That word scraped somethin’ raw inside me.
Ash shifted his weight, eyes flickin’ to me for half a second before moving on. “And that’s not the worst part.”
I lifted my head. “Then stop circlin’ it.”
Ash exhaled. “Jasper is alive.”
The room went still in a way that felt wrong.
“Who the fuck is Jasper?” I asked.
“Jasper,” Ash said. “Lark’s Shepherd-husband. The one who branded her. Burned her face. He didn’t die like we thought.”
I shoved to my feet so fast my chair screeched back. “Where is he?”
Ash didn’t flinch. “With the ones rebuilding. Higher rank now. And he wants her back.”
“Do they already have her?” Mystic asked the question I was afraid to voice.
“Not as of right now,” Ash replied. “I double checked.”
Somethin’ dark crawled up my spine, feral and mean. I swore viciously, bracing a hand on the table like I needed the contact.
Ash wasn’t finished.
“There’s more,” he said. “Word out of the inner circle is the new Prophet wants Sable dead.”
Thunder lunged forward. “What?”
“Execution,” Ash said flatly. “Kids taken back under control. Malik and Zara are considered assets. Bloodline.”
The room exploded.
“Over my dead fuckin’ body,” Thunder roared, fists slammin’ down. “That’s my woman and my kids. They lay a finger on any of ’em, I’ll kill every last one of those bastards.”
Devil was on his feet instantly. “Thunder.”
“I swear to God—”
“They won’t,” Devil cut in. “Not if we move smart. Sable and the kids are here—safe.”
I hadn’t said a word.
I stood there with my hands planted on the table, head bowed just enough to keep myself together. Zach alive. A Shepherd. Jasper breathin’. Wanting her back.
And I had no idea where Lark was.
Anger burned hot, but beneath it was somethin’ worse. Fear I didn’t want a name for. I didn’t care how pissed I’d been. I wouldn’t let a single hair on her head get touched.
I still loved her.
Ash’s voice cut through the noise. “That’s why I called this. This isn’t scattered trouble. They’re pulling pieces back onto the board.”
“And Lark?” Devil asked quietly.
Ash’s jaw tightened. “If Jasper’s moving, she’s already in play.”
The war room door slammed open.
