Chapter 80
(Zarkhan's POV)
The fury burning through my veins was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Every muscle in my body was coiled tight, ready to tear apart whoever had dared to take Giselle from me. The purple napkin with its sickening chemical smell was all the evidence I needed—she'd been drugged and taken against her will.
I should have protected her better. I should have stayed with her instead of doubting our bond.
"Zarkhan, where are you going?" Hakkan's voice followed me as I stormed through the pack house corridors. "What's gotten into you?"
I couldn't tell him the truth. Not yet. If I revealed that Giselle had been kidnapped, Hakkan would insist on coming with me, and then we'd both be walking into whatever trap had been set. At least this way, if something happened to me, he could still help her.
"I have business to handle," I said curtly, not slowing my pace. "Pack business."
"What kind of business?" Hakkan grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop. "Zarkhan, you're acting strange. More strange than usual."
I yanked my arm free, my wolf snarling beneath my skin. "Stay out of it, Hakkan. This doesn't concern you."
The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. Of course it concerned him—Giselle was his mate too, even if we'd both been too stubborn to admit it fully after that incident with the masking powder.
"Everything about this family concerns me," Hakkan said, his voice taking on that dangerous edge I knew all too well. "Especially when my brother is about to do something stupid."
"I'm not doing anything stupid." I resumed walking, my steps quick and determined. "I'm handling a situation."
"What situation?" Hakkan matched my pace easily. "Does this have to do with Giselle?"
I froze for just a moment—long enough for Hakkan to notice. His eyes narrowed, and I knew I'd given myself away.
"She's fine," I said quickly. "This has nothing to do with her."
"You're lying." Hakkan stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Where is she, Zarkhan?"
Think fast. I needed an excuse that would get Hakkan off my back without revealing the truth.
"She went shopping," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady. "With some friends. Female pack members."
Hakkan studied my face for a long moment, clearly not buying my story. "Since when does Giselle have female friends in this pack?"
"Since always. You just don't pay attention." I pushed past him, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be."
"Zarkhan—"
"Drop it, Hakkan!" I spun around, letting some of my desperation bleed into my voice. "For once in your life, just trust me to handle something on my own."
The hurt that flashed across his features made my chest tighten with guilt, but I couldn't afford to feel bad about it now. Giselle's life was at stake.
"Fine," Hakkan said quietly. "But if you get yourself killed being reckless, don't expect me to attend your funeral."
I almost smiled at that. Trust Hakkan to make a joke even when he was angry.
"Noted," I said, then turned and walked away before he could say anything else.
The pack house felt like a maze as I navigated through it, my mind racing with possibilities. Who would want to hurt Giselle? The list was longer than I cared to admit. Blake was the obvious choice, but he was supposed to be back in Omaha. Then again, I'd underestimated him before.
Please let her be okay. Please let me get there in time.
My car was parked in the circular driveway, and I practically sprinted to it. The tracking device app on my phone showed Giselle's location as a red dot on the map—stationary, which could be good or very, very bad.
The engine roared to life beneath my hands, and I peeled out of the driveway with enough force to leave tire marks on the asphalt. The guards at the gate jumped out of the way, shouting something I couldn't hear over the blood rushing in my ears.
Hold on, Giselle. I'm coming.
The city streets blurred past me as I drove, my foot heavy on the accelerator. Traffic lights became suggestions, stop signs became minor inconveniences. I'd pay whatever fines came later—right now, nothing mattered except getting to her.
The tracking device led me through progressively worse neighborhoods, the buildings becoming more run-down and abandoned with each mile. My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin, sensing danger ahead.
This feels like a trap. The rational part of my mind tried to warn me, but I pushed the thought aside. Trap or no trap, I wasn't leaving Giselle to whatever fate awaited her.
The final destination was an abandoned warehouse district, the kind of place where screams wouldn't be heard and bodies could disappear without a trace. Perfect for someone who wanted to conduct business away from prying eyes.
I parked across the street from the building the tracker indicated, studying it through my windshield. Three stories of crumbling brick and broken windows, with a rusty fire escape clinging to one side. No visible guards, no movement in the windows.
Too easy. Way too easy.
But the red dot on my phone was pulsing steadily from inside that building, which meant Giselle was in there. Whether she was alive or dead, conscious or unconscious, I had no way of knowing.
I reached for the door handle, my hand trembling slightly with adrenaline and fear. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to wait, to call for backup, to approach this more carefully.
But Giselle doesn't have time for careful.
The door opened with a soft click, and I stepped out into the humid evening air. The smell of decay and rust filled my nostrils, along with something else—something chemical and sharp that made my wolf recoil.
I'd taken maybe three steps toward the building when a hand clamped down on my arm like a vice.
"Going somewhere?" The voice was unfamiliar, rough and mocking.
I spun around, ready to fight, but something sharp pricked my neck before I could even see my attacker's face. The sensation was like a bee sting, followed immediately by a spreading numbness.
"What the—" I looked down and saw the syringe jutting from my arm, its contents already emptying into my bloodstream.
"Just a little something to make you more manageable," the voice continued, and I caught a glimpse of a man in dark clothing before my vision started to blur. "Can't have you causing trouble, now can we?"
No, no, no. I tried to fight against whatever drug was coursing through my system, but my limbs felt like they were made of lead. The same weakness that had overtaken me at Khuraan's engagement party was flooding through me again.
"Who—" I started to ask, but my tongue felt thick and uncooperative.
"Someone who's very interested in your little girlfriend," the man said, and I could hear the smile in his voice even as my vision dimmed. "Don't worry, you'll see her soon enough."
My knees buckled, and I felt myself being caught and dragged toward a van I hadn't noticed before. The world was spinning, colors bleeding together into a nauseating kaleidoscope.
Giselle. Her name echoed through my fading consciousness like a prayer. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I failed you.
The last thing I remembered before the darkness claimed me was the sound of van doors slamming shut and the engine starting up. Wherever they were taking me, it wasn't going to be anywhere good.
Hold on, I thought desperately as consciousness slipped away. Hold on, and I'll find a way to save us both.
But even as the thought formed, I knew I might have just walked straight into the trap that would get us both killed. And there was nothing I could do to stop it now.