Chapter 35 HOLD ON
“And call Kane. I want the pack on it now.”
Marcus nodded and dialed. “On it.”
Meanwhile. Shipping yard. Jersey City.
The Jersey City warehouse smelled like salt, rust, and old oil.
Alex hit the door at a run. It gave with a screech.
Empty.
Concrete floors. One hanging bulb swinging. Chains on the floor where they’d tied her.
“Mia,” Alex said. The name came out rough.
Marcus was behind him, scanning the room with his phone.
“Signal’s gone,” Marcus said. “They must’ve dumped the burner. Last ping was 10:02 AM. They left three minutes before we breached.”
Pakhan eyes were closed for half a second .
Too late.
“They’re gone,” Alex said.
Marcus swallowed. “Kane’s team is staging at the perimeter, but—”
“No,” Alex said.
Marcus stopped.
“No pack,” Alex said. “Not yet.”
Marcus frowned. “Alpha, if we wait—”
“I’m not Alpha,” Alex said. “Not until Mia goes to the Council and says it out loud. Until then, I’m just a rogue with a title and no authority to call a hunt.”
Marcus looked like he wanted to argue.
Alex cut him off. “If I move the pack now, Ivan gets what he wants. He’ll claim I violated exile terms. He’ll turn the Council against me before Mia ever gets a word in.”
Marcus nodded. Slow. “So it’s just us.”
Alex walked to the middle of the room. Kicked at a loose zip tie.
“It’s just us,” Alex said.
Outside. 10:18 AM
The alley behind the warehouse stank of fish and diesel.
Alex stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the river.
Marcus came out with a coffee in each hand. Handed one to Alex.
“You drink it black,” Marcus said. “Figured you needed it.”
Alex took it. Didn’t drink.
“How did they move her that fast?” Marcus asked.
“Pre-planned,” Alex said. “Ivan knew we’d trace the van. He only needed ten minutes.”
Marcus leaned against the wall. “Where do you think they took her?”
“Somewhere I can’t touch without starting a war,” Alex said.
Marcus went quiet.
Alex finally drank the coffee. It tasted like ash.
“My phone buzzed,” Marcus said. “Ivan’s people. One text. No number.”
Alex held out his hand.
Marcus passed him the phone.
The text was one line:
She’s safe. For now. Tell the Council you don’t want her back, and she goes home unharmed.
Alex deleted it.
“Get me the traffic cams on Pier 7,” Alex said. “All of them. From 9:45 to 10:05.”
Marcus nodded. “Already pulling.”
Alex looked back at the water.
“If Ivan thinks I’ll give her up to keep the peace, he doesn’t know me,” Alex said.
Marcus didn’t answer.
Because he knew what Alex wasn’t saying.
If Ivan hurt her, there wouldn’t be a Council left to answer to.
Back at the diner. 11:02 AM
The place was running without them. Marcus had left a note for the morning crew.
Alex sat in the back office, staring at the traffic cam footage on loop.
A black van. No plates. Backed into the loading dock at 9:58. Out at 10:01.
No face. No plate. Nothing usable.
Marcus sat across from him.
“We can’t keep watching footage,” Marcus said. “We need a play.”
Alex didn’t look up.
“Ivan wants me to make it public,” Alex said. “He wants me to go to the Council and say I’m done. That I’m relinquishing claim.”
Marcus frowned. “And if you don’t?”
“Then Mia pays for it,” Alex said.
Marcus leaned forward. “Then we don’t let it get to that.”
Alex finally looked up.
“What do you suggest?” Alex asked.
Marcus hesitated.
“We go off-book,” Marcus said. “Human channels. No pack. No Council. We find her like she’s any other missing person.”
Alex studied him.
“You’re a waiter, Marcus,” Alex said.
“I was pre-law before I needed a job that paid cash,” Marcus said. “I know how to dig. And I know how to stay off the radar.”
Alex sat back.
“If we get caught, Ivan will use it,” Alex said.
“If we don’t move, Ivan wins,” Marcus said.
Alex was quiet for a long time.
Then he nodded.
“Start with the van,” Alex said. “Find where it was registered. Find who paid cash for it. Find everything.”
Marcus stood up.
“I’ll need access to your burner funds,” Marcus said.
Alex tossed him a keycard.
“Don’t get cute,” Alex said.
Marcus caught it. “Never.”
\---
Ivan’s location. Unknown. 11:45 AM
Ivan watched the live feed on his tablet.
Mia was on the floor of a bare room. Hands bound before her. Eyes open. Not crying. Not begging.
Good.
He didn’t want her broken yet.
A knock at the door.
One of his men entered.
“They checked the Jersey warehouse,” the man said. “Alex and the human. Alone. No pack.”
Ivan smiled.
“Good,” Ivan said. “He’s learning.”
The man hesitated. “Sir, if he doesn’t give her up, what’s the next step?”
Ivan got up and walked to the window.
The city was below him.
“Next step,” Ivan said, “is to make sure she never wants to go back to him.”
The man frowned. “How?”
Ivan didn’t turn around.
“By showing her what he’s willing to do to keep her,” Ivan said. “And by making sure she sees it was never about her.”
The man nodded and left.
Ivan looked back at the feed.
Mia looked up, like she felt him watching.
Ivan muted the sound.
He didn’t need to hear her yet.
He would.
Soon.
Diner. 1:03 PM
Alex stood by the window, watching 42nd Street move without him.
Marcus came back in, phone in hand.
“Found something,” Marcus said.
Alex turned.
“The van was bought three weeks ago,” Marcus said. “Cash. From a dealership in Queens. Owner of record is a shell company. Subsidiary of Mercer Holdings.”
Alex went still.
“My company,” Alex said.
Marcus nodded. “Ivan’s been inside your books for months. He used one of your shells to buy the van.”
Alex shut his eyes.
“Smart,” Alex said. “If I go to the cops, it looks like I kidnapped her myself.”
Marcus set the phone down.
“So we don’t go to the cops,” Marcus said.
Alex picked up the phone. Looked at the address on the screen.
“Where’s the shell company registered?” Alex asked.
Marcus answered.
Alex committed it to memory.
“Book me a car,” he said. We are going to Queens.”
Marcus nodded and moved.
Alex looked out at the street one more time.
“I’m coming, Mia,” Alex breathed. "Just hold on for me and don't try anything stupid."
Alex is officially off the board as Alpha for now, so no pack. It’s just him and Marcus, human channels only.