Chapter 105

Tyler.

I matched towards him, seizing him by the neck, my fingers digging into his flesh with a vise-like grip.

"Where the fuck did you take my wife?" I seethed as I watched him struggle to breathe, trying to remove my hands from his throat.

"Speak, damn you!" I roared, the words torn from the depths of my soul. "Tell me where she is, or by the gods, I'll tear the truth from your lips!"

"I can't…I can't breathe" he gasped as his struggles became weaker.

"Speak!" I yelled as I pushed him away roughly. My fists clenched at my sides, itching to lash out, to make him pay for whatever role he played in Arya's disappearance. But I forced myself to stay composed, to focus on getting answers instead of giving in to the primal urge to tear him apart.

"Your wife?" Ryan choked, his brow furrowing in confusion as his hands went to his throat. "I don't understand, she's not here?"

I felt a surge of frustration and anger coursing through me, threatening to overwhelm my already frayed patience. How could he stand there and play dumb when Arya's life was on the line? Did he think this was some kind of game?

"Don't play dumb with me, warrior," I growled, taking a step closer until we were mere inches apart. I could feel the heat radiating off his body, could smell the faint tang of fear that lingered in the air. "You were the last one to see her. Now tell me where you took her."

Ryan's gaze flickered away, a bead of sweat forming on his brow despite the chill in the air. He was hiding something, I could sense it.

"I swear, Alpha, I don't know what you're talking about," Ryan's voice wavered, desperation clinging to each syllable like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood. My claws twitched beneath my skin, yearning to rend flesh, to torture until he said what I wanted to hear.

"You don't, huh?" I growled. The scent of fear hung heavy in the air, mixing with the adrenaline I felt. "I'm going to ask politely again, warrior. Make the answer quick this time. Where did you take my wife?"

"Alpha, I really have no…" His voice trailed off as my fist connected with his jaw, the crack of bone drowned out by the thunderous roar of my rage. Blood welled from his split lip, staining the sandy floor with crimson droplets.

I felt a surge of satisfaction at the sight, a primal thrill that sent a shiver down my spine.

But as I stood over Ryan's crumpled form, the urge to unleash my fury upon him grew ever stronger. He was the key to finding Arya, the thread that would unravel the web of lies that surrounded her disappearance. And I would tear him apart, piece by piece, until he told me where he took Arya.

"Enough," I snarled. "You will tell me everything, or I will make you wish for death."

But even as the words left my lips, I knew that I was treading a dangerous path. For in my quest for vengeance, I risked losing myself to the darkness that lurked within me. And once that darkness consumed me, there would be no turning back.

But Arya's face lingered in the shadows of my mind. I'd almost lost her before and I'd be damned if I let that happen now. And if I had to torture or threaten Ryan to find her, then so be it.

"Alpha, please," Ryan whimpered. But there was no mercy to be found in the heart of a wolf.

I turned to Sanders, his expression grim as he met my gaze. "Does he have family?"

Sanders nodded, his jaw set in a grim line. "A wife and a child," he replied.

I turned back to Ryan, my eyes narrowing to slits as I loomed over him. "You have a choice," I said, my voice a low rumble that echoed through the chamber. "You can tell me what I want to know, or they will join you in your death."

He was a fool to think he could outwit me, to believe he could defy me and live to tell the tale. But fools often made the most entertaining prey, their desperation adding spice to the hunt.

"So what's it going to be, traitor?" I seethed as I ran my claws down his face. My claws glinted in the night light, a menacing reminder of the power I held over him. "Your family's life or Arya's location?"

I watched as Ryan's resolve crumbled before me, his mask of defiance slipping away to reveal the fear that lurked beneath.

"Please," he begged. "I'll tell you everything, just... just spare my family."

"Good," I said, a cold smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Now, tell me everything you know about Arya's location."

Ryan's gaze flickered with a mix of relief and trepidation as if he couldn't decide which emotion to embrace. He swallowed hard, glancing around before he finally spoke.

"I took her... to the southern part of the border," he confessed.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, igniting a simmering rage that threatened to consume me. The southern border was a lawless expanse. What business did Ryan have taking Arya there?

"Why?" I demanded. I watched him as his gaze faltered. He had put Arya in danger, and for that, he would pay the price.

"I had a deal…" he began, his voice trailing off as if he couldn't bring himself to speak the words.

"A deal with who?" I pressed. "Speak man!" I said angrily as I grabbed his neck.

"Robert and Alison," he confessed. "To kill you and Arya and take over Crest and Rogue pack."

Robert and Alison. The names sent a shiver down my spine. From what Aya had told me they were ruthless, cunning, and utterly devoid of mercy. If Arya was in their hands, then her fate was far from certain.

I flexed my claws, my anger boiling over as I stared down at Ryan. He had betrayed me, selling Arya's life for a handful of promises.

With a swift motion, I moved closer to him, my eyes burning with a fierce intensity as I met his gaze one final time.

"You've sealed your fate," I said as I raised my hands, my claws glinting in the moonlight.

Ryan's eyes widened in horror, realization dawning on him as I sank my hands through his chest, and into his heart, his blood dripping from my hands as I silenced his pleas with a swift and final blow.

As his lifeless body slumped to the ground, I felt a surge of satisfaction wash over me, tempered by the grim reality of the task ahead.

Arya.

Leaving Ryan's lifeless form behind, I made my way to my car, my mind already racing at the fact that time was not on my side. I was grateful I had taken my fastest car.

I had no time to waste. Arya's life depended on it.

As the engine of my car roared to life, I knew that nothing would stand in my way until she was safe in my arms once again.