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W e all rush out of the house as soon as Silas leaves the Manor. Watching as he breaks down the door to OCK.

“Should we go after him?” Sable asks.

“Nah, Omega Chi is fucking crazy. I’m going to get my keys,” Levi says, only to return a few minutes later with a gun for both of us and keys. I tuck the gun into my waistband.

“Do I get a gun?” Sable asks.

“No,” Levi and I both say in unison. The three of us pile into my SUV with Levi behind the wheel.

Silas barrels out of the OCK house a few moments later, his jacket ruffled, his face pale. He bangs on Levi’s window and opens the driver’s door.

“I’m driving,” Levi says

“Like hell you are,” Silas snaps, slamming his palm against the door again. “You can’t get to where he is in time.”

“Don’t test me right now, Silas,” Levi says through gritted teeth. “You want to sit there and give directions? Fine. But I’m the one getting us to Kai.”

“Guys, seriously?—”

“Shut up, Dayton,” Silas and Levi say in unison, not even looking back.

Sable, climbing over the center console, looks at the both of them. “Both of you, shut the hell up,” she snaps. “Levi, drive. Silas, you focus on getting us there. We don’t have time for this.”

Silas opens his mouth like he’s about to argue, but Sable shoots him a glare so fierce it could peel paint. He slams his mouth shut, muttering something under his breath as he stalks around the car and drops heavily into the passenger seat.

Levi’s hands are locked on the wheel, his jaw tight as he guns the engine. The car lurches forward, tires screeching against the pavement as he tears down the road like a bat out of hell. His face is set, a storm of rage and terror swirling behind his eyes. He weaves through traffic, barely missing a car as it honks and swerves out of the way.

Silas leans forward, phone clutched tightly in his hand as he barks out directions. “Left, here! Faster, Levi, we don’t have time!”

Every time I close my eyes, I see Kai tied to that chair, blood running down his face. His head hanging low, his eyes distant and hollow, like he’s already halfway gone.

“We’ll make it. We have to make it,” I whisper under my breath, the words tumbling out in a shaky prayer. My lips barely move, but it’s the only thing keeping me from unraveling completely.

“Dayton.”

I flinch and turn toward her. Her eyes meet mine, wide and glassy with unshed tears. There’s panic there but also a quiet strength, like she’s fighting to keep herself steady for us. For Kai.

She doesn’t say anything else. She just reaches over and grips my hand, her fingers trembling slightly. I squeeze back, clinging to her touch like it’s a lifeline.

For a moment, we just sit in the unbearable quiet, the hum of the engine and the distant wail of sirens filling the void. Then?—

“Fuck!” Silas’s sudden outburst makes me jump, his fist slamming against the dashboard.

“What now?” Levi asks, his head whipping toward him.

“The feed cut out,” Silas spits, his thumb jabbing at the phone. “It’s gone. One second it was there, and now it’s just—nothing.”

Levi curses under his breath.

“They’re probably switching servers or some shit to hide their location. Just keep driving, I’ll get it back.”

The seconds stretch out, agonizing and heavy. My heart slams against my ribs as I stare at Silas, willing the feed to come back.

Then, the phone buzzes violently in his hand, and the video blinks back to life.

The image on the screen freezes all the air in my lungs.

Kai. Still tied to the chair, his head barely lifted. The masked man looms over him, holding a knife. The blade glints in the dim light, and my blood turns to ice.

“No, no, no,” I whisper, my voice cracking as my entire body seizes up.

The masked man doesn’t hesitate. He plunges the knife into Kai’s abdomen.

“Kai!” I scream, the sound ripping from my throat like it’s been torn out. It’s raw and broken, filled with every ounce of terror and pain clawing at my insides.

Sable gasps beside me, her hand flying to her mouth. Her entire body shakes violently as she watches, frozen in place. Tears spill down her cheeks, silent and unstoppable. “No… please, no...” she whispers, her voice shattered.

Levi’s eyes flicker between the road and the screen, wild with rage and panic.

“Shit!” he roars, slamming his foot down on the accelerator. The car surges forward, weaving dangerously through traffic. Horns blare around us, and I barely notice the blur of lights and shapes outside. All I can see is Kai.

“We’re not losing him,” Levi growls, his voice shaking with fury. “We’re not fucking losing him!”

My chest heaves as I fight to keep breathing, but it’s no use. My mind is spinning, spiraling into the worst possibilities.

He’s going to die.

We’re too late.

I wasn’t there for him, and now he’s going to die.

“He’s... he’s not dead,” Silas mutters, his voice a rough, desperate whisper. His eyes stay locked on the phone, like if he looks away for even a second, Kai will slip away completely. “He’s not dead. He’s not dead.”

He keeps repeating it like a mantra, but I can see the fear in his eyes.

“Dayton, breathe,” Sable says. She squeezes my hand again, hard enough to pull me back from the brink. “We’re going to save him.”

Levi swerves hard around a corner, the tires screeching beneath us. The warehouse comes into view, a hulking shadow against the night sky.

“We’re almost there,” Levi says, his voice barely a growl now. “Hold on, Kai. Just hold on.”