Chapter 16

chapter 16

. . .

Tyler

“ W hat’s going on?” I asked Henry as I stood in his lavish chamber seven months after rejecting the omega I loved. My boots sank into the green velvet carpet as I waited.

He only summoned me to his personal quarters during an emergency, and to me, there wasn’t one happening at the compound currently.

“Glad you could get here on time,” Henry’s smooth voice cut through my thoughts. He lounged casually in a luxurious armchair, wearing a plush robe.

“So what’s going on?”

“Are you in a hurry to go somewhere, Tyler?”

I sighed. “Cut the crap, Henry. You’re not going to intimidate me like your cronies.”

Henry laughed, looking more excited than ever. “That’s why I hired you, Tyler. Anyway, I’ve received news.”

“News?”

“About Carmen,” Henry said nonchalantly, making my heart clench painfully at the mention of her name. “She’s living in Florida now with Logan, the traitor, and his pack. ”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure. And I’m not allowing more alphas and omegas to disappear from our home again. It will not be tolerated.”

My mind raced with worry that he still hadn’t gotten over his obsession with Carmen. My rejection of her had to be worth her safety, at least, but somehow he’d gotten intel on where she was.

“How did you find her?”

“I had people looking for her, and it seems she’s living in a beach home… for now.”

“What if she’s already bonded to her pack?”

The thought of her permanently marked and bonded by Logan’s pack made my stomach twist, but I had brought this punishment upon myself.

“I will still have her,” Henry said. “I’ll need to come up with a fitting punishment for Logan and his pack for stealing her from me. They will need to be set as an example for the entire community.”

Fuck my life .

“It’s not a good idea. You’ll lose loyalty.”

“And I’ve already lost it. What more can I lose?” Henry replied with a smile.

“Even if Carmen is already bonded, you can’t just waltz in and mark her again,” I said through gritted teeth, trying to make him see reason. “It could kill her, Henry. An omega needs to be marked by the same pack. Otherwise, they could die from disloyalty.”

Henry’s smug expression ignited a firestorm of rage within me. His callous disregard for Carmen's well-being made my blood boil, and I clenched my fists to keep from lunging at him.

“That will be the lesson that Logan and his pack will learn. Can you imagine his suffering once she’s gone from his life?” Henry said, smiling.

The air felt heavy and suffocating as I realized the magnitude of the situation. My breath came in shallow gasps, sweat breaking out on my forehead. I nodded in agreement, but internally, I knew there was no way in hell I would ever hand Carmen over to this monster on a silver platter.

“So what do you want me to do about it?”

“I’ll give you her exact location, and you will bring her to me.”

I thought about that for a moment. If I found her in time before Henry, there might be a chance to save her.

“That’s fine,” I said, sounding reluctant.

“Excellent,” Henry’s grin grew wider, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction. “We make a great team, don’t we?”

As I stormed out of the room, my mind raced with thoughts of Carmen—her radiant smile, the warmth of her touch, the intoxicating scent that clung to her skin. I couldn’t bear the thought of her being subjected to Henry's twisted desires, and I vowed to do everything in my power to protect her.

I closed the door behind me, leaving Henry’s oppressive presence behind. I needed to find Carmen, and fast. Time was running out, and failure was not an option.

“Keep it together, Tyler,” I muttered under my breath, trying to shake off the crushing weight of fear and anxiety.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a fiery orange glow over El Paso as I stepped out into the dry air. My heart raced with turmoil, torn between the weight of Henry's orders and my love for Carmen. I already felt sick thinking about how I had rejected her twice before, and now I was expected to carry out yet another betrayal, which I wasn’t going to do.

She probably hated me, but I couldn’t blame her. I had no idea how she would receive me now .

“Fuck you, Henry,” I muttered under my breath, my knuckles white as I gripped my car door. I thought I had everything settled and perfect, but I had no idea that Henry was still lusting after Carmen.

I slid into the driver’s seat and took a moment to steady myself. Taking a deep breath, I dialed Jaxon and Axel, my voice gruff with urgency. “Guys, meet me at the car. It’s important.”

“Alright, we’re on our way,” Jaxon replied. They were doing security rounds in Henry’s mansion, where we primarily worked.

Within minutes, the car doors opened, and my packmates climbed into the vehicle, their expressions tense as they sensed my agitation. As we set off, I cast a sidelong glance at Jaxon, whose hazel eyes flashed with intensity, and Axel, whose icy blue gaze was sharp and calculating.

“Update us,” said Jaxon.

“Listen up,” I began, my voice strained. “We need to find Carmen. Henry’s ordered us to bring her back.”

Jaxon’s brow furrowed, anger simmering within him. “Why the hell would he want her back?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I snapped, my grip tightening on the steering wheel.

“So you’re going to do it?”

“No, we’re going to warn her. I would never hand her over to him. What the fuck?”

“And if Henry finds out?” asked Axel. “He’s fully expecting us to bring her back.”

“We’ll figure that out when we get there,” I said, contemplating what I’d do after betraying Henry. I could never show my face again at the compound or see my family. Carmen hated me, so there was no chance of ever getting back with her. I was willing to risk my whole life in order to save her.

“We need to be smart about this. If Henry finds out we’re going against his orders, we won’t be able to protect Carmen or ourselves,” said Jaxon.

“Then we’ll just have to make sure he doesn’t find out," I replied, keeping my eyes locked on the road ahead.

As we sped through the streets heading to the airport - I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that whatever happened would change her life forever. But for Carmen, I was willing to face them head-on. I wouldn’t let my love for her be overshadowed by fear of a tyrant. And if that meant defying Henry and risking everything, so be it.