Chapter 222

Chapter 222
WREN

He reached up, cupping my face gently. “I’ll be fine. I promise. Don’t worry about anything.”

“You always say that. But I feel this genuine fear that something might come wrong.”

“Nothing will go wrong. And I always come back,” he reminded me. “I’m not leaving you, Wren. I’m just finishing what I started.”

Tears stung my eyes. “I just want this to be over,” I said. “For us. For our baby.”

He glanced down at my belly, his expression softening. “It will be. Once I get a hold of Derek.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Within the hour,” he said, rising to his feet he said, rising to his feet. “Reed’s talking to the pilot.”

I swallowed hard, forcing a small smile. “Then I’ll be here, waiting. Like always.”

He leaned down, pressing his forehead against mine. “I’ll make sure this is the last time you have to wait.”

When he pulled back, I caught his hand and held it tightly. “Come back to me, Cassian.”

“Always,” he whispered, then kissed me softly before leaving the room.

……………….

CASSIAN

The plane touched down just as dawn broke over the horizon. The air here was sharp and dry, thick with the scent of salt and smoke. Reed and I had traveled all night, following the lead that led us to another country.

It wasn’t much, but it was something. And after months of false leads and dead ends, I was ready to tear through anyone standing between me and him.

Reed fell into step beside me as we exited the terminal, his eyes scanning the streets. “You sure this is it?” he asked.

“I hope,” I muttered, adjusting my jacket. “Derek’s scent is faint, but it’s here. The bastard was close enough to leave a trail.”

Reed frowned. “Too easy.”

“I know,” I said. “But we can’t ignore it.”

We rented a black SUV and drove out toward the docks. The streets were quiet, fog rolling in from the ocean, muffling the sound of the engine. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless, uneasy.

Reed broke the silence. “You think he knows we’re coming?”

“Well,” I said grimly. “Considering he's been two steps ahead of us all these months, he probably knows."

Reed’s hand went through his hair as he groaned. "I hope he's working alone this time."

I shook my head. “All evidence points to him working with someone else. He's not alone.”

The GPS led us to an abandoned shipyard, a cluster of rusting containers and half-collapsed warehouses. The perfect place for an ambush.

I parked the SUV behind a line of crates, cut the engine, and turned to Reed. “Stay sharp. If you see anything...”

“I know,” he interrupted. "Attack first, ask later.”

We got out quietly. The wind carried the tang of metal and oil. My wolf’s senses sharpened, every sound amplified, the drip of water, the groan of old metal, the distant flap of a loose tarp.

We moved between the containers, our guards up.

Reed sniffed the air. “He was here. Not long ago.”

I caught it too, Derek’s scent, faint but fresh. My pulse quickened. This was the closest we had got to him in months. "He’s close.”

We reached an open area near the loading docks. Footprints marked the damp ground. I crouched, brushing my fingers over them. “These are recent. He’s toying with us.”

“Yeah,” Reed muttered. “Feels like bait.”

Before I could respond, something glinted in the corner of my eye, metal. A flash.

“Down!” I shouted.

Gunfire exploded around us. The sharp crack of bullets filled the air, echoing off the metal walls. Silver rounds hissed as they tore through the fog, striking the crates beside us. The impact burned through the air.

Reed dove behind a stack of containers, returning fire. “Humans!” he yelled. “They’ve got silver bullets!”

I snarled, my wolf roaring to the surface. “Of course they do!”

The sting of silver seared past my arm, leaving a line of pain. It would take a long time to heal. I ducked behind, gathering myself before lunging at the men. One of the shooters went down, but three more appeared, moving fast, trained.

Reed cursed, reloading. “We walked right into it!”

I slammed my claws into the hands of a nearby shooter. “No kidding!”

Bullets tore through the air again, sparks flying as they hit metal. I caught the faint smell of blood, Reed’s, not mine.

“Reed!”

“I’m fine!” he gritted out, pressing a hand to his shoulder. “Just grazed.”

“Stay low!” I shouted, running again. It was hard to fight and dodge the bullets. My reflexes were working overtime.

A voice rang out across the shipyard. “Alpha Cassian Knight! Alpha of the Moon Lichen Pack!”

I froze.

The voice was unfamiliar, human, but the message was clear.

“Alpha Derek sends his regards,” the man continued, his tone mocking. “He said to tell you, he’s going back to who it all started with.”

Reed’s head snapped toward me. “What the hell does that mean?”

My heart dropped into my stomach. Who it all started with.

Wren.

The realization hit me like a knife.

“Reed,” I said, my voice hard. “We’re getting out of here. Now.”

He nodded, understanding instantly. “Cover me.”

I attacked full throttle while Reed picked up a gun from an injured man and started firing back.

“Move!” I shouted.

We bolted through the confused men as we ran straight for the SUV.

Reed jumped into the SUV first, throwing open the door. I leapt in after him, slamming it shut.

“Go, go, go!” I yelled.

Reed gunned the engine, tires screeching as we tore out of the shipyard. Bullets pinged against the rear bumper, one shattering the back window.

“Damn it!” Reed shouted, jerking the wheel to avoid a fallen beam. “This was a setup!”

“I know!” I barked. “He wanted us out of the way.”

“Cassian, what did he mean, ‘who it all started with?”

I gritted my teeth, my mind racing. “He’s going after Wren.”

Reed’s eyes widened. “You sure?”

“Who else would he mean?” I snapped. “Wren and Sybil are going for a final dress fitting in town, that means they'll leave the pack estate, that means Derek will go after them."

Reed cursed under his breath. “We have to warn her.”

“I know,” I growled, grabbing my phone. My fingers shook as I dialed, the line ringing endlessly. I called Sybil too.

No answer.

“Come on, come on,” I muttered, hitting redial.

Still nothing.

“She’s not picking up,” I said through gritted teeth.

Reed’s jaw tightened. “Maybe she’s asleep. It’s late back home this time."

"We'll keep trying."