?Chapter 324:

    Still, the need to run after her, to shift and track her scent until I found her, wed at me. It was taking every shred of willpower I had not to give in. Ace’s growl deepened, vibrating through my skull. She’s ours. She’s our mate. And now she’s gone.

    “I know!” I snapped, my voice echoing through the empty hallway. “I fucking know, Ace!”

    The silence that followed was suffocating.

    But then my rage found its target.

    All of this—every single piece of this fucked-up puzzle—led back to him.

    Aiden.

    It was his words, his smirking face, his fucking existence that had torn my life to shreds.

    If Jasmine was gone, if my mate—my fucking mate—was slipping through my fingers, then it was because of him.

    And maybe it was time to end this. Right fucking now.

    I stalked back to the room, the space that had once been ours. The ce where Jasmine’s scent still lingered, soft and warm, making my chest ache all over again.

    The door creaked open, and there he was.

    Aiden.

    Pinned against the wall by Kade, his smirk still stered across his bloodied face like he thought this was all some kind of fucking game.

    Kade nced at me, his expression tight. “What do you want me to do with him?”

    I didn’t answer.

    Didn’t even fucking blink.

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    I grabbed Aiden by the cor, dragging him out of Kade’s hold and toward the courtyard without a word.

    He stumbled as I hauled him forward, but he didn’t fight back. Not yet. He was too busyughing under his breath, that same mocking chuckle that made my blood boil.

    “Trouble in paradise, brother?” he drawled, his voice dripping with amusement.

    “She looked pretty upset. Can’t imagine why.”

    I didn’t respond.

    The second we reached the center of the yard, I let go of him, shoving him back hard enough to make him stagger.

    “Do you ever fucking shut up?” I snarled, my voice low and venomous.

    Aiden straightened, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt. “Why would I? This is too much fun.”

    “Fun?” I barked out augh, bitter and sharp. “You think this is a fucking game?”

    “To you, maybe not,” he said, shrugging. “But me? I’ve been waiting years for this. And watching your little mate walk out on you?” He grinned, his teeth glinting in the moonlight. “That was the cherry on top.”

    I snapped.

    Without a second thought, I lunged at him, my fist connecting with his jaw. The impact sent him sprawling, but he was back on his feet in seconds,ughing as he wiped the blood from his lip.

    “There he is,” he said, his grin widening. “The real Ryder. Took you long enough.”

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