Their Secret Obsession by Pippa Moon

Chapter 0318

Chase's POV

As we moved through the wreckage, I fell into step behind Knox and Adam, the tension thick in the air.

"Thank you," I heard Kane say quietly.

"For what?" Knox asked tersely.

"Seriously, can we not just bang their heads together and make them kiss and make up?" I asked Adam through mindlink. His chuckle echoed off the tunnel walls as we moved towards Lottie's room.

"For trusting me. For putting our differences aside." Kane replied, his shoulders stiffening as if bracing for a blow that hadn't come yet. This was getting irritating; their mate and my sister were missing, and the two of them were more concerned with their own pride. "We don't have time for grudges." Knox glanced at Kane, his expression softening just a fraction.

"Agreed." I growled as Liam leaned toward me.

"You shouldn't have threatened Alpha Leigh with the Sparrow brothers. We have no authority over their beef," he whispered.

"Not now," I shook my head, gritting my teeth tightly. It was clear Kane had overheard and couldn't help but ask,

"Chase, what exactly do the Sparrow brothers do?"

"They handle problems. Permanently." I met Kane's gaze briefly before looking straight at their father, who eyed me nervously. Leigh swallowed hard, clearly understanding the implication- as he should. Authority or not, Leigh had every reason to be afraid.

We followed their father down a narrow hallway lined with faded tapestries. He stopped in front of an unremarkable section of wall and pressed a hidden latch. With a soft groan, a panel slid open, revealing a dark passageway.

"These are the tunnels," he admitted quietly. "That way leads to Lottie's room. The other way, most likely the way they took her."

"How far do they go?" I peered into the darkness.

"Far enough," he answered. "They lead out beyond the pack's territory."

"Why keep them a secret?" Knox demanded as he stepped forward.

defensively. "In case we needed an

smuggle people in and out without being seen," I scoffed, Adam's aura of suspicion confirming

Not that I needed him to. Knox

Leigh forward, ignoring his request to stay behind. We followed Knox into the passageway, the door closing with a soft click behind us. The air was damp, cold, and smelled of rot. Only the light from Liam's phone pierced the

I couldn't shake the unease settling in

breaking the silence. "If you weren't involved, why didn't you tell us about

think it was necessary." He

incredulously. "Lottie's missing, and you withheld

was missing until you attacked me,"

lied to us at every turn," Kane proclaimed, frustration seeping into

what I thought was best." He stopped

I demanded. "Because it certainly wasn't

can sort out your family drama later. Right now, we

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. But deep down, I had already decided Leigh's fate. If his sons didn't

you hear that?" We paused, straining to listen. Faint echoes drifted through the tunnel-a distant

way?" Knox asked. His eyes glowed faintly, his body on

The scent was unmistakable-sulfur, blood, and that heavy, oppressive energy that only came from something demonic. Astaroth was close. "Who?" Adam asked, his eyes meeting mine briefly before they dropped, but it was too late. I'd already spotted

louder. A distant hum of voices, water trickling somewhere deeper in the

grabbed

he whispered, his voice shaking, desperation seeping

I frowned, already imagining the ways I could make his death slow and painful if this was another lie.

"Convenient," Knox muttered.

disarm them?" I asked, growing bored of his little games.

so," he nodded slowly. But I didn't trust him. He

it," I

He moved ahead cautiously,

the walls

a pang

hit me. Part of