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I went back to the bedroom. Shoes. Jacket. Phone. My hand hovered over the dresser. The Phantom. Black ink flashed through my mind. Beneath the study. I pulled my hand away. Not now. Bethany. This was about Bethany.

I shoved my phone into my pocket and headed back into the hall. Alaric was gone. For one stupid second, panic punched through me. Then I heard his voice. Different. Cold. Controlled. I followed it. Men moved through the foyer. Fast. Weapons disappeared beneath jackets. Radios clipped into place. Ghost crossed toward the front door without looking at me. Brick followed, pulling on a dark coat.

Rafe stood beside the entrance checking his phone. Alaric was near the study. Knox stood in front of him. Their voices were low. I slowed.

“Blackthorn stays sealed,” Alaric said.

Knox nodded.

“No one comes through those gates.”

“Understood.”

Alaric glanced toward the study. Then lowered his voice. “…below.”

My steps stopped.

Knox’s expression didn’t change. “Everything?”

Alaric hesitated. One heartbeat. Maybe two. Then⁠—

“Everything.”

Cold slipped beneath my skin.

Below.

The word lodged somewhere deep.

The place he hides under the study.

No.

I shoved the thought away. Bethany was missing. I wasn’t doing this now.

“Ready?”

I startled. Alaric stood in front of me. I hadn’t even seen him cross the room. “Yes.”

His gaze searched mine. For what, I didn’t know. Then he reached for my hand. I looked down. For half a second, I considered pulling away. Instead… I let him take it. His fingers closed around mine. Warm. Strong. Familiar.

Then the front doors opened. Cold air rushed inside. Two black vehicles waited at the bottom of the stairs, engines already running. Ghost climbed into the first. Brick followed. Rafe opened the rear door of the second. Alaric didn’t release my hand until I was inside. Then he climbed in beside me.

The door slammed. Rafe took the driver’s seat. Engine growled. The gates were already opening. I looked back as we pulled away. Blackthorn rose behind us. Stone. Windows. Home.

My gaze caught on the study wing. Just for a second.

Below.

I turned away.

Bethany.

Think about Bethany.

Alaric’s phone rang before we’d cleared the gates.

“Yes.” No greeting. A voice answered through the speaker, too faint for me to understand. Alaric’s entire body changed. “Last confirmed sighting?” Pause. “Cameras?” Another pause. “Expand it.”