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CHAPTER TWENTY

APOLLO

A pollo's wolf paced and whined and paced and growled, wanting to be let out.

Apollo still felt weak, but his injuries had finally healed.

Neither of them could stand it any longer.

The fact that Ares was tracking down their mate while he sat on his ass, was something he could no longer tolerate.

He needed to be back in his own home so he could think logically.

Apollo grabbed his coat, jammed his feet in his boots, and marched to his bedroom door. Silas stood from a chair, and Regan rose as well.

"We're leaving," Apollo announced.

"Where to?" asked Silas.

"Home."

His men looked at each other.

"Problem?"

"No," replied Silas.

"Good. Then get everyone together, I'm not hiding anymore. It's time to do something."

"About bloody time," Cherry said behind him.

Apollo had no idea where to start, but if he didn’t take action, he'd never feel like he deserved to be River's mate.

Twenty minutes later, they all pulled up to the estate.

A sense of dread washed over him momentarily.

He swallowed it down as his wolf bristled, uneasy with being back at home after what had happened.

They drove up the drive and parked by the front door.

All of his men and Ares' remaining men exited their bikes and vehicles, checking the area before letting Apollo, Cherry, Strider, and Bianca out.

Apollo took in a breath of fresh air. Home. The familiar smells and sounds of home soothed him somewhat, but the moment he walked inside the house and was slapped by the lingering scent of River's fragrance, he almost crumbled to his knees.

His wolf paced and clawed to be unleashed so he could search for any sign of her.

Out. Mate. Find.

Apollo forced his wolf to calm down so he could concentrate. We are. Be patient.

"Okay," said Cherry. "We're here. Now what?"

Apollo bit his tongue at the retort that almost passed his lips. "Now we look for clues."

"Where?" asked Cherry.

Despite her tough exterior, Cherry appeared smaller and frailer than she had the first time he'd seen her a month before.

"The ballroom first."

"Boss," said Silas. "I don't know that that's such a good idea."

Apollo pinned him with his gaze. "Are you saying you don't think I can handle it?"

"No, Highness." Silas shook his head. "I just…"

"I've seen carnage before, Silas. I may not like it, but it is part of our life."

Silas nodded. "Of course."

"I'm going to take Bianca upstairs," said Zeke.

"We'll go with you," Strider replied.

Cherry shook Strider's hand off her shoulder. "Go with them if you want. I want to find my daughter."

For the first time, anger flashed across Strider's face. "You think I don't?"

"Well, she isn't your daughter, is she?"

The growl that escaped Strider surprised Apollo.

"How can you possibly say that to me?" his voice came out more as a snarl than actual words. "I've raised her for more than half her life. Taken care of her. Loved her as much as I love Bianca. And you think you have the right to say that to me after everything we've been through?"

The air crackled with tension as the hair on Strider's arms lengthened and his eyes darkened. His teeth elongated, and he loomed over Cherry.

Her expression changed and then hardened again. "Go with Bianca. I'll let you know if I find anything."

Strider didn't move for a long second, his body so rigid that Apollo was afraid he might snap.

"No," Bianca said, startling everyone.

Cherry and Strider turned to her.

"Dad is right. He loves her as much as you do, Cherry. She is as much his daughter as she is my sister. You don't get to have a monopoly on who loves her most. And you don't get to treat dad like he doesn't love her as much as you do just because she came out of your hoo-ha."

The way Cherry's eye twitched made Apollo think that Bianca had never spoken to her that way before.

Cherry looked between Strider and Bianca. She blew out a breath, her shoulders sagging.

"I know how much you love River. Both of you."

Strider's posture relaxed, the feral energy dissipating from his form. It was the best apology Strider or Bianca would receive at the moment. "Alright then. Let's head to the ballroom."

"Come on," said Zeke. "Let's head upstairs."

"No." Bianca straightened. "I'm tired of being babied. My sister, my mom, and my dad almost died. It's time for me to step up and help. I'm not as helpless as everyone thinks I am. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I love my family just as much. And I want to help."

Zeke chewed his lip. "B-"

"No. If you can't handle it, feel free to go to your room. But I'm going with Cherry, and I dare you to try and stop us." Bianca walked to Cherry and locked arms with her.

Zeke looked to Cherry, who cocked an eyebrow at him.

He shook his head and swore under his breath before ushering them inside.

The group made their way through the grand foyer, their footsteps echoing in the eerie silence of the house. As they approached the ballroom, Apollo paused, steeling himself for what lay beyond. With a deep breath, he opened the doors.

The scene of chaos and violence frozen in time greeted them.

Dark, dried blood stained the once-gleaming marble floor; the metallic odor of blood clung to the air.

Shattered crystals from the chandeliers glittered like diamonds strewn across the room.

Overturned tables, smashed chairs, and moldy food lay scattered about, silent testaments to the struggle that had taken place.

His gut clenched, remembering the battle that had ruined everything.

And where he'd lost Bennett. He huffed out a breath and coughed to keep himself from breaking down.

They would have a proper memorial for Bennett when River returned.

Apollo moved into the room, taking in every detail. He crouched down, running his fingers along a pair of claw marks gouged into the wooden floor. His wolf growled at the memories of the rogues who had invaded their home.

Apollo made his way around the perimeter of the room, pausing occasionally to examine a particular spot more closely. He lifted an overturned chair, studying the splintered wood and torn upholstery. The violence of the attack evident in every destroyed object, every splash of blood.

Finally, he approached the area where Bennett had fallen. The floor was darker where the blood had pooled and congealed. Apollo closed his eyes for a moment, remembering his loyal friend who had given his life protecting them. Grief and anger surged within him.

"I'm so sorry, my friend," he murmured. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten."

Taking a shaky breath, Apollo forced himself to focus. He couldn't let emotion cloud his judgment now. River needed him to be strong, to be the leader he was born to be.

His gaze landed on a section of paneling. Moving to it, he ran his hands along the woodwork until he touched a subtle catch. With a soft click, the hidden door swung open, revealing a dark passage beyond.

"The tunnel," Apollo murmured. "This is how Titan got in. I didn't even know it was here."

Apollo approached the passage, the musty air thick with dust. He ran his hand along the rough stone wall, the damp walls cool to the touch. The tunnel stretched before him, a dark maw swallowing what little light spilled in from the ballroom.

"Silas," Apollo called. "Bring a flashlight."

As Silas hurried to comply, Apollo breathed deeply, steeling himself. His wolf paced, eager to get going. Silas handed him a flashlight, and with a nod to the others, Apollo plunged into the darkness, his footsteps echoing off the narrow walls.

The tunnel twisted and turned, leading deeper under the bowels of the estate. Apollo's keen senses picked up the acrid stench of fear and the metallic tang of blood.

After several minutes, a glimmer of light appeared. Apollo quickened his pace, emerging at the northern edge of the property. The late-afternoon sun filtered through the dense canopy of trees, dappling the ground with shifting patterns of light and shadow.

Apollo stood near the northern fence, behind the barn. He located the security camera mounted on a nearby tree. Its lens had been shattered; wires dangled uselessly from its housing. He inspected the damage.

"This isn't random destruction." He ran his fingers along the shattered lens. "They knew where to hit it to disable it without triggering any alarms."

His eyes scanned the perimeter, spotting the section of fence that had been compromised. A neat hole had been cut through the metal links, the edges curled back with surgical precision. Apollo crouched down, examining the ground around the breach.

"Here," Cherry called, pointing to faint impressions in the soft earth. "Tracks."

Apollo inspected where Cherry pointed. "Multiple sets," he confirmed.

Silas nodded grimly. "They came prepared. Titan had this planned down to the last detail."

Rising to his feet, Apollo crouched through the gap in the fence, his senses on high alert as he moved into the dense underbrush beyond. The tracks led away from the estate, winding through the trees with purpose.

After a hundred yards, the forest opened up onto a narrow dirt road that cut along the edge of the property. Apollo's heart raced as he spotted tire tracks imprinted in the soft earth.

"Photograph these tracks. We need to identify what kind of vehicle they used," Apollo called.

As Silas documented the evidence, Apollo stood.

"Regan," Apollo called. "Has anyone watched the security tapes?"

"The tapes were wiped. Cloud too."

Apollo looked at him and smiled. "But not the server in my room."

Apollo rushed upstairs, his heart pounding. He took the stairs two at a time as he strode towards his private quarters. The door swung open at his touch, revealing his bedroom.

For a moment, the lingering aroma of River's perfume threatened to overwhelm him. Apollo shut his eyes, forcing himself to focus. He crossed to an intricately carved mahogany panel on the far wall. His fingers danced across the woodwork, finding the hidden latch with practiced ease.

The panel slid open, revealing a state-of-the-art server rack humming with quiet efficiency.

Apollo pulled a laptop from inside and sat at his desk.

His fingers flew across the keyboard, bypassing layers of security protocols.

The screen before him flickered to life, displaying an array of data and security footage.

"Any other secrets we should know about?" Cherry asked. "Like maybe hidden cameras in the bedrooms?"

Apollo snorted. "Trust me, I have no interest in what people do in the privacy of their bedrooms."

"Good to know."

"Come on, come on," Apollo muttered, scanning the feeds. He navigated through weeks of archived footage, searching for anything out of the ordinary with Cherry hovering over his shoulder and the others not far away. He realized in that moment he'd never had anyone in his room before besides River.

His wolf didn't like it. Mine. My room.

Yeah. Let's make an exception just this once.

Just as Apollo was about to lose hope of finding anything, a flicker of movement caught his eye.

There, on the screen, a figure emerged from the tree line. The timestamp corresponded with the second day he and River had been in the woods.

He recognized Vanessa, her lithe form moving with predatory grace across the grounds. She marched straight for the camera, her gaze fixed on the lens.

Apollo's hands clenched as Vanessa climbed up to the camera. For a moment, her face filled the screen. A smile played across her lips, and then the feed died.

"Damn it!" Apollo slammed his palm against the desk. How long had Vanessa been working against them? How much information had she fed to Titan and his rogues?

He rewound the footage, studying every detail of Vanessa's approach. The confidence in her stride spoke volumes about someone intimately familiar with the estate's layout and security measures.

As Apollo pored over the footage, a chill ran down his spine. He realized that the camera had been disabled weeks before the attack.

This was more than a breach of security; it was a long-term infiltration. Titan and his rogues had been watching them, studying their routines, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

How many other weaknesses had Vanessa exposed?

How much of their defenses had been compromised?

He'd have to redo everything. Start from scratch with the security to ensure their safety.

Thank the goddess he had the secure system locked away in his room, otherwise they may never have known who was responsible for betraying them.

Apollo's mind raced, wondering how long Vanessa had been working with Titan.

"I know her," said Bianca. "She's Ares' secretary. River told him to get rid of her."

Apollo nodded. "She must have come back to grab her things when River and I were away."

"She did," said Zeke. "Ares told us to let her in."

"Did anyone stay with her?"

"I don't think so."

Apollo shook his head at Ares' stupidity. He should never have left her unsupervised in the house. But then he couldn't blame his twin for being distracted. After all, his mate had been with another man. So it was as much Apollo's fault as it was Ares'.

Silas entered the room. "I took photos of the vehicle tracks and sent them to Terrance."

Apollo nodded and closed the closet, which contained the server. "Which way did those SUV tracks go?"

"North."

"North? But north just takes you further into the area. The only way out is to go east."

"You think they didn't leave the neighborhood?" asked Cherry.

"I'm sure they are gone by now, but they could have been hiding out near here."

"It would explain how they got so much intel on what was going on here."

Apollo nodded. "Let's go."

"Where?" asked Zeke.

"To research every house in this gated community." He looked at Silas. "Except for you. I have something else I need you to do."