Chapter 91

Chapter 91
Chapter 91
ADRIAN VALEHART.
I had never driven so fast before.
But that road… that damn road seemed endless, like it kept unfolding under the wheels while I tried to control my breathing and my instinct at the same time.
Sofia…
She had awakened this time — there was no doubt.
I passed a few cars, and Edgar, beside me, was looking at me the way he always does when he knows I’m about to explode, about to do something reckless — that mix of 'calm the fuck down' with 'go ahead, destroy everything.'
His clothes still had splatters of blood.
Not his, of course. But from that man we tortured earlier.
That miserable bastard I knew had answers but refused to talk — that son of a bitch who made me want to do unimaginable things just to get information.
And even then, even with my blood boiling and my head a mess, nothing prepared me for what. I saw when I shoved my door open so hard it looked more like the police breaking in than the actual owner coming home.
Silence.
Not just any silence.
But the kind that carries fear inside it.
My employees were standing in the hall.
All of them — humans and wolves.
All with the same expression.
Terror.
Some were still trembling.
Others avoided my eyes, staring down at their own feet.
No one was hurt — but that fear carved into their faces… that was worse.
And Sofia… wasn’t there.
“Where is she?” I asked loudly and firmly, looking at them and waiting for someone to answer.
No one did, not at first.
Until Anna appeared at the end of the corridor and ran toward me, desperate.
''Sir… Mr. Valehart… forgive me…'' she rushed to me, her expression terrified but still worried. ''We tried. Really. We tried to hold her, but… she… she…''
''She what?'' I snapped, impatient.
She looked around, confirming everyone else was in shock too, that they had been just as frightened as she was.
Even the stronger wolves were quiet.
Shrunken.
''It was like… she wasn’t herself anymore,'' Anna swallowed hard. ''It felt like another person… no… another thing.''
Hearing that — feeling the weight of those words — was harder than I expected.
Edgar, behind me, lifted his phone to his ear, talking to someone in a low voice, trying to do something so we didn’t stay empty-handed. Lost.
''When she tried to leave…'' Anna continued, trembling. ''The guards tried to stop her. You had ordered she couldn’t leave. We were going to follow the order, but… Adrian…''
She leaned forward, lowering her voice.
''She didn’t scream. Didn’t make a scene… She just… looked at them.''
Her voice grew even softer, as if she feared Sofia might still be close enough to hear.
''And they… stepped back. Even Scott and Daniel… the tallest and strongest. The ones who never back down from anyone. They just… moved aside with their tails between their legs.''
The wolves behind her turned their faces away, ashamed.
One of them muttered:
''She… she’s not like us, sir.''
And then Anna finished:
''Before leaving… the last thing she said was that no one — no one — was going to stop her from finding her father.''
Edgar and I exchanged a look.
We didn’t need to speak.
Our thoughts met in the middle.
That was more than confirmation.
She had truly awakened.
And now… she was alone.
Shit.
I turned on my heel and walked toward the door.
''I’m going after her,'' I declared, car keys still in my hand.
''Go ahead… I’ll come right after. I need to talk to a few people first,'' Edgar said behind me.
I nodded, and before any employee could say anything else, I was already in the car.

With every mile I drove, that sensation — that feeling of being on the verge of losing something — dug deeper into my chest, and one thing became clearer:
Now that Sofia had awakened…
Now that the son of a bitch behind all of this had gotten exactly what he wanted…
It was only a matter of time before they tried to take her.
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel until the cuts on my hand throbbed.
I had hit that guy so hard my knuckles were split.
''Goddammit…'' I muttered.
How far would I have to go to protect her?
How much was I willing to give up?
Would I have to do what the others did?
Accept what I am?
Accept that among wolves… the ones who hesitate die?
That anyone who denies their nature… weakens?
I looked at my hand, breathing heavily.
I already knew the answer.
''I… I’ll do anything,'' I told the silence of the car. ''But no one… no one touches her.''
I pushed the accelerator even harder.
I tried calling her.
Over and over again. I had already lost count.
All the calls went straight to voicemail.
And that silence — her silence — was eating me alive.
I also called the clinic.
Same thing.
No one answered.
Nothing.
And when I finally parked in front of the clinic… everything became clear.
Because I felt it.
Even from outside.
Far from the entrance.
Even with doors closed and concrete between us.
I felt her. Sofia was there.
Or rather… her wolf, and whatever was left of her.
It felt like a storm was about to break, even though it was daytime, the sun shining hot above my head.
I could feel it — as if a dense energy was vibrating through the air.
A presence so big, so ravenous, that even I wondered if it was safe to try to stop her.
''Sofia…'' I murmured. ''What did they do to you?''
Time was up — I knew it.
The time to lie to her was over.
The time to hide the truth was gone.
She needed to know everything.
Who she was.
Why all of this was happening.
And I knew I had to be the one to tell her.
Because in the end… there was no one else left.
Even if she didn’t believe me.
Even if she hated me afterward.
I was still the only one who could protect her.
And I would — even if it cost me everything.