CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ZERO

If Six went down on his own, it would be regarded as a coincidence, but Nessie being taken out by whatever bullshit this is—it has to be a targeted attack.

Pacing the hall, I need to take control of this situation.

Six is still being processed at the hospital. Chills is in with him running all the tests while we’re in the waiting room, fucking waiting. We don’t know how bad it is, so I made the executive decision not to call Rebel until we at least know what the fuck it is he was hit with.

So when I am able, I can give her some answers and not just a whole pile of damn worry.

But I need answers of my own.

And pacing back and forth is not giving them to me.

All it is doing is making the anger grow inside me like a raging fucking bull.

Cherry steps up to my side, wrapping her arm around me. “You need to sit down. You’re wearing a hole in the floor.”

“I can’t stand around not knowing what happened. Neon, can you pull up the camera footage of the clubhouse from just before Six went down and see if there’s anything suspicious?”

Neon doesn’t waste a second, pulling out his laptop with a speed that sends a jolt of electricity through the room. The tension is suffocating as we all crowd around, eyes glued to the screen while he types furiously, pulling up the security footage. The seconds feel like hours, each of us holding our breath, bracing for what we already know deep down.

The footage flickers to life, and there it is—clear as day. Six sits there, facing Amber, their conversation heated, his movements agitated. Then, it happens. The moment that flips everything on its head. He turns away for a brief second, and she does it—empties some kind of powder into his drink, quick and deliberate.

We all gasp. My stomach lurches like I’ve been punched, my heart slamming in my chest so hard I hear the blood rushing in my ears. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Bile rises in my throat, and for a split second, the whole world freezes around me, locking me in this nightmare.

“That crazy fucking bitch poisoned him!” My voice is raw, cracking with fury and disbelief. I can’t even process how she could do something like this— to him, to us.

Prinie’s hand covers her mouth, eyes wide and glistening, and Chains immediately bolts up, his face red with rage, fists clenched. His whole body is shaking, and for a moment, I think he might explode.

“Chains, go tell Chills!” I bark, my voice louder than I intended, barely masking the panic clawing its way up my throat.

He nods once, stiff and jerky like he’s barely keeping himself from ripping someone apart.

Like all the brothers are right now.

His legs carry him out of the room fast, but not fast enough. I want to tear the walls down, do something, anything to stop the horror unfolding in front of us.

The knot in my stomach tightens, dread swallowing me whole as the reality sinks in.

This isn’t just some betrayal.

This is an act of war.

And she went after my family.

If you come after the Walkers, we’re going to make sure you suffer— painfully!

Chains takes off to find Chills and fill her in on the information we have found so she can make any medical adjustments she needs to as Wraith cracks his knuckles. “What do you wanna do, Zero?”

“We need to find Amber before she’s lost in the wind. That bitch needs to pay. Texas, Kevlar, go find her and bring her back to the Chamber. We’ll deal with her when Six is back at full speed.”

“You got it,” Texas states.

Kevlar and Texas take off without hesitation, but the second they’re gone, the air in the room feels heavier—thicker. My heart pounds erratically in my chest, each beat a ticking clock, and the anxiety gnaws at my insides. Every breath I take feels shallow like I’m running out of air, but all I can do is stand…

Waiting.

Waiting for news I’m terrified to hear.

Minutes crawl by, each one stretching into an eternity.

I pace the room, rubbing my palms over my bearded chin, through my hair, clenching and unclenching my fists, trying to burn off the nervous energy tearing through me. The walls seem to close in around me, my skin prickling with the weight of it all. My head is a mess, thoughts spinning out of control, imagining every possible scenario.

What if it’s too late?

What if he doesn’t pull through?

The Walker name has been The Houston Defiance legacy for years.

If Koda doesn’t make it, I’m not medically able to take back the chair.

The presidency will have to go to Wraith.

Not that he wouldn’t make an amazing president—he would—but he’s not a Walker.

He might be married to one, but his blood isn’t ours.

A Walker needs to be president.

So Six has to fucking pull through this because I am not ready to see the Walker reign end yet.

Not on my fucking watch!

Another five minutes.

Then ten.

I glance at the door every few seconds, half expecting Chills to burst through with the news, but the door remains closed. The wait feels endless. Every time the door creaks, my stomach twists, my pulse racing like it’s a fight for survival. Time moves in slow motion, and I swear I hear the clock ticking louder, mocking me.

It’s been over an hour now—an hour that feels like a lifetime.

When Chills finally walks in, it’s like the world stops for a second. I stand instantly, and everyone follows, the tension in the room crackling like the might of an electrical storm. My throat tightens, and my legs feel heavy as I take a step toward her, my heart thundering in my ears.

I’ve spent the last hour convincing myself I’m ready to hear whatever she has to say, but the second she’s standing in front of me, the fear slams back into my chest, threatening to knock me flat.

Letting out a long breath, I steady my shoulders. “How bad is it, Chills?” My voice comes out hoarse, raw with desperation.

I can’t handle any more waiting.

I need to know.

Now .

She hesitates for a split second—a heartbeat that feels like an eternity—and my heart nearly stops.

My whole body freezes, then my heart suddenly slams back against my chest, and I don’t even realize I’m holding my breath until I see the smallest hint of a smile on her face.

Relief crashes into me, so sudden and overwhelming that my knees almost buckle out from under me.

“First of all, he’s going to be okay,” she says, and those words—those fucking words—are like a lifeline. “With the help that Six was poisoned, we could figure out that he and Nessie have both been infected with strychnine. Nessie received secondary exposure from touching the glass, and I recommend removing the dishwasher. You need a hazmat team there as soon as possible to clean everything. Luckily, Six was directly exposed to a low dose, and while the short-term effects are quite horrific, any long-term effects are unlikely. Though, we will have to monitor his kidney function closely for a long while to come… just to make sure he’s doing okay.”

Furrowing my brows, I try to take all this information in. “So where to from here, doc?”

“He’ll have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days so we can flush the poison from his system. Same with Nessie, but after that, they should be good to return home to light duties. He will need to take it easy for a while. This shit is hard on the body.”

I let out a shaky breath, my hand running over my face as I try to keep it together. My chest feels tight, but this time, it’s not from fear—it’s from the release of it. I’ve been wound so damn tight, expecting the worst, that I didn’t realize how much it was suffocating me. Now, the air feels a little easier to breathe.

“Thank fuck,” I mutter, swallowing hard as the tension drains from my body. I glance around at the others, seeing the same flood of relief wash over them. My throat feels thick, and my hands are trembling, but I don’t care.

He’s going to be okay.

That’s all that matters.

It takes everything in me not to just collapse right here. The weight that’s been crushing me for what feels like hours is finally lifting, and for the first time in forever, I feel like I can breathe.

“Thanks, Chills. You watch him closely. Any sign of deterioration, you let us know.”

She smiles her usual beautiful smile and gently caresses my arm. “Will do. He’s in good hands.”

I turn to Prinie, and she nods at me knowingly. “It’s time, Zero. You need to make that call.”

Rubbing the back of my neck, I exhale, knowing I need to do this.

It’s not going to be an easy call to make. In fact, I have been dreading it, but Rebel needs to know what is happening here.

Whether she wants to be a part of this club or not—she needs to know.

Groaning, I tilt my head and start walking away from the rest of my brothers to find a quiet place to make the call. Pulling my cell from my pocket, my fingers don’t work like they used to, and with great difficulty, I swipe onto Rebel’s number and hit dial. It rings a couple of times, and then she answers. “Zero? Is everything okay?”

She knows if I’m calling, something must be wrong.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I shake my head even though she can’t see me. “No… no, Thay. Everything is not okay.”