Jax didn't just run — he moved like a storm. Lightning fast, wind in his ears, rage blazing in his veins. When the gates of Maximus South came into view, he didn't wait for them to open.
He shattered through them.
The guards scrambled to salute, but Jax didn't even blink. His wolf was pacing inside him like a beast caged too long.
And then he saw him. The High Warden, Orion Emberhide.
Leaving the outer corridor like nothing had happened.
Jax didn't stop. He slammed into him with so much force, the man flew backward, hitting the stone wall with a thunderous crack.
Jax pinned him by the throat, his hand glowing with barely checked power.
"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER!" Jax roared.
Orion wheezed beneath his grip, eyes bulging.
"I should rip your throat out," Jax growled. "And no one would stop me."
Guards started to step in, but froze when Jax bared his teeth. His aura surged, an Alpha fully unleashed.
Cael tore into the prison behind him, the echoes of Jax's fury bouncing off the walls.
But he had his own storm to manage.
Elle.
He felt it — panic. Terror. Not just discomfort, but real fear flooding through the mate bond. The worst part?
Silence.
"Elle?!" he called, his voice echoing through the dank corridors.
No answer.
He inhaled sharply, trying to track her scent. But the stench of the prison — mildew, sweat, blood — drowned everything. Had the guards separated them? Why hadn't Fin gotten her out?
He sprinted downward, skipping stairs three at a time.
Fourth level.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Still nothing.
Finally he caught her scent, faint and frayed at the edges, like it had been dragged through terror.
And then he heard her breathing. Fast. Shallow. Wheezing.
The hallway was pitch black.
No guards.
Only the sounds of creaking chains and laughter that didn't belong to sane men.
Elle was sitting on the stone floor, knees tucked to her chest, one hand clutched to her sternum as she fought to control her breathing. Ash crouched beside her, protective fury in his eyes.
Around them, from behind the iron bars, came whispers.
"Pretty little thing. Looks like a bird with broken wings."
"Bet she'd scream if we pulled her hair just right."
"I could smell her fear all the way down the hall."
"Wonder if she cries the same way the last one did."
"Shut up!" Ash bellowed, voice cracking with rage. "Sick bastards!"
Chains rattled. Something thudded against the bars.
Cael was already moving.
He knelt beside her and scooped Elle into his arms, growling low in his chest like a promise of blood. She clung to him automatically, fingers fisting into his shirt.
"I've got you. I'm here."
Her chest heaved. "T‑they… w‑were watching me. S‑saying things—"
"I know. You're safe now."
Ash stood, eyes still narrowed at the prisoners. Cael turned to him.
"Can you get Milo and Rael? Tell them they're free to go. Guards should've let everyone out already. Alpha's orders."
Ash nodded, his jaw tight. "On it."
Cael didn't waste another second. He carried Elle out of the darkness like she was made of glass and he was the only thing holding her together.
The prisoners hissed behind them, but Cael didn't look back.
If he had, he might not have left without blood on his hands.