His Moonsilver Mate (Abby and Kade) novel Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The next cell was empty tou.

I gripped the bars and stared into the darkness.

Nothing.

No Jax. No guards.

Liam had said they were moving him into the lower holding cells. So where the hell was he?

I moved to the next one.

Empty.

My fingers tightened around the bars.

Think.

Maybe they had moved him somewhere else. Maybe Kade was already questioning him.

My stomach rolled.

If Jax was talking-

No.

He had no loyalty to anyone, but he also wouldn’t give Kade something for free. Unless Kade offered him something better.

A footstep sounded behind me. Slow. Unhurried.

I froze. Then his scent reached me. Cedar. Cold night air.

Kade.

“Looking for someone?”

I turned.

He stood at the end of the corridor.

For one stupid second, all I managed was, “Kade?”

He started toward me. His gaze moved over the hood, the dark clothes, the empty cells behind me.

My skin went cold. “What are you doing down here?” I asked.

1:55 pm

heard you caught him.”

“So did half the pack

“I wanted to see him.”

Kade stopped a few feet away.

“He attacked me. Nearly killed me.”

“I remember.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

His calm frightened me more than anger would have. I knew what to do with Kade’s anger. This meant he was

thinking.

“I wanted to see the bastard who did this to me. That’s all.”

His eyes dropped to my hood. “So you dressed like this.”

“I didn’t want everyone asking where I was going.”

“And used the servants’ stairs.”

“I wanted privacy.”

“You also masked your scent.”

My mouth went dry. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No?”

“No.”

He took one step closer. I stepped back before I could stop myself.

His eyes hardened. “You’ve been around this pack too long to lie badly, Sloane.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Then explain it.”

“I already did.”

“Try again.”

Anger finally broke through the fear. “I don’t owe you an explanation for wanting to see the rogue who beat me

unconscious.”

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“No. But you might owe me one for knowing exactly how to get down here without being seen.”

“Hive here.”

“You know where the cameras are.”

“So do you.”

“You know the service routes.”

“I helped run this pack with you for years.”

“You knew which staircase would be clear.”

I stared at him.

Then I looked past him.

No guards. No activity. The empty cells. The announcement in the garden. Understanding came all at once.

“You set this up.”

Kade said nothing.

There was no Jax. There had never been one downstairs.

“You lied.”

“Yes.” His gaze stayed on mine. “So did you.”

I turned.

Two guards stepped into the corridor before I made it three feet, Another appeared behind Kade. They had been there the whole time. Watching me.

Humiliation burned hotter than fear.

Kade’s voice stayed calm. “Escort Miss Sinclair to her room.”

I stared at him. “What?”

“And make sure she stays there.”

“You can’t lock me up.”

“I can.”

“On what grounds?”

His expression didn’t change. “Would you like me to start listing them?”

1:55 pm

W

“You have nothing.”.

“Then you shouldn’t be worried.”

I gave a short laugh. “You think coming downstairs proves I hired that rogue?”

Kade’s eyes sharpened.

I pushed on before he could say anything. “He attacked me. Everyone knows who he is.”

“Maybe.”

“You’re making a mistake.”

“Maybe.”

One of the guards reached for my arm.

I pulled away. “Don’t touch me.”

Kade looked at them. “Take her upstairs.”

I looked back at him. “And if I’m pregnant?”

That stopped him. Not for long. But I saw the change.

Responsibility.

Nothing more.

“If you are,” he said, “the child has nothing to do with this.”

“I haven’t done anything.”

“But until we know, I’m not taking chances with your health.”

“And after?”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

I let the guards take me. There was nothing else I could do here. Not with Kade watching.”

They escorted me upstairs and into the main house. People glanced at us as we passed. I kept my head high.

When we reached my room, one guard opened the door. I went inside.

“You don’t have to do this.”

Neither answered.

The door shut. A lock clicked.

0

1:56 pm

stoud still for several seconds. Then tried the handle anyway.

Locked.

“Fuck.”

I backed away.

My hands were shaking.

The test had to be positive. If I was carrying Kade’s child, he would protect the baby. That might buy me time. Enough to find out what he knew. Enough to think.

But if the result came back negative-

I looked at the door.

Kade already suspected me enough to build a trap. He knew about the suppressant. He had watched me take the servants’ route and search the cells.

How long before Ryan found something else? How long before suspicion became proof?

I crossed to the wardrobe.

No.

I wasn’t sitting here waiting for that. I pulled out a small travel bag and dropped it on the bed. Clothes. Cash. Phone charger. The emergency money hidden behind the bottom drawer. Then I opened the box at the back of the wardrobe and took out a knife.

I had trained beside Moonhaven’s warriors since I was sixteen. I knew nearly every guard in this house. Some of them had watched me grow up. If one tried to stop me-

My stomach turned. I put the knife in the bag anyway. I wasn’t going to hurt anyone unless I had to..

My phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

I stared at it. It buzzed again. Every instinct told me not to answer.

I did.

“Hello?”

A man laughed. Then-

“Miss me?”

My whole body went cold. “Jax.”

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“There she is.”.

“You son of a bitch”

“Ouch.”

“Where are you?”

“Why? Planning to finish what you started?”

My gaze went to the locked door. “You attacked me.”

“You came at me with a knife.”

“You threatened me.”

“I threatened to tell your Alpha who paid me to grab his little sweetheart.”

“Keep your voice down.”

Jax laughed again. “Who’s listening?”

I said nothing.

His amusement faded. “You freed me, Sloane.”

My pulse hammered.

“And then you tried to kill me.”

“You should have left Moonhaven.”

“I did.”

“What do you want?”

“Same thing as before.”

“I already paid you.”

“Not enough.”

“I don’t have time for this.”

“No?” His voice changed. “Did your Alpha finally figure it out?”

I said nothing.

“That bad?”

1:56 pm

“Go to hell.” I pulled the phone-away.

Sloane.”

I stopped.

“If you hang up, I call Kade.

My fingers went numb. “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.”

“What do you want?”

“West border. Old hunting trail.”

“No.”

“Then stay where you are. I’m sure your Alpha will enjoy hearing how his future Luna paid me to take that Abby girl

“Shut up.”

“How much do you think he’ll care about your reasons?”

I paced away from the bed. “You can’t come near Moonhaven.”

“Didn’t say I was coming in.”

“Then what?”

“I’ll get you out.”

I stopped. “Why would you help me?”

“Maybe I like you.”

“Fuck you.”

“Maybe later.”

“Jax.”

His voice lost the humor. “Your choice, princess. Stay there and wait for Kade to finish putting the pieces

together, or come to me.”

I heard voices somewhere behind him. “Who are you with?”

“See you at the border.”

“Jax-”

1:56 pm

The vall ended.

I stared at the phone.

This was insane.

Jax was a liar, a thief, and a rogue who had already blackmailed me once. Going anywhere near him was idiotic.

Then I looked at the locked door. At the bag on the bed.

If the test was positive, maybe I still had a chance.

If it wasn’t-

Kade would come back. Ryan would keep digging. Questions would turn into accusations. The cell downstairs. wouldn’t stay empty forever.

I shoved the phone into my pocket and took out the scent suppressant. There wasn’t much left, but I rubbed it over my throat and wrists. The sharp chemical smell lasted only a few seconds before fading, taking my scent with

If I was going to get out of Moonhaven, I couldn’t leave Kade à trail straight to me.

I put the suppressant back in the bag. There was no time. The guards were outside my door. The hallway was

useless.

That left the window.

I pushed it open and looked down.

Second floor. A narrow roof ran beneath the windows before dropping toward the back service yard. I had climbed worse during training. But getting down wasn’t the problem.

Kade would have someone watching the grounds.

But I had grown up in this house. I knew where the roof disappeared from the yard cameras and where the service wing blocked the guards’ view. At least, I knew where it used to.

I secured the bag across my body. For one second, I looked back at the room.

Years of my life were inside these walls. Moonhaven. Kade. Everything I had spent so long believing would

someday be mine.

Then I climbed out.

The roof tiles were slick beneath my boots. I stayed low and followed the blind side of the roof until I reached the drainpipe.

No shout came from below. So far, the old blind spot was holding.

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I lowered myself as far as I could, then dropped. Pain shot through my ankle. I swallowed it, adjusted the bag, and

moved.

The service yard was quiet. I kept close to the wall, using the storage buildings and garages for cover.

A guard stood near the service gate.

Of course. Kade had covered the outside too.

Fortunately, he was watching the open yard, not the narrow strip between the service wing and the wall where I

had come down.

I pulled my hood farther forward and moved behind him.

Three steps.

Two.

One.

I caught his arm and pulled him backward before he could shout. He twisted fast, but I drove my knee into the back of his leg and used his momentum to take him down.

He fought harder than I expected. I locked my arm around his throat. His hand clawed at my sleeve. Then weakened. I held on just long enough.

His body went slack. I lowered him carefully to the ground and checked his breathing. Steady.