Chapter b65 /b

Adrian’s POV

The afternoon sim streamed through my office window as my phone chimed with a bnew /bmessage. I smiled seeing Nadia’s name on the screen.

We’ve arrived at the wedding venue. The decorations are surprisingly tasteful for a small–town Celebration

I chuckled at her typical attention to detail. A second message followed quickly.

Our pack hasn’t hosted a wedding in a very long time.

Before I could reply, Skye sent a photo. Three women beamed at the camera – Skye with her striking silver hair, Nadia looking uncharacteristically rted in a formal dress, and a blonde woman in a wedding gown who must be the bride. Their faces glowed with happiness, and I couldn’t help but smile in response.

For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine Skye in a wedding dress – her silver hair adorned with flowers, green eyes bright with joy, walking toward bme /bquickly pushed the thought away. Such fantasies were dangerous territory.

Enjoy yourselves, I texted back. You both deserve a night off.

I set my phone aside and immersed myself in work – budget reports, security protocols, and territory expansion ns. Hours passed, the stack of papers gradually diminishing as night fell over the bdesert/bb. /b

By midnight, my eyes burned from staring bat /bspreadsheets. I stretched, reaching for my phone to check the time. No new messages. The wedding reception should have ended by now. On impulse, I dialed Skye’s numberb, /bexpecting to hear her voice, perhaps slightly giddy from wedding champagne.

Instead, I heard only endless ringing before her voicemail answered. Strangeb, /bbut not concerning. She was probably still celebrating or had bturned /bin for bthe /bnight. I tried Nadia instead our pragmatic Beta always answered her phone, regardless of circumstances.

Her phone rang unanswered as well. Five more attempts to reach either woman over the next hour yielded nothing but growing unease. By one bin /bbthe /bmorning, my concern had escted to rm. This wasn’t normal, bespecially /bfor Nadia. She’d even set a specific ringtone for my calls b– /bthe opening bars of “Who Let the Dogs Out,” her idea of pack humor.

I grabbed my jacket and keys, striding through the silent hallways bof /bmy home. Twenty minutester, bI /bparked outside Garrett’s modest house and pounded on the door until a bleary–eyed figure appeared.

“Alpha Adrian?b” /bGarrett blinked in confusion, his sandy hair sticking up at odd anglesb. /bb“/bIs everything okay?”

Without waiting for an invitation, I strode past him into the houseb. /bI need you to track Skye and Nadia’s phones. Nowb./b”

Garrett snapped to alertness, limping quickly toward his back room–what appeared to be a simple home office but was actually our information bhub/b, The glow of multiple monitors illuminated his face as his fingers flew bacross /bthe keyboard.

“Both phones are showing up at… Boring town,” he said, squinting at the screen. “Right where the wedding is taking ce.” He turned to me with a reassuring smile. “They probably can’t hear their phones at the wedding. Or maybe they’re having too much fun to answer.”

The tension in my shoulders eased slightly as I studied the glowing dots on the GPS map. b“/bbAre /byou sure bthe /bsignals bare /burate?”

“Positiveb./bb” /bGarrett nodded confidently. “Thest ping was just fifteen minutes ago. They’re definitely there, and the phones are powered on and functioning.”

I exhaled slowlyb, /ballowing myself to rx marginally. “Can I get something to drink? bIt’s /bbeen a long night.”

“Beerb? /bbC/b?b” /bbGarrett /boffered, already heading to the kitchen.

“C’s fine.”

I sank into Garrett’s worn leather couch, epting the ice–cold can he handed me. He settled into the adjacent armchairb, /bnursing a bbeer/bb, /bhis bad leg propped carefully on a footstool.

bAfter /ba moment bof /bawkward silence, Garrett cleared his throat. ‘Alpha Adrian, there’s something bI’ve /bbbeen /bwondering… if you don’t mind me basking /bfna6b8 Readplete version only at FindN0vel/fna6b8

bChapter /bb65 /b

bI /bbraised /bban /beyebrow. What is it?:

bAbout /byou and Skye… He hesitated, his fingers fidgeting with the pull tab on his beer can. Is it true? Are you together!

The question caught me off guard. “Where did you heat that?‘

‘Some of the warriors have been talking.” His

dropped to his beer. “But she’s not your mate, right?

Initation red within me. “I’m aware of that fact.

I don’t see how it’s any of your concern.”

‘It’s not, Garrett backpedaled quickly. “I just… I hope Nadia doesn’t get hurt in all this.”

“Nadia is my Beta,‘ I said stiffly. “Why would I hurt Then realization dawned. “Wait, why are you so concerned about Nadia specificallyb?/bb* /b

A flush crept up Garrett’s neck, and suddenly everything clicked into ce. Nadia had been the one to recruit Garrett to Oasisborn in the first ce.

I pped a hand on his shoulder. “You have feelings for her, dos.

“She’s a good woman,” he stammered, avoiding my gaze. “iN /i

byou/bb?/b”

bsoft /blike other womenb, /bbut strong. Loyal. Good.”

“Then why not pursue her?” I asked, genuinely curious.

A bitter smile twisted Garrett’s lips as he finally looked up at me. b“/bbCan’t /byou bsee /bit? Her beyes /bonly bever /bfollow you.”

Difort settled in my stomach. I’d always seen Nadia bas /bba /bbsister/b–in–bar /bpretend they didn’t bexist/b.

a fellow warrior. I’d ignored bthe /bsigns of her deeper feelingsb, /bfinding it easier to

“Nadia and I will never be more thanrades,” I told him firmly. “That’s all bwe’ve /bever been, all we bever /bwill be.”

ncing at my watch, I noted it bwas /balready b1 /bbAM/b. “I’ll crash on your couch tonight,” I decided, not wanting to return to my empty house with my thoughts still churning. “Keep monitoring their phones, will youb?/bb” /b

“Of course, Alpha,” Garrett nodded, a hint of relief in his expression at the change of subjectb. /b

Sleep came fitfully, interrupted by dreams of silver hair and danger. Dawn arrived with fingers bof /bgolden blight /bstretching through the blinds. I checked my phone immediately–no missed calls, no text messages. Garrett was already at hisputersb, /bbthe /bscent of fresh coffee wafting from the kitchen.

“Any change?” I asked, my voice rough with sleep.

He shook his head, swiveling his chair to face me. “Both phones are still in Boring town, and both women still aren’t answering calls bor /bbtexts/b.

My unease returned tenfold. This wasn’t like Nadia. Even if they’d stayed up all night celebrating, she would bhave /bat least sent a message acknowledging my calls. Something was bvery /bwrong.

I yanked my phone from my pocket, dialing Ryder. He answered on the third ring, voice bheavy /bwith sleep.

“Alpha?b” /b

b“/bbMeet /bme at the main gate

fifteen minutesb,/b” bI /bordered, already heading for the door. “bWe’re /bgoing to Boring. Now.”

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