Page 54 of Bite for Sore Eyes

Rath. Torren. Her heart clenched as she reached for them, projecting as clearly as she could manage through the drug-induced haze. I need help. Cabin. Dense forest.

The connection felt muted, like shouting through thick glass, but she sensed something—a flicker of recognition, of growing alarm. They were looking for her. They had to be.

Jace stirred beside her, a low groan escaping his lips as he struggled against whatever chemicals were still coursing through his system. His grey eyes opened slowly, unfocused and confused as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.

"Where are we?" he mumbled, his voice thick and slurred.

Lana forced herself to sit up despite the waves of dizziness that threatened to knock her back down. The small room was sparse—two narrow cots, a single window, and rough-hewn wooden walls that spoke of rustic construction rather than the sleek architecture of the security center.

"I don't know exactly," she replied, keeping her voice low. "But it looks like a cabin."

The sound of her voice seemed to sharpen Jace's focus, and he pushed himself upright with visible effort. Then his expression shifted from confusion to grim understanding as the pieces fell into place.

"Oh no," he breathed, running a shaky hand through his disheveled hair. "We're at Vaughn's cabin. He has a place in the northern woods—completely off the grid."

The implications hit Lana like a freight train. Isolated. No surveillance systems. No way for anyone to accidentally stumble across them. The perfect place to make two people disappear without a trace.

"What do you think he wants with us?" she asked, though part of her already suspected the answer.

Jace's jaw tightened, his usually gentle features hardening with anger and betrayal. "I don't know, but I don't think it's just a friendly chat."

The heavy sound of footsteps echoed from somewhere beyond the closed door—multiple sets, moving with purpose. Lana's pulse spiked as she heard muffled voices, too low to make out individual words but carrying an unmistakable edge of menace. Then the door swung open with a harsh creak, and Vaughn stepped through the threshold flanked by two massive bear shifters Lana didn't recognize.

These weren't Varkesh sleuth members—their clothing was rough and practical, and their faces scarred and hardened by violence. Rogues, she realized with growing horror. The same kind that had tried to attack her and Jace earlier.

"Bring them out to the living area," Vaughn commanded, his voice carrying none of the measured professionalism she'd observed at the security center. "It's time for the main event."

Main event?

The phrase sent ice through her veins. She'd fought so hard to believe in a future beyond her illness, and had finally allowed herself to hope for years instead of months with Rath and Torren. The completed triad bond hummed weakly in her chest, a reminder of everything she stood to lose, and she refused to let this territorial bastard steal that future from her.

But as she tried to resist, the rogue bear shifter grabbed her arm with crushing force, his grip tightening painfully when she attempted to pull away. Brute force wouldn't save her here—she needed to be smarter, to buy time until her mates could find them.

The rogue bear shifter hauled her from the cot and dragged her through a narrow hallway into a larger room dominated by a stone fireplace and mismatched furniture. Then he shoved her roughly into a wooden chair, and she bit back a cry of pain as her shoulder connected with the hard back. Across from her, the second rogue bear shifter was forcing Jace into an identical chair, thick rope binding his hands in front of him.

Lana caught Jace's gaze and tried to convey everything she couldn't say aloud—stay calm, work together, don't do anything stupid. His slight nod told her he understood.

"Vaughn," Jace said, his voice steady despite their circumstances. "Why are you doing this? Why don't you just let us go and we can figure something out. We didn't even know it was you—we hadn't even figured it out yet."

Vaughn paced in front of the fireplace, his usually neat appearance disheveled and his intelligent eyes carrying a manic gleam that made Lana's skin crawl. This was a man who had crossed lines he couldn't uncross, and who had convinced himself that any action was justified by his cause.

"But you would have," he replied, his voice carrying the bitter edge of a man who saw enemies everywhere. "You were getting too close, asking too many questions. I couldn't risk the exposure—couldn't risk my plan falling apart when I was so close to success."

"What plan exactly?" Lana asked, keeping her tone as neutral as possible despite the fear clawing at her throat.

Vaughn turned to face her fully, and she saw something broken behind his eyes—the look of a man who'd lost himself so completely that he no longer recognized the monster he'd become.

"Well, since you both won't be alive much longer, I guess knowing my plan won't change the outcome." The casual way he confirmed his intention to kill them made her blood run cold before his eyes fixed right on her with a vengeance. "Lana Morales, you came here and ruined everything. My sabotage plan was working perfectly until you showed up."

He gestured wildly, his composure finally cracking.

"A few more months of escalating problems and the council would have had no choice but to remove the dual Alpha leadership and restore the natural balance that had sustained our territory for generations. And also remove Jace from my coveted role at the security center. I could have had my life back—back to normal before it all fell apart two months ago."

Understanding dawned in Jace's expression, followed by something that looked almost like pity. "This is about your promotion two months ago."

Vaughn scoffed, the sound harsh and bitter. "Promotion? More like a death sentence."

"Rath and Torren promoted you to Director of Systems Engineering because of your dedication and brilliance," Jace protested. "They wanted you in a leadership role because they respected your expertise."