Chapter 122 Ty
TY
Asudden jolt tore me from my sleep, and an inexplicable sense of dread washed over me. My ears strained for any sound as my heart hammered. The first thing I noticed was the cold, empty space beside me.
“Liza?” I called out. Even as I said her name, I realized I couldn’t sense her presence in the house.
I bolted upright, my instincts screaming that something was wrong.
The sheets tangled around my legs as I stumbled out of bed, my senses sharpening, trying to pick up any trace of her.
Instead, the silence felt oppressive, like a soundproof dome had been placed over the room.
With each inhale, I tasted the stale air. It held no scent of her.
“Damn it,” I muttered, my frustration mounting.
Liza’s disappearance didn’t make sense. I pushed open the bedroom door, my footsteps echoing through the empty hallways.
The wooden floorboards creaked beneath me, but I barely heard them over the blood pounding in my ears.
When I reached the stairs, I caught a glimpse of moonlight filtering through the windows.
“Where are you, Liza?” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. I needed to find her. The thought of anything happening to her had fear stampeding through me, but I couldn’t do this alone. I needed Liam.
“Liam!” I hollered, the sound echoing through the house. “Wake the hell up!”
In mere seconds, Liam appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide and alert, his chest heaving as though he’d just awoken from a nightmare. “What’s wrong?”
“Liza’s gone.”
“Shit.” Liam cursed again, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. “We have to find her.”
“Damn right we do.” I paced back and forth, my body as taut as a bowstring. “She must’ve gotten a message from Castro and went to him instead of telling us. Why the hell would she do that when we had such a solid plan?”
“Maybe we’re missing something.” Liam rubbed at his stubbled jaw, his expression troubled. “Either way, we have to find her. Now.”
“Agreed.” We shared a look of determination before setting off through the house. The air was thick with tension, making it hard for me to breathe, or maybe that was just the fear. Whatever the cause, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Liza was in grave danger, and it was up to us to save her.
“Any ideas on where she could be?” Liam asked, his voice tight as we raced down the hallway.
I glanced at the clock, my heart pounding. It had only been an hour since we’d gone to bed. Liza couldn’t have gone far. I tried to shove down the panic and took a deep breath.
“Let’s check the house first,” I said.
Liam nodded, but his expression remained grim as we hurried through the darkened hallways.
We searched every room, calling out Liza’s name over and over, but there was no sign of her.
My frustration mounted with each passing second, and I felt like a caged animal desperate to escape.
With every fiber of my being, I wanted to find Liza, to keep her safe from the monster who had haunted us for so long.
“Nothing,” Liam muttered when we met up in the hallway again. “She’s not here.”
“Then, let’s check the garage,” I suggested, my mind racing with possibilities. We jogged down the stairs, our footfalls echoing through the empty house.
The garage was just as silent, and all the cars were accounted for. I cursed under my breath, slamming my fist against the wall. Where the fuck could she have gone?
“Maybe she didn’t leave by car,” Liam said, trying to think logically despite our mounting desperation. “Let’s talk to the guards at the gate.”
We sprinted toward the entrance, the cold night air biting at our skin as we rushed to the gates. The guards looked startled when they saw us approaching, their eyes wide with concern.
“Did Liza leave through here?” I demanded, my patience wearing thin.
“No,” one of the guards answered, shaking his head. “We haven’t seen her.”
“Fuck!” I growled, raking my fingers through my hair. Helplessness was a bitter pill I refused to swallow.
“Wait,” Liam said suddenly, his eyes narrowing in thought. “Castro… he’s a creature of habit, right? This all started because of what happened at Heather Falls.”
I blinked at him, then realization dawned on me. How could we have been so blind?
“Let’s go,” I said. “We’re not wasting another second.”
Liam and I locked eyes, a silent understanding passing between us.
With an almost imperceptible nod, we bolted out of the house and shifted into our wolf forms, the transformation swift and familiar.
Our powerful paws pounded against the ground as we raced toward Heather Falls at full speed.
The sensation of wind whipping through my fur and the earth trembling beneath me was both exhilarating and anxiety-inducing.
Castro was going to pay for what he’d done.
The woods were a blur of shadows and moonlight, a haunting déjà vu of that fateful night when everything had changed.
As we ran, the world around us seemed both foreign and intimately familiar.
My heightened senses picked up every rustle of leaves and distant snap of twigs, each sound feeding the fire of determination burning within me.
I would not let Liza down again. I would make sure she was safe.
Come on, Liam, I urged internally, knowing he couldn’t hear me in our wolf forms, but hoping somehow that my thoughts would reach him. We have to save her.
Liam responded by picking up speed, his sleek form effortlessly gliding alongside mine. We were a team, bound together by blood and a shared purpose. Together, we would put an end to Castro’s reign of terror.
As we neared our destination, the familiar roar of rushing water filled my ears. Heather Falls loomed ahead, its cascading waters a veil of silver in the moonlight. My heart hammered, anticipation and fear warring within me as we closed the distance.
And then, piercing through the night, we heard it. Sabrina’s voice, sharp with terror, crying out, “No, Liza!”
In that instant, adrenaline surged through my veins, lending strength to my already powerful limbs. We burst through the tree line, coming upon the scene that would forever be etched into my memory.
No! The word echoed through my mind, reverberating with the force of a thousand screams. I couldn’t let this happen. Not again.
The moment we broke through the trees, my heart clenched at the sight before me. Castro’s powerful arm tossed Sabrina to the side with alarming force. Her body slammed into a nearby tree and crumpled to the ground like a discarded ragdoll.
My voice echoed, raw and guttural, as I shifted back into human form. “Stop!”
Liam did the same, his snarl fierce and eyes blazing with fury. We would not let this monster take our family from us. Not without a fight.
“Ah, Ty and Liam,” Castro sneered, looking utterly deranged. His fingers clawed into Liza’s arm as she struggled against him, her face contorted with pain and determination. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Let her go!” Liam growled, taking a step forward, fury snapping in the air around him.
Castro smirked, pure evil radiating from his twisted gaze.
“You know, I’d love nothing more than to rip your throat out, Ty, but I need you alive to keep Liza breathing.
” He paused, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
“I think I’ll just keep you as a slave so you can live to see me making her mine over and over again. ”
“Over my dead body,” I spat, my entire being focused on protecting Liza and stopping Castro. The air crackled with tension, the scent of blood and fear heavy in the night.
My chest tightened at the sight of Liza struggling in Castro’s grip, and a growl rumbled through me. Her eyes met mine, pleading with me to understand something I couldn’t yet grasp.
“Ty,” she murmured, shaking her head slightly. “Trust me.”
I snarled, my body tensing as if preparing for an attack. Whatever plan Liza had in mind, I needed to be ready, but seeing her held captive by that monster made it difficult. I wouldn’t let him take her from me.
Liam crouched next to Sabrina, who lay crumpled against a tree trunk. He gently touched her face. The scent of her blood made my stomach churn.
“Get her out of here,” I told Liam, not taking my eyes off Castro. “She needs help.”
Liam shook his head. “I’m not leaving Liza, Ty. Not again.”
“I know, but you’re Sabrina’s mate. She needs you, too.” My heart ached for Liam, torn between protecting his sister and the woman he was destined to be with.
A cold sweat broke out on my skin as Castro’s threat hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Liam stood his ground, his eyes flicking between Liza and Sabrina.
“Aw, how noble of you,” Castro sneered, tightening his grip on a now-still Liza. “But remember, if you don’t let me leave with her, I’ll activate her. She’ll kill her brother and best friend without a second thought.”
My jaw clenched, the muscles there twitching with barely contained rage. How could he do this? Use Liza against us like that? My vision blurred red. We needed a plan, and fast.
“Handle me,” Liza suddenly said, her voice calm and steady despite the situation.
“Wh—” I began, but stopped myself, realizing her words were meant for Liam. My heart pounded, my mind racing to catch up with what Liza was saying. She had a plan, and she needed Liam to trust her.
Liam glared at Castro. “You want to play this sick game? Let’s play.”
My heart raced in anticipation, wondering how this would play out. Liam’s smirk widened as he understood Liza’s plan. Castro gritted his teeth and raised his hand, attempting to activate her. But before he could utter the word, Liam beat him to it.
“Nachinat,” Liam said confidently, a glint of triumph in his eyes.
Castro’s eyes widened, and he screamed with rage. “No! You can’t do that!”
I remained as still as stone, watching the scene unfold before me.
Liza’s head dropped, her body going limp.
It was as if she’d suddenly become a puppet, waiting for someone to pull her strings.
Castro hesitated, slowly stepping away from her.
Liza’s movements were slow and mechanical as she turned to face Liam.
“Give me my mission,” she requested, her voice void of emotion.