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She slid her phone toward me. “Give me your number. I’ll contact you in a couple of minutes to let you know if it’s possible.”
Without hesitation, I programmed my number into her phone and slid it back to her.
She picked it up and stood. “I’ll see you around, Brielle.”
When Andy left, I returned to my mates and reclaimed my seat.
“Well?” Ezra asked.
“She knows where Blythe is. I’m sure of it. She got my number and told me she’ll contact me in a few minutes to let me know if we can meet.”
Valor frowned. I didn’t like how Andy had phrased things either, but what could we do? The ball was in her court. Without her, how would we find Blythe?
“Could be a trap,” Valor muttered.
“It could,” I admitted.
“You still want to do it, don’t you?”
I held his stare. “I do.”
“Then we’ll make a plan,” Ezra said.
“Okay,” I whispered, relieved. “But first, I need to go to the bathroom.”
I pushed away from the table and followed the signs on the wall. While taking care of business, I steadied my nerves. It had been so long since I’d seen Blythe. Would she remember me? Had they been good to her? Or had she experienced her own version of hell?
Would she be the same girl I’d spent my life trying to find?
I stepped out of the stall and washed my hands, imagining the water rinsing my worries down the drain. A shadow to my left caught my eye, and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I spun on my heel, but a thick arm banded around me, intercepting the movement. My back collided with a hard chest. My hands flew up on instinct, but he was already pressing a cloth to my nose and mouth.
“Relax, dove. I won’t hurt you,” the male murmured.
My struggles weakened and then stopped as the world faded into darkness.
Chapter 26
Ezra
As the minutes ticked by, unease slid down the bond. Korren and Valor shot glances at the small hallway to the bathrooms. Brielle had excused herself more than fifteen minutes ago, and what should have been a quick break had turned into an agonizing wait.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. I reached for the bond, and Brielle’s line was too calm. It was as if she were sleeping. Anxiety gnawed at my gut, and after what felt like an eternity, I decided to check on Brielle.
“Watch the doors,” I told Valor and Korren.
They nodded. Korren stayed at the table, and Valor made his way to the front door, comms unit in hand as he feigned a call.
A faint scent lingered in the air as I approached the bathroom door. The chemical tang sent shivers down my spine, and my wolf rose to the border of my skin, pawing at me in frustration. Without a second thought, I burst into the bathroom.
The door slammed against the wall, the ensuing thud echoing through the small space. There should have been a scream or yelp—any indication someone was in the room—but it remained silent.
Brielle was gone.
“Brielle,” I called, grimacing at the useless instinct to verify what I knew to be true.
I searched each stall and swept my eyes over the space. The small window appeared undisturbed. I turned to the sinks and found the center basin damp, with water droplets coating the edges of the porcelain bowl. I crouched and searched for clues.
The smell grew stronger. My eyes landed on a crumpled white cloth, and my heart almost cracked my ribs as I pinpointed the odor of chloroform. Panic surged through my veins, fear and anger mingling in a toxic cocktail.
