I gathered enough evidence as I could from the laptop and the printouts, then rushed outside to get to my room. I sent a quick text and grabbed my necessities and my laptop. I left several papers in the middle of the pack’s kitchen, smack in the middle of the counter, using a marker to circle a date on one of them several times.

My phone rang, and once I saw the name, I picked it up.

“Celeste? What’s wrong?” The voice asked, and I’d never been so grateful to hear someone.

“I need your help. Come get me.”

Chapter 55

Liam

I tore through the brush like a man possessed, nose to the wind, praying for even the faintest trace of Celeste’s scent. Panic clutched my chest, squeezing tighter with every second that passed. My body was shaking at the thought of her lost out here, needing our help… it was killing me.

Her phone must have died, and we couldn’t find her location. We’d spent nearly two hours scouring up and down the roads, stopping everywhere to see where she’d lost control of her car. Vigo had called in for extra help to find her, his voice frantic on the phone as he paced. Dante was in a state I’d never seen him in, tearing through the brush, his shirt torn as he screamed her name. We couldn’t lose her. We barely even had her.

I’d sent out an emergency alert to my entire staff, letting them know we’d need assistance soon.

Then my phone rang.

“Sir?” the voice on the other end said. It was the front gate guard; his tone chilled me. “She’s safe.”

I felt a rush of relief, followed by confusion. Why was she at home when she’d said she was near a lake?

“Where is she?” I barked, ready to tear the world apart to get to her.

“She left... of her own accord.”

“What do you mean she left? Was she injured? Does she need medical assistance?”

There was a pause. Hesitation.

“She said to tell you she’s fine... and not to contact her again.”

I froze.

“What?” I bellowed.

“She’s left your residence, sir.”

None of it made sense.

“Turn around,” I ordered as my pack stopped and ran to the car. “Try her phone again.”

We made it home in record time. I flung the doors open, catching the brief scent of her in the air. She was here. Not too long ago.

Then my phone buzzed.

"Do not try to find me. It’s over."

I stared at the message, my mind not comprehending what she meant. This didn’t make any sense. Despite everything we now knew, I still wanted to help her, fix her. We were just beginning -Iwas just beginning to fall in love with her. Maybe I had been for a while now. We couldn’t be over.

“What the fuck is this?” Vigo’s voice snapped me out of it. I followed his voice like a zombie, my mind whirring with too much to process. He stood in the kitchen, surrounded by a scatter of papers. My stomach dropped. She knew. She’d seen the evidence.

“Shit,” I muttered, recognizing the files we’d just pulled together.

“How?” Vigo barked out, gripping his hair. “We had that place locked tight!”

“No, we didn’t.” Dante said, shaking with adrenaline. “We left so quickly. I wasn’t thinking.”