The air around us thickened, choking me as I tried to process what she was telling me. Castro had been one step ahead of us all along.
“Fuck,” I hissed, my anger flaring at the thought of him laying a hand on Sabrina or anyone else from our pack. “We need to find her, and fast.”
Liza’s fingers twisted around themselves nervously. “There’s more,” she said, her eyes downcast. “Castro told me that if I agreed to meet with him, he would let Sabrina go. He’s going to send me a time and a place, but I didn’t tell anyone because I was afraid it was a trap. I was going to figure out how to handle it on my own.”
“Damn it, Liza.” I growled. “You should have told me. You don’t have to face him alone.”
Looking up, she tried to hide the shimmer of tears in her eyes. “I know,” she said, her breath hitching like she was hyperventilating. “I didn’t want to put you or anyone else in danger.”
121
LIZA
Shattering glass had me jolting at the sudden explosion of noise. Ty’s face was a storm of fury as he glared at the broken remnants of the vase he’d hurled against the wall.
“Fuck! You were going to just walk right into Castro’s hands? Sacrifice yourself for everyone?”
I swallowed hard, guilt and fear knotting in my stomach. My plan had been reckless, but with Sabrina’s life hanging in the balance, I hadn’t seen any other way. “I had to do something,”
“Something?” He threw his hands up in exasperation. “Risking your own life is not just ‘something.’” His nostrils flared as he pulled out his phone, his fingers flying over the screen. “Liam,” he nearly snarled into the receiver. “Get your ass back here. Now.” He didn’t wait for a response before slamming the phone onto the table.
I stood, frozen, as Ty paced the room like a caged animal. My lungs wouldn’t take in any more air, and his betrayal and hurt bore down on me.
He was justifiably angry, but I’d had my reasons, damn it.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to put you or anyone else in danger, but I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing while Castro has Sabrina.”
“Nothing?” Ty’s voice was incredulous, his eyes wild as he typed something in on his phone. Probably ratting me out to Liam. “You don’t have to carry this burden alone. You’re the one who got upset when I made decisions without you. You told me we need to be a team, work things out as mates. How is this any different?”
I turned away. He’d never understand.
The tickingof the grandfather clock in the corner of the room grew louder and louder as we waited for Liam to return. Its relentless rhythm was like a hammer pounding against my skull. Ty’s jaw was clenched tight as he paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. I sat on the edge of the sofa, wringing my hands anxiously in my lap.
Ty’s anger rolled off him in waves. It wasn’t only directed at me, but at himself for not realizing sooner what I had been planning. Even though I understood his concern, I held the firm belief that I had been right to try and go to Castro alone. My best friend’s life was hanging in the balance, and I would do anything to save her, even if it meant risking myself.
The front door slammed shut with such force that it made me jump, and I looked up when Liam strode into the room. His face was flushed, his breaths coming in short, sharp pants as though he’d run all the way back to the house. He didn’t say a word, but the fury in his eyes spoke volumes.
“Have you lost your goddamn mind?” Liam’s words boomed through the room, his usually easygoing demeanor now one of deep-seated fury.
Yep. Ty had texted him. Great.
“Putting yourself in that kind of danger? How could you even think about doing something like that?”
“Because Sabrina is in trouble!” I snapped. “Don’t you get it? A complete psychopath is holding her hostage, and I’m supposed to just sit here and do nothing?”
“Look, we’re all worried about Sabrina,” Liam said softly as he tried to reason with me. The struggle was written in the lines of his face. His wolf had to have been going nuts. “You can’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. We need to handle this carefully, strategically. You walking into Castro’s clutches isn’t going to help anyone.”
“Especially not Sabrina,” Ty added, his face pleading with me to see reason.Hisreason.
I forced myself to calm down, even though every fiber of my being screamed to act and do something, anything, to save my best friend. “Fine.” I threw up my hands. “But we need to act fast. I won’t let that monster hurt her any longer than he already has.”
The scent of dread hung thick in the air, threatening to choke me as I paced back and forth in the living room. Every heartbeat was a relentless reminder that Sabrina’s life hung in the balance. Liam and Ty stood nearby, their expressions grim.
“Castro isn’t above murder,” Ty said with disgust. “We know what he did to Cecily just to keep her quiet.”
“Let’s not forget what he sent Liza,” Liam added. “He’s more than capable of hurting people.”
I shuddered. The image of the severed head he had delivered still haunted me in my nightmares. That had been Castro’smessage. He had wanted me to know just how far he was willing to go to get what he wanted.
