Chapter 235
Chapter 235:
They’d just given me more reason to fight.
And when I did, I’d make sure they regretted every second of it.
RYDER’S POV
Kade and I moved swiftly through the dense woods, the thick air heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth. But beneath that, there was a sharper note—the unmistakable presence of the Viper Pack. They were close. My wolf, Ace, prowled restlessly in my mind, his tension mirroring my own.
We didn’t have time for diplomacy. Every second spent away from Jasmine was one too many. But charging in on the Viper Pack unannounced would be suicide. Known for their ruthlessness and their obsession with vengeance, if we didn’t tread carefully, they’d tear us apart before we had a chance to speak.
I might be ruthless, but when it came to power, the Viper Pack had us beat.
Kade shot me a glance, his jaw set tightly. “You think they’ll listen p>
“They have to,” I replied, though my voice was rough with uncertainty. “We have something they want p>
Kade nodded grimly. “Let’s hope they believe us p>
We reached the clearing where we had agreed to meet. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting jagged shadows across the forest floor. The silence was oppressive, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. They were here, watching us.
Then a low, guttural voice broke the stillness. “You’ve got guts showing up here, Ryder p>
I turned to see Enzo step out of the shadows, his amber eyes glowing with barely restrained fury. He was tall, his presence sharp and dangerous. His black hair fell across his brow, but nothing about his appearance softened the lethal energy he radiated. The Viper Pack Prince lived up to his reputation.
Behind him, several warriors emerged, their eyes cold and assessing. They flanked him, a silent wall of violence ready to be unleashed. I could feel Ace bristling, itching for a fight, but I held him back. We couldn’t afford to lose control.
“Enzo,” I said evenly. “We need to talk p>
He scoffed. “I doubt we have anything to discuss. You called in a favor, so here we are. Say what you need to say before I lose my patience p>
I took a deep breath, steadying myself for what came next.
Myself. “We found your sister.” I just hoped this was convincing enough. It had to be.
Enzo’s eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. A low, almost imperceptible growl rumbled in his chest.
“What did you just say p>
“Jasmine,” I said carefully. “She is your sister. It’s a long story, but we have little time p>
The silence that followed was suffocating. Tension. Awkwardness. As if the very air recoiled from the word I had just spoken.
His warriors stiffened, hands inching toward their weapons. Enzo’s nostrils flared, his composure hanging by a thread.
“You’d better be sure, Ryder. If you’re lying, I’ll make sure you regret it p>
“I’m not lying.” My voice was firm. “We didn’t know who she was until recently. But Luna Anna took her—she blood-tied Jasmine to Jason. We need your help to get her back p>
His eyes blazed, but I saw it—the hesitation, a flicker of doubt.
“You expect me to believe you just figured it out? That after all these years, you somehow know she’s our blood p>