Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Raura

I wake up slowly, stretching languidly as a feeling of utter bliss washes over me. For a moment, I’m lost in the memories of last night – Riot’s touch, his scent, the way he made me feel.

The wintery sun touches my face through the drapes, and a smile plays on my lips as I reach out, seeking his warmth. But my hand meets only cold, empty sheets.

Frowning, I sit up, the happy haze quickly dissipating.

He’s not here.

“Riot?” I call out, my voice echoing in the quiet apartment. No response. A sinking feeling settles in my gut as I scramble out of bed, pulling on clothes haphazardly. I don’t bother looking around my little home – aside from it being too small for him to be out of sight, I know he’s not here. I can feel it. The loss of him gnaws at my chest.

He’s out there somewhere!

Anxiety claws at my throat as I rush out of my apartment block and pause in the street outside, looking in both directions. It’s still early; the street and sidewalk are quiet.

He’s nowhere in sight.

I turn and sprint in the direction we’d taken to get here yesterday, hoping he would have taken a familiar route. My heart is pounding in my chest. The cold morning air stings my lungs as I push myself harder, desperately searching for any sign of him.

He can’t have gone far!

But even as I tell myself this, I’m trying to stave off the rising panic. He wouldn’t just leave, not after everything we’ve been through together.

But the further I run, the more my hope begins to fade. The streets remain empty, mocking me with their stillness. I call out his name, my voice raw and hoarse, but only silence answers me.

Think, Raura, think! Where would he go?

What if he’s gotten into another fight with the alphas?

The thought makes my blood run cold. There’s no way Jagger would let him stay if that happened again.

Please, Riot, I silently beg as I start running again, my feet carrying me aimlessly through the streets. Please don’t let this be the end of our story.

Apprehensively, I turn in the direction of Jagger’s apartment when I spot Sierra coming toward me. I hurry over to her.

“Raura! They said you were back.” Her face splits into a warm smile. “I’ve been hoping to—”

I cut her off, “Sierra, have you seen Riot?”

“Who?” She frowns.

“The man I came back with.” Dammit. Of course she wouldn’t know who he is. Riot and I came straight back to my place after we returned. There hasn’t been time to introduce him to the rest of the pack, apart from the few who were there when we arrived. And they would not have gotten the best impression of him.

“You mean the one who Jagger—?” She stops short, her eyes widening.

I inwardly groan, not wanting to have to run through the whole mess again. “Yes. But he seems to have…” I don’t want to say he’s gone. It feels too final. “I can’t find him,” I say.

He wouldn’t have just abandoned me, not after we…

I can’t even finish the thought. The memory of our lovemaking, of the way he held me, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world that mattered… It all comes rushing back, making the pain of his absence even sharper.

“Maybe you could look out for him? He’s a big guy. Short dark hair. The most beautiful silvery eyes…” I have to stop myself again. “Looks kind of…dangerous.”

“Oh, you mean like every other male in this pack?” She shakes her head, concern etching her features. “Sure, I’ll keep an eye open. But are you okay, Raura? We’ve all been so worried about you…”

But I’m already moving on, too distracted to engage. A couple of blocks later, I see Cedars coming out of a building. At the sight of me, she scowls.

Shit.

“I have a bone to pick with you,” she snaps. “But first, how are you, Raura? Everyone has been freaked out about what happened. They’ve had teams searching since you were taken.”

“I’m fine. All good,” I say quickly. “And I’m so sorry about what happened with Barrett.” I run a hand through my hair. “But I’m a bit worried at the moment. The man who came back with me—”

“Don’t talk to me about that man.” Her eyes start to glow, and I remember that Cedara had trouble keeping her beast under control for a while. The last thing I need is to have to confront an angry wolf in the middle of Steel Lakes.

“I know. It was a really big mistake. And he didn’t mean what happened. He just—” I stop, taking in a deep breath. “Look, we can talk about this later, okay? But right now, I need to find him.”

She shrugs. “No idea. Haven’t seen any strangers around here. And if I did…” She leaves the sentence hanging, and I’m pretty sure I know exactly how she’d react to seeing Riot right now.

I back away a step. “Right. I understand. I’m really sorry,” I repeat, then turn on my heel and jog away.

My heart is pounding as I make my way to the security barracks, praying that he’s there. The hallways bustle with the usual clamor of early morning activity. Training sessions are underway, and teams have gathered. Most of them shoot curious looks my way, but they’re too busy to approach me for a quick catch-up. I guess I’ll be facing all those questions soon enough. I still haven’t had a chance to give Jagger and the beta council a full report of what happened to me.

Passing the parking area we’d stopped in yesterday, I pause when I see that the SUV is no longer there.

Shit. Maybe they moved it.

Feeling a growing sense of dread, I hurry to the main entrance. Cody is at the gate, and I rush up to him, breathless. “Cody, please tell me Riot is around here somewhere.”

He frowns, shaking his head slowly. “No, he left in the early hours of the morning. Is everything alright?”

My heart plummets. “What?” I stare at him, incredulous. “You just let him go? Why didn’t you stop him?”

Cody looks taken aback. “I didn’t realize he was a prisoner, Raura. He said he had to leave, and I had no reason to stop him.”

I feel like I can’t breathe.

He’s gone. Riot is gone.

And yet, somehow, I knew it.

I race through the barracks, my heart pounding in my chest as I make my way to Jagger’s office. I have to talk to him, have to find out if he had anything to do with Riot’s disappearance.

As I round the corner, I nearly collide with Jagger himself. He steadies me with a hand on my shoulder, his brow creasing as he takes in my frantic state.

“Raura, what’s wrong?”

“Riot’s gone,” I blurt out, my voice trembling. “Did you make him leave?”

Jagger’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “What? No, I didn’t even know he was gone.”

I search his face for any hint of deception but find only genuine confusion.

“Well, he is,” I say, my voice rising in desperation. “And I need to find him.”

Jagger sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Raura, maybe it’s for the best. After what happened yesterday—”

“No!” I cut him off, my hands balling into fists at my sides. “You don’t understand. We’re mates, Jagger. Mates! I told you this last night. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

He looks at me with a mix of pity and concern. “Raura, I know you think you have a connection with him, but are you sure it’s a mate bond? Maybe you’re mistaken. Maybe Riot didn’t feel it the same way.”

His words hit me like a physical blow. How can he say that? How can he even suggest that what Riot and I have isn’t real?

“You’re wrong,” I say through gritted teeth, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. “Riot wouldn’t just leave me. Not after everything we’ve been through together.”

Jagger’s expression hardens. “Raura, I understand you’re upset, but watch your tone. I’m still your Alpha.”

His words bring me up short, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “I’m sorry, Jagger. I didn’t mean to overstep. But please, you have to believe me. Riot and I have a bond. A real bond. And I need to find him.”

Or a part of me will die. A large part.

Jagger studies me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. Finally, he nods. “Alright, Raura. I’ll have some of the security team look into it. But in the meantime, I need you to stay here. We have a lot to discuss about what happened to you.”

I gnaw on my lip, torn between obeying my Alpha and doing what my instincts are telling me to do. Namely, go out there looking for Riot on my own.

“Let me guess,” Jagger seems to be reading my mind – is everyone psychic now? “You’re not happy with that.”

I shake my head. “Jagger, we need to do more,” I say urgently. “We need to go after Riot and help him save his sister.”

Jagger frowns, his brow furrowing in confusion. “His sister? What are you talking about?”

I take a deep breath, realizing that I’d only given him vague details last night. “Riot’s sister, Willow,” I remind him. “She’s the reason he’s been forced to fight all these years. They’ve been using her as leverage to make him fight in their underground circuit, forcing him to do horrible things. Parker was going to hurt her if he didn’t do what he was told.”

Jagger’s expression softens, understanding dawning in his eyes. “You think he’s gone to save his sister?”

I nod, my throat tightening with emotion. “I know he has. And we have to help him, Jagger. We can’t let him face this alone.”

“So they have her?” Jagger’s brows pull together. “Back where they were holding you? Did you see her?”

“No.” I shake my head. “Parker let her live a normal life all these years. Have a family, even. Those were the conditions – that she could be free…as long as Riot fought in the cage for him.”

“Motherfucker,” Jagger mutters, rubbing his forehead. “But if that’s the case, how the hell are we even going to find them? She could be anywhere.”

“The bond between Riot and me, it’s growing stronger. I can feel it, even now. And I think I’ll know how to find him.” The words spill out of me in a rush. But even as I say it, I wonder if this is true.

Will I really be able to find him?

Something inside me stirs…the wolf prowls. And I know. I know she’ll do it. My wolf wants this. She’s chosen him.

It’s tugging at me now. A nagging sense on the edges of my consciousness. It’s how I knew he wasn’t in the apartment with me.

“I’ll be able to feel him,” I say firmly.

“Because he’s your mate.”

I nod vigorously. “You, of all people, should know how this works, Jagger. You’ve felt it with Sierra. The bond is new, but it’s unbreakable, isn’t it?”

He rubs his forehead. “Sure. But putting my pack at risk for this male…” He looks at me. “Why wouldn’t he go to his own people first? Surely they’d want to get involved?”

“No.” I pinch my lips together. “The Consortium wiped out Riot’s entire pack. There’s only Willow left.”

Jagger’s eyes widen, his expression growing more serious with each word. “The Consortium? What is that?”

Shit. I never told him.

But who could blame me? There’s been no time. “The Chimera Consortium. It’s the organization that has been abducting all the wolves,” I explain quickly. “They’re the ones who took Sierra and Savannah. And Cedara and the others. All of them… Parker’s been running an entire network. They’ve been taking wolves and selling them, Jagger. For years!”

Jagger’s jaw clenches, his eyes hardening with a mix of anger and determination. “Raura, we need to go back to my office. We have a lot to talk about.”

I nod, feeling my anxiety dissipate a little. We’re one step closer to getting out there to him. But it’s still not enough. Because even as I’ve been talking to Jagger, something’s been gnawing at me. Something that tells me we may not be able to help him.

I think I know what he’s going to do.