Chapter 45

Javonte

I paced the length of the study, the anger simmering just beneath my skin, causing the mark on my neck to throb and turn an angry red. Jasper, my wolf, had been silent and was slowly weakening with Serenity’s absence and the bond’s strain taking their toll. It had been a month since she had been taken, and despite my relentless search, I had found no sign of her. My pack was just as frustrated; my distress and mood swings were palpable through our link.

The room was pitch black except for the moonlight filtering in through the window. I stopped at the desk, gripping its edge, trying to focus. Every day without Serenity felt like an eternity; the bond between us was a constant reminder of her suffering. I knew she was being tortured; the nightmares were proof of that, if nothing else.

Earlier tonight, I was jolted awake by another one of those dreams. In it, I had stormed into a room, seeing Serenity strapped to a cold metal table, surrounded by men in lab coats. Her body was