Chapter 70

Phoenix

After a few desperate hours of hacking into the police database, we finally uncovered a lead—Kate had been arrested by Zack just a few days ago for selling silvery jewelry. The piece-of-shit didn't even bother clearing the paper trail. Either he's that arrogant, or he didn't realize just how I'd go to get Selene back. He underestimated me.

She's mine.

With slimy fuckers like Zack in the police force, thank Goddess that we have our own spies in the Devils organization. Without them, we might not have ever connected the thoughts.

"We're going to go back to the clubhouse and do some more investigating," Jordan tells us, his voice hard with determination.

Jamie catches my gaze, his eyes pleading. "Phoenix...just don't get yourself killed before then."

After they leave, a few of my men remain, waiting for my orders. The tension in the room is palpable, the air thick with the weight of our next, crucial move. Time is ticking down, and I can't wait anymore.

"What's the plan, Unc?" I growl, turning my attention to Luke. "It's been five fucking hours since she was taken."

Five hours. Each minute that ticks by is like a blade twisting in my gut, imagining what they could be doing to her.

What Zack could be doing to her.

If she was drugged with wolfsbane, it should've worn off by now. But I still can't feel her, still can't contact her. The mate bond between us, which was strong only hours ago, feels like it's being severed. They must be keeping her drugged, dosing her repeatedly. Too much wolfsbane in her system could kill her.

Luke's expression shifts, a flicker of conflict passing over her face. Whatever he's about to say, I know I'm not going to like it. "We need more intel," he finally says, meeting my gaze. His tone is calm, measured, but there's a tinge of fear there. "We can't act rashly. If they're targeting your father, they'll go after you, not his newly acquired stepdaughter."

He's right. They're not stupid; I would be their target. After all, I am his bodyguard, and once they take me out, they could easily get to him.

"It must be that cop," Luke suddenly mutters, more to himself than me. Then, so quietly I almost don't hear him, he says, "Goddess help us, it's just that cop."

Zack.

The words barely register before my wolf surges forward, furious and desperate to tear through flesh and bone. If this isn't the Devils doing, I have nothing to worry about. I'm going to kill Zack, nice and slowly...tear out his heart while he's awake and hopefully he stays alive long enough to watch.

Fuck this. I'm done waiting.

The sick fucking pervert is probably doing Goddess knows what to her right now, and she's completely at his mercy thanks to Kate. And I saw the rage in her eyes—what if she's torturing her right along with him? And Selene has no way of healing herself without her wolf...

As I feel my control slip again completely, a furious snarl rips from my throat as I lunge towards the door, but Luke is on me in an instant, grabbing my arm and trying to hold me back.

"Phoenix, stop!" he shouts, but I can hardly hear him from the roaring in my ears. My vision tunnels, my wolf's instincts taking over, focusing only on the need to find her, to protect her.

Luke's grip tightens, and suddenly, there are more hands on me, pulling me back, pinning my arms. The room blurs as I struggle but the more I fight, the more they restrain me.

I need my little wolf.

I need her.

It's taking everything they have to hold me down, and still, I fight them, desperate to save her.

But they won't let me go.

Another animalistic sound that I barely recognize escapes me, and I can feel my body vibrating with rage, on the verge of shifting right here, right now.

"Phoenix, she'll never forgive you if you get yourself killed!"

I instantly freeze at his words. My chest heaves as I gasp for air, the fight slowly draining out of me. My wolf continues to growl furiously inside me, but I force it back, swallowing the desperation that threatens to chock me.

Luke silently orders my men to let me go, before he slowly releases me too, searching my eyes for some kind of sign that I'm in control. "I know you love her, Nix, but we have to do this right," he says, his voice steady, trying to anchor me. "We don't know enough about Zack to know what resources he has at his disposable. It could have laid out a trap for you, and if you rush in, you'll be walking right into it."

I nod, though it takes everything in me not to charge past him and mindlessly destroy everything in my path until I find her. But I know he's right. My wolf might disagree, but if we don't act rationally, Zack could use that to his advantage. I'm sure he'd love to see me dead, so he could have her all to himself.

I can't allow that to happen.

I won't hurt her like that.

Slumping into one of Luke's desk chairs, I feel the tension coiled tightly in my muscles, my heart pounding violently against my ribcage. I have to believe that Selene is strong enough to survive this, that she'll endure, that she'll stay alive until I come crashing down the door to wherever Zack and Kate are hiding her.

I close my eyes, forcing myself to take huge gulps of air, trying to calm down, to steady my racing mind. With every breath, I push the rage down deeper, focusing on the only thing that matters—getting Selene back.

Once I've managed to breathe normally again, I open my eyes and look up at my uncle, the determination in my voice unwavering. "So, what's the plan, and how long do I have to wait until I get to kill the fucker?"