Chapter 329
Chapter 329
Sapphire’s POV
Scarlette huffs and turns sharply, already done with the conversation. She storms ahead, fingers gathering her short blonde hair into a low ponytail as she walks.
“Well, he’s not wrong. You are kids,” Zinnia chimes in, far too pleased with herself.
I scoff under my breath. “You never miss a chance to insult me, do you?”
She gasps dramatically. “How did you know?”
I snort and push myself forward, breaking into a run after Scarlette. My legs protest immediately—three hours of training have already taken their toll—so I’m slower than I should be, trailing behind instead of catching up. Still, I don’t stop. I follow her scent, letting instinct guide me the rest of the way.
It leads straight to Everett’s house.
The front door is wide open, and before I even step inside, Jericho’s scream carries out to meet me.
Typical.
I stop at the doorway, bracing a hand against the frame as I try to steady my breathing. Sweat clings to my skin, my vision tilting slightly as the world threatens to spin. For a moment, the door is the only thing keeping me upright.
Inside, chaos greets me.
Kira sits comfortably beside Gemma, sipping tea like this is casual afternoon entertainment. Gemma leans into the armrest, cheek propped on her palm, watching with hollow detachment as Scarlette quite literally stomps Jericho’s face into the ground. Hendrix, David, Cooper, and Everett are all present. The first two look bored, barely paying attention, while Cooper and Everett seem thoroughly entertained—popcorn and cheeseburgers in hand like they’ve paid for front-row seats.
Hendrix’s gaze lifts from the scene and lands on me.
The shift is immediate.
His expression hardens into concern, and in the next second, he’s in front of me—too fast to track. A faint crackle of electricity runs through him as he moves, the air snapping in his wake. He doesn’t hesitate. He gathers me into his arms with careful ease and carries me inside as if I weigh nothing.
“You need to stop hurting yourself.”
“I’m working on it,” I mutter, though it comes out weaker than I intend.
He settles into a seat and pulls me onto his lap, one arm securing me around the waist as though I might collapse if he lets go.
“I reek of sweat,” I add.
His brows knit slightly. “That’s what you’re worried about?”
I ignore the question.
My gaze drifts past him and lands on Gemma. I haven’t seen her since Taffy died, and the sight of her in black—eyes swollen, face drained of any real life—hits harder than I expect. My chest tightens before I can even stop it.
“Don’t.”
Drix’s hand comes up quickly, covering my eyes before I can look any longer.
“Scarlette, I think you’ve stomped on his mouth enough,” Kira says gently, her tone completely at odds with the violence in front of her.
Scarlette exhales sharply, the sound heavy with leftover anger, before stepping back. I hear her approaching footsteps.
“What did he even say this time?” Kira adds, amused now.
“Next time,” Scarlette pants between breaths, “don’t leave it to him to summon us.”
Kira laughs softly. “Your mate and that fool gave him the job knowing exactly how this would go. Honestly, Jerry, when will you learn to keep your mouth shut?”
“Is that all you have to say?” Jericho’s voice comes out rough, edged with offence. “Your brother just got his face rearranged, and you’re lecturing me? Some sister you are. You never show up when I need you—just like when you traded me off for more magical knowledge.”
I pull Drix’s hand away from my eyes and glance down at Jericho.
His face is a mess—blood running from his nose and split lip—but I don’t move to help. He heals faster than most, faster than Kira even, and if this were serious, we wouldn’t all be standing around watching.
“Jerry,” Drix says, his tone dropping, carrying that quiet authority he uses to pull the seriousness out of Jericho, “why did you call us here?”
The shift is immediate.
Jericho’s usual mischief drains from his expression, replaced by a focused intensity, like a switch has been flipped inside him. He pushes himself up slightly, posture straightening as his eyes move between Drix and me, measuring the room as if weighing how much he can safely say.
“I think I found a lead,” he says.
My heart stutters, an involuntary hitch that catches me off guard.
“A way to get information on Hiems Zales.”
For a brief second, hope sparks—sharp, sudden, almost disorienting in how quickly it rises. My mind already starts to reach for it, to build on it, to believe.
“We can find it in the Great Library.”
And just like that, it dies.
“Jerry, it takes months just to secure an appointment with the guardian,” Everett says, reaching over to steal from Cooper’s popcorn. “He doesn’t bend the rules for anyone.”
Cooper smacks his hand away without looking at him. “Even if Drix makes the request, we’re still waiting at least two weeks for a response—and that’s if we’re lucky. More likely, we’ll get scheduled for another date entirely.”
Jerry straightens slightly despite the blood still trailing from his nose, that familiar smugness settling back onto his face. “That’s why connections matter.”
No one responds. That’s never a good sign.
“Lucky for you,” he continues, completely unfazed, “I’ve already handled it.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Handled it how?”
He grins like he’s already decided this is a solved problem. “Let’s just say I’ve been fucking the guardian’s granddaughter in a very productive way. I asked. She agreed. We’re in.”
I stare at him.
Just like that?
Kira beats me to it. “And she didn’t ask for anything in return?”
Jerry glances back at her, completely unfazed. “Of course she did.”
He shrugs like it’s irrelevant. “She’s not doing charity work. But since someone decided to sell me off like I was disposable trash, I had to adjust the pricing.”
His grin widens, sharper now. “Don’t worry though—I can multitask. If I really get bored, I’ll ask Kira for that cloning spell of hers. One version of me can play hero while the other actually enjoys himself.”
He scoffs under his breath. “Seems like a better system anyway.”
Kira rolls her eyes. Drix scoffs.
Jerry leans back slightly, still smiling like he’s untouchable. “Either way, it’s sorted. Try not to overthink it—you’ll strain something.”
No one dignifies that with a response.
Drix leans forward slightly. “When do we leave?”
Jerry’s expression shifts, turning more serious. “There’s a limit. I can only bring three people with me. And if any of them are women, they either have to be mated… or she comes along.” He jerks his head towards Kira.
“Then it’s settled,” Drix says without hesitation. “I’m going. Sapphire’s coming with me.”
The finality in his tone doesn’t sit well.
I hadn’t planned on staying behind—but hearing it decided like that? It’s not protection. It’s lack of trust.
“Don’t start,” Zinnia cuts in sharply through the link. “Let it go.”
My jaw tightens, but I swallow the response.
Drix continues, already issuing instructions. “Cooper, Scarlette—you stay here. The pack needs oversight. Everett, you’re still on the assignment I gave you.” His gaze shifts briefly. “Manchester, you’re not coming.”
David looks away, clearly unhappy, but he doesn’t argue.
Drix adds, almost as an afterthought, “Gillian will come with us.”
“Excuse me?” Kira straightens immediately. “We’re talking about the Great Library and you’re leaving me behind? Absolutely not. I’m going.”
“Take Scarlette,” Zinnia says quietly through the shared link.
Hendrix frowns. “Why would—”
“Just trust me.”
There’s a pause.
I narrow my eyes slightly. “Is this one of your cryptic ‘secrets’ again?”
Zinnia goes silent for a few seconds—long enough to be deliberate.
“Maybe,” she replies flatly.
I grit my teeth. “She’s pregnant.”
“Still stronger than you and your watchdog right now,” she snaps back without hesitation. “So stop arguing and do as you’re told.”
I inhale slowly, already preparing a response—but Hendrix cuts in before I can speak.
“Change of plans,” he says calmly. “Scarlette’s coming with us.”
His hand comes down lightly on my head. A quiet signal to drop it.
“What?!” Cooper’s voice explodes across the room.