Chapter 74 The Alpha Returns
Kier's POV
The warehouse sweep had been another waste of time full of empty warehouses and dead ends. Either Rhea had lied about what she knew or Sam got the better of her.
I wasn’t sure which possibility made my blood burn more.
When I arrived back at Ironclad the elevator doors slid open to the top floor. I stepped into the lounge, the sight stopped me cold.
Jaxon was sitting on the couch, his head tilted slightly back, eyes half closed and Jenna was curled beside him, fast asleep. Her head rested against his shoulder, a blanket draped clumsily over both of them.
For a second, it didn’t look like my world had burned down. It looked normal.
Jaxon must’ve sensed me before I said anything. He cracked one eye open. “You’re back,” he muttered, voice low to avoid waking her.
“Yeah,” I said, dropping my keys onto the side table. “No sign of them."
He nodded once, "Had a feeling this was a dead end."
My gaze flicked to Jenna again. “Comfortable?” I said, half amusement, half something else.
Jaxon huffed a tired laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “She's exhausted, I didn't want to wake her.”
“And you decided to be a pillow,” I said.
He shot me a look. “What was I supposed to do? Dump her on the floor?”
I raised a brow. “You could’ve moved.”
“She was dead to the world,” he said, smirking. “Didn’t have the heart.”
I shook my head, half smiling despite myself. It was the first time I’d seen him look remotely relaxed in days. “You’re getting soft.”
He gave a low grunt. “You should try it sometime.”
Before I could respond, Jenna stirred. Her lashes fluttered, her body shifting slightly as she realized where she was. Her head lifted from Jaxon’s shoulder, and a faint flush crept up her neck.
“Crap,” she murmured, rubbing her eyes. “Did I seriously fall asleep on you?”
“Like a rock,” Jaxon said, trying to hide his grin.
Her gaze darted to me. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough,” I said. “You drool a little.”
Her eyes went wide. “What?!”
Jaxon chuckled under his breath. “He’s lying.”
I let the ghost of a smile slip. “I'm really not.”
Jenna groaned, dragging the blanket tighter around her shoulders. “Great. Just what I needed a public nap and humiliation.”
“Don’t worry,” Jaxon said, leaning forward. “He doesn’t have time to mock you. He’s in a mood.”
I dropped onto the chair across from them, elbows resting on my knees. “I’m not in a mood. I’m tired of these dead ends. We are getting no where.”
Jenna yawned, sitting upright. “So, nothing? No sign of Sable?”
“Not even a whisper,” I said. “The warehouses by the river were empty.”
Jaxon frowned. “You think he moved Sable?”
“I don't think he's moving Sable. There was nothing there to say she was there. I think Rhea is playing us and still helping Sam.”
"But why would she try to make a deal with you if she is helping Sam." Jaxon asked.
"She is testing us. She knows we will never deal with rogues. I think she sent us to those warehouses to throw us off. Probably to help Sam move again."
Jenna pulled the blanket tighter around herself. “Then what now?”
I rubbed a hand across my jaw. “I have my men looking for Rhea to bring her in. If she’s still in the city, we’ll find her.”
Jaxon leaned back. “And if she’s not?”
“Then I will tear the damn city apart.” I said simply. "I will do whatever it takes to bring Sable home."
The quiet that followed wasn’t comfortable. It was the kind of silence that hums with exhaustion, where everyone’s trying to breathe around the same fear.
After a moment, Jenna broke it. “You know…” she started, hesitant, “when I was at the Moon Den, Rhea said something strange.”
My eyes flicked to hers. “What kind of strange?”
“She said there’s more to this city than I could imagine. That she runs the streets not because she’s the strongest, but because everyone owes her.”
Jaxon frowned. “Owes her what?”
Jenna hesitated. “Protection. Debt. Secrets. She said everyone’s got one, and she knows all of them.”
I leaned forward. “That sounds like Rhea. She builds power through leverage. The kind of woman who doesn’t draw blood unless she has a reason.”
“Maybe she’s using Sable as leverage,” Jenna said quietly. “Against you.”
The words hit hard enough that I didn’t answer right away. Jaxon’s gaze flicked to me, and I could see the thought written across his face: She might be right.
“Then we make her regret it,” I said finally.
Before either of them could respond, my phone buzzed on the table. I grabbed it without thinking.
“Talk,” I said.
A voice crackled through — one of my men stationed near the lower sectors. “Alpha. We’ve got him.”
My pulse kicked. “Who?”
“Sam. Picked him up behind the Den. He came back looking for the rogue woman.”
Every muscle in my body went still. “Is she with him?”
A pause. Then the reply: “No, sir.”
I closed my eyes, forcing my breath steady. “Where is he?”
“He's on his way to Ironclad."
"Let me know as soon as he is brought in."
"Yes, Alpha."
The line clicked dead.
Jaxon was already standing. “He's on his way here?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
"Who?" Jenna asked.
"Sam" I said
Jenna’s blanket slipped off her shoulders as she stood. “Is Sable with him?”
“No,” I said. “But we will get that info from him soon enough.”
An hour later, the black SUV pulled into the private garage. My men hauled Sam out, cuffed and bruised, but alive.
They led him toward the interrogation wing, and I followed, every step coiled tight with purpose.
Jaxon stopped me near the door. “You can’t go in there alone,” he said. “You’ll kill him before he talks.”
“I don’t need advice right now.”
“Good,” he said flatly. “Because I wasn’t advising.”
We locked eyes for a long second. Then I nodded once. “Fine. You can come in with me.”
Jenna stepped forward. “I’m coming too.”
"No!" Jaxon and I said it at the same time.
She frowned. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not safe,” Jaxon said. “You don’t need to see what we'll do.”
Her eyes flicked to me. “And what’s that?”
“Whatever it takes,” I said.
Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t argue.
We moved past her, down the corridor, the heavy door waiting at the end. Inside, I could already feel the tension.
I placed my hand on the door handle and took a breath.
Jaxon murmured behind me, “You sure you’re ready for this?”
I met his eyes. “No. But I’m doing it anyway.”
The door opened with a low metallic groan.
And there he was, Sam.
Alive. Waiting.
And about to wish he wasn’t.