Chapter 8

JERRY

How did this happen? How the hell did she get away?

One moment, I was grieving over my lost mate, and the next, I was being informed that my rebellious daughter had slipped out of her cell and was making a run for the border.

By the time I arrived in my wolf form, she was already gone. A wave of emotions washed over me, the strongest being fury. Did someone aid her escape? Did they dare to cross me?

Snapping back to the present, I mind-link Billy and Luke, instructing them to meet me in my office immediately.

I rush back to my office, pull on a pair of shorts, and head to my desk. I sink into my office chair and start booting up my computer.

As I log in, Billy and Luke stride into my office, also wearing shorts. “What the hell happened?” Billy demands. I don’t answer.

“How did the bitch get away?” Luke bellows.

I ignore their questions and focus on the CCTV footage of the cells. They both join me behind the desk to watch.

We fast-forward to earlier tonight. We see her rise, lift her mattress, and retrieve a small object. “What is that?” Luke wonders aloud.

Neither of us responds, too engrossed in trying to make out the blurry object in her hand.

We finally identify it when she inserts the object into the lock of her cell. “It’s a keycard. How’d she get her hands on one?” Billy exclaims.

“Check for your keycard,” I command. We all start patting ourselves down for our keycards. I find mine first, followed by Billy, but Luke freezes.

“I don’t have mine,” he admits, his voice shaky. “I don’t fucking have mine!” he repeats, panic setting in.

“What?” I roar at him. His head drops in fear and his wolf instinctively submits.

“You left your damn keycard in the cell?” I yell, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him against the nearest wall.

“It must have been when I was fucking her,” he tries to explain. A growl escapes me.

“This is all your fault!” I snarl, slamming him against the wall again before tossing him to the floor.

“What are we going to do? If she tells anyone what we did, we’re dead. This pack won’t survive!” Billy blurts out, panic evident in his voice.

His words become a blur as my mind races. After five minutes of their pointless arguing, I formulate a plan.

“Listen. What’s done is done. Luke, you messed up, so you’ll fix it. You and a few warriors will track her scent and bring her back.

“Do whatever you want to her, as long as no one sees. We can’t afford to raise suspicions.

“If she’s already been killed by a rogue, clean it up and burn her. Erase any trace of her scent. If she’s sought refuge in another pack, watch her. Learn her weaknesses, and strike when the time is right.

“We either want her dead or back in her cell. If you fail to bring her back, Luke, I won’t hesitate to kill you. Do you understand?” I say, my voice deadly calm.

Luke whimpers, lowers his head, and mutters, “Yes, Alpha.”

“Good,” I respond.

“I’ll hold a meeting tomorrow to reassure the pack that everything is under control,” I pause for a breath before continuing, “You’re both dismissed.”

They both bow their heads and leave.

I lean back in my chair and gaze at the photo of my deceased mate on my desk. A few tears escape as I remember my mate who left me nineteen years ago today.

Not a day goes by that I don’t miss her and mourn her departure. She left me all alone. Hayley is the spitting image of Ava, and it frightens me how much they resemble each other.

When I look at Hayley, I’m consumed by anger because she reminds me that Ava is gone.

My thoughts drift back to Hayley’s escape. Fear courses through me as I realize that if Hayley isn’t captured, we’re all doomed…