Chapter 0152

My veins turn to ice at the sound of her name.

He’s targeting her again.

“Alexander is already heading there with Theodore. But you know the layout better than we do.”

“Alpha Athena?” I whisper.

I’m torn.

Stay and protect her?

Or go to protect my mate?

This could all be a diversion.

A trick to pull us away from what my brother truly wants.

“I’ll handle Athena. Go.” Sebastian insists.

“If anything shows up here, link Alexander. I’ll be with him.” I snap.

I bolt down the stairs and out the door.

The hospital isn’t far.

But it’s far enough.

He could have already hurt her.

Alexander and Theodore are searching when I arrive.

“She’s gone.” Alexander growls. “Whatever he did, she’s unconscious. I can’t reach her through the link.”

“We’ve turned the whole place upside down. Nothing.” Theodore reports. “Not a strand of hair. No blood. Even Isabella’s scent just… vanishes.”

“I can smell him.” I mutter.

I move around the small desk in the center of the room.

The air hits me.

Strawberries.

Mixed with pure, sharp fear.

She was here.

Hiding beneath this desk.

“How long?” I ask.

“For what?” Alexander snarls.

“Between her linking you and you getting here. How long?”

“A couple of minutes. I came straight here. Why?”

Did she know he was inside?

Is that why she hid?

I circle the desk.

He stood right here.

Probably taunting her.

“He didn’t take her out the front. Too risky.” I tell them.

“The back door’s been locked since the last Lycan incident.” Theodore says. “It leads straight into the woods. No other way in or out.”

“There’s always a way.”

“I’ll link my men. We’ll sweep the forest.” Alexander offers.

“No.” I command.

“She’s my sister.”

“If you want her breathing, don’t send anyone else. He’s luring me out. More men, and he’ll kill her. Then everyone else. They play with their food. But too many options? They just slaughter everything. You said it yourself, Alexander. You can’t scent him.”

I move through the halls.

I find the back door quickly.

Just as Theodore said.

No signs of forced entry.

A curtain near a closed window flutters.

Then I see them.

Claw marks around the edges.

A small gap where the window was poorly refitted.

Letting in a draft.

He removed the entire window.

Slipped inside unseen.

Left the same way.

“He dragged her through the window.” I tell them.

“She would have fought him.” Alexander glares. “She’s a good fighter.”

“You said it. She’s out cold. Can’t fight if you’re unconscious.”

I slam my shoulder into the back door.

It takes two hits.

The door splinters off its hinges.

I rip off my shirt.

My body cracks, preparing to shift.

It’s been too long.

“We’re coming too.” Alexander says, tearing his own shirt off. “This is my pack. He has my sister. You don’t get to order me around!” His crimson eyes narrow at me.

I remove my belt and boots.

I just stare.

He won’t like this.

I thought I could keep the secret longer.

“You can’t track them. I can.” I shift fully into my Lycan form.

My muscles stretch and groan.

I drop to all fours.

I run my snout along the ground.

I suck in his scent.

I catch a trace of Isabella.

Faint.

But enough.

I can find her.

“We can help! Just lead the way!” Alexander insists. “You can’t do this alone. That’s not how we operate!”

I growl at him, low and deep.

“I can. Because I was once like him.”