Chapter 222: Chapter 237

Chapter 0237 +25 BONUS “Okay, Hannah,” Noah said, trying to keep his voice calm so as not to raise any suspicions as he pushed the car faster again. “I hear you. But five million dollars is a lot of money. I need some time to arrange the transfer. In the meantime, can you tell me more about what happened? Are you hurt?”

As Hannah began to speak again, her words halting and unnatural, Drake suddenly pointed out the window. “There!” he mouthed.

Noah squinted through the darkness. Sure enough, he could make out a wooden sign marking the start of a trail. Fresh tire tracks in the mud led up the path.

She had to be there.

“Noah?” Hannah’s voice came through the phone. “Are you still there?”

“Yes, I’m here,” Noah said quickly. “I can send the money. But I need to move some accounts around if I’m going to be able to get that much this quickly. It’s going to take a little time.”

There was the sound of muffled speaking in the background before Hannah spoke again. “Okay. They say you have one hour. If you don’t send the money, they’re going to...”

Her voice trailed off, and Noah could hear a tiny, choked sob escape her throat. He felt his chest clench painfully, and he knew he needed to act quickly.

Noah took a deep breath, his mind working furiously as he pulled the car up to the side of the road. “Okay. One hour. But I need to know you’re safe. I want another call from you in 30 minutes. If I don’t hear your voice, I won’t send the money. Do you understand?”

Another pause, more background murmuring. “Okay. They agree,” Hannah said finally. “Thirty minutes.”

Before Noah could answer, the line went dead.

Noah lowered the phone, his hands shaking. “They have to have her hostage up that trail,” he said, nodding toward the marker.

“I could hear running water. We need to move fast.”

Drake was already opening his door. “We can’t take the car any further. They might hear us coming.”

Zoe leaned forward from the backseat. “What’s the plan, then?”

Noah turned to her, his expression grim. “We need to go up on foot. It would be best if we shift.”

Zoe’s face paled a bit, and she leaned back. “Oh, um... I’ll stay here, then,” she said. “With the car. You know, in case you need a quick getaway.”

Noah stared at her for a moment, then nodded, not caring to delve into why she was acting so strange. Drake was already outside, crouching next to the fresh tire tracks in the mud, and they needed to move quickly.

“Alright,” Noah said, opening his door. “We’ll be back within the hour. Stay down, and keep the car off.”

“Okay,” Zoe replied quietly, already slipping down between the seats. 1 As Noah stepped out of the car, he could already feel his wolf stirring inside of him. The urge to shift, to run through the forest on four legs instead of two, was almost overwhelming. His mate was nearby, and 1/2 *Kap 0237 +25 BONUS she was in danger. He needed to go to her.

And then, he would make the people who took her pay for what they did.

Noah and Drake moved a few paces away from the car, giving themselves space. Noah closed his eyes, focusing on the change. He felt his bones begin to shift, his muscles stretching and reforming. Fur sprouted across his skin, and his senses sharpened dramatically.

When he opened his eyes, he was looking at the world from a much lower, but far more perceptive, pair of eyes. Beside him, Drake had also completed his transformation, his dark fur a contrast to Noah’s silver coat.

Noah’s keen wolf senses picked up a myriad of scents on the night air. He could smell the damp earth, the crisp scent of pine, and... something else. A faint trace of Hannah’s scent, mixed with fear and.... blood?

Yes. She was this way.

A low growl rumbled in Noah’s chest. Drake’s ears perked up, and he bounded off into the woods alongside Noah.