Chapter Seventeen

The crisp evening air stung Aiden's lungs as he hurried back to the cabin, Declan at his side. Their boots crunched against the forest floor, the weight of their earlier confrontation with the rogue wolves still heavy on their minds. But as the familiar structure came into view, Aiden felt a jolt of unease.

The cabin door hung open, a gaping wound in the peaceful facade. Aiden's chest tightened, icy dread coiling in his gut. Declan's sharp intake of breath echoed his own unspoken fear.

"Lucia." The name left Aiden's lips in a guttural whisper, all other thoughts consumed by the single-minded need to find her.

Without a moment's hesitation, the brothers surged forward, their powerful strides devouring the distance. The air crackled with their urgency, each footfall thundering against the splintered floorboards.

The once-tidy interior lay in disarray - overturned furniture, shredded fabric, a trail of crimson spatters leading deeper inside. Aiden's heart pounded in his ears, drownin