Dad, Isaiah, and I gathered beside Nico to examine the blueprint and aerial map. Thick woods surrounded the property, and a winding road led up to a secluded house. It looked like the perfect place for Liam to hide Liza.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” I said, my wolf howling in anticipation of finding our mate. “Isaiah, you and I will approach the property from the east. We’ll move through the trees, staying hidden as much as possible. We don’t want to alert anyone inside that we’re coming.”
Isaiah nodded.
“Meanwhile, Nico and a couple of guards will circle around to the west side. You’ll be our backup, ready to step in if things go south.”
Nico nodded silently, his face betraying no emotion.
“Once Isaiah and I reach the house, we’ll scout the area and look for any signs of movement or activity. If we spot Liza, we move in quickly and quietly, and we get her out of there.”
“Are we sure this is the right place?” my dad asked. “What if she’s not there?”
“Then we’ll move on to the next property.” I tried to sound confident, even though uncertainty gnawed at my insides.
A heavy weight settled on my heart as I stared down at the blueprint, working out the worst-case scenarios in my mind. My wolf paced restlessly within me, equally anxious to find Liza and bring her back to safety. Ordinarily, I would send a team of wolves to scout out a location like this, but this was different. This was my mate we were talking about.
“Are you sure you want to go by yourself?” Dad asked. “We can have a team ready to go in minutes.”
I shook my head, my resolve unwavering. “This is Liza, Dad. If she’s in danger, I need to be the one who saves her.”
He pressed his lips into a thin line. “At least let me come with you.”
“No.” My firm tone had him meeting my gaze. “I need you here. If anything goes wrong, I trust you to make the right decisions for the pack.”
His expression softened slightly. “Just be careful, son.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. “I will. I promise.”
Isaiah, Nico, I, and a small contingent of wolves set off toward the property under the cover of darkness. As we approached, a sense of foreboding crept over me, the shadows closing in tighter around us with each passing moment.
“Stay sharp,” I told the others. “We don’t know what we’re walking into.”
The moonlight cast a ghostly glow over the secluded house and eerie shadows on the ground that danced in time with the wind rustling through the trees. I crouched behind a thick bush, scanning the area for any movement. The silence was nearly suffocating, broken only by our own breathing.
I turned to Isaiah and Nico. “Anything?”
“Nothing yet.” Isaiah held up binoculars, his attention never leaving the house. “But we’ve got to be careful. This place is giving me the creeps.”
Nico nodded in agreement, his usual bravado replaced with a tense seriousness.
We moved cautiously, each of us taking up our agreed positions around the perimeter of the house. My wolf urged me to charge in and tear apart anyone who dared to harm Liza, but I knew better than to give in to those primal instincts. We needed to be strategic if we were going to rescue her.
As I peered through the foliage, trying to catch a glimpse of anything that might indicate Liza’s presence, frustration washed over me. Why did Liam have to drag her into this? She didn’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire of our twisted pasts.
“Ty,” Nico called softly over the radio from his position on the other side of the house. “I think there might be someone inside. There’s a shadow moving near the window.”
My gaze snapped to the indicated spot. A flicker of movement caught my attention, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
“Is it her?” he asked after a moment.
I nodded. “Has to be.” Even as I spoke, a nagging doubt began to gnaw at the back of my mind. If itwasLiza, why didn’t I feel the magnetic pull of our mating bond?
“Wait.” I trusted my gut, and it was telling me something was off. “Something’s wrong. Look closer.”
As the seconds ticked by, I studied the woman in the window. She moved slightly, raising her hand to brush a lock of hair from her face—an action so distinctly Liza-like that I nearly rushed in. Still, the absence of our connection plagued me, refusing to be ignored.
“Ty,” Nico murmured. “It’s not her.”
