The Omni-Wolf’s Choice novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88 The jewel of hope…

Connor’s POV

“Necklace!” Ryder and I blurt it out in unison.

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That piece is worth millions-more than that, it’s a sacred artifact, the kind that gets insured beyond reason. And it isn’t just gold and stones. There’s a locator chip

embedded inside it, meant for one thing: recovery if it’s ever stolen. If Bridget kept it on

when she vanished, we might be able to follow it.

We pivot and head straight back to the war room. For the first time in what feels like

forever, we have something that could turn into a real lead.

It has to.

The room is a storm of voices and movement, everyone chasing separate threads trying

to pin down King Griffin. Screens glow, papers shuffle, orders fly. Ryder cuts through it

all and beelines for Lucas, who’s set up in a corner with his laptop.

“Lucas,” Ryder says, tight

Chapter Unlocked, Enjoy Reading! necklace turned on. Chapter Unlocked, Enjoy Reading!

Connor remembers Bridget was still wearing it when she got dragged into the portal.

Pull me coordinates if you can.”

Lucas nods once. “Copy that, Alpha.” His fingers are already moving.

Around us, updates keep coming.

“The castle has been cleared,” Alpha Marcus reports, passing documents off to another

Alpha. “They’re not there, and there’s no indication they’ve returned.”

“They’d be idiots to circle back,” Alpha Nolan mutters, working through possibilities.

Lord Jude steps in with more. “Three other properties are vacant as well. The beach.

house, the villa in Tuscany, and the Dubai mansion-no sign they’ve been at any of

them.”

Lucas’s gaze stays on his screen as he speaks. “Alpha Ryder, I’ve got the necklace

information-but I’m not getting a live signal. Unless she’s in a chamber that blocks it.”

He pauses only long enough to swallow his frustration. “I can set an alert. The second it

comes within range, we’ll be notified immediately.”

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“Fine,” Ryder snaps, then his control fractures. “But I need something now. I can’t sit in this pack house while my mate is out there with a delusional madman!”

He slams both hands onto the long wooden table. The wood splinters, a sharp crack echoing across the room.

“Son,” Alpha Marcus starts, steadying his voice, “we will bring Bridget back. We’re narrowing it down. We’ve crossed off multiple locations. It’s only time. The king’s too arrogant to stay careful-he’ll want to boast about what he’s done-”

“She is not anyone’s conquest,” Ryder cuts in, voice gone rough. “She’s my mate. She’s

everything. And he’s going to pay with his life.”

The air around him shifts-his body fighting for the change as he turns and storms out.

I follow.

“Connor, leave me alone!” he roars, and his office door slams hard enough to rattle the

hallway.

I don’t push it.

‘I’m right outside when you need me, Ryder,’ I send through the mind-link.

His fury rolls back through the bond like heat. Then I hear it-the beginning of a shift-

and after that, only violence. Furniture hits walls. A chair shatters. His desk gives way

with a brutal crack. And beneath it all, the sound that makes every creature in the pack

go still: his howl, stripped raw with pain.

Evelyn appears beside me a heartbeat later. She’s been killing herself trying to keep

things together as the Luna’s assistant, and it shows in the tightness around her eyes.

Without hesitation, she wraps her arms around me.

“He’s not okay,” she says softly, resting her head against my chest.

“No,” I answer, and my voice turns cold for a second. “And I can’t blame him. I’d be losing

my mind too-especially after Bridget saved you from that S.O.B.”

I tip Evelyn’s chin up and meet her gaze. She’s holding on like I’m the only stable thing in

the hallway.

“I don’t deserve you,” I tell her.

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“I’m the lucky one,” she whispers, and I pull her into me again. We stand there, waiting for the storm behind the door to burn itself out.

“I mind-linked my mom,” she adds. “She can talk him down.”

“Good.” I breathe out, then glance toward the medical wing. “Any word from the hospital?”

“Yes,” she says quickly, as if she’s rehearsed it. “A lot of injuries, mostly minor-things that should heal fast. A few needed surgery, but the smaller procedures have already been completed. They’re resting in their rooms now.” Her mouth tightens. “But Iron Fang is still on the table. It’s… touch and go. They don’t know if he’ll make it.”

She swallows, forcing steadiness. “Connor, he has to. Bridget’s gotten so close to him. He’s like the quiet brother she never asked for.” A small smile flashes, brave and brittle.

“I know,” I murmur. “He’s also been a huge part of Ryder feeling secure when he wasn’t around.” I shift my weight, already reaching for my phone. “I’ll contact his family and make sure they’re informed.”

I pull up what we have on Iron Fang and find his mother-she’s in the next state over. I

place the call and give her the update.

It goes about how you’d expect: shock, tears, questions I can’t fully answer. When it

ends, we’ve already arranged for one of our jets to get her here. Someone is on the way

to pick her up at the airport.

Sienna rounds the corner and spots us. “Evelyn-hey. We’re getting swamped with

soldiers downstairs. Can you come help me and Archer? Your mom went back into the

war room, so we could really use you. A bunch of the pack women have stepped up too.”

“Of course,” Evelyn says instantly. Her eyes flick upward, thinking. “If we open the

connecting wall for the private rooms, we can create more space.”

She turns back to me. “I have to go, babe. I’ll check in. And please-if you hear anything,

tell me.”

I kiss her, then hug her tight. Pride hits me hard in the middle of all this chaos.

“You got it,” I say against her hair. “And if you need more hands, you call me.”

She nods and heads off with Sienna.

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I stay where I am. The hallway vibrates with another crash from Ryder’s office. I don’t

move, just listen-letting the sounds of his rage fill the quiet between each impact.

Then a door opens down the hall.

Luna Kendra steps out of the war room and walks toward us, her face drawn with

exhaustion. She stops beside me at Ryder’s door.

“How is he-” She winces as another thud answers for me. “Never mind.” Her shoulders

rise and fall in a heavy breath. “Goddess, I want this finished. I want all of you to have

peace. A real life again.”

“He calmed down for a minute,” I tell her, “then it started right back up. He told me to

give him space.”

Her expression softens, and she looks at me with quiet certainty. “You’ve always been there for him, Connor. He couldn’t ask for a better beta.” Then her gaze sharpens. “But we don’t get to fall apart. We keep moving forward. It’s time for Ryder and me to talk.”

She turns to the door, leaving me standing guard, and lifts her hand.

A gentle knock.

On the other side, the noise fades-as if Ryder finally hears the one voice he’ll let t

hrough.

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