Chapter 58 Evan
EVAN
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.”
I exhale a breath as my eyes strain at his words, but this is only the beginning. Ryker needs to perish, and I need to see my mate's face again.
Felix ordered Zara to stay home, despite her willingness to come. He kissed her forehead, touched her stomach, and told her to stay safe. My heart quivered at the sight of them and the severity of what we’re about to do. It could go wrong. Terribly wrong. But there’s no living without Caleb.
The journey up to the North takes longer than expected. Felix goes over the areas to check, and I test out the spells the witches put on us to protect our scents and presence. So far, so good.
One derelict building after another, we come up empty-handed.
“Where are you, Caleb?” I ask as I look up at the sky.
Felix cups a hand over my shoulder. “We’ll find him.”
“What if we don’t?”
He sighs. “That’s not an option.”
I nod. He’s right. It’s not.
“Do you feel anything from your bond?”
My chest clenches as I shake my head. “Nothing.”
“I’m sorry,” he says sincerely.
“Let’s keep going.”
We approach a small village where everything seems eerily quiet. There are a few people around, but no one looks at us or asks us why we’re here. Both of us stop to look around, and a chill rushes over my skin. All of a sudden, people start to hurry away, as if sensing something.
“Evan–”
“Something’s wrong.”
Felix nods as his gaze narrows. Wind ripples past us, and it feels like time stands still for a moment. We don’t have time to run; the devil is already with us.
“What do we have here?”
I nearly jump out of my skin as I turn to face the man who took my entire life from me. Felix holds out an arm and forces me behind him, but I’m tired of hiding.
He nearly killed me last time, but I’m not giving up without a fight.
“Where is he?” I say through gritted teeth.
Ryker’s eyes flash at me. “I could smell you from a mile away. Brave thing, aren’t you?”
My chest rises and falls rapidly. “Where. Is. He?”
He smirks at me before wrinkling his nose. My mouth turns bone-dry when he sizes me up and down.
“Somewhere you’ll never find him.”
I clench my jaw together.
“I didn’t think you had it in you,” he scoffs. “Caleb clearly doesn’t know how to scare people into submission; otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”
“Because Caleb is nothing like you. He’s everything good in this world, and all you want is to tear him down.”
Ryker’s dark eyes turn nearly black as I speak. I have a death wish, clearly. But I won’t let him speak down about his son for a single second more.
“What is your obsession with him?”
My eyes widen. “Obsession? He’s my mate. You have no right to dictate who he can and can’t be with. He should be with me where he belongs.”
He laughs in response, and it sends a shiver down my spine. “I should have just killed you at the time.”
“Do it then,” I hiss with venom.
Ryker tuts. “I’ve started to realise you're better use to me alive than dead. That way I’ll always have leverage over Caleb.”
A growl rips from my chest at his manipulation tactics. Felix’s shoulders tense, and we slowly start to back away as Ryker’s eyes flash, but it’s too late. There’s a force around my throat.
He stalks towards us, and Felix tries to fight, but he can’t move. I study his horrific face as his eyes fall on the necklace dangling over my chest. He curls a brow and reaches for it.
No, I scream out in my head.
Ryker licks his teeth. “He gave you his necklace.”
I try to kick and struggle, but it’s no use. The blood to my head starts to lessen, and I’m choking. Within a second, he rips the necklace from my body and releases me. I collapse onto the ground, gasping for breath.
Felix crawls his way towards me to check I’m okay.
“You’ve played straight into my hand,” he chuckles as he studies the necklace, and I freeze. “If I dangle this in front of Caleb, I can make him believe anything.”
My throat tightens at the possibilities.
“Try and snoop your nose into my business again, and I’ll give you something real to scream about.”
Before I can open my mouth, my leg snaps at an obscene angle. The bellow that escapes my throat echoes around us. Felix grabs me and runs as fast as he can.
Ryker’s laughter and taunting voice fill the air as my leg burns in agony. “Trust me, boy. I’ll be seeing you soon. Count your days.”
“Fuck, Evan. Are you okay?” Felix asks with deep concern.
I grit my teeth and shake my head. It doesn’t take long until black spots invade my vision, and I’m nothing but bones in Felix’s arms.