Chapter 66 Sixty six

Chapter 66 Sixty six

Howard.

The realization that Nora had been kidnapped by one of the Alphas my father considered a close friend left me stunned, but the shock lasted only a moment before it gave way to something far more unbearable which was fear.

It settled into my bones with a coldness I had never experienced before.

Nora was somewhere inside Void territory, surrounded by people who wanted to hurt me through her. And she was pregnant with my child.

Our child.

I closed my eyes for a brief second, but that only made the images in my head worse. Nora’s face. Her smile. The way she looked at me when she thought I was finally beginning to love her. The way she had trusted me despite every reason I had given her not to.

And now she was alone.

Because of me.

I had spent months convincing myself that keeping my distance from Nora was the safest thing I could do. I had convinced myself that love was dangerous, that attachment was weakness, and that if I never allowed myself to truly love her, I could never become the man my father had been to my mother.

I had been wrong.

So horribly wrong.

My fists tightened at my sides.

I could still remember the first time Nora had looked at me with genuine affection, and how deliberately I had crushed that hope. I had watched her fall in love with me while pretending I couldn’t see it. I had pushed her away whenever she came too close, then became jealous whenever someone else gave her the attention I had denied her.

I had wanted her to stay without ever giving her a reason to stay.

And now that she was gone, the truth I had spent so long running from was impossible to deny.

I loved her.

Not because she was my mate.

Not because she carried my child.

Not because she belonged to my pack.

I loved Nora because she was Nora.

Because somewhere along the way, her presence had become intertwined with every part of my life. She had walked into the coldest parts of me and somehow made them warm. She had challenged me, irritated me, frustrated me, and made me laugh when I didn’t want to.

She had given me something I had convinced myself I could live without.

A home.

And now someone had taken her from me.

“Howard.” Alex’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I opened my eyes and found him standing several feet away, watching me carefully. His expression was serious, his usual humor completely absent.

“Everything is set.”

I looked toward him but said nothing.

He took another step closer. “The warriors are ready. We’ve gathered everyone you requested.”

I nodded slowly.

More than fifty of Direwood’s strongest warriors stood outside, armed and prepared for whatever waited for us beyond our borders. Their presence should have reassured me. These were wolves who had fought beside me, wolves who had followed my orders through battles and bloodshed without hesitation.

But tonight, their strength did little to quiet the storm inside me.

“What if we’re too late?”

The question escaped before I could stop it.

Alex’s expression softened.

“We won’t be.”

“You don’t know that.”

“No,” he admitted. “I don’t. But neither do you.”

I looked away.

He was right.

And somehow, that made everything worse.

“I don’t even know what state she’s in,” I muttered. “She’s pregnant, Alex.”

“I know.”

“What if they hurt her?”

“We’ll get her out.”

“What if—”

“Howard.”

His voice was firmer this time.

I turned toward him.

“You need to stop thinking about every possible way this can go wrong. You’re the Alpha. They need you focused.”

I almost laughed.

The Alpha.

For years, I had taken pride in that title. It had meant strength, authority, control. Tonight, it felt almost meaningless.

What good was being Alpha if I couldn’t protect the woman I loved?

What good was all my power if Nora was suffering somewhere beyond my reach?

I dragged a hand over my face.

“Do you think she’ll forgive me?”

Alex sighed.

“I think you’re asking the wrong question.”

I frowned.

“What should I be asking?”

“Whether you’ll deserve her forgiveness.”

His words struck harder than I expected.

I stared at him.

He didn’t look away.

“Because apologies won’t be enough this time, Howard. You know that.”

I swallowed.

He was right.

Nora had already forgiven me more times than I deserved. Every time I hurt her, she found a reason to believe there was something good buried underneath my cruelty. Every time I pushed her away, she still reached for me.

And what had I given her in return?

Confusion. Pain. Fear.

I had made her question whether she was enough. I had rejected her pregnancy when she needed me most. I had made her believe she had to fight for the love of her own husband.

My jaw tightened. “I know.”

Alex’s expression softened slightly.

“Then bring her home. And when you do, don’t expect her to forget everything just because you finally realized you love her.”

I nodded.

“I won’t.”

That was the promise I made to myself.

Not that Nora would forgive me.

Not that she would love me the same way again.

Only that, if I got the chance, I would spend the rest of my life proving that I was no longer the man who had broken her heart.

I turned toward the assembled warriors.

“Everyone set?”

A chorus of affirmations rose around me. The sound should have made me feel powerful. Instead, I felt the weight of what was coming. Then a familiar voice broke through the crowd.

“Howard.”

My entire body stiffened. My father. I turned and found Claude approaching with a determination I rarely saw in him. He looked older tonight. Tired. Worried. But there was something else in his eyes.

Guilt.

“I’m coming with you.”

“No.”

I didn’t even hesitate. His brows drew together. “Howard—”

“I said no.”

“I can help.”

“You’ve done enough.”

The words came out sharper than intended, but I didn’t take them back. His jaw tightened.

“I know you’re angry with me.”

“Angry isn’t the word I’d use.”

He stared at me for several seconds.

“I am coming,” he repeated. “You are not going to stop me.”

I took a step toward him.

“This isn’t a family meeting, Father. This is a rescue mission. You’re not going into Void territory.”

“She is my daughter-in-law.”

“And she’s my wife.”

The silence between us became choked. My father’s expression changed at those words. Maybe he had never heard me claim Nora so firmly before. Maybe I hadn’t even allowed myself to think of her that way until now.

My wife.

Not an obligation.

Not a mistake.

Not a woman fate had forced into my life.

My wife.

And I would bring her home.

“Howard,” my father said softly, “I know what you’re feeling.”

“No, you don’t.”

He flinched.

I stepped closer, lowering my voice.

“You don’t know what it feels like to realize that the person you’ve spent months pushing away might be lying somewhere terrified because you weren’t strong enough to understand what she meant to you.”

His face tightened.

“I know I have made mistakes.”

“Then let me make this one decision without you.”

For a moment, I thought he would argue.

Instead, he exhaled.

“I am still coming.”

I shook my head, frustrated, but before I could continue, Alex stepped between us.

“We don’t have time for this.”

He was right.

Every second we spent arguing was another second Nora remained in danger.

I turned away.

“Let’s move.”

We left Direwood shortly afterward.

Void wasn’t far from our borders, but the journey felt endless.

The night air was cold against my skin as we moved through the forest, the sound of dozens of footsteps behind me blending with the rustling leaves and distant calls of nocturnal creatures.

Alex walked beside me.

For several minutes, neither of us spoke.

Then he said, “She’ll forgive you.”

I stared ahead.

“You sound very certain.”

“I know Nora.”

I swallowed.

“I don’t deserve her.”

“Maybe not.”

I glanced at him.

He shrugged.

“But deserving someone and being willing to become worthy of them aren’t the same thing.”

His words stayed with me.

I had spent so much time believing love was something you either deserved or didn’t deserve.

Perhaps I had been looking at it the wrong way.

Maybe love was something you protected.

Something you earned every day.

Something you chose even when it was difficult.

My hands curled into fists.

I would choose Nora.

Every day.

If she gave me the chance.

As we approached the borders of Void territory, the atmosphere changed.

The forest became unnaturally quiet.

Our warriors slowed.

I lifted my hand, signaling them to stop.

Alex immediately moved closer.

“What is it?”

I sniffed the air.

There were wolves nearby.

A lot of them.

My eyes narrowed.

“They know we’re here.”

Alex looked ahead.

A few seconds later, shadows began moving between the trees. One by one, Void warriors emerged. They didn’t look surprised. They had been waiting. My stomach dropped.

“It was a trap.”

Alex’s voice was low.

I stared at the warriors surrounding us. Then, somewhere beyond them, I heard a familiar laugh. My claws extended.

Alpha Gray stepped out from the darkness. He smiled when his eyes met mine. “I was wondering how long it would take you.”

My heart hammered against my ribs. “Where is my wife?”

Gray’s smile widened. “Straight to the point.”

“Where is Nora?” I demanded. 

He tilted his head. “Still worried about her?”

I took a step forward. “Give her to me.”

Gray laughed. “You really don’t understand, do you, Howard?”

My wolf snarled beneath my skin. “Understand what?”

His eyes gleamed with something sinister. “This was never about your pack.” He paused. “It was always about you.”

And in that instant, I knew this night was going to be far more dangerous than I had anticipated. I stared at him, trying to make sense of the words.

Then my wolf growled. A deep, furious sound rolled through my chest as I took another step forward.

“I don’t care what this is about,” I said. “You took my wife. Give her back.”

Gray’s expression hardened. “You’re suddenly very protective of your wife.” The emphasis he placed on the last word made something inside me snap.

“You don’t get to speak about her.”

“Why not?” He laughed. “She’s the only reason you’re standing here, isn’t she?”

I didn’t answer. Because he was right.

If Nora wasn’t inside this territory, I would have approached this differently. I would have considered the political consequences. I would have thought about the possibility of innocent Void wolves being caught between two Alphas.

But Nora was here and every instinct in me was screaming to find her.

Gray looked beyond me at the warriors surrounding him. “You brought half your pack.”

“I brought enough.”

His eyes returned to mine. “Did you?”

I heard the subtle movement of claws behind me. My warriors were ready. So was I.

“Where is Nora?” I demanded again.

Gray’s smile disappeared. “You’ll find her when I’m finished with you.”

My vision blurred for a fraction of a second. Then my wolf took over. Bones shifted beneath my skin, muscles stretched and reformed, and within seconds I was no longer standing in front of Gray as a man.

I was a wolf. A powerful surge of rage coursed through me as I launched myself forward.

Gray shifted almost simultaneously. The collision sent us both crashing through the first line of trees.

He was fast. Faster than I had expected. His claws caught my shoulder, tearing through flesh before I managed to twist away. Pain shot through my body, but I barely registered it.

I struck him across the chest. He stumbled backward. I lunged again.

This time, he was ready.

He caught me by the neck and slammed me against the ground. The impact knocked the air from my lungs.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Gray leaned over me, his eyes glowing with savage satisfaction. “You should have stayed away.”

I shoved him off. “Never.”

I rolled to my feet and attacked again.

Our claws collided.

Our bodies slammed into one another.

The forest around us became a blur of movement, snarls and shouts as our warriors clashed nearby.

I could hear Alex giving orders.

I could hear the cries of wolves.

But all I could think about was Nora.

Where was she?

Was she afraid?

Was she hurt?

Was she calling for me?

The thought gave me another burst of strength. I struck Gray across the face. His head snapped to the side. Blood immediately appeared along his cheek. He touched it with his fingers and stared at the blood.

Then he laughed.

“You’re angry.”

I bared my teeth. “You haven’t seen angry yet.”

He rushed at me. I moved aside, but his claws caught my back. Pain exploded across my skin. I stumbled forward. Gray grabbed my shoulder and spun me around, punching me hard across the jaw. My head snapped sideways. Before he could strike again, I drove my fist into his ribs. He grunted. I hit him again.

And again.

He staggered backward.

I followed.

Every blow carried months of anger. Every strike carried the fear I had felt when I learned Nora was missing and beneath all of it was guilt.

Guilt for every time I had made her cry, every time I had rejected her, the unborn child growing inside her. I had spent so much time fearing that loving someone would make me weak.

Now I understood the truth. Love hadn’t made me weak. My refusal to love had made me cruel.

Gray suddenly caught my fist. His eyes narrowed. “You really think she loves you?”

I froze.

He smiled. “She begged for you.”

My heart stopped. “What did you say?”

Gray twisted my wrist. “She cried your name.”

Rage consumed me.

I tore my hand free and slammed my fist into his face. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?”

He wiped the blood from his mouth.

“She kept asking when you were coming.”

I grabbed him by the throat. “You touched her?”

He laughed despite my grip. “I didn’t have to.”

My claws dug into his skin. “Where is she?”

He stared directly into my eyes. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

I slammed him against a tree. “Tell me!”

He chuckled despite struggling to breathe. “You’re finally beginning to understand what fear feels like.”

My grip tightened, then Gray’s knee drove into my stomach. I doubled over. He shoved me away and attacked. His fist connected with my jaw.

I stumbled. Another blow landed against my ribs.

Then another.

I fell to one knee. Gray circled me.

“You’re no match for my power, Howard.” I lifted my head. He was breathing heavily now, but there was still a cruel smile on his face.

“Not even your worthless father could save you.”

My blood ran cold. He knew exactly what to say, but mentioning my father wasn’t what truly enraged me. It was the thought of Nora hearing these things. The thought of her being somewhere nearby, listening to this man speak about me while she was trapped and unable to defend herself.

I rose slowly. “You should have left my father out of this.”

Gray shrugged. “Why? He’s just as pathetic as you are.”

I lunged. My fist connected with his nose. The crack was audible. Gray staggered. I didn’t stop. I punched him again and again. He tried to block me, but I drove him backward. My claws tore across his cheek. Blood splattered onto the ground.

He swung at me. I ducked. My elbow caught his jaw. I climbed over him and continued striking. His laughter faded. His confidence disappeared. Soon he was barely moving. But I couldn’t stop.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nora. Every time I breathed, I imagined her somewhere in this territory, waiting for someone to find her.

I hit Gray again.

Then again.

“Where is she?” He coughed. I grabbed his shirt. “Where is Nora?”

Gray looked at me through swollen eyes. “You’re too late.”

My heart lurched. “What?”

His smile returned. “She won’t be yours for much longer.”

Something inside me broke. I raised my fist.

“Howard!” Alex’s voice cut through the chaos. I glanced over my shoulder. He was standing several feet away, blood covering one side of his face. “Don’t kill him yet!”

I turned back toward Gray. The word echoed in my mind. I wanted to end him. God, I wanted to, but Nora came first. I released Gray and rose to my feet.

“Where is she?” I demanded.

Gray didn’t answer. Instead, he laughed. Then something slammed into me from behind. I crashed to the ground. Before I could recover, a pair of arms wrapped around my throat. I struggled against the hold.

The familiar scent hit me first.

Then the voice.

“Miss me?”

My eyes widened.

“Damon?”

His grip tightened.

I clawed at his arm, trying to force air into my lungs.

“You really should have stayed out of this,” he whispered.

I drove my elbow backward. He grunted but didn’t release me. My lungs burned. My vision began to darken. Then I brought my knee up sharply.

Damon’s grip loosened. I twisted free and stumbled forward, coughing violently.

“You son of a bitch.”

Damon laughed. “You look terrible, Howard.”

I wiped the blood from my mouth. “So do you.”

He rushed toward me. I met him halfway. Our fists collided. He was stronger than I expected, but rage gave me an advantage. I punched him across the face.

He retaliated… I ducked.

His fist missed. I drove my knee into his stomach. He doubled over. I grabbed the back of his neck and slammed him into the ground. He tried to rise. I hit him again. His body went limp. I stood over him, breathing heavily.

For a moment, I looked around. The battle was still raging. But Gray was gone.

My eyes narrowed. “Where the hell did he go?”

Alex approached me, breathing hard. “He escaped.”

I cursed under my breath.

Then Alex grabbed my arm. “But that’s not what matters right now.”

I looked at him. His expression had changed. There was something in his eyes I had never seen before. “I found her.”

Everything inside me went still. “What?”

“I found Nora.”

My heart slammed against my ribs. “Where?”

“Come with me.”

I didn’t wait for another word. I followed him. We moved through the territory at a frantic pace, weaving between buildings and abandoned structures. The deeper we went, the worse the surroundings became.

The air smelled foul, rotten and unclean. I covered my nose briefly as we passed an old structure with broken windows.

My stomach twisted. Nora had been brought here. She had been breathing this air. Walking through these filthy corridors.

My pace quickened. “Where is she?”

“Not far.”

Then I heard a scream. My entire body froze. “Nora.”

I didn’t wait for Alex, I ran. Her voice came again, weak and terrified. And suddenly, every thought disappeared from my mind. There was only one thing left.

I reached the door and saw Karen standing over her. Nora was on the ground, one hand clutching her throat as Karen’s fingers tightened around her neck. My vision went red.

“Get your hands off my wife!” I lunged forward.

Karen barely had time to turn before I grabbed her by the hair and ripped her away from Nora. She screamed as I threw her across the room.

“Don’t let her escape!” I ordered Alex.

Then I dropped to my knees beside Nora. “Nora. Honey.”

Her eyes slowly lifted to mine and for the first time since I had learned she was gone, I could breathe. She was alive and here. I pulled her into my arms. Her body trembled violently against mine.

“It’s okay,” I whispered, holding her as carefully as I could. “I’ve got you.”

She clutched my shirt. “You came.” The words were barely audible.

My throat tightened. “Of course, I came.” I pressed my lips against her hair. “I’ll always come for you.”

And as I held my wife against my chest, I made myself a promise.

Whatever happened after tonight, whatever forgiveness looked like, whatever it took to rebuild what I had destroyed, I would never make Nora wonder again whether she mattered to me.

She did. She was everything.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?”

She shook her head, but tears slipped down her cheeks. “I don’t know.”

My chest tightened.

“You don’t know?”

“I just…” She swallowed, trying to steady her breathing. “I was scared.”

I pulled her closer. “You don’t have to be scared anymore.”

I wanted to tell her that I had torn through every obstacle between us because I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I wanted to tell her that I loved her, that I had finally understood everything I had been too foolish to see before.

But looking at her in that moment, I knew there was something more important than what I wanted to say. She needed to feel safe. Not hear promises.

Feel them.

I carefully moved one hand to the back of her head and held her against me. “I’ve got you.”

She closed her eyes.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke. Then I felt her lips brush against my neck. “You really came for me.”

I tightened my arms around her. “I would have searched the entire world for you.”

A quiet sob escaped her. I closed my eyes. I had almost lost her. The thought alone made my stomach turn.

Alex approached us, but his expression remained alert. “Howard, we need to leave.”

I looked up.

He glanced toward Karen, who was still being restrained by one of our warriors.

“The fighting hasn’t stopped. We need to get Nora out before Void realizes where she is.”

I nodded. Then Nora suddenly pulled away from me.

“Wait.”

I looked at her. She pointed toward the cell beside hers. “Layla.”

I followed her gaze. A woman was standing behind the bars, her hands gripping them desperately.

I remembered her name. The woman who had been imprisoned alongside Nora.

“Nora…”

“We can’t leave her.”

There was no hesitation in her voice. Even after everything she had endured, she was thinking about someone else. That was Nora, the woman I had spent months failing to appreciate.

I looked at Alex.

“Get her out.”

He nodded immediately.

Within seconds, he was at the cell door. The lock gave way, and Layla stumbled out. She looked frightened, confused and exhausted. Then her eyes landed on Nora.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Nora reached for her hand. “Come with us.”

Layla nodded.

Alex motioned toward the exit. “We have to move. Now.”

I helped Nora to her feet. The minute she stood, I noticed how carefully she moved. My eyes dropped instinctively toward her stomach. She placed a protective hand over her belly.

Our baby.

“Are you sure you can walk?”

She gave me a small nod. “I can.”

I wanted to carry her. Part of me wanted to refuse to let her feet touch the ground again until I knew she was completely safe. But I stopped myself.

Nora had been controlled by too many people. I wouldn’t become another person deciding what she could and couldn’t do.

So, I stayed beside her instead, keeping my arm around her waist as we followed Alex through the corridors. The moment we stepped outside, Nora stopped.

She inhaled deeply. I watched her close her eyes as the cool night breeze touched her face. She took another breath. It was such a simple thing, but after seeing the place where she had been held, I understood why it mattered.

She was free.

I looked around.

Void’s territory had descended into chaos.

Our arrival had shattered whatever control Gray had once held over the place. Wolves were running in different directions, some fighting, some retreating, others simply trying to get away from the violence.

The sight made my stomach twist.

I knew Gray had created this situation, but innocent wolves would still suffer because of him.

I looked at Alex. “Get our warriors to stop attacking anyone who isn’t fighting back.”

He nodded. “I’ll handle it.”

I turned back toward Nora. She was staring at the destruction around us. Guilt flickered across her face.

“What is it?”

Her eyes lowered. “This happened because of me.”

“No,” I said, disagreeing. 

“Howard…”

“No, Nora.” I stepped in front of her. “This happened because Gray chose to take you.”

She looked at me. “You didn’t start this war.”

“But if I hadn’t…”

“You don’t get to blame yourself for what someone else did to you,” I said gently/

She stared at me.

For a moment, I wondered if she realized the irony of my words. Because I had spent months blaming circumstances for my own behavior. Now I was telling her that circumstances didn’t excuse the choices people made. And I meant it.

“Come,” I said softly.

We reached the car waiting near the edge of the territory. I opened the door for her. Before she climbed inside, she turned toward me.

“You’re coming too?”

I hesitated. There was still work to do here. Gray had escaped. Damon had been defeated, but there were still questions that needed answers.

And my father…

I glanced toward the battlefield. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Her eyes searched mine. “Promise?”

I stepped closer. “I promise.”

I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her gently. It wasn’t the desperate kiss I had imagined giving her when I found her. It wasn’t passionate or meant to prove anything. It was simply a kiss between two people who had almost lost each other.

When I pulled away, she rested her forehead against mine.

“I missed you.”

My heart clenched. “I missed you too.”

She climbed into the car. I watched the door close before taking a step backward.

Then I shifted. My wolf emerged, and I turned back toward Void. I had Nora back. Now I had to make sure nothing else happened to her.