Chapter 198
Chapter 198:
The air in the penthouse was thick with the scent of ozone and impending violence. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the sprawling territory of the Blackwood Pack but seeing none of it. My reflection in the glass showed a composed man — but inside, Ragnar was pacing, his claws scraping against the walls of my mind.
One hour. That was how long it had been since my Warriors reported the confrontation between Adella and Braydon Hyde. One hour since Vance’s intercepted call had revealed the bastard’s new weapon: Elara’s diary.
Elara’s diary. The words echoed in my skull, each repetition a fresh spike of ice. I had searched for it years ago, after the fire. Assumed it was ash. If Braydon truly had it — if he knew what was written there —
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime. Adella stepped out, looking exhausted but strangely resolute. The scent of the city clung to her, mixed with the faint, sour stench of Braydon Hyde that made my lip curl. But beneath it all was her own aroma — moonflowers and rain — that instantly soothed the savage edge of my temper.
“We need to talk, Dallas,” she said, not meeting my eyes. She set her portfolio down on the marble island.
I turned slowly, slipping my hands into my pockets to hide the way they trembled — not with the urge to grab her, but with the cold fury still simmering beneath my skin. “I heard you had an eventful morning p>
She finally looked up, searching my face. “He showed me a picture of my mother. He claims he has her journals p>
“I know.” The words came out flatter than I intended. “My men intercepted his call afterward. He’s planning to use them against you p>
𝗝𝗼іո 𝘵ho𝘶ѕ𝗮n𝘥ѕ 𝘰𝖿 f𝗮𝘯s 𝗈𝗻
“Against us,” she corrected softly.
The distinction hit me harder than I expected. Not against me. Against us.
“He can try,” I growled, the sound reverberating in my chest. “But we have more immediate concerns.” I held her gaze, letting her see the steel beneath the fury. “What did he want? What was the trade p>
Adella’s jaw tightened. “He wanted me to convince you to stop dismantling his territory. Give him room to breathe, and he’d give me the journals p>
“And you said p>
She met my eyes without flinching. “I said no p>
Something in my chest unlocked. Ragnar’s pacing slowed to a satisfied prowl.
“Good,” I said simply. Then, before she could respond: “I’m moving out p>
The silence that followed was deafening.
She is leaving us! Ragnar roared in my head. Lock her up!
“Excuse me?” My voice was dangerously low, vibrating with a growl I could barely suppress.
“Not… not like that,” Adella stammered, finally looking at me. Her eyes were wide, pleading. “I’m not rejecting you, Dallas. Goddess, no. But look at me. I’m living in your tower, guarded by your men. I feel like a prisoner again — just like at the Hyde Pack p>
I flinched. The comparison to Braydon stung more than I cared to admit.