Chase’s POV
As we moved through the wreckage, I fell into step behind Knox and Adam, the tension thick in the air.
"Thank you," I heard Kane say quietly.
"For what?" Knox asked tersely.
"Seriously, can we not just bang their heads together and make them kiss and make up?" I asked Adam through mindlink. His chuckle echoed off the tunnel walls as we moved towards Lottie's room.
"For trusting me. For putting our differences aside." Kane replied, his shoulders stiffening as if bracing for a blow that hadn't come yet. This was getting irritating; their mate and my sister were missing, and the two of them were more concerned with their own pride.
"We don't have time for grudges." Knox glanced at Kane, his expression softening just a fraction.
"Agreed." I growled as Liam leaned toward me.
"You shouldn't have threatened Alpha Leigh with the Sparrow brothers. We have no authority over their beef," he whispered.
"Not now," I shook my head, gritting my teeth tightly. It was clear Kane had overheard and couldn't help but ask,
"Chase, what exactly do the Sparrow brothers do?"
"They handle problems. Permanently." I met Kane's gaze briefly before looking straight at their father, who eyed me nervously. Leigh swallowed hard, clearly understanding the implication- as he should. Authority or not, Leigh had every reason to be afraid.
We followed their father down a narrow hallway lined with faded tapestries. He stopped in front of an unremarkable section of wall and pressed a hidden latch. With a soft groan, a panel slid open, revealing a dark passageway.
"These are the tunnels," he admitted quietly. "That way leads to Lottie's room. The other way, most likely the way they took her."
"How far do they go?" I peered into the darkness.
"Far enough," he answered. "They lead out beyond the pack's territory."
"Why keep them a secret?" Knox demanded as he stepped forward.
"For emergencies," Leigh answered defensively. "In case we needed an escape route."
"Or a way to smuggle people in and out without being seen," I scoffed, Adam's aura of suspicion confirming he felt the same. Something was off.
Leigh didn't respond. Not that I needed him to. Knox pushed past us, entering the tunnel without hesitation.
"We don't have time for this. Let's go." Knox ordered, his mission clear—to get our sister back. And that was a mission I could get behind. I shoved Leigh forward, ignoring his request to stay behind. We followed Knox into the passageway, the door closing with a soft click behind us. The air was damp, cold, and smelled of rot. Only the light from Liam's phone pierced the suffocating darkness.
As we walked, I couldn't shake the unease settling in my gut.
"Father," Kane asked, breaking the silence. "If you weren't involved, why didn't you tell us about this sooner?"
"I didn't think it was necessary." He sighed.
"Not necessary?" Knox echoed incredulously. "Lottie's missing, and you withheld crucial information."
"I didn't know she was missing until you attacked me," Leigh shot back.
"You've lied to us at every turn," Kane proclaimed, frustration seeping into his voice. "About the tunnels, about Anthony..."
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