The warehouse had grown quiet again.
Jamo's men had finished securing the remaining rogues. The wounded were tied and guarded while the bodies were moved away from the center of the floor.
But Vivian barely noticed any of it.
She stood near the broken crates, staring at the photograph in her hands.
Lucas.
Her brother.
The one person she had trusted more than anyone.
The one person she believed had died because he tried to stop the traffickers.
Now a rogue wolf was claiming Lucas had created the entire operation.
Black Unit.
Vivian clenched her jaw.
"No."
The word slipped out under her breath.
Jamo heard it.
He had been watching her for the past several minutes, leaning against one of the metal pillars. His expression remained calm, but his eyes were sharp.
"You're rejecting it without thinking," he said.
Vivian didn't look at him.
"Because it's ridiculous."
"Maybe."
Now she turned.
"You believe him?"
Jamo shrugged slightly.
"I believe enemies sometimes tell the truth when it hurts the most."
Vivian's anger flared instantly.
"That man was trying to break us."
"Or warn us."
Her hands curled into fists.
"My brother saved wolves. He didn't cage them."
Jamo walked closer.
"I'm not accusing Lucas of anything."
"Then why do you sound like you already decided he's guilty?"
Jamo stopped in front of her.
"Because I've been chasing Black Unit for two years."
The words landed heavily.
Vivian blinked.
"You never said that."
"You never asked."
"That seems to be a pattern with you."
Jamo ignored the sarcasm.
"Black Unit appeared suddenly," he continued. "No one knew who was running it. Wolves started disappearing across multiple territories."
Vivian listened quietly.
"Small packs first," Jamo said. "Loners. Then entire transport routes."
"And you think Lucas was behind it."
"I think Lucas knew something."
Vivian exhaled slowly.
"That's different."
"Yes."
Silence hung between them.
Finally, Vivian looked down at the photograph again.
Lucas didn't look like a victim in the picture.
He looked like a leader.
But pictures could lie.
"Reyes said Lucas built the network," she said quietly.
"Yes."
Vivian shook her head again.
"Lucas hated traffickers."
"Then maybe he infiltrated them."
Her eyes lifted.
"That's what I think."
Jamo crossed his arms.
"It's possible."
Vivian let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"For a second there, I thought you'd already decided my brother was the villain."
Jamo's voice lowered slightly.
"I haven't decided anything."
"Good."
"But I will."
Vivian frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means if Lucas is behind Black Unit, I'll stop him."
The words were calm.
But they carried absolute certainty.
Vivian felt a cold knot tighten in her chest.
"And if he isn't?"
Jamo's eyes softened slightly.
"Then we find who's using his name."
Before Vivian could respond, one of Jamo's wolves approached.
"Alpha."
Jamo turned.
"What is it?"
"We checked the rogue's truck."
"And?"
"There's something you need to see."
Vivian followed them outside.
The fog over the docks had grown thicker, swallowing the water and most of the pier lights.
One of the abandoned trucks sat near the loading dock.
The back doors were open.
Vivian stepped closer.
The smell hit her immediately.
Wolf.
Fear.
And silver.
Inside the truck were several empty cages.
Deep claw marks scratched the metal bars where wolves had clearly tried to escape.
Vivian's stomach twisted.
"They were here," she said quietly.
"Yes," Jamo replied.
He stepped into the truck and examined the inside carefully.
Then he froze.
"What is it?" Vivian asked.
Jamo crouched near the far wall.
Something had been carved into the metal.
Three deep claw marks.
Underneath them were two letters.
L.B.
Vivian felt her breath catch.
Lucas Black.
She stepped inside the truck slowly.
"That's his mark."
Jamo looked at her.
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
Vivian ran her fingers over the scratched letters.
Lucas used to carve his initials into everything when they were kids.
Trees.
Wooden tables.
Even the old truck they once repaired together.
It was always the same style.
The same slanted letters.
"This was him," she whispered.
Jamo stood beside her.
"He was here."
Vivian's heart pounded.
"But not as a prisoner."
"No."
Jamo studied the claw marks again.
"These were made recently."
Vivian's mind raced.
"If Lucas was here tonight…"
"Then he was close," Jamo finished.
A cold realization spread through the truck.
Vivian looked toward the dark docks.
"He might have been watching."
Jamo nodded slightly.
"Most likely."
Vivian clenched her fists.
"Why didn't he show himself?"
"Maybe he couldn't."
"Or maybe he didn't want to."
The thought hit her like a punch.
Jamo watched her carefully.
"You still believe he's innocent."
"Yes."
Jamo stepped toward the truck doors.
"Good."
Vivian frowned.
"That sounded sarcastic."
"It wasn't."
He looked back at her.
"Because if Lucas is innocent, someone else is controlling Black Unit."
"And if he's guilty?"
Jamo's expression hardened.
"Then he's the most dangerous man in this city."
Vivian stepped out of the truck.
Her eyes moved across the fog-covered docks again.
Somewhere out there, Lucas was alive.
Somewhere he was moving pieces across a board she couldn't even see yet.
Vivian slipped the photograph back into her jacket.
"Then we find him," she said.
Jamo nodded once.
"Yes."
His voice lowered slightly.
"Before he finds us."
Because one thing had become very clear tonight.
This wasn't just a hunt anymore.
It was a game.
And Lucas Black had been playing it far longer than either of them realized.