Colt’s face crumples. I see the pain and betrayal in his eyes. “I don’t understand. Why would she…?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know, Colt. But we need to focus on finding Selene. And we can’t let them see us. Are you okay to keep going?”

Colt nods, getting a handle on his emotions are quickly turning to anger. “You’re right,” he says in a steady voice. “Let’s go.”

We slip away from the mansion, keeping to the shadows as we wait for Levi, Blake & Willow to leave. Every sound makes my heart race, but we are determined to find Selene and get her out of this nightmare.

“Liam,” Colt whispers.

“Yeah?”

“I am here. I won’t let anything happen to you. To either of you.”

I turn to look at his softening brown eyes. My brother. “Thank you. I am just scared that we are too late. That I wasted too much time before coming to find her.”

“We are not too late. We are here now. We will get her out.”

I nod.

We stay hidden until a car leaves the premises. Stopping for a moment was good for Colt, too. He seems a lot calmer now.

Determined, we sneak our way back toward the entryway and into the Hargrave’s mansion.

The stench hits us like a punch to the gut as soon as we step inside. It’s a sickening mix of decay and blood swirling around us, making it hard to breathe. Colt grimaces, his hand clenching tightly on my shoulder as we press forward into the darkness.

“Damn, what the hell is that smell?” Colt mutters, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

I shake my head, trying not to grimace. “I don’t know, but we need to find Selene.”

We move cautiously through the corridors, our senses on high alert. Every creak of the floorboards, every whisper of movement sends a shiver down my spine. But I push the fear aside, focusing on the task at hand.

As we search the dimly lit corridors, our eyes scanning every inch for any sign of life or clue to our mission, we come across what appears to be a dead end.

However, something about the arrangement of the stones in the wall catches my attention.

“Wait,” I whisper to Colt, reaching out to touch the seemingly solid wall.

With a slight push in the right spot, the stone gives way, revealing a hidden passageway.

Colt’s eyes widened in surprise. “Nice find,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.

Heart pounding, we step through into the darkness, the air heavy with the scent of dampness and decay. Our footsteps echo softly as we cautiously navigate the narrow passage.

Suddenly, a faint glimmer of light ahead catches our attention.

Moving closer, we find ourselves standing before a hidden cell tucked away in the shadows.

Inside, seven women huddle together, their faces drawn and gaunt. They look malnourished, their eyes hollow with despair. The sight of them sends a jolt of anger and determination coursing through me.

Selene! Is she here?

A quick survey confirms my fears. She is not among the women.

Where the fuck is my mate?

Colt’s breath catches in his throat as he takes in the sight. “Holy shit,” he breathes, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nod grimly. “We need to get them out of here.”