90

90

Jaxon had dreamt all night—soft, golden dreams of her. Of them together. Laughing as they walked hand in hand. Going places. Sharing meals. Existing in a world that didn’t demand sacrifice. His lips curved into a gentle smile as he slept, unaware of the silence creeping into his room.

But as the sun crept over the window blinds and poured pale light onto the bed, Jaxon stirred. Still smiling faintly, he reached out with a lazy arm, brushing his hand across the sheets beside him.

Nothing.

His brows furrowed slightly. He moved his hand again, patting around the bed. Cold. Empty.

“Elena?” he mumbled, blinking into consciousness. His voice cracked with sleep as his eyes slowly opened. The bed was made on her side, as if she had never even been there. He sat up, confusion drawing lines across his forehead. “Elena?” he called again, louder this time.

Silence.

He rubbed his temples, heartbeat increasing. “She said she’d stay,” he muttered to himself. “She promised she’d stay with me today. We were supposed to go out… get noodles for breakfast.”

Still trying to convince himself it was nothing serious, he slipped out of bed, ignoring the dull ache from the stitches on his side. He winced as pain tightened across his ribcage but kept moving.

Downstairs, her room was open. Empty. Her clothes were gone.

The chill that ran down his spine this time wasn’t from the pain—it was fear.

“Elena?” His voice cracked, breaking through the quiet like shattering glass. He stepped inside and looked around. Her toothbrush. Her shoes. Her coat.

Gone.

“No, no, no…” Jaxon whispered. “Where did she go?” He stumbled backward and ran a shaky hand through his hair. “She would have said something. She doesn’t go out on Saturdays. She hates Saturdays. We planned breakfast together—”

⸻

Miles away, Elena stepped down from the taxi, dragging her small travel bag behind her. The sky was overcast, a dull grey that mirrored her mood.

Her steps were slow, heavy. Each pull of the suitcase behind her felt like it was dragging her heart along with it.

She stared ahead at the cracked road leading toward Elizabeth’s house.

“I’ll go back there,” she whispered to herself, voice barely audible. “Maybe from there… I’ll look for a place. A house. I won’t stay with them anymore.”

Her throat tightened as her mind flooded with images of Jaxon, Rick, and Jack.

“I’m doing this for you,” she whispered. “All of you. You don’t know what’s coming… I’ll end up hurting you all if I stay.”

The words barely left her lips when she heard it—the screeching of tires.

She turned sharply.

A black car swerved to a stop behind her, kicking dust into the air. Before she could move, a blur of motion darted from the car.

Elena barely caught a glimpse of black clothing, a hood—then cold fingers clamped something over her nose.

Her scream caught in her throat. Panic surged.

She struggled, her eyes wide with fear, but the chemical soaked cloth already did its job. Her vision blurred. The last thing she saw was the pavement rushing toward her as her legs gave out. She dropped her phone. Her bag tumbled onto the road.

Then darkness.

⸻

Back at the house, Jaxon stumbled into the living room, breathing hard. He spotted Jack on the couch, stuffing his face with eggs and toast.

“Give me your phone!” Jaxon barked.

Jack blinked, mid-bite. “What the hell?”

“Give me your phone!” Jaxon’s voice cracked. Panic was in his eyes, in the way his hands trembled.

Jack frowned. “Are you insane? You shouldn’t be out of bed. You still have stitches, bro.”

“Jack, I’m not joking. Elena is gone. Her clothes, her stuff—they’re all gone. I need to find her.”

Jack dropped his plate. “Wait, what?”

At that moment, Rick entered the room, a drink in his hand.

“What’s going on?” Rick asked, narrowing his eyes at Jaxon.

“Elena’s missing,” Jack said. “Apparently she just disappeared.”

Rick’s expression hardened. “You’re not well enough to go searching, Jaxon. Let Jack and I handle it.”

“I’m not staying back!” Jaxon snapped. “Give me your phone, Jack!”

They started arguing, voices rising, hands flailing.

Then Jaxon’s own phone rang.

Everything went still.

He picked it up slowly. “Hello?”

A voice answered, deep and familiar, soaked in venom.

“Well, well, Jaxon. It’s been a while. How’s your wound?”

Jaxon froze. His eyes widened. Jack and Rick both fell silent as they watched his face turn pale.

“You…” Jaxon growled, fists shaking. “Who the hell are you? What do you want? Are you not satisfied after stabbing me? Why do you keep coming after us?!”

“Oh, don’t be so emotional,” the voice sneered. “Looking for someone? Elena, perhaps?”

Jaxon’s knees buckled slightly. His throat closed up.

“She’s… with you?”

“Oh yes. She’s right here. Sleeping, you could say.”

“What are you doing to her?!”

But the line clicked dead.

⸻

Elena groaned as her senses returned. Her head pounded with every heartbeat. When she tried to move, pain shot through her wrists and ankles.

Chains.

Thick metal chains coiled around her limbs, pinning her to a wooden pole. Her face was damp with blood, trickling down from her hairline. She blinked hard, trying to focus.

The room was cold, stone walls, dark shadows. And in front of her, sitting casually on a wooden chair—

Him.

The man in the hood. Rock.

“You’re up,” he said smoothly, smirking. “Thought you’d be dead, honestly. But damn—you’re stronger than I gave you credit for.”

“What is this?” Elena croaked. “What do you want from me? Haven’t you done enough?!”

Her voice cracked as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Her whole body throbbed.

Rock stood up and took a few steps closer, pulling back his hood to reveal his sharp features and piercing eyes. His smile was cold.

“Let’s drop the act, shall we?” he said. “No more ‘Andrea.’ No more pretending. You and I both know who you are.”

“I don’t care,” she whispered, barely lifting her head. “I’m not doing your dirty work. I’m not killing him. I don’t care what you say.”

Rock’s eyes darkened. He knelt in front of her, grabbing her chin roughly. “You should’ve just done your job. Kill the Alpha. That was all we asked. Simple, clean. But you chose this mess. Now you’re suffering. And soon, they’ll suffer too.”

“I won’t let you hurt them,” she spat. “Jaxon didn’t do anything wrong!”

Rock’s face twitched. Something cruel flared in his eyes.

“You think this is about right or wrong? I was supposed to lead. But your father—your indecisive, arrogant father—took everything from me. Now I’ll take everything from you.”

Elena pulled at the chains with all the strength she had left, but her powers were dampened—wolfbane.

Rock chuckled. “Don’t bother. Those chains are dipped in wolfbane. You’re not going anywhere.”

She trembled, tears stinging her bloodied cheeks. “Please… don’t hurt him.”

“Oh, I won’t. Not yet.” Rock smirked, backing away. “You’re going to watch first. And then maybe I’ll let you die.”

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside the door.

Elena’s heart stopped.

“No,” she whispered. “No, no, no…”

The door creaked open.

Jaxon stepped in, chest heaving, blood pumping violently in his ears. The moment his eyes landed on Elena chained and bloody, everything inside him snapped.

“ELENA!”

“Jaxon, GO BACK!” she screamed. “Please! It’s a trap!”

Rock turned to face him with a devilish grin, his eyes flashing in satisfaction.

“Perfect timing.”

Jaxon’s hands clenched into fists.

“Let her go,” he growled.

But Rock only laughed.

“Why would I do that? You came just like she wanted. Just like I planned.”

Elena screamed again. “Please, Jaxon, he’s only after you! Don’t come closer!”

Rock stepped forward.

And smiled devilishly.