Chapter 154

Noah

The single text from Hannah stared up at them from their screens: “WATERFALL!”

“Waterfall…?” Zoe muttered, scratching her head as she looked at her own screen. “Has Hannah finally lost it?”

Drake pursed his lips. “Maybe she’s playing a prank…”

Noah wanted to side with the others and believe that Hannah was just playing some kind of joke, or maybe that she was even drunk, but he couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of… urgency wash over him upon seeing that text.

“Something is wrong,” his wolf growled, bristling with worry. “I can sense it… Our mate is in trouble.”

Noah’s chest clenched at that word: mate. Maybe he forgot that he and Hannah were mated sometimes, or maybe he chose not to act like it. But they were, and his wolf was right. Something was wrong. And Noah would be damned if he didn’t go to her when his mate needed him.

“We need to go. Now,” Noah said, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

Drake nodded, already heading for the door. “I only brought my motorcycle, but—”

“No,” Noah said firmly as he pulled his keys out of his jacket pocket. “I’ll drive. I know where the rental is.”

Zoe hesitated for a moment, glancing between the two men before finally letting out a huff of air that caused a lock of her blonde hair to flutter into her eyes. “I’m coming too,” she said, grabbing her purse.

Noah didn’t have time to argue. The three of them rushed out to his car, piling in as Noah revved the engine. He peeled away from the curb like lightning, his tires screeching deafeningly against the asphalt.

As they sped down the dark roads toward Hannah’s rental, Noah’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel. His wolf was restless, urging him to go faster, to find Hannah.

“What do you think happened?” Zoe asked from the backseat, leaning forward between Noah and Drake.

“I don’t know,” Noah growled. “But it can’t be good. Hannah wouldn’t send a cryptic message like that without a good reason.”

“Maybe she’s drunk?” Zoe suggested.

Noah narrowed his eyes. “Hannah hasn’t been drinking lately, you know that. It can’t be that.”

Drake was typing furiously on his phone as Noah sped down the winding roads. “I’m trying to track her phone’s location, but it’s not working. Either it’s off now, or…”

He didn’t finish the sentence. They all knew what the alternative could mean.

“Well, keep trying,” Noah urged. “Any information could help.”

The car fell into a tense silence, broken only by the sound of the engine as Noah pushed it to its limits. After what felt like an eternity, they finally pulled up to the rental house. Noah was out of the car before it had fully stopped, rushing toward the front door.

Inside, they found chaos. The living room was destroyed, furniture overturned, and a shattered vase on the floor—with what looked like blood on it, no less. Noah stooped, letting his wolf get the scent, and let out a breath of relief when he realized that it wasn’t Hannah’s blood.

“Ahh!” The sound of a woman’s scream pierced the air, and Noah jumped back to his feet just in time to avoid a flying plate. It hit the wall behind his head, shattering into a million pieces. With wide eyes, he turned to see Viona standing in the doorway to another room with another plate held high.

“Oh,” she said, lowering the plate. “It’s you.”

“What the hell is going on?” Noah demanded, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of Hannah. He saw Emma and Amber behind Viona, both holding makeshift weapons—a kitchen knife and a floor lamp—but Hannah was nowhere to be found.

Viona shook her head, her eyes wide with fear. “We don’t know. We heard a commotion and what sounded like a gunshot. By the time we got down here, Hannah was gone and a black car was speeding away.”

“We called the police,” Amber added in a trembling voice, “but they’re taking forever to get here.”

Noah ran a hand through his hair as he continued to look around the destroyed rental house. “Did you see anything else?” he demanded. “Anything at all that could help us find her?”

Emma spoke up, her voice trembling slightly. “Just before all this happened, Hannah sent that group text. ‘Waterfall’. We didn’t know what it meant at first, but then I remembered…”

“Remembered what?” Drake stepped into the room.

“Well… At the bar earlier, there was this guy,” Emma explained. “He was hitting on Hannah, wanted to buy her a drink. He mentioned something about a hiking trail nearby with a waterfall at the end.”

Noah’s ears perked up at this. “A guy was hitting on Hannah? She didn’t go anywhere with him, did she?” he asked, partially to ensure her safety and partially because, well… he was curious.

“Of course not. She turned him down,” Emma said.

“She told him she was married,” Amber added. “Showed him her ring and everything. He didn’t seem deterred, and gave her his business card, but she threw it away when he left.”

As the girls spoke, a small part of Noah felt a surge of... relief? Pride? He pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the matter at hand. “Do you think this guy could be involved?”

Viona shrugged. “We don’t know, but it’s the only lead we’ve got. He was really persistent.”

“Maybe turning him down pissed him off,” Emma suggested.

Noah turned to Drake and Zoe then. “We need to find this hiking trail with the waterfall. It might be our best shot at finding Hannah.” He pointed at Drake. “Drake, you come with me. As for the rest of you, wait here for the police. Tell them everything you know. And call us if you hear anything, anything at all.”

Viona, Emma, and Amber nodded. But Zoe pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest, still wearing her sparkling red dress—although now with Drake’s jacket on top of it. “No way,” she said. “I’m going with you.”

Noah huffed, already brushing past her. “You should stay here. It’s dangerous—”

“I know the trail they’re talking about. I’ve been here before, a few years back. I’ve hiked that same trail.”

With a sigh, Noah relented; it was best to have Zoe with them in that case, he supposed. “Fine,” he said, flinging the car door open. “You navigate. Drake, you keep trying to track Hannah’s phone.”

“I never stopped,” Drake growled.

With that, they sped back off into the night, Zoe giving directions as Noah pushed the car as fast as it would go. The winding mountain roads were treacherous in the dark, but Noah navigated the curves and switchbacks with ease, so completely laser-focused on finding Hannah that he hardly even noticed.

“There!” Zoe suddenly called out, pointing. “That side road. The trailhead should be down there.”

Noah jerked the wheel, sending them careening down a narrow dirt road. Trees whipped past on either side as they bounced along the uneven surface.

“Are you sure about this?” Drake asked, gripping the dashboard. “This doesn’t look like a road that leads to a popular hiking trail.”

“It has to be,” Zoe insisted. “I remember coming here years ago. It’s a bit off the beaten path, but that’s what makes the waterfall so special.”

Drake narrowed his eyes. “When did you even… Nevermind,” he said, shaking his head.

They drove for what felt like miles, the road getting rougher and narrower. Noah’s heart sank as they rounded a bend and found... nothing. The road ended abruptly in a small clearing.

“Is this… it?” Drake asked, leaning forward.

“No…” Zoe whispered. “Wait, this can’t be right. I was sure…”

Noah slammed his fist against the steering wheel. “Dammit, Zoe! You had one job!”

“Hey, don’t get mad at me!” she bit back. “It’s dark.”

Drake leaned out the window, peering out into the darkness. “Maybe we missed a turn somewhere? Or there could be a hidden path we can’t see in the dark.”

“Look, I’m sorry,” Zoe said softly. “I really thought it was this way. Maybe my memory isn’t as good as I thought.”

Noah took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger and frustration building inside of him. Getting angry wouldn’t help Hannah. He needed to think clearly.

“Alright, alright,” he finally said. “It’s not your fault, Zoe. We’ll find another way.”

With a heavy heart, Noah turned the car around, the tires kicking up dirt and gravel as they headed back the way they came.

As they drove back toward the main road, Noah’s mind raced with possibilities. Where could Hannah be? Was she hurt? Who had taken her, and why?

And underneath it all, a small voice, the voice of his wolf, whispered:

“Why did it take something like this for you to realize how much she means to you?”