Chapter 48 48. Custody of the pack
Evren’s POV
The car screeches to a halt at the naval base gate. Floodlights slice through the night, and a row of armed guards steps forward. Their rifles rise, steel glinting under the beams.
“State your business!” One of them barks.
I push the door open and step out. Their eyes widen the moment they recognize me. A ripple of panic moves through the line. They lower their rifles almost at once and they scramble like cockroach under bleach.
“S-Sir Evren?” he stammers. “We did not realize—”
“Forgive us. What do you need, sir?” another blurts out.
“Open the gate,” I demand.
The men fumble for the controls, but before they can move, a figure strides out from the checkpoint. Eli. That fucker. His navy uniform is pressed sharp, his Ops insignia gleaming on his shoulder. His presence alone halts the guards’ movements. At his side, Ava matches his pace, also in uniform.
“To what do we owe your presence, sir?” Eli emphasizes the last word with so much mock flourish it sounds sarcastic.
I’ve always known that for all the respect he has for my old man, he cannot offer the same to me or any of my brothers. But I don’t care. I didn’t come here to gain his respect. Only retribution.
“You know exactly why I’m here. You took our stepsister without telling us. Now, I need you to open the gate, so I can take her back.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Eli replies, ignoring the nervous looks of the other guards around him.
“The last time I checked, you follow the Aldairs’ orders and not the other way around. You’re in no position to deny my request.” My fist trembles at my side as I suppress my barely-contained anger.
“Your stepsister has damaged a very important artifact of your family. As a loyal staff of your father, the Alpha of Crystal Ridge pack and Commanding officer of Kaelara naval station, it is my duty to make sure she is punished accordingly.” Eli stands his ground.
Patience slips through my grip, and the condescending smirk on Eli’s face only pushes me closer to the edge. Before I can speak again, the car door slams behind me. Reed steps out, followed by Jace.
Jace stretches like he just woke from a nap. “You are taking forever to get the gates open, Evren. I take it this talk is not going so well.”
Eli turns his gaze to him, his expression calm but stiff. “I understand your concern for your stepsister. But she is under the custody of the pack now. She committed crimes against it, and she will answer for them.”
Reed laughs without humor. “Custody of the pack? Do not make me laugh. We are the pack. And unless you want to lose your place in it, you had better stop treating Tabitha like a criminal.”
The words strike their mark. Both Eli and Ava falter. The smugness drains from their expressions, leaving only unease. For once, they do not have a quick reply.
I take a step closer which makes them instinctively take a step back.
“You have three seconds to open the gate. If you do not, we will tear this place apart. Then you can explain to my father why his station is in ruins when he returns.” Heat burns in my chest, and I can feel the gold edging into my eyes.
Eli’s jaw tightens, his eyes burning with silent fury, but he gives a sharp hand signal to the guards. The clank of machinery follows, and the gate begins to creak open.
“Should’ve threatened him like that the moment we arrived here. Now, we ended up wasting few precious minutes because of that old prick,” Jace mutters as we turn back to the car.
The car rolls forward through the opened gates. Soldiers scatter out of the way as we pass. The base feels tense, as though everyone knows something has gone terribly wrong.
The moment we stop, Jace leans out the window and snaps at a young soldier standing nearby. “You! Tell us where you are keeping our stepsister.”
The soldier jumps as if struck. “Th-the dungeons, sir. She is in the dungeons.” His voice cracks as he answers.
“The dungeons? Fuck! What did those fuckers did to her?” Reed hisses.
None of us waste another second. We move quickly through the base, following the winding corridors until we descend into the underground levels. The air grows colder the deeper we go.
“This place smells like shit.” Reed scrunches his nose.
And yet they brought her here. Gritting my teeth, I rein in the boiling anger in my chest. We can punish those bastards later, but for now, finding her is more important. The stone halls stretch long and narrow, lined with barred cells and concrete walls. Most of them are empty and I’m starting to wonder if she is really here.
We reach the far end of the hallway where a single cell waits apart from the rest. I stop dead in my tracks. My stomach knots. In the last cell, Tabitha lies motionless on the floor. Her body is curled in on itself like something broken.
“FUCK!” Reed roars and grabs the bars. The instant his skin touches the metal, he jerks back with a hiss of pain. Angry blisters rise across his palms. The silver sears him.
Jace steps forward, his eyes flashing. “Bring the keys here! Now!”
One of the guards stumbles in his rush, fumbling with the ring of keys as he sprints down the hall. He shoves them forward with shaking hands. I snatch the ring before he can speak and force the right key into the lock. The mechanism clanks and the door swings open. I step inside without hesitation and drop to my knees beside her. I can hear the sorrowful howl of my wolf as I take in the sight of her.
“Tabitha…” My voice breaks as I gather her into my arms. She does not stir. Not even with all the noises around. She’s too damn weak! Her skin is cold, her lips cracked, her face pale like death has already kissed her.
Rage singes my veins as I step out of the cell with her limp in my arms.
“Move,” I command through clenched teeth.
The guards scatter against the walls, clearing a path as we leave the dungeon. My hold on her tightens and each step hardens my resolve. Whoever did this will pay. I swear it.