Chapter 37
He hauled me up, yanking the rope to lead me upstairs.
I followed, docile as a lamb.
His phone kept ringing-Gideon, Elliot, someone who knew.
They were close, I could feel it.
Upstairs, Martin flicked the hallway switch.
Nothing. He cursed, fumbling with his phone, hanging up on the caller before switching on the flashlight.
I scanned the second floor: a straight hallway, old windows lining both sides.
One pane was shattered; the breeze, the door’s angle-this side faced the bay.
My only shot.
I faked a stumble, lurching toward it.
Martin, assuming I was heading for a room, followed.
From the untying to the climb, I’d been quiet-no moves, no fights, even when he was glued to his phone.
She’ll grovel to live, he thought, smirking.
But as he pushed open a room door, I slipped the rope from my neck, sprinted to the window, heaved it wider, and leaped.
My movements sharp, precise-trained.
Martin’s jaw dropped, watching me vanish.
A splash echoed.
He rushed to the window, staring into darkness. Nothing.
She jumped?
His phone rang again.
After a beat, he answered.
“Elliot? Sorry, driving-phone slid. What? Fire everyone? Gideon can’t do that! I had no clue-this isn’t fair!”
He glared at the water, ruthless.
Elliot hung up.
Martin dialed Camilla, stoking the fire.
“I’ve served this branch for years, and Gideon’s losing it over a secretary? Who is she to him?”
Camilla’s grip tightened on the wheel.
< Chapter 37
“He’s issuing ultimatums without a clue what’s happening,” Martin ranted.
“What if she’s gone? We’re not trackers! He’s acting like a lovesick tyrant-why should we burn with him?”
He knew her history with Gideon, poking the wound.
“Enough,” Camilla snapped. “Meet at the plant.”
“You’re alpha’s pick-call him. Rein Gideon in!”
“Shut up! Stay out of their business. I’ll handle it-you keep quiet!”
She hung up, tossing her phone to the passenger seat, seething.
Martin smirked.
Fuse lit-Camilla would carry the flame.
He glanced at the bay.
“Beauty, you asked for this.”
Gideon arrived at the factory, Adrian right behind.
In the admin building’s meeting room, workers and managers shouted, chaos reigning.
When Gideon stepped in, silence slammed down.
Every eye locked on him.
Those in his path scrambled aside.
The factory wolves hadn’t met the new pack leader, but his presence alone cowed them.
Gideon’s face was set as he took the head of the table.
“Found her?”
His gaze swept the room.
No one spoke.
As factory alpha, Walter had to answer.
All eyes turned to him.
Gideon’s sharp, slanted eyes pinned Walter, whose heart raced-fear?
Awe at Gideon’s striking looks? He couldn’t tell.
“Alpha Gideon, we… we haven’t.”
“Factory manager?”
“Y-yes.”
“You were with her today. You should know her every step.” Gideon’s voice calm, but cutting.
< Chapter 37
Walter’s pulse spiked, eyes darting, but he forced out,
“I greeted her, saw her off at the gate. After that… I don’t know.”
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“You don’t know?” Gideon leaned forward, frame towering, fingers pressing the table, eyes sharp as a blade.
“What if I prove you’re lying?”
Walter’s dark skin paled.
“No-I’m not lying! I swear I don’t know where she is!”
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<Chapter 37
“Where’s my mate? What did you do?”
“Who-let go!”
Walter gasped, choking.
CRASH!
Adrian slammed his head into the table-sound like bone splitting.
The room froze.
Some moved to intervene, but Gideon’s icy stare stopped them.
Message clear: he was letting this play out.
No one dared step in.
Adrian yanked Walter’s hair, pulling his head back, face twisted with murder.
“Talk. Where is she?”
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IVICHO
“I-” Walter, blood streaming from nose and cheek, started to deny, but Adrian’s glare silenced him.
“Want to die? I’ll oblige.”
He lifted Walter higher, ready to smash again.
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk!”
Walter screamed, breaking.
“Enough!”
Adrian held him an inch from the table.
“Last chance.”
Walter wasn’t the only one shaking-his accomplices’ hearts hammered.
Stop him, they wanted. But Gideon’s stare rooted them.
One move, and they’d all fall.
But if Walter talked, they’d burn together.
“Vivian, she’s-she’s-”
“What’s happening here?”
A sharp voice cut through, halting him.
Martin arrived, Camilla behind.
Their cars had pulled in one after the other.
Gideon turned, eyes glinting with cold fury-as if to say, I run this.
Who are you to interrupt?
Martin touched his nose, shrinking behind Camilla.
Adrian’s rage, interrupted, flared hot enough to incinerate the room.
He pointed at Martin, barking to his crew,
“Drag him out. Break him.”
Martin’s eyes widened.
As burly wolves closed in, he bolted.
They gave chase.
Camilla gaped.
Who is this wolf?
She looked to Gideon, but Elliot answered, hesitant.
“That’s Vivian’s…”
He paused, mindful of their unbroken bond, “…mate.”
Mate?
Vivian’s bound?
Camilla’s shock mixed with the emotions she’d bottled up all day, leaving her disoriented.
Martin, scrambling around the office, was caught.
As Alpha Adrian’s crew dragged him out, another group burst in-local roughnecks, it seemed.
Spotting Walter pinned down, their leader yelled, “Uncle!” and charged to his rescue.
Several rushed Alpha Adrian, forcing him to let go.
His bodyguards dropped Martin to protect their boss.
In the chaos, Walter was whisked out of the room.
Elliot glanced at Alpha Gideon, silently asking: Call in our wolves?
Alpha Gideon gave a subtle nod.
Elliot sent a quick message from his phone.
Alpha Adrian, done with the punks, saw the key players had fled and took off after them with his crew.
The beaten-up roughnecks scrambled up and ran too.
The meeting room’ fell quiet.
“Ow, my back! Who are these wolves? No respect for order-can’t we just talk?” Martin groaned, rubbing his
< Chapter 37
waist, grumbling.
Someone helped him up; another pulled out a chair.
He sat naturally.
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Alpha Gideon didn’t react, just stood there, hands in pockets, watching with an amused glint, his lips curling slightly.
Martin squirmed under the gaze, feeling flayed alive.
He stood awkwardly. “Alpha Gideon, you sit, please.”
“Martin Keane, quite the presence,” Alpha Gideon said lightly, his tone deceptively calm. His fingers tapped the table sharply.
“Maybe this branch shouldn’t be Hartley’s anymore-let’s call it Keane’s.”
The tap hit Martin like a nail to the heart.
His legs wobbled.
Alpha Gideon sat slowly, his voice cutting.
“Where’s Vivian? Where’d you tell Walter to take her?”
Martin’s legs shook harder, but he sucked in a breath, forcing a stern face. “Alpha Gideon, this has nothing to do with me. You can’t just accuse me!”
