Getting out of the house was as hard as I expected.
With one of the doctors following me around all day, it was a relief when Jaxon said we could cut down their hours to give me some breathing space. But as soon as I saw my opportunity, I took it.
I’m not wasting a single moment. Caleb might not have a second to chance.
Jaxon didn’t seem wholly convinced that I wanted to go to Caleb’s house just to see Felix and Zara, but when I said I wanted to sleep in Caleb’s bed to feel closer to him, he didn’t protest.
They said to stay in touch and come home before they started looking for me, and I agreed. I can’t be mad at them for caring.
When I arrive at Caleb’s pack house, I’m surrounded at their gates. “I’m here to see Felix and Zara,” I state as the guards eye me suspiciously.
It doesn’t take long for Zara to greet me and bring me into their house.
“How are you doing, Evan?” Felix asks as we find privacy in Caleb’s office.
The scent of him lingers, and it brings tears to my eyes, but I don’t let them fall.
I shrug. “Not good.”
Zara rubs my arm supportively. “If there’s anything we can do.”
“I want to look for him.”
Felix glances at his wife, and a look of concern flashes through his eyes. “Evan, we want to do that, too, but Caleb gave us orders?—”
“Oh, Goddess.” I throw up my hands and begin to pace. “So what if Caleb gave you orders? He’s out there suffering, and we’re here doing nothing. It’s not right. It’s not fair.”
“I understand,” Felix continues. “But it’s for your safety.”
My nostrils flare. “At the expense of his own? I’m not just going to wait for him to get home—if he ever gets home. I’m going to do what any other mate would and find him before his father destroys him.”
Zara chews on the inside of her cheeks. “Trust me, Evan. We want the same, but he’d never forgive himself if any of us got hurt. Especially you. It’s risky.”
“I don’t care.”
Felix sighs and leans against the desk, folding his arms over his chest.
“I’ll go by myself if I have to.”
“Evan,” he huffs. “Ryker is too powerful; we can’t go into this blind.”
My shoulders raise. “So we won’t,” I say carefully. “We’ll plan something.”
“We could get the witches involved again.” Zara taps her chin. “They helped get us close to Ryker’s pack without them sensing us, even if they were tipped off.”
“But they didn’t manage to take Ryker down.”
Zara stares at her husband. “Because Ryker was here, and the witches weren’t. We don’t know what they could have achieved; they never got the chance to. But Caleb was training with them, and they can hold their own.”
Felix hums. “We can’t take him out alone, and we can’t involve the pack without him suspecting something.”
“I want to know where he is,” I murmur. “Find him, and then we can try to figure out a plan. Do it as discreetly as possible.”
He stares back at me before pushing himself up from the desk, and grabbing a map that has lines and circles all over it. “We’ve got all the information Carson and Aimee were using to keep tabs on Ryker. We could figure out hiding spots or places he goes regularly and start checking.”
My heart races as I stare down at the map. “That’s a good start.”
“Only when we’re certain, and we’ve discussed it with the witches, then we’ll go find him.”
