Page 39

Cursing under my breath, I crouch to gather the scattered items—a protein bar, a dog-eared paperback, a small, leather-bound journal. As I reach for the journal, I notice that something has rolled under the desk.

A pocket watch, antique silver with an intricate engraving on the case.

I freeze, my hand suspended in midair.

I’ve seen this pocket watch before.

Not once, but many times, swinging before my eyes like a pendulum as questions were fired at me, as needles pierced my skin, as they tried to break me apart from my wolf.

Memory fragments that have eluded me for months suddenly crystallize with awful clarity. A voice instructing assistants, ordering tests, discussing my responses as if I were nothing more than an interesting specimen.

Mathew’s voice.

Not the cheerful, vibrant persona he presents now, but colder, more clinical—yet undeniably the same.

The mental image shifts, resolving into perfect focus: a younger man with brown hair instead of purple, wearing casual clothes instead of a white lab coat, but with the same blue eyes that watched me with detached fascination as I howled in pain.

One of the scientists who experimented on me.

“Jerry,” I say, my voice dead calm as I rise to my feet, the pocket watch clutched in my hand. “When exactly did Maya hire Mathew?”

Jerry looks up, puzzled by the abrupt question. “I don’t know. I did ask her how she knew him, and she said he started a few days after she did at the company in Seattle.”

“And she never mentioned where he worked before?”

“Not that I recall.” Jerry’s expression grows concerned as he notes my rigid posture. “Why? What’s wrong?”

I hold up the pocket watch, my grip so tight that the metal edges dig into my palm. “This belonged to one of the scientists who held me captive. One of the men who tortured me for years.”

Jerry’s face drains of color. “That’s impossible. Mathew is—He’s been nothing but helpful. Maya trusts him implicitly.”

“Which is exactly why she’s in danger right now.” The realization hits me with the force of a physical blow. Maya, alone with a man connected to the Silver Ring. A man who knows exactly what we’re trying to accomplish with the antidote.

My wolf surges forward, rage and protective instinct nearly overwhelming my human reasoning. I force it back with effort, needing clarity more than fury.

“I need to find her,” I say, already moving toward the door. “Now.”

Jerry hurries after me. “Your Majesty, wait! Did they sign out with the gate guards? They might know where—”

I cut him off. “Get Erik. Tell him what has happened. Have him secure the antidote and put the palace on lockdown. No one in or out until I return with Maya.”

I don’t wait for his response, already striding down the corridor, my senses reaching out, searching for any trace of Maya’s scent. It’s faint but present, leading toward the main entrance of the palace.

Outside, I catch the attention of the first guard I see. “Dr. Sorin and her assistant—did they leave the grounds? When? How?”

The guard responds immediately to the urgency in my voice. “Yes, Your Majesty. About an hour ago. They seemed to be in good spirits.”

“Did they say where they were going?”

“No, Sire.” The guard thinks for a moment. “But Dr. Sorin’s assistant had arranged for a car from the palace fleet, so the driver should know.”

“Which one?” I demand. “Who was driving?”

“Martin, I believe. He should be back by now, if you want me to contact the pool—”

I’m already moving, breaking into a run that startles courtiers and servants as I pass. The motor pool is located on the eastern side of the grounds, a modern facility housing the fleet of vehicles used for official palace business.

I find Martin checking the oil level in one of the cars, his uniform pristine despite the manual task. He straightens as I approach, surprise written across his features.

“Your Majesty! How can I—”

“Dr. Sorin,” I interrupt, fighting to keep my voice level. “You drove her and her assistant earlier. Where did you take them?”

“To the Golden Birch Inn, Sire,” he replies promptly. “About twenty miles north of here. The gentleman—Mathew, I believe—said they were meeting a colleague for lunch.”

The Golden Birch Inn. An upscale establishment that caters to wealthy humans. Far enough from the palace to be discreet, but not so distant as to raise suspicion. A perfect location for an abduction.

“I need a car,” I say. “Now.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Martin gestures to the vehicle he was just servicing. “This one is fueled and ready.”

I take the keys from his outstretched hand, already moving around to the driver’s side. “If Commander Erik comes looking for me, tell him where I’ve gone.”

The drive is a blur of winding roads and reckless speed, my mind spinning with possibilities, each more dire than the last. Why take Maya now? The antidote is nearly complete; she has almost accomplished what they need from her.

Unless they intend to use her as leverage against me, against the kingdom.

Or unless they never intended to let her live.

The thought sends a surge of primal terror through me, my hands tightening on the steering wheel until the leather creaks in protest. I force myself to breathe, to focus. Panic won’t help Maya now.

The Golden Birch Inn comes into view, its elegant facade nestled among tall pines. I park haphazardly at the entrance, already sniffing the air as I exit the vehicle. Maya’s scent is here, recent enough to follow, along with Mathew’s and several others I don’t recognize.

They lead not into the inn itself, but around the back of the property, toward a service entrance. I follow them, every sense on high alert. The trail continues to a small parking area, then abruptly ends.

They left in another vehicle.

A growl of frustration escapes me as I scan the area, looking for any clue, any hint of where they might have gone. A young man in a service uniform exits the rear door of the inn and is startled when he sees me.

“Can I help you, sir?”

I approach him, trying to appear less threatening than I feel. “I’m looking for a woman who was here earlier. Auburn hair, slender build, with a man with purple hair.”

Recognition flashes in his eyes. “Oh, them. Yeah, they met with some people in the private dining room for maybe half an hour, then left.”

“Together?” I press. “All of them?”

He nods. “Yeah, they all went out through here. The woman seemed a bit, I don’t know, out of it? Her friend had to help her walk. Said she wasn’t feeling well.”

Ice floods my veins. “How many people were with them? What did they look like?”

“Three others. Two men and a woman.” He shrugs. “Didn’t really notice much about them. They tipped well, kept to themselves.”

“Which way did they go? What kind of vehicle?”

“Black SUV,” he says, pointing. “Headed north on the main road.”

North. Away from the palace, toward the mountains and the vast wilderness beyond.

Perfect for hiding someone they don’t want found.

I thank the young man and return to my car, heart pounding with renewed urgency. I need to follow them, but I also need backup. Charging after them alone would be foolish, especially if they’re armed and expecting pursuit.

I grab my phone and call Erik.

“Griffin,” he answers immediately. “Jerry told me what’s happening. Where are you?”

“The Golden Birch Inn,” I reply concisely. “They were here, but they’ve moved on. North, in a black SUV. At least five people, including Maya. She’s been drugged.”

Erik curses. “We’re on our way. Twenty minutes out, with a full tactical team.”

“I’m not waiting,” I tell him. “I’m going after them now. They have too much of a head start already.”

“Griffin, don’t—”

“She’s my mate.” My voice breaks slightly on the word. “I can’t lose her again.”

A pause, then: “Follow, but don’t engage until we arrive. That’s an order from your commander, not a request from your brother.”

“Understood.” It’s a lie, and we both know it. If I find an opportunity to get Maya out safely, I’ll take it, regardless of the risk to myself.

“Be careful,” Erik says quietly. “We’re coming as fast as we can.”

I end the call and pull back onto the main road, heading north. The mountains loom ahead, their peaks disappearing into low clouds. Somewhere in that wilderness, Maya is being held against her will, possibly injured, certainly frightened.

And Mathew—no, not Mathew, that’s clearly not his real name—has her.

The scientist who tortured me for years has my mate.

The realization sends renewed rage coursing through me. My vision blurs momentarily as I fight to maintain control of my wolf, which is straining against the confines of my human form, desperate to hunt, to track, to kill.

Not yet, I tell it silently. We need to find her first.

I drive for miles, scanning the roadside for any sign of the car, any hint of Maya’s presence. The road narrows as it climbs into the mountains, the forest closing in on either side. Fewer vehicles here, mainly logging trucks and the occasional tourist.

No black SUV.

I’m beginning to fear I’ve missed them when I catch a glimpse of something through the trees—a dirt road, barely visible, branching off from the main highway. Fresh tire tracks mark the turnoff, too recent to have been made before the rain we had around lunchtime.

I slow down, making the turn cautiously. The road is rough, clearly not meant for regular use. It winds deeper into the forest, climbing steadily. After a mile or so, it opens into a small clearing where a dilapidated cabin stands, its windows boarded up, its roof sagging with age.

Parked beside it, partially hidden by overgrown bushes, is a black SUV.

I kill the engine immediately, coasting to a stop well before the clearing. Getting out silently, I move through the trees, circling to approach from the rear of the cabin. Every sense strains for information—sounds, scents, movement.

Maya’s scent is strongest, tinged with fear and something chemical I don’t recognize. Mathew’s is here, too, along with three others, all unfamiliar. No voices, but footsteps inside the cabin, moving between rooms.

I creep closer, finding a position where I can see through a gap in the boarded-up windows. The interior is dim, but my enhanced vision makes out several figures in what appears to be the main room of the cabin.

One of them is Maya.

She sits on a wooden chair, her hands bound behind her, her head lolling slightly as if she’s struggling to stay conscious. Mathew—or whatever his name really is—stands beside her, one hand resting possessively on her shoulder.

“—won’t hold them off forever,” one of the other men is saying, his voice tense. “We need to move her now.”

“Not until I get what I need,” Mathew replies, his tone entirely different from the cheerful assistant I’ve observed in the lab.

This voice is cold, calculating, with an edge of mania that sends chills down my spine.

“She’s the key to everything. The formulas, the calculations—they’re all in her head. ”

“We have the antidote,” the woman argues. “Isn’t that enough?”

“The antidote is just the beginning,” Mathew says, moving to crouch in front of Maya, forcing her to look at him. “She’s going to give us the formula for the enhancement serum next. Aren’t you, Maya?”

Maya’s voice, when she speaks, is slurred but defiant. “Go to hell.”

Mathew laughs, the sound devoid of genuine humor. “Always so spirited. No wonder the king is in love with you. But he can’t help you now.”

“He doesn’t love me,” Maya mumbles, and the pain in her voice cuts through me like a blade.

“So sad,” Mathew mocks, stroking her cheek in a perverse caricature of tenderness. “Poor little Maya, abandoned by her wolf king. But don’t worry—your work for us will change everything. Humans will finally have the power to fight back against your precious shifters.”

I’ve heard enough. Maya is in immediate danger, and whatever they’re planning goes far beyond simply stealing the antidote. It’s time to act.

I reach for my phone to text Erik our location, but before I can, a twig snaps beneath my foot.

The sound, slight as it is, draws the attention of everyone in the cabin. Mathew’s head whips around, his expression hardening.

“Someone’s here,” he hisses. “Check the perimeter.”

I duck back into the trees as the cabin door swings open and two figures emerge, weapons drawn. There’s no time to wait for Erik now. If I don’t act, they’ll move Maya, and I may never find her again.

Decision made, I let my wolf surge forward, the transformation rippling through me in a wave of pain and release. My clothes tear and my bones reshape, fur sprouting across my skin as I drop to all fours.

The shift complete, I charge toward the cabin, a roar tearing from my throat.

Let them see me coming. Let them know exactly what awaits them.

I am the king of the Human Wolf Kingdom, and they have taken my mate.

There will be no mercy.