Chapter 11 Intercepted
ARYA
I chewed my bottom lip as I showed the screen to Ryker. He glanced at it, his expression darkening.
“He knows you’re gone.”
“How? We were so careful—”
“Bardon.” Ryker’s jaw clenched. “He was buying us time, but Jaime must have gone looking for you after.”
Another text came through, but this one wasn’t from Jaime. It was from the same u nknown number.
You’re doing the right thing. Keep moving. Don’t stop until you’re across the border.
Trust Ryker. He’s one of the few who isn’t compromised.
And Arya? Your grandmother would be proud.
Tears blurred my vision. Even though i hadn’t hotten confirmation thay bardon was sending these messages, the words felt like a lifeline.
“We’re almost at the border,” Ryker said, his voice tense. “Once we cross, we’ll be in neutral territory. He can’t touch you there without starting a war.”
“What about you?”
“I told you, I don’t care—”
“I care.” I turned to face him. “You’re giving up everything for me, Ryker. Your position, your home, your Alpha—”
“He stopped being my Alpha the moment he decided to destroy you.” Ryker’s eyes met mine briefly before returning to the road. “And he was never my home. You were.”
The words hung heavy in the air between us.
Before I could respond, headlights appeared behind us. Close and moving fast.
“Shit.” Ryker pressed the accelerator. “Hold on.”
The vehicle behind us matched our speed. Then it exceeded it and getting closer to us.
My heart hammered against my ribs. “Is it—”
“I don’t know. But I’m not stopping to find out.”
We flew down the road, trees blurring past. The border was close now, maybe five more miles. If we could just make it—
The vehicle behind us flashed its high beams. Once. Twice. Almost like a warning.
“Ryker—”
“I see it.”
The vehicle pulled alongside us, and my stomach dropped when I saw it.
Jaime’s SUV.
Jaime wasn’t driving. The person in the car somehow made this worse. The last person I wanted to see right now was Elira.
She grinned at us through the window, her eyes wild with something that looked like triumph. Then she swerved, slamming into the side of Ryker’s truck.
“FUCK!” Ryker fought for control as we skidded toward the shoulder.
Elira hit us again, harder this time. The truck’s tires screamed against the asphalt.
“She’s trying to run us off the road!” I grabbed the handle above my door, bracing myself.
That crazy bitch. What the fuck did she want? She already got what Jaime, he was going to marry. Apparently, it wasn’t enough.
“I know!” Ryker’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel. “I’m trying to—”
Another impact. This one sent us careening onto the shoulder, dirt and gravel spewing up around us.
Ryker managed to correct, pulling us back onto the road, but Elira was already coming around for another hit.
“There!” I pointed ahead. “The turnoff!”
It was a narrow logging road, barely visible in the fading light. Ryker didn’t hesitate. He yanked the wheel, sending us flying onto the rough path.
Elira of course followed.
The logging road was barely maintained, full of potholes and fallen branches. Ryker navigated it like a rally driver, his years of pack training evident in every controlled drift.
Elira was keeping pace.
“Why is she doing this?” I gasped as we bounced over a particularly vicious rut. “What does she gain from killing us?”
“She’s not trying to kill us.” Ryker’s voice was grim. “She’s herding us.”
“What?” My voice dropped, along with my heart.
“Look.”
Ahead, the logging road was ending. And standing at the end, blocking our path, were six pack warriors.
Jaime’s best warriors.
Ryker slammed on the brakes, sending us into a controlled slide that stopped just feet from the warriors. Behind us, Elira’s SUV skidded to a stop, boxing us in.
We were trapped.
The warriors approached slowly, their faces impassive. I recognized some of them—Delta Marcus, Gamma Steven, others I’d worked with, eaten with, trusted.
Now they surrounded us like we were criminals.
Ryker’s hand found mine. “Stay in the truck. Let me handle this.”
“Ryker—”
“Please, Arya. Just this once, let me protect you.”
Before I could argue, he was out of the truck, standing between me and the warriors.
“Stand down,” he ordered, his Beta authority ringing in his voice. “That’s a direct order.”
Delta Marcus stepped forward. He looked uncomfortable, but determined. “I’m sorry, Beta. Our orders come from the Alpha.”
“I’m still your Beta.”
“Not for much longer.” That was Elira, climbing out of her SUV with a satisfied smirk. “Jaime’s calling an emergency pack meeting. You’re being formally removed from your position for aiding in the Luna’s unlawful departure.”
“Unlawful?” Ryker’s laugh was harsh. “She has every right to leave.”
“Not without the Alpha’s permission, she doesn’t. She’s still Luna until the council votes otherwise.” Elira’s smile was poisonous. “And fleeing before that vote? That looks an awful lot like an admission of guilt.”
My door was suddenly yanked open. Gamma Steven stood there, his expression apologetic.
“I’m sorry, Luna. But you need to come with us.”
“Don’t touch her,” Ryker snarled, moving toward us.
Two warriors grabbed him, holding him back. He struggled, and for a moment I thought he might shift, might fight his way through all of them.
Whatever was happening now, they were just following orders from their alpha. When Ryker’s eyes met mine, and I saw the calculation there. I gave a slight shake of my head. If he chooses to fight, people would get hurt. Maybe killed. And it would only make things worse.
“It’s okay,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. I climbed out of the truck on my own. “I’ll go.”
“Arya—”
“It’s okay, Ryker.” I looked at him, trying to convey everything I couldn’t say out loud. Thank you. I’m sorry. This isn’t your fault. “I’ll face the council. I’ll answer their questions.”
“How noble,” Elira purred. “Come on then, Luna. Let’s get you home.”
Home?
That place had never been my home. Now more than ever.