Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband novel Chapter 54

Chapter 54: The Unlikely Alliance

Inside the Daycare

"Jax?" Luna’s voice was trembling, her hands still clutching his shirt. "Before they left... the Hyena said something. He said, ’Tell the Fox the clock is ticking.’"

Jax froze. The air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.

Luna looked up at him, her tear-filled eyes searching his face. "Jax... do you know these people?"

Jax looked at her. He saw the trust in her eyes—the trust he didn’t deserve. He thought about lying. He thought about saying it was a random threat. But the weight of the little cap in his pocket felt like lead.

"I..." Jax started, then forced his face into a mask of confusion. "No. I don’t know them. It’s probably just a generic threat. A ’Fox’ is a common nickname for thieves."

It was a terrible lie. He knew it. But Luna, in her panic, nodded, desperate to believe him.

"Stay here," Jax commanded, pulling away from her. "Lock the doors. Do not call the Warlords yet. If the kidnappers see the Imperial Army, they might... hurt her. I will track them down myself."

He didn’t wait for an answer. He turned and sprinted out the back door into the rainy night.

The Abandoned Warehouse District

Jax found them in an old fish-packing plant near the docks. The place smelled of brine and rust.

Gnash and Krackle were sitting on crates, playing cards.

"You’re late, Fox," Gnash cackled, tossing a card down.

Jax stormed in, his fur bristling with rage. "Where is she? Where is the girl?"

"Safe," Krackle hissed, pointing a clawed finger at a locked storage room. "For now. She’s quiet. The magic sack works wonders."

"Why?" Jax snarled, slamming his fist onto a crate. "I said I would do it! I said I would burn the shop by Friday! Why did you take her?"

"Insurance," Gnash grinned, showing his yellow teeth. "The Boss thinks you’ve gone soft. He thinks you like playing house with the heroes. So, we took a little souvenir to remind you where your loyalties lie."

"Release her," Jax demanded, his hand going to his dagger. "Now."

"Or what?" Krackle stood up, unfurling his massive, ragged wings. "You gonna fight us both, Jax? You gonna risk your brother’s neck? Remember, Finn is with the Boss. If you mess up here, Finn pays the price."

Jax froze. The dagger slipped back into his sleeve.

"Friday," Jax whispered, defeated. "I burn the shop on Friday. You give me the girl and my brother then."

"Friday," Gnash agreed. "Midnight. Don’t be late."

The two thugs laughed as they walked away, disappearing into the maze of the warehouse.

Jax slumped against a rusty pillar. He slid down until he hit the floor, burying his face in his hands.

I’m trapped, he thought. I have to burn it. I have to destroy Luna’s dream to save my brother and Clover.

"So," a voice growled from the darkness. "It was you."

Jax’s head snapped up.

The shadows in the warehouse twisted and writhed. From the darkness, four small figures emerged. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Vali stood in front, his eyes glowing red with Alpha rage. His small fists were clenched, and his fangs were bared.

Jasper stood to his right, adjusting his glasses, looking cold and analytical.

Arjun was sniffing the air, his tail lashing angrily.

And Silas... Silas was melting out of the shadows directly behind Jax, effectively blocking his escape.

"You followed me," Jax whispered.

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