“A safe way station,” the man replies, sounding slightly confused. “Where else?”
Cillian remains tense, unconvinced. “This isn’t the rendezvous point we agreed upon.”
The man’s expression shifts, understanding dawning. “Ah. The plans changed. Too risky to take go through the city center right now. You need to wait until dark to move again. A new driver will be here in a few hours.”
It sounds reasonable enough, but I can feel Cillian’s continued suspicion radiating from him in waves. The change in plans, the unexpected checkpoint, the deviation from our route—too many variables, too many opportunities for betrayal.
“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” I ask, finding my voice at last.
The man sighs, looking slightly annoyed. “You don’t, I suppose. So either come out and see for yourselves, or stay out here until you starve. Your choice.”
The blunt response startles a laugh out of me, the sound surprising even myself. There’s something refreshingly direct about his irritation, something that feels more genuine than smooth reassurances would have.
Cillian glances at me, a silent question in his pale eyes. I nod slightly—a leap of faith, perhaps, but we can’t stay in this truck forever.
And if this is a trap, we have no choice but to step right into it.
CHAPTER 20
Ares
The tablet screen shatters against the wall, glass and plastic exploding in a satisfying burst of destruction. I don’t remember throwing it—just the white-hot rage that consumed me when I read the message.
Maya and Cillian never arrived at their destination.
My chest heaves with each breath, heart hammering against my ribs like it wants to break free. The wolf inside me—the primal Alpha instinct I usually keep chained—strains against its restraints, demanding action. Demanding blood.
“Feel better now?” Poe asks from his position on the sofa, not bothering to look up from the second tablet he’s scrolling through. His voice carries that infuriating calm that makes me want to put my fist through his face.
“Where are they?” I demand, stalking across the room to loom over him. “The message said they never reached the original rendezvous point. What the fuck happened, Poe?”
He finally glances up, his ice-chip eyes meeting mine without a hint of concern. “They’re fine.”
“Fine?” I repeat, my voice dropping dangerously low. “They’re missing.”
“They’re not missing,” Poe corrects, setting his tablet aside with deliberate care. “They’ve been redirected.”
The casual way he says it—like we’re talking about a package delivery rather than the safety of our packmates—makes something snap inside me. I grab the front of his shirt, hauling him to his feet with one hand.
“You knew,” I growl, bringing my face inches from his. “You fucking knew the route was changing.”
Poe doesn’t resist my grip, doesn’t try to break free. He just watches me with those cold, calculating eyes. “Of course I knew. I arranged it.”
The admission hits me like a physical blow. I release him abruptly, stepping back as the implications cascade through my mind. “You deliberately kept us in the dark. You sent them somewhere else without telling any of us.”
“I’m telling you now,” Poe says, straightening his shirt with irritating composure. “I just wanted to ensure that Logan didn’t find out.”
“Are you serious?”
“These are dangerous times. We already know he can’t be trusted to tell us things he doesn’t think we need to know, why should we do any different?”
“Logan isn’t keeping anything us from now.”
Poe’s expression shifts, something like pity crossing his features. “Are you sure about that, Ares? Are you sure you know everything our illustrious pack Alpha and prince decides?”
The question lands like a knife between my ribs, sharp and precise. Because the truth is, I’m not sure. Not anymore. Logan has been different for a long time. More secretive. More calculating. Less the commander I followed into battle and more the prince playing political games.
“Where are they?” I ask again, fighting to keep my voice level.
