MADDOX~
"Kade," I said, keeping my voice level despite the urgency clawing at my chest. "We need to talk. Now."
He turned to face me, his jaw tight, that nervous tic still working overtime. "If this is about the treaty negotiations with Shadowfang—"
"Fuck the treaty." The words came out harsher than I'd intended, but I didn't have time for diplomacy. Not now. "Marcus just told me something he should have led with. The message carved into the wall next to Davis's body—it wasn't just random violence."
Kade's entire demeanor shifted, his Alpha instincts snapping into focus. "What did it say?"
I glanced around, making sure we were alone. The orchard was empty, the pre-dawn darkness still thick around us, but I lowered my voice anyway. "Three words. 'She is ours.'"
The silence that followed was deafening.
"Nessa," Kade said finally, his voice dropping to a growl that made his wolf bleed through. "They're talking about Nessa."
