Page 54 of Lycan’s Hunt

Chapter 24

• King Soren •

The early morning light is just climbing over the mountains as we drive to Rhett’s packhouse. His main packhouse is twenty minutes from the city which has an open door for the pack. He has another in the city but I doubt he would be stupid enough to take her there. It would be the most obvious choice since that is where he spends the majority of his time. I want to check the docks first; for some reason, my gut tells me he will keep her there, knowing he could get in and out via his ships quickly if needed.

Damian, however, wants to check the main packhouse first since it’s on the way. As he maneuvers the car along the winding roads, I stare out the window. Everything bordering the city is farmland and forest mostly, and I can smell the thick scent of cow manure and the damp forest that climbs the mountains.

Glancing at the GPS, we are only three minutes out but each minute feels like an hour as I worry about Bree. I’m sick with worry and at the same time am seething about all the lies between us. Those lies don’t change my love for her, though. I know we can work through it assuming her love for me wasn’t a lie as well. The road changes to dirt as Damian turns the car up an almost concealed driveway.

“Fresh tracks,” Damian comments and I look ahead, noting the ground torn up, mud everywhere. It looks like multiple cars have recently been down the dirt road leading to the packhouse. I peer over at Damian.

“There is a quarry behind the packhouse where trucks are kept,” I remind him.

Damian shakes his head. “They use the back entrance, and these look fresh.”

“Hopefully that is a good sign and means she is here, then.”

Damian nods, trying to dodge the bigger mud puddles so we don’t get bogged. The road is rougher than usual with tracks run into the mud. Damian veers off slightly, placing two tires on the edge of the grass, which is not as turned up as the dirt driveway.

As we disappear into the canopying trees, he slows, seeing cars lining each side of the narrow road. Leaning forward, I unlatch my seatbelt; the sound of fighting and screaming grows louder when I see Rhett’s men trying to defend the packhouse. The side sheds are on fire, and so are a few cars as a full-scale attack has clearly been launched.

“What the hell?” I murmur, knowing my guard is still an hour out from getting here. Damian pulls the car over and I jump out, catching a whiff of a scent I’m familiar with. Blackwood pack. Alpha Jefferson’s pack is attacking the packhouse, trying to gain entry. I stare over at Damian, who climbs out of the car and also peers over at me.

“How did they get here before us?” Damian questions.

“Don’t know but if they’re here to help, I don’t care.”

Alpha Jefferson’s warriors are severely outnumbered. Which makes me assume these must be his workers from the docks and Aubrey’s mother must have sent them out to search for her daughter.

As we approach Rhett’s packhouse, I take in the vast difference of it. The last time I was here was for his father’s funeral. He’s had some major renovations since which I’m finding odd considering the amount of debt he is in. The once crumbling old mansion now boasts sleek glass windows and a freshly painted exterior that gleams in the sunlight. The gardens, which were previously overgrown and wild, have been meticulously landscaped with neatly trimmed hedges and vibrant flowerbeds lining the path. As we move closer, I notice a modern fountain bubbling gently at the entrance, adding a touch of modern elegance to the rejuvenated estate.

Such lavish improvements are puzzling, given the financial struggles Rhett is rumored to be facing. It’s hard to imagine how he could afford such an extravagant overhaul without some hidden source of income. Does he have a secret side hustle that he’s not reporting to the council, or is there more to his financial situation than meets the eye?

As we draw closer to the fighting, a man breaks away from the chaos, noticing us, and the scent of Jefferson’s Beta and a large group of his warriors hit me like a freight train. What the hell are they doing here?

Damian and I exchange a glance, and Jefferson’s Beta strides up to us, his face grim. Beta Magnus is an imposing figure, towering over most with his broad shoulders and muscular build. His piercing eyes and rugged features suggest a man well-acquainted with fighting for his pack, and his bare chest is smeared with streaks of fresh blood.

“Beta Magnus,” I greet him with a nod. “I wasn’t expecting you. How is Alpha Jefferson faring?”

Magnus shakes his head. “Alive, but barely.”

“You were there when he was attacked at the docks?” I question.

He nods. “Yes. He mindlinked me to get to the docks when Rhett showed up. Thank the Moon Goddess, we made it in time.”

My blood runs cold at his words. “What exactly happened when Rhett arrived?”

“One of the council members was with him. They shot Jefferson multiple times and had him pumped full of wolfsbane. I thought for sure he was dead...” Magnus swallows hard, choking back some emotion; it’s obvious he cares for his Alpha. “If we hadn’t gotten there when we did…well, I don’t want to imagine.”

Rage simmers in my gut, intermingling with shock. I need to look into the council as soon as I get a chance because something is seriously off. I should have known they were involved in this.

“That’s not all,” Magnus continues. “Rhett tried to finish the job at the hospital. His girlfriend slit Jefferson’s throat. He nearly died a second time. That’s when he took Aubrey.”

A vicious snarl rips from my chest. “Your Luna?”

“Banged up, but she is more worried about Aubrey. She sent me here. I managed to get dropped at the docks by the hospital helicopter. We came straight to the packhouse from there.” I nod, turning my attention to the fight. Despite being outnumbered, Rhett’s pack is clearly not as trained because his men fall too easily.

With that, we don’t waste any more time talking. Instead, we storm into Rhett’s packhouse, a furious whirlwind of claws and teeth. The inside of Rhett’s packhouse is a chaotic mess of overturned furniture and shattered glass. The air is thick with the pungent scent of blood and sweat, mingling with the sounds of snarls and cries of pain. Claws slash through the air as we tear through Rhett’s men, leaving trails of crimson across the walls and floors. The once pristine living space now resembles a war zone, with bodies strewn across the ground like discarded puppets. The scent of fear is thick in the air as we tear through room after room, overturning furniture and smashing down doors. But there’s no sign of Rhett. No trace of Aubrey.