I crouched on the cold tile, staring at the dark crimson stain blooming across the floor. The puddle was massive. The outer edges had already begun to turn dark and crusty, but the center was still thick and viscous, a grim testament to how much blood had been spilled. I reached out a trembling hand, my fingers hovering just inches above the surface. I didn't need a medical kit to know whose it was. Even trapped in the iron tang of the blood, her scent was unmistakable. vanilla and honey. It was the scent of my home, of our quiet mornings, now spilled across the cold, dirty tile of a public mall.
Seeing it like this—seeing her sweetness literally bleeding out onto the floor—pushed me over the edge. A low, guttural growl vibrated in my chest, a sound so primal the warriors standing guard behind me visibly flinched. She was hurt. Someone had dared to lay hands on my mate, treating her like nothing more than a target to be broken. A cold, murderous promise settled in my mind. When I found them, I wouldn't just kill them. I would make them pray for a death I wouldn't give them.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Luca. He had spent the last hour tearing the truth out of the driver and scouring for where Alisha may have hidden the missing folder. "Kayden," Luca's voice was grim. "I've got the full story from the driver. He didn't just fail; he was neutralized with military precision." According to the driver, he had been waiting by the car after loading the last of my mother's shopping bags when he felt a sharp prick in his neck—a needle. Within seconds, his veins felt like they were filled with liquid fire. The pain had been so intense it bypassed his wolf's defenses and reached the base of his skull, plunging him into darkness before he could even let out a mind-link shout for help. When he woke to the darkened sky, he had rushed into the mall, but found only the echoing silence of the shuttered stores. Worst of all, the toxin they injected him with had completely severed his connection to his wolf. He was trapped in his human skin—no healing, no heightened senses, and no way to reach the pack through the bond. "It's a specialized suppressant," Luca warned, his voice tight with worry. "They knew exactly how to take down our kind without making a sound. Kayden... if they have a way to shut down a wolf, Artemis is in more danger than we thought."
The pack doctor was currently examining the driver. Physically, the man was fine, though his wolf had been completely suppressed—news I knew I should have been relieved to hear, but I was too consumed by the search for my mate and mother to care. I sat back on my heels, scanning the mall corridor for anything out of place. One of my warriors stepped into my peripheral vision. "Alpha, I found this in the lot near where the SUV was parked." He held out a small glass vial. Taking it, I held it up to the clinical mall lighting; a few droplets of a dull, grayish liquid clung to the bottom. "Good job. The doctor will want to study this immediately," I said, handing it back. He secured the evidence in a sterile bag and moved off to continue the sweep.
As I stood to follow, a glint of light caught my eye. Wedged deep under the metal security gate of a nearby storefront was a small black gift bag. I reached down, my fingers brushing the cold floor as I hooked the handles. Inside, a diamond necklace sparked against the silk lining, but it was the simpler emerald piece beside it that made my heart stutter. It was beautiful—exactly the kind of thing that would look stunning against my mate's skin. The realization hit me like a physical blow: these were the gifts my mother had just bought before the world went to hell.
The realization was a gut-punch, but it was followed immediately by a chill: there was dried blood smeared across the side of the bag. I looked back at the main pool of blood near the SUV; there were no drag marks connecting the two. It could have been spray from an impact, but I dropped to a crouch, scanning the tiles with a predator's focus.
That's when I saw it—a faint, rhythmic trail of droplets leading down a side corridor. Someone had tried to wipe the floor, likely with a rushed hand or a dry cloth, leaving behind nothing but ghostly, copper-smelling streaks that a human would have missed. I followed the smear of blood until it ended at a heavy steel service door. Pushing through, I found myself in a narrow alleyway choked with the scent of exhaust and old trash. Two overflowing dumpsters cast long shadows against the brick. There, right on the edge of the asphalt, were three heavy, dark droplets of blood.
Past that point, the trail vanished, replaced by the jagged, black scorch of tire marks burned into the pavement. They had been in a hurry. My chest tightened as I stared at the empty alley. Whoever had taken them was long gone, but the rage simmering in my gut turned to ice. They had left a trail, and I was going to follow it until I had my hands around the throat of everyone involved. They were going to pay for every drop of blood they spilled.
"Alpha, what are your orders?" I turned to find Darren standing a respectful distance away. "Scour the security feeds. If those cameras caught so much as a shadow, I want the footage on my phone immediately. Once you have it, scrub this place. Erase every trace of us, especially the blood. No human can find even a hint that we exist."
Darren nodded, but his expression was grim. "And if this turns out to be the work of the hunters?" My jaw tightened, the bone practically creaking under the pressure. "We haven't seen their kind in years. But if they've crawled out of their holes to touch my mate and my mother, I'll make sure they don't live long enough to regret it." "It will be done as you wish," he said, bowing his head. "I'll see to the cleanup."
"You're in charge here. I'm leaving." Darren's eyebrows shot up. "Where are you going?" I leveled a sharp look at him—a silent reminder of his place. He flinched, his gaze dropping instantly to the pavement as if it held the secrets of the universe. "I'm heading back to the pack house," I growled. "I have a person of interest to question." Darren gave a slow, knowing nod. "Alisha, right?" I looked at him sharply, and he immediately shrugged. "I heard Luca making orders to the others to find her, so I took a guess." I sighed, feeling increasingly annoyed at the inability to keep anything hidden in this pack; it always seems like someone knows something they shouldn't.
"Yes," I confirmed, "I'm heading back to deal with her myself."
"So they found her?" Darren asked, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "Almost immediately after we left." Darren scratched his stubbly chin, looking thoughtful. "Has she said anything yet?" I shook my head, my jaw set. "Neither Mia nor Luca has been able to get her to open her mouth." His eyes went wide. "Not even Mia? Damn. Mia is terrifying. The girl must have balls of steel; I know I wouldn't last one round with her before breaking."
I let out a dry, mirthless chuckle—he wasn't wrong. But before the conversation could go further, the roar of an engine echoed through the alley. One of my warriors slid to a halt on my motorcycle, stopping just inches from me. He hopped off, leaving the engine idling and the keys in the ignition, and handed me my helmet. "Wrap everything up here," I commanded, snapping the helmet strap into place. The tinted visor hid my eyes, but my voice left no room for doubt. "Let me know the second you find anything else."
Both men straightened, their expressions turning stone-cold serious. "And be ready to move," I added, swinging my leg over the bike. "The moment we have a location, we strike." They both snapped into a respectful salute. I didn't wait to see them drop their hands; I kicked the bike into gear and peeled out of the lot, the tires screaming against the pavement as I raced back toward the pack house.
*
*
I woke to a rhythmic pounding against my temples, a headache so sharp it felt like a physical weight. I groaned, and the sound was immediately met with a sharp, muffled gasp nearby. I tried to open my eyes, but I slammed them shut just as quickly. Even the dim, sickly yellow glow of the single lightbulb hanging in the corridor felt like a blade stabbing behind my retinas. My brain felt bruised, rattling painfully against my skull from whatever blow had knocked me out.
I was face-down on a floor of cold, packed dirt. I tried to push myself up, but my arms wouldn't move. A sickening clink of metal echoed in the small space as I realized my wrists were bound behind my back with heavy chains. Panicked, I yanked against the restraints. The chains didn't give an inch; they were anchored firmly to the stone wall behind me, pinning me to the ground. I froze as a dry, shuffling sound came from the shadows. I tensed every muscle, bracing for an attack I couldn't even see coming.
"Ari? Are you alright?" The tension drained from my muscles at the sound of Lydia's voice. I forced my eyes open again, desperate to find her, but the world tilted and the stabbing pain behind my eyes forced them shut. "Lydia?" My voice came out as a sandpaper rasp. My throat was bone-dry, and I would have traded a limb for a single drop of water.
"Oh, thank God," Lydia breathed, her relief cutting through the darkness. "How are you feeling?" I let out a harsh, jagged laugh that made my skull throb. "I'm peachy. Aside from the feeling that someone is using my head for target practice."
"I'm surprised you're even conscious," Lydia said, her voice dropping to a somber tone. "Those bastards hit you so hard I thought your skull had caved in. An injury like that should take days, maybe a week, for a wolf to knit back together. You shouldn't be awake yet." I grunted, dragging my body an inch forward toward the sound of her voice. Every movement felt like dragging lead through tall grass. "No wonder I feel like hell," I muttered. Before she could grill me on my unnaturally fast recovery, I pressed on. "Where are you? I can't see a thing."
I heard more shuffling from the darkness. "I'm right in front of you," Lydia whispered. "Luckily, the chains are long enough that we should both be able to reach the center of the room." I knew she was just hoping to get a better look at my wounds. Normally, I would have avoided the scrutiny, but with the searing pain that spiked every time I tried to open my eyes, I gave in and began to crawl. As I moved, I realized my ankles were shackled with the same heavy iron as my wrists, though they weren't tethered to the wall.
In my usual form, I could have snapped the links like glass and used my full strength to rip the anchors from the stone. But with my head throbbing and my senses dulled, I didn't even try. I simply used my knees to heave my body forward. Lydia kept up a steady stream of encouragement. I felt her fingers briefly graze my cheek—a ghost of a touch. "Just a little more, Ari."
I gave one final, desperate push, but the chains suddenly ran out of slack, jerking me to a halt. I lost my balance and tumbled forward. Instead of my face hitting the cold dirt, I landed in Lydia's warm lap. "Good job, Ari. I've got you now," she said, her voice dropping into that soothing, motherly tone. I lay on my side, my breath ragged, as she began to gently stroke my hair.
I knew that as she stroked my hair, she was secretly gauging the severity of my head wound, but I lacked the energy to resist. Every movement felt like a knife driven into my skull, and the effort of the crawl had drained my last reserves. Despite the throbbing in my head and my dulled senses, I couldn't ignore the scent that grew stronger the closer I got to Lydia: the sickly, metallic smell of seared flesh. It was then that I realized the chains were made of silver, just like the knives that they used to cut her with. My heart sank as I imagined the agony she was enduring; every time she moved, every time she shifted to accommodate me, that silver must have been hissing against her bare skin.
Yet, Lydia only made soft, shushing sounds, rocking back and forth as if trying to soothe us both at once. There was a warmth in her embrace that reminded me so much of my own mother, making the ache in my chest sharper than the one in my head. "I'm sorry," I croaked, the words heavy and thick with guilt. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess with me."
"You didn't drag me into anything, Artemis," she countered firmly. "You are my son's mate. That means no matter what happens, we stand by your side. Our family is strong; it will take more than a few chains to break us." She paused, her hand never leaving my hair. "I trust my son to find us. For now, you must focus on recovering. Sleep, Ari." Whether it was the relentless throbbing in my head, the mention of my mate, or the rhythmic safety of her embrace, I couldn't fight it any longer. As she continued to rock me slowly back and forth, the darkness rose to swallow me whole once again.
*
When I stepped into the interrogation room, I found Luca standing with his arms crossed and jaw clenched. He was watching his mate, Mia, try to intimidate Alisha, but Alisha just sat there, her gaze fixed and unblinking. Luca had already updated me on their findings since I'd left for the mall, and it was damning, to say the least. They had found the file hidden in a stack of papers on her bedroom desk. Then, after reviewing the pack's surveillance footage, they caught her making a suspicious call the night she left my office. Her phone, seized before they brought her in, confirmed multiple calls to that same number in the days since.
Mia was currently in the middle of a heated interrogation, trying to force Alisha to reveal the plan—and, more importantly, where they had taken my mate and my mother. It was only when Mia leaned directly into her space that Alisha finally reacted. "I already told you," she said, her voice cold. "I will only talk to Kayden." I took a step further into the room. Luca turned as if sensing my presence. "Sorry, Kayden," he said, his voice tight. "We've done everything we can. As you just saw, she refuses to talk to anyone but you." I nodded once, my expression grim, and pressed the buzzer on the door. Mia let out a frustrated sigh, relenting at last as she made her way toward the exit.
Just as Mia reached for the door, I looked at them both. "I'll take it from here." They nodded, but as I moved to pass them, Mia's hand shot out, catching my shoulder and stopping me in my tracks. "If that bitch had anything to do with Ari's disappearance," she hissed, her eyes flashing, "you better not let her off easy." I gave a grim smile, appreciating the fierce protectiveness she felt for my mate. "I promise," I said, my voice low. "If she had any part in this, I have no intention of letting her off." Satisfied, Mia stepped aside. I walked into the room, and the heavy door clicked shut behind me.
The moment Alisha saw me, her face transformed. Her eyes lit up with genuine happiness, and a wide smile spread across her lips. "Kayden, honey! You came." She scrambled up from her chair, smoothing the wrinkles in her clothes as she did so, before rushing toward me. Before I could move, she had her arms wrapped tightly around my waist, pressing herself against me. "You know I could never do something as awful as they're saying, don't you? You've always been on my side. You promised me you would always be on my side."
I gritted my teeth, the sound of her voice grating against my nerves. I remained perfectly rigid, my arms like lead at my sides. Sensing the lack of response, or perhaps finally feeling the coldness radiating off me, she pulled back just enough to look up at my face. When she saw my expression—hard as stone and utterly unforgiving—she flinched and took a step back, her hands dropping from my waist. "Alisha," I said. My voice was flat, completely devoid of emotion. She swallowed hard, her confidence flickering. "Kayden... honey? What's wrong?"
She reached up to stroke my cheek, her eyes searching mine for a flicker of warmth of some kind, but I jerked my head away. The rejection hung in the air, and she pulled her hand back as if burned. Standing at my full height, I stared her down, my gaze predatory. "Why did you do it, Alisha?" I asked, my voice dangerously low. She tried to force a tight, innocent smile. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kayden. I didn't do anything." I took a slow, deliberate step toward her. She instinctively retreated, her heels clicking against the concrete. "Why did you take that file off my desk?"
"But I didn't—" I cut her off by slamming my palm onto the metal table beside me. The sound echoed like a gunshot in the cramped room. Alisha flinched violently, jumping back as the first sharp tang of fear began to roll off her in waves. "Don't LIE to ME!" I roared. The shout seemed to physically shove her back. She shrank into herself, her eyes wide and darting as the scent of her terror grew thick enough to cloy at the back of my throat. "Kayden, honey," she whimpered, her voice trembling. "You know I love you. Why can't you just let me love you?"
Her back hit the wall. She had nowhere left to run. Before she could even think of sliding away, I slammed my fists into the stone on either side of her head. Alisha screamed, pressing herself so hard against the wall that it looked like she wanted to disappear into the masonry. Tears streamed down her face, leaving dark tracks through her makeup. "I asked you why you did it," I snarled.
She trembled violently. The scent of her fear had become intoxicating, sweet and metallic, inciting my wolf's predatory instincts to chase and devour the prey cowering before me. "I did it for you," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own sobbing. "For me?" I asked, my voice dripping with disbelief.
"Yes, for you!" she cried out, her eyes momentarily flashing with a manic sort of conviction. "You can't see clearly anymore, Kayden. She was a poison for you and this pack. You didn't just look past her vile tiger nature—you ignored the fact that she's a wanted criminal! I did it to prove that only I love you enough to do what is necessary. She is a snake and a deceiver. Only I am suited to stand by your side!" I recoiled, taking a sharp step away from her as if her words were physical filth. The second I released the pressure of my presence, Alisha's legs gave out. She slid down the wall and collapsed onto the floor, a heap of trembling limbs and delusional justifications.
I began to laugh—a dark, uncontrollable sound that echoed off the interrogation room walls. Alisha stared up at me from the floor, her expression shifting from terror to sheer confusion. When I finally stopped, I shook my head, looking down at her with nothing but pity. "No," I said, my voice cutting through the silence. "You don't love me. You love the idea of me. You love the power of my position. You only care about what serves you and what helps you climb the ranks of this pack. But that ends today." I leaned down, getting into her space one last time. "Now, you are going to tell me exactly who you called and where we can find them. I can promise you right now: if you don't, you will not survive what comes next."
"Kayden, please..." she whimpered, her voice cracking. I shook my head slowly. "No, Alisha. You didn't just target my mate. You targeted my mother. If you don't start talking this second, your punishment will be far worse than a quick death. Don't make me get violent." More tears spilled over as she looked into my eyes and realized there was no mercy left for her. The waves of fear coming off her were nearly overwhelming. Finally, she gave a frantic, jerky nod. "Okay," she choked out. "Okay. I'll tell you."
*
I sensed a shift in the air, and my eyes snapped open. Surprisingly, the searing pain had vanished, and for the first time, I could actually see. The cell was dark and dingy, the only illumination coming from a single, flickering bulb hanging above the heavy door. Even in that dim, sickly light, I saw him: Zander. He was leaning against the corner of the opposite cell, his eyes fixed on us with a cold, unsettling intensity.
I felt the blood in my veins begin to boil. A low growl vibrated deep in my chest as I slowly sat up, moving off Lydia's lap. Beside me, Lydia went rigid. She followed my gaze to Zander, her body coiled with the kind of tension that comes from preparing for a fight, not just from being startled. The moment I growled, a smug smirk played across Zander's lips. He sauntered over until he was standing directly in front of our bars. Tucking his hands into the pockets of his leather pants, he tilted his head to the side.
"Sorry about the blow to the head," he said, his tone mocking. "That must hurt like hell." I didn't answer; I only glared at him with bared teeth. He shrugged casually. "Well, you can't blame us too much. You've always healed faster than the rest of us. We couldn't risk you recovering too quickly—not while we still have to ensure you're sedated enough for the trip back."
I ground my teeth, but I didn't let the anger take over. Instead, I tilted my head, offering him a sharp, teasing grin. "What's the matter, Zander? Afraid you wouldn't be able to take 'little old me' in a fair fight? Had to have one of your lackeys bash my skull in from behind just to even the odds?" His face twitched. The smug mask slipped for a split second, replaced by a flash of genuine annoyance as he jammed a key into the lock.
"You can try to bait me all you want, Artemis," he snapped, the heavy door clicking open. "It won't work. We've been hunting you for years, and you always find a way to slip through our fingers. I'm not taking any more chances." I chuckled, the sound dry and mocking. "You're just a scared little boy. You're terrified of letting the Council down and losing your precious, pampered lifestyle." His expression darkened, his features twisting into a mask of pure rage as he swung the cell door wide. "Don't you dare mock me," he hissed, stepping into the cramped space. "You understand nothing." I narrowed my eyes, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper as he approached. "No, it's you who understands nothing. You and the Council think you can do whatever you want without consequences—that you're above fear. But I will never be what you want me to be. I will never submit."
He stopped directly in front of me, looming over me, before his hand shot out. He balled his fist into my collar and hoisted me upward until we were eye-to-eye. Beside me, Lydia scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide with terror. She tried to lunge forward to protect me, but the silver chains jerked her back. Unlike mine, her wrists were cuffed in front of her, while the wall-tethers were anchored to her ankles. She might have had a chance to break free if the metal weren't silver, but I could see the horrific, weeping burn marks where the cuffs had gnawed into her skin.
Zander's signature smugness returned as I dangled in his grip. I felt Lydia's fingers hook into my pants, pulling at me in a desperate, futile attempt to drag me back, but he didn't budge. I stared into his sky-blue eyes, which seemed to catch the dim light, glowing with an eerie intensity. "You've always been so cocky because you believed you were the strongest," he murmured. "And that might have been true in the past, Artemis. But not anymore."
I opened my mouth to spit back a snarky retort, but the words died in my throat. The outer rims of his irises suddenly ignited with a pulsing, electric yellow light. His hair began to lift off his shoulders, standing on end as the air in the cell turned static and sharp. Without breaking eye contact with me, he threw his free hand toward the wall where Lydia's chains were anchored. A bolt of jagged lightning erupted from his palm, slamming into the stone with a deafening crack. When the light faded, a massive, scorched crater smoked in the masonry right above Lydia's head.
I heard Lydia gasp in shock, and Zander's smile twisted into a look of smug joy at her reaction. I tightened my jaw, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response. "I bet you're trying to wrap your mind around how this is possible," he said, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper. I continued to glare, my silence only making his grin widen. "Your mother and the others always believed your silver hair was proof that the gods exist—that they hadn't abandoned us. But now, I am the living proof."
I glanced over at Lydia. Her eyebrows were knit together in deep confusion; she was looking at him as if he had finally, truly lost his mind. "You were always the 'special' one, Artemis. But not anymore. Unlike you, I have actually met the gods." I felt my eyebrows lift in genuine surprise. "I think you've finally lost it, Zander. You're insane."
He rolled his eyes and chuckled, a dry, hollow sound. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he tossed me to the ground. I hit the dirt hard next to Lydia, and she immediately threw her arms around me, pulling me into a protective embrace as close as her silver chains would allow. Zander took a slow step back. As we watched, a curtain of crackling electricity began to ripple around him, emanating from his skin in jagged arcs. He began to channel the lightning through his hands with such intensity that the raw energy forced his body to levitate, his feet lifting several inches off the cell floor.
"I don't blame you for failing to understand what's right in front of you," Zander said, his voice humming with residual energy. "I didn't believe him either when he claimed to be the almighty Zeus—not until he entered my dreams that same night. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Now, the power he's granted me is unmatched. No one can defeat me anymore, Artemis. Not even you." The crackling curtain of electricity vanished, and his body landed softly on the stone floor. "You won't be escaping again."
He crouched down in front of me, his eyes dark with a newfound confidence. "But don't worry. I don't want you by my side forever, either. Once you fulfill your duty—unless the Elders demand otherwise—you'll be free to leave. It'll be up to you whether you crawl back to this god-awful pack or stay with your own kind." He let his gaze wander over me with a slow, predatory intensity, lingering on every curve before returning to my face. A sly, sickening smirk curved his lips.
"Long ago, I promised you'd enjoy the process, and I am a man of my word. I can be a gentleman, but if you try to resist or run again, I've prepared a special setup for you in my basement. Once your sacred duty is complete, you won't even have to stick around. It's really not as horrid as you've made it out to be." Suddenly, his hand launched forward, grabbing my chin and jerking me toward him until our faces were only inches apart. "Honestly, Ari, you're getting the best end of this deal. You could never find a better partner than me. You should practically be thanking me."
The moment the last word left his lips, I spat in his pristine face. The spray landed on his cheek, just inches from the corner of his mouth. Zander recoiled, releasing my chin to wipe his face, his expression contorting with rage. In one fluid, violent motion, he backhanded me. The blow was hard enough to snap my head to the side, sending a fresh explosion of agony radiating through my still-healing skull. I felt the warm, metallic trickle of blood on my chin and realized he'd split my lip.
I forced myself to turn back and look at him. As he stood, his fury didn't boil over; instead, it morphed into a slow, calculating smile that was far more terrifying. "Don't worry," he purred. "We will deal with that defiance soon enough." He stepped out of the cell, the heavy door clanging shut. A loud, final click echoed through the room as the electronic lock engaged. Zander turned his head, looking at the two of us through the bars. "We'll have plenty of time to work on your little 'problem' after we leave here tonight," he said.
I narrowed my eyes, my glare fixed on him, while Lydia stiffened beside me. Zander's gaze traveled lazily toward her, his lip curling in disdain. "And don't worry about your weak little wolf friend there. We have no interest in her. In fact, we'll leave her right here—a little gift for the wolves you've been hanging around with when they eventually find this place." He began to walk away, but just before he disappeared into the shadows of the corridor, he stopped and looked back one last time. A wicked, sharp grin spread across his face. "Hopefully they find her soon enough," he said, his voice dripping with mock concern. "Otherwise, she might be in a very poor state by the time they arrive. Starvation has been known to drive our kind to... dark places. Even insanity."
Lydia let out a terrified gasp beside me. Zander's cruel laughter rang out in response, echoing through the dungeon as he turned and finally left. "I wonder just how lucky she'll be in the end," his sinister voice drifted back to us, just before the heavy, reinforced outer door slammed shut with a final, echoing thud. The silence that followed was suffocating. I felt Lydia's grip on my shirt tighten as her body began to shudder. My jaw clenched so hard it ached. "Don't worry, Lydia," I whispered, my voice thick with resolve. "I'm going to get us out of here."
She looked at me, her wide, fearful eyes searching mine. "And how do you plan to do that, Ari? How do we get out before nightfall?" I sighed, my gaze darting around the dingy cell, scanning the stone walls and the silver chains for any sign of a weakness. "I don't know yet," I admitted. "But I will find a way. We're both getting out of here." Lydia didn't look convinced, but she gave a small, hesitant nod anyway. We sat in the heavy silence of the cell, the only sound the rhythmic clinking of her silver chains, as I began to desperately piece together a plan.
Lydia's voice broke the heavy silence, sounding suddenly hopeful. "Kayden is smart, Ari. Maybe he has already found out where they took us. Maybe he's on his way right now." I looked at her, my heart sinking. I was almost certain that a full day hadn't even passed yet. Even if it had, it wouldn't be nearly enough time to conduct a full search and organize a rescue mission from scratch. Despite Zander's vile personality, he wasn't stupid; he wouldn't have kidnapped us without an almost foolproof plan to stay hidden.
But as I looked at the fragile light in Lydia's eyes, I couldn't bring myself to crush it. I forced an encouraging smile and gave a small nod. "Yeah," I lied softly. "Maybe you're right." Lydia let out a long, shaky sigh of relief, a small smile touching her lips as she clung to that hope. I turned my gaze back to the shadows of the cell, my mind racing. While she drew strength from the thought of rescue, I began to calculate every possible way to get us out of these chains before Zander returned to finish what he started.