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Connor’s Pov

The rain didn't stop, it was pouring down in heavy sheets that soaked me to the bone as I moved out of the house and out, unstable, thinking and planning on how to save Aria. 

Truth be told, I was scared. What if something had happened to her? How didn't I get to quickly know she was missing? I was at fault myself. Liam was probably right. 

I needed to find her and bring her back. I stood on the edge of the camp, staring out at the storm as it hit the trees and turned the ground to mud. The air blew with a strange energy, one I couldn’t ignore.  

“This isn’t normal,” I muttered, running a hand through my damp hair.  

I turned back and called for my men to prepare themselves. “We’re moving out,” I ordered with a firm voice. “Pack light and be ready for anything.”  

I couldn’t leave without Liam. He was the best of them, considering he was sharp and reliable. He'd do anything to save Aria. But when I called for him, I got no answer.   

“Where’s Liam?” I asked one of the men.  

“He went back inside a while ago,” came the reply.  

I became frustrated and I headed back into the compound, my boots splashing through the mud forming on the stone floor. I searched every room, calling his name, but there was nothing. Then, faintly, I heard muffled voices coming from Sofia’s cell.  

“What was that?” I thought to myself, almost whispering into thin air. I asked closer to check out what was going on. 

The scene before me when I entered was chaos. Liam and Sofia were locked in a heated argument, their voices were rising above the sound of the rain.  

I separated them a while ago. How come they hate each other this much? If Sofia was a bitch, Liam shouldn't be a dck too. He really should let her go and focus on something else. But then he was locking himself on her and that…in a fist fight. 

“Let her go!” I demanded, stepping into the cell.  

But Liam didn’t listen. His grip on Sofia’s arm was tight, and when I tried to intervene, he shoved me back.  

“Stay out of this, Connor,” he growled, his eyes blazing with anger.  

I felt my temper flare. “Don’t test me, Liam.”  

But he did, pushing me again. That was it. I shoved him back, and within seconds, our fists were flying. The confined space made it difficult to maneuver, but neither of us backed down.  

Then, suddenly, the rain outside intensified. The wind went wild and every hit against the wall was the thunderstorm creating a gloomy sense. 

Both of stood straight, frozen, the realization hit harder on us, 

“That should be her,” Liam said, lowering his fists. “It’s Aria controlling the weather. This is her anger.”  

I nodded, wiping the blood from the corner of my mouth. “We don’t have time for this,” I said. “Let’s go.”  

Without another word, we packed up quickly. The rain made everything more difficult, but we couldn’t afford to waste time.  

Liam led the way and his knowledge of the terrain proved invaluable. “I’ve spent enough time with Tiara to understand how to navigate roads like this,” he said, his voice was tendering a tip. 

I didn’t respond, my focus was solely on reaching Aria. And the least he could do was to help find the way if he could. I wasn't surprised he could do that anyways. 

The rain continued to pour as we walked through the mud,  our dresses and gears were also soaked. The men followed closely, their steps hitting the ground in such a squelchy manner. 

Liam didn’t speak to me, and I didn’t push him. I knew his loyalty to Aria was fierce, but I couldn’t let personal conflicts get in the way of finding her.  

After what felt like hours, we arrived at a ruined structure. The stone walls were crumbling, and the place reeked of decay. Liam stopped abruptly, his head tilting as though he were listening to something.  

“What is it?” I asked, stepping closer.  

“I’ve got her,” he said simply.  

“Her?”  

“Tiara, I can mindlink her and I got her,” he said, though I couldn't understand his expression.  

I frowned. “And what did she say?”  

Liam didn’t answer. Instead, he turned and began moving stealthily through the ruins.  

“Liam,” I warned, “don’t do anything foolish. Aria’s life is at stake. Liam, you have to listen to me!”  

He didn’t respond, neither did he look back, and within moments, he was gone.  

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath.  

The other men shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between me and the rain soaked dress.  They looked tattered too, no one could judge. I brought them into the mess anyway. 

“What now, Alpha?” one of them asked.  

“We keep moving,” I said, my voice firm. “Stay close and stay alert. Don't look away from the destination.”  

We kept on walking, but the storm made it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. The ruins seemed endless, a maze of dark corners and collapsed walls.  

Eventually, we found ourselves in a section of the ruins where no light penetrated. There was no ray of the brightness of the outer part of the building, neither was there a space to breathe. The only thing we got on our side was the lid in our hands. 

I lit a fire, the flames provided a small circle of warmth and light. We huddled around it, dripping wet and shivering.  

The men looked at me expectantly. “What about Liam? He still hasn't met up with us” one of them asked.  

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. Liam was unpredictable at the best of times, but this was something else.  

“I don’t know,” I finally admitted. “But he would show up, that I'm so sure of. He wouldn't leave Tiara, and I know he's loyal to Aria” I added. 

“But what if he truly heard some from Tiara, remember he didn't say what he heard from her.” One of them commented. 

I thought about it and took a deep breath, “As long as Aria is fine, I care less about anyone else” I muttered under my breath, more of speaking to myself.