.

Luca's face turned to granite. "We'll find what we need. I'll start by tracking off Sophia's contacts in case I can connect something back to her probe."

Ethan clenched his fists. "If I find out that Sophia is linked to this incident, she'll face my wrath. But we have to keep Ayla and look for ways to save the pups."

Luca rested a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get them back, Ethan. That, I can promise.”

As Ethan made the first few strides away from the hospital building, his phone buzzed through his jeans pocket. A face that distorted slightly at the sight of an unknown number on the phone's display, flashing at him. Even before he answered that call, he already knew what it was about.

"Ethan," he heard from the other end, all hushy—cold and menacing. "I hope you're ready. Because this is only just the beginning."

Ethan got up with the new sense of dread already upon him. Only the phone had been left glued to his ear, as the line had been cut before he could make a reply to the caller.

He put the receiver down and, sliding the phone into his pocket, his hand had a delicate tremor. Now he felt the leading edge of the storm and felt its first cold breezes.

But he'd be damned if he'd do this lying down. He'd fight for Ayla, the pups, for every last thing they'd ripped from him.

No matter the cost.