Page 5 of Fierce Claim

Something’s wrong.

I have no idea what, but something is really wrong.

3

Caleb

I wake up with a start. “Vera? Jorge?” I reach for them, but the bed is cold and empty.

Fuck.

I sit up, looking around and straining my ears to hopefully hear them. The light in the bathroom and the nest are off, so they’re probably not in there.

Just to be sure, I climb out of bed and open the door to the nest. It’s dark and silent inside. Nobody here.

Where are they?

I reach for one of the drawers where Mathew stores his weapons and grab a knife. A second glance inside lets me know that Vera’s favourite knife is missing, though everything else is where it’s supposed to be.

Oh, fuck.

She might have taken it with her to the restaurant last night and forgotten to put it back, but the pit in my stomach tells me that’s idle hope. She took it when she left the bedroom, which means she’s feeling unsafe.

This is bad. This is really bad.

I slowly open the bedroom door. The dark hallway is silent, the only source of light comes from the staircase, from the downstairs hallway. Mathew turns that off once he comes to bed, so I expect that to still be on.

Where the fuck are the others?

I glance at the camera on the ceiling further down the hall. The red light is on, so it should still be working. Good. That’s at least something.

It also means that whatever Vera is scared of probably didn’t come from the outside. There are only a few things that would freak Vera out like this, and they go from bad to much worse.

I make my way down the hall, to the stairs, hoping to find someone there who can make more sense of the situation.

There are so many people in this building, especially tonight, and somehow, I don’t see or hear anyone. Is that because I’m overreacting or because they’re all busy with something?

“Caleb?” Mathew’s voice reaches me as I get to the top of the stairs, then Riley’s pheromones hit me, filled with desire and worry. Well, I don’t have to guess what those two were getting up to until moments ago. It’s good to know that they trust each other enough to make out, at least.

“I’m here.” I walk down the stairs and find Mathew and Riley waiting for me, looking around them in worry. “Have you seen Jorge or Vera?”

They shake their heads, their worry increasing. Well, fuck.

The door to the kitchen slams open and Derrick storms out, his hair a mess, and he looks like he’s seen a ghost. When he spots us, he stops in his tracks. “Good. Good. You’re here.”

“What is it?” Mathew’s voice is tight as he walks over to the Alpha, instantly turning from my Omega, my pack mate, into the head of the organisation, taking control of the situation.

“Vera and Jorge are at the shooting range. Something’s wrong with Vera. Jorge is trying to get her out of there, but she’s not listening to him.”

Fuck. Oh, fuck, no. My heart races as realisation sets in.

I should have expected this. I should have stayed awake to make sure she actually went to sleep and then watched over her all night. I shouldn’t have felt relaxed enough to fall asleep. I should have noticed she wasn’t doing well.

Fuck.

I sprint out the back door, to the training complex, where the shooting range is located.

Fuck.

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