bChapter /bb373 /b

KESTER.

How much longer was I supposed to keep sitting on my hands?

Four fucking days.

Four days without my mate.

Every damn hour felt like I was being skinned alive, like some cruel bastard had peeled back my flesh and was dousing me in salt bjust /bto see how long before I broke.

I won’t lie, Saint and his crew had been on their grind. They weren’t sleeping. They barely even blinked. Since they found out bNagel /bbwasn’t /bbon /bnd, everyone knew shit had gotten real. Even Saint’s loyal bitch, Karashi, had learned to stay the fuck out of the way.

But none of that changed the fact that my mate was still gone. And I was losing my fucking mind.

My phone pinged, and when I brought it out, it was a text from Karlos.

“We’ve got Alpha Wes where you want him.” Perfect. Finally. One glimpse of light. Something to punch and hurt and make bleed.

I had someone to pour my anger and frustration on while we waited for any signal at all that would tell bus /bbexactly /bwhere that crafty bbastard /bwas. Although Saint had already fully involved his marine agents.

I clenched my jaw, shoved the phone into my pocket, and turned to Non, who was still hovering the damn Grail.

over that quiet little genius girl like she was

He even brought her a cup of coffee when she seemed thirsty.

Perfect.

“I’m stepping out,” bI /bsaid, already moving.

“Where?” Non asked, barely ncing up.

“Wes.” That was all I needed to bsay/bb. /b

His eyes flicked up, and he nodded. He knew bexactly /bwhat that meant.

I was already at the door with my hand on the doorknob when I heard bvoices/b.

“Don’t tell him.”

The voice sounded like Non’s.

Then I heard another voice.

“bHe /bis a man. He needs to know.”

It was Saint’s cold, unbothered voice.

Something in me stilled.

The grip I had on the doorknob tightened until my knuckles went pale. I turned bslowly/b.

bChapter /b373

The whole room was tense as fuck. Everyone froze like they’d rehearsed how bnot /bto breathe bwhen /bbI /bwas baround/b.

“What the fuck is going on?” I asked. My gut twisted. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. My instincts were screaming like bansheby in

No one said anything. Saint just turned hisptop screen around so I could see it.

And in that second, time stopped.

The room came to a standstill.

The fucking held its breath.

Heck, the whole world stopped existing, and I was sure even the gods looked away as I took in the scene unfolding before me.

Theptop sat on the table like some cheap fucking portal to hell, and Saint, the cold bastard, was just watching me watch it. bHis /bbfingers /bhadn’t twitched since he turned the screen toward me. And me? I was trying – really trying to pretend I didn’t see what I was seeing.

At first, I couldn’t process it.

Not because it was blurry, but because my brain refused, as if it was trying to protect me, because it certainly bknew /bwhat came bafter /brity would be permanent damage.

But rity came anyway.

And it gutted me.

As if that was not enough, Saint turned the volume up. It all sounded very distant because the only thing I could really hear at that point was the rush bof /bblood drumming in my earsb. /b

I staggered back a step like I’d been shot. My lungs refused to work. My fists clenched so tight I felt the skin split across my knuckles.

I heard Non mutter a “Fuck.” but it all sounded bas /b

under water.

I saw my mate, bound with chains, lying on the bare floor and crying her lungs out.

She was putting on a dress that wasn’t even hers to begin with. And it was already torn to shreds by… Fuck… By Kex.

Did he… Did he just hit my Kasmine?

Was he actually…

No.

Fuck, no.

Was he trying to force himself on her?

I scoffed.

*

My vision tilted. For a split second, I thought I was passing out.

But no. That would’ve been merciful.

I felt something bwet /bslide down my palm. It was blood from my own clenched fist.

bMy /bnails had cut into bmy /bskin.

My eyes scanned the whole room, and bevery /bfucking person in there sat still. Watching me.

bChapter /bb373 /b

Someone in the room mumbled something, but I didn’t hear shit.