Chapter 16 - Grayson
Grayson leaned against the railing of the wraparound porch outside the town’s community building, a temporary base they’d been using for strategy sessions.
The place was rarely used. Nestled behind overgrown shrubs at the edge of the main road, the building offered privacy without attracting attention.
Sleep had been elusive, chased away by memories he couldn’t shake and the weight of the moment he couldn’t forget.
Emily’s face haunted him in those hours between dusk and morning.
Her soft and melodic laugh echoed faintly in the back of his mind.
She’d had a way of teasing him that always caught him off guard.
Something playful in her voice made him forget the danger they lived in—until the day he couldn’t protect her—until the day the danger caught up with her instead of him.
He closed his eyes, trying to shove the memory back into the box where it belonged. It didn’t matter how many years had passed. The guilt lingered like a constant companion. He’d been too late to save her, too focused on the mission, and now…
Now, there was Cora.
Her laughter wasn’t soft—it came with an edge she didn’t bother to hide. It cut through the armor he wore, but they didn’t wound. They reminded him that he was still here, still fighting, even if he didn’t know how to admit he needed someone like her.
The night before had changed everything.
The feel of her lips on his, the way she’d melted against him, had unraveled something inside him.
He wanted her, craved her in a way that went beyond the bond.
But that was the problem, wasn’t it? Wanting her meant risking her.
Letting her in meant opening her up to the same danger that had stolen Emily away.
He didn’t know how to protect Cora without pushing her away. He didn’t know how to keep her safe without smothering her. And worst of all, he didn’t know how to let himself feel something for her without the fear of losing her ripping him apart.
The sharp sound of a door clicking open behind him broke his thoughts. Ryder stepped out, and he crossed the porch toward him.
“They’re inside,” Ryder said, gesturing toward the room behind him. The makeshift meeting space was cramped and cluttered with maps, notes, and empty coffee cups—a testament to the long hours they’d spent planning their next move.
Grayson straightened, adjusting the collar of his jacket. “Let’s go.”
Zane and Zach were already seated at the table with a worn map of Bellefleur and the surrounding areas spread out between them.
“Look who finally showed up,” Zane commented with a grin. “Thought you were too busy with your accidental wife to bother.”
“Keep talking, and I’ll send you to babysit the perimeter patrol,” Grayson shot back as he dropped into a chair. “What’ve we got?”
Zach leaned forward and traced one of the roads on the map with his finger. “Theodore’s people are holed up north of Cedar Hallow, near the old logging mill. We’ve got movement in and out at night—small groups, heavily armed. It’s not just a safe house; it’s a hub.”
Grayson frowned as his eyes scanned the map. “How many captives?”
“Hard to say,” Zach admitted. “Our scouts couldn’t get close enough without risking exposure. But we know they’re holding witches and shifters. Maybe some humans, too.”
“They’re trafficking them through the mill,” Ryder added. “Using the woods as cover. It’s smart. Isolated, easy to defend, but close enough to the main roads for transport.”
Every detail painted a clearer picture of the operation, and none of it was good. “We need eyes inside,” he said. “Someone who can get close without tipping them off.”
“I’ll do it,” Zane offered. “I’m good at this kind of thing. Theodore doesn’t know me, and I can play the part of a buyer looking to make a deal.”
Grayson didn’t bother hiding his skepticism. “You think you can just walk in there and charm them into spilling their secrets?”
“It’s worked before,” Zane replied, flashing a grin. “And let’s be honest—you’re not exactly easy to miss, Kane. They'll spot you a mile away if you go anywhere near that mill.”
“He’s right,” Ryder said reluctantly. “You’re too recognizable. If Theodore gets even a hint you’re involved, he’ll shut everything down and move his operation somewhere we can’t find it.”
Grayson hated that they were right. His history with Theodore ran too deep, and the bastard would recognize him on sight.
But the thought of sending someone else into the lion’s den didn’t sit well either.
He’d seen too many missions go sideways because of bad intel or overconfidence, and the stakes here were too high.
“You’ll need a solid cover story. And an exit strategy. If anything goes wrong—”
“I’ll improvise,” Zane interrupted.
“Not good enough,” Grayson snapped. “If you’re going in, you’re doing it my way. No cowboy bullshit.”
Zane raised his hands in mock surrender. “Fine. No cowboy bullshit. Happy?”
“Not even a little,” Grayson muttered.
Ryder tapped the map, drawing their attention back.
“If Zane’s going in, we’ll need to tighten our perimeter.
Zach and I can cover the main roads leading to the mill.
Grayson, you can coordinate from the fallback point here.
” He pointed to a clearing south of the mill.
“It’s close enough to respond if things go south but far enough to keep you out of sight. ”
Grayson nodded reluctantly. He hated staying on the sidelines, but Ryder was right—his presence would do more harm than good. “And what about after? If Zane gets the intel, how do we extract him without drawing attention?”
“We’ll set up a decoy,” Zach suggested. “Something to draw their guards away long enough for him to slip out. A fire, maybe, or a noise distraction.”
Grayson shook his head. “Too risky. If they think we’re onto them, they’ll move the captives before we have a chance to intervene.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Ryder asked.
Grayson considered the options, and his mind ran through contingency plans. “We keep it quiet. Zane goes in, gets the information, and gets out without making a scene. Once we know where the captives are being held and how they’re being transported, we can plan a strike.”
“And if they catch him?” Ryder pressed.
“They won’t,” Zane said confidently. “I’m not planning on sticking around for tea and cookies.”
Grayson shot him a warning look. “This isn’t a joke. If they catch you, they’ll kill you. And then they’ll come after the rest of us.”
“I know the risks,” Zane assured them, his tone more serious now. “But if we don’t do this, those people don’t stand a chance. So either trust me or find someone else to do it.”
Grayson didn’t like it, but he couldn’t argue with the logic. Zane was their best shot at getting the information they needed without tipping off Theodore’s people. “Fine,” he said at last. “But you stick to the plan. No improvising unless it’s life or death.”
“Scout’s honor,” Zane agreed with a wink.
Grayson rolled his eyes but didn’t respond. Ryder folded up the map, and Zach began packing up the supplies. They had a plan—barely—but it was better than nothing.
As the meeting broke up, Grayson lingered by the door. His thoughts were still tangled in the past and the present. He couldn’t shake the feeling that history was repeating itself, that it wouldn't be enough no matter how carefully they planned.
And this time, the stakes were personal.
***
Grayson leaned against the doorframe, his heart heavy as he stared at Cora hunched over the table, mixing herbs into a small bowl.
The faint scrape of a mortar against its pestle filled the room, and the rhythmic sound was the only indication of her focus.
She hadn’t looked up since he’d walked in, and that alone told him everything he needed to know about how this conversation was going to go.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
Cora didn’t flinch. “What does it look like I’m doing?” she replied without glancing up.
The indifference in her tone twisted something in his chest. He stepped farther into the room. “I thought we were past this.”
“Past what?” She ground another bundle of dried leaves. “Trying to fix my life?”
“Cora.”
She let out a heavy sigh, finally setting the pestle down and straightening to face him. “Look, I know what you’re going to say. That this is dangerous. That I should stop before I hurt myself or someone else. But you don’t get to make that choice for me.”
“It’s not about making choices for you. It’s about keeping you safe.”
“Safe from what, Grayson? From you? From this bond? Because that’s what this is really about, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s about keeping you alive. Do you have any idea what breaking a bond like this could do to you? It’s not just some harmless potion, Cora. You could die.”
“Then that’s my risk to take.”
Her words hit like a blow, and for a moment, he couldn’t speak. He stared at her, trying to reconcile the fierce determination in her eyes with the ache growing in his chest. “Why does it matter so much to you? Why can’t you just…let this be?”
“Because I didn’t choose this,” she explained as her voice trembled slightly. “I didn’t choose you, or the bond, or any of this. It was forced on me. And I can’t—I won’t—live the rest of my life feeling like I don’t have control over it. That’s why I left my coven, remember?”
Grayson exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “You think I wanted to tie you to me, to drag you into my world and all the danger that comes with it?”
“I don’t know what you wanted. You’ve never told me.”
“I wanted to save you. That’s all. I didn’t care about the bond or what it would mean. I just wanted to get you out of there alive.”
“Well, congratulations,” she said bitterly. “You got what you wanted. But now I’m stuck with this—stuck with you—and I don’t know how to make sense of any of it.”
Her words cut deeper than he expected, and he struggled to keep his emotions in check.
“You’re not stuck with me. If you want to break the bond, fine.
Do it. But don’t pretend this is just about me.
You’re scared, Cora. Scared of what this bond means, scared of what it makes you feel.
And instead of facing it, you’re trying to destroy it. ”
“And what would you know about what I feel?” she challenged. “Don’t stand there and tell me how I feel, Grayson. You don’t know.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but the words died on his lips. She was right. He didn’t know. How could he, when he’d spent so much time trying to ignore his own feelings, trying to bury them under the weight of his fear?
“I know what it feels like to lose someone because of this world. I know what it feels like to fail. My first mate died because of me. Because of the choices I made. And I can’t—I won’t—let that happen again.”
“You’re not responsible for me, Grayson. Whatever happened before, that’s not my burden to carry.”
“I care about you, Cora. Whether you believe it or not.”
She froze, and for a moment, the tension in the room seemed to shift. He thought she might actually let her guard down. But then she shook her head, stepping back.
“This isn’t about feelings. It’s about freedom. About having a choice. Breaking the bond is the only option.”
Grayson’s heart sank, even if he didn’t understand why.
He had gotten so used to her presence, to coming home to her and protecting her, that he wasn’t sure he could ever go back to living alone.
But he didn’t tell her any of this. He couldn’t.
Instead, he let out a curt, “Fine. Do what you have to do. Just don’t expect me to stick around and watch you destroy yourself. ”
He turned and walked out, slamming the door shut behind him.