Zeke's POV
The command center was loud and busy while my team got ready for what might finally help us find Golden.
Marcus put maps on the big table while showing everyone the place we needed to go sixty miles north where old logging buildings sat empty. Warriors checked their guns and radios while everyone felt tense because this might actually work.
"We have three main buildings," Marcus said while pointing at
pictures from above. "Two storage buildings and one big processing building, all empty for at least fifteen years. The woods are thick which helps us hide but also makes it hard to see."
I looked at the pictures while my wolf moved around inside me restless and angry because I felt like Golden was there waiting. The dirt test had been too exact to be wrong while the special minerals on his shoe only came from this one spot.
"How do we get in?" I asked while thinking about the best way to go
inside.
"Each building has lots of doors and windows but most are probably broken from being old," Marcus said while showing building plans. "We need to be careful going in so the buildings don't fall down or make noise that warns anyone inside."
The door opened while Cecelia came in wearing dark pants and a jacket that one of my female warriors gave her. Her hair was pulled back tight while she looked ready to fight instead of scared like last night. Seeing her like this made
me feel proud and protective at the same time.
"I'm coming with you," she said in a voice that meant she wouldn't change her mind.
"Cecelia, this might be dangerous," I said even though I knew she wouldn't listen.
"My son is in one of those buildings which means I need to be there," she said while walking over to stand next to me. "You can let me come with the team or I'll follow by myself but I'm going either way."
The bond got hot between us while
I felt how serious she was through our connection. She would do what she said whether I liked it or not. "Fine,
" I agreed while my team looked surprised. "But you stay right next to me the whole time and if things get bad you leave right away."
"Okay," she said while taking my hand on the table. Her touch made me feel warm while the bond hummed happy that we were touching. Our fingers stayed together while Marcus kept talking about the plan.
"We'll take six vehicles," Marcus
continued while not looking at our joined hands even though everyone noticed. "Three teams of eight entering from different sides at the same time. Alpha, you'll lead the main team through the front of the biggest building while I take the west side and Finn takes east."
"What about backup?" I asked while my thumb rubbed circles on Cecelia's hand without me thinking about it.
"Two teams stay outside as perimeter security," Marcus said. "They watch for anyone trying to leave and they're ready to come
help if we need them."
Cecelia leaned closer to look at the maps while her shoulder pressed against mine. "What if they move him before we get there?" she asked quietly. "The shoe could be old, he might not even be there anymore."
"The soil was fresh based on the lab results," Marcus said gently. "Whoever delivered that package to you was at that location within the last week which means Golden was probably there recently too."
"Probably isn't definitely," Cecelia
said while her voice shook a little. "What if we get there and find nothing again?"
I turned to face her while letting go of her hand so I could cup her face instead. "Then we keep looking," I said firmly. "But I feel in my gut that this is it, that we're finally going to find him."
She searched my eyes while looking for lies or false hope but I meant every word. Through the bond I pushed my certainty at her while trying to give her some of my confidence. She nodded slowly while leaning into my touch for just
a second before straightening up.
"When do we leave?" she asked while looking back at the maps.
"Thirty minutes," I said while checking my watch. "Everyone needs to gear up and do final weapon checks."
The team scattered to prepare while Cecelia and I stayed at the table looking at the satellite images. I could see her studying every detail while trying to memorize the layout like knowing the buildings would somehow keep Golden safer.
"I'm scared," she admitted quietly while everyone else was busy. "What if we're too late or what if finding him there makes things worse?"
"We won't be too late," I said while moving behind her so I could wrap my arms around her waist. "And nothing could be worse than not knowing where he is."
She leaned back against my chest while her hands covered mine where they rested on her stomach.
"I keep thinking about what condition he'll be in when we find him," she whispered. "That shoe
was so dirty, what if he's hurt or sick or scared out of his mind?"
"Then we'll get him medical care and bring him home and show him he's safe," I said against her hair. "But first we have to get there and get him out."
Drew approached carefully while clearly not wanting to interrupt. "Alpha, the vehicles are ready and teams are assembled."
"Good," I said while releasing Cecelia though my hand went to her lower back. "Let's move out."
The convoy of six black SUVs left
the pack house while the sun was just starting to come up. I insisted Cecelia ride in my vehicle in the back seat while I sat next to her instead of up front with the driver. Marcus sat in the passenger seat coordinating with the other vehicles through his radio.
Cecelia's hand found mine in the space between us while neither of us said anything about it. Her fingers were cold while I squeezed gently trying to give her comfort.
She stared out the window at the passing trees while I knew her mind was racing with all the terrible
possibilities.
"Tell me what we'll do when we get him back," I said quietly while wanting to distract her from the fear.
"What?" she turned to look at me confused.
"When we have Golden safe, what's the first thing you want to do with him?" I asked while my thumb rubbed across her knuckles.
She was quiet for a minute while thinking. "I want to hold him for about a year straight without letting go," she finally said while her voice
was thick with emotion. "And then I want to take him to the beach so he can play in the water and feel normal again."
"We'll do that," I promised while pulling her closer against my side. "As soon as the doctor clears him we'll go to the beach for however long he needs."
"You'd come too?" she asked while looking up at me.
"Of course I'd come," I said while confused why she'd think otherwise. "He's my son and you're...
you're important to me and
I want to be there for both of you."
She almost said something but stopped while biting her lip. Through the bond I felt a rush of emotions too mixed up to separate but hope was definitely in there.
She settled against my shoulder while we rode in silence for a while.
"I used to imagine this," she said so quietly I almost didn't hear. "Back when we were married, I used to imagine us working together as a team instead of you always being distant."
"I was an idiot back then," I
admitted while my arm came around her shoulders. "I kept you at a distance because I was scared of how much I was starting to feel for you."
"That doesn't make sense," she said while frowning. "If you felt something why would you push me away?"
"Because feeling something for you meant admitting I'd been wrong about Layla and wrong about what I thought I
wanted," I tried to explain. "It was easier to keep you away than face that I was falling for you."
She was quiet while processing that. "So you chose the easy path instead of the right one."
"Yeah," I agreed while there was no point denying it. "And it cost me three years with you and our son."
"We can't change the past," she said while her hand rested on my chest over my heart. "We can only decide what we do now."
"Now I choose you," I said while tilting her chin up so she had to look at me. "Every time, every day, I choose you and Golden."
Her eyes got shiny with tears while
she blinked them back. "Don't make promises you might not keep."
"I'm keeping this one," I said firmly. "I already lost you once and I'm not making that mistake again."
She opened her mouth but Marcus's voice interrupted. "We're five minutes out. Everyone needs to go radio silent and prepare for approach."
The moment broke while we both shifted into mission mode. Cecelia sat up straighter while wiping her eyes quickly. I kept her hand in mine though while not ready to let
go of that connection yet.
The vehicles slowed while we got closer to the target area. We parked about half a mile away so the sound of engines wouldn't warn anyone we were coming. Everyone got out quietly while checking weapons one last time.
even though I felt her fear through the bond.
"Good," I said while kissing her forehead without thinking about it. "Let's go get our son.
We moved through the woods in formation while my team knew how to stay quiet. Cecelia stayed right behind me while one hand occasionally touched my back like she needed to know I was still there. Through the trees I could see the first building coming into view.
It was even more run down than the pictures showed while parts of the
roof had caved in and windows were all broken. But there were fresh tire tracks in the dirt leading to the back which meant someone had been here recently.
I held up my fist to signal everyone to stop while we took positions around the building. Marcus's voice came through my earpiece. "West side in position."
"East side ready," Finn reported.
"On my count," I said quietly while my heart was beating hard. "Three, two, one, breach."
My team moved forward while two
warriors hit the main door with a battering ram. The old wood splintered easily while we poured inside with weapons ready. The space was dark and smelled like mold and old wood while dust floated in the air from us coming in.
"Clear," someone called from the right side.
"Clear," another voice echoed from the left.
We moved deeper into the building while checking every room and corner. Cecelia stayed pressed close to my back while I felt her
breathing fast through our bond. The first floor was empty except for old equipment covered in rust and dirt.
"Stairs to second floor," one of my warriors said while pointing.
"Carefully," I ordered while those stairs didn't look safe. "Test each step before putting full weight."
We climbed slowly while the wood creaked and groaned under us. The second floor was more of the same while empty rooms full of nothing but trash and broken furniture. My stomach was starting to sink
because this place looked abandoned for real.
Then Cecelia gasped behind me. "Zeke, look."
