Chapter 362

Nina

The atmosphere in the room was still charged as we all retreated to the office, leaving the captive burglar alone but securely bound. Once the door was securely closed behind us, I felt the knot of apprehension in my stomach ease up ever so slightly.

“Okay,” Enzo began, running his hand through his dark hair in exasperation. “What are our options here? Because beating the information out of him is off the table.” As he spoke, his eyes flickered to me, and I saw that same look in his gaze.

I knew that he wanted to beat this intruder, but maybe not for the reasons he was letting on. Was it the protective fatherly instinct beginning to shine through, or was it lingering bitterness from the war on the Crescents? Maybe both?

“I’m glad you agree,” I said, relieved yet still tense. “I don’t want to resort to violence, but it’s clear he was sent here for more than just a simple robbery.”

Luke, leaning against the bookshelf, chimed in. “For the record, I haven’t seen any Crescent activity on my scouting missions lately. So, if that's what we’re worried about—”

“But can we be sure?” I interjected, cutting him off. “It seemed that way before, too, and then they struck when we least expected it.”

Enzo’s eyes met mine, a flicker of worry clouding his features. “Nina has a point. They were quiet before they attacked last time. We can’t underestimate them.”

“Yeah, but the Alpha King sent his men after the Crescents,” Matt reasoned, pulling up a chair to join the circle we had unconsciously formed. “As far as we know, they scattered as soon as that happened, and they haven’t reconvened.”

“Or maybe that’s what they want us to think,” I mused. “Just because they’re being quiet doesn’t mean they’re not plotting something.”

“True.” Luke nodded. “But we’ve got this guy tied up and he’s not talking. So what’s our next step?”

“We can’t just let him go,” Enzo said, his gaze sharpening. “We need information, one way or another.”

“I agree. Even if we don’t get a word out of him, someone may come looking for him,” Matt suggested. “That could give us an idea of where they’re operating from. It’s risky but…”

“It’s a risk we may have to take,” Luke concluded. “So, what do you propose?”

Enzo took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as if weighing his words. “We’ll have to move him. We can’t keep him here, not in my home. Not with Nina…” He paused, looking at me. His eyes flickered to my belly, and I found my hand instinctively hovering over it.

“Our HQ in the tunnels should do,” Matt said, almost as if reading Enzo’s thoughts. “It’s secure, and not many people know about it.”

Luke perked up at the suggestion. “That’s not a bad idea. It’s isolated enough that even if he yells his head off, no one will hear him.”

Enzo nodded decisively. “Alright, that’s settled then. Matt, Luke, get him prepared for the move. Keep him restrained and under watch at all times. We don’t know what he’s capable of.”

Matt rose from his chair, stretching his arms as he prepared for the task ahead. “You got it, Enzo. We’ll handle it.”

“Just be careful,” I added, my eyes meeting Matt’s. “We don’t know what kind of backup he might have.”

“Don’t worry, Nina,” Luke reassured, pushing off from the bookshelf. “We’ve been doing this long enough to not underestimate our enemies.”

As they left the room to prepare, Enzo turned to me, his eyes searching my face. “Are you okay?”

I paused, feeling a swirl of emotions rise within me. “I don't know, Enzo. I don’t like the implications. With everything else going on, the idea of another Crescent conspiracy…”

He stepped closer, his eyes locking onto mine. “Listen. Whatever happens, Nina, we’ll face it together.”

“I know,” I whispered, comforted but still uneasy. “But what worries me is that if they’re ballsy enough to return despite my father’s forces, they’ve got more tricks up their sleeves than last time.”

The room went silent, our thoughts too heavy for words. The weight of the unknown hung in the air, a shadow that refused to lift. Finally, Enzo broke the silence, calling out into the hallway where Luke and Matt were standing.

“Matt, Luke, be quick about it. The sooner we have him secure, the sooner we can figure out our next move.”

He was right, of course, but I still couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding that tightened around my heart like a vice. We were stepping into uncharted territory, and there was no turning back.

We watched as Luke and Matt loaded our temporary hostage into Matt’s car. The burglar wasn’t resistant, but his eyes set me with unease. Their flickering amber depths, the way that his lips were always twitched upwards in a permanent smirk… What did he know? Who sent him?

“Luke, make sure to increase the guard around Mountainview. We don’t know who else is out there,” Enzo said, his eyes scanning the surroundings with an alertness I hadn’t seen in a while.

“Will do,” Luke replied, before the burglar was loaded into the car and the three of them drove off.

I turned toward Enzo as we watched them pull out of the driveway, my fingers nervously twirling a loose strand of my hair. “Do you really think it could be them? The Crescents? Are they back?”

Enzo pulled me close, his arm wrapping around my shoulders in a protective embrace. “I don’t know, Nina. It’s possible. But, like Luke said, there’s been no Crescent activity since the Alpha King’s men dismantled their operations. We can at least hold onto that.”

“Still, it could be a front, right? Maybe they’ve just gotten better at hiding.”

"That’s what worries me,” he admitted, the muscles in his jaw tensing. “But I haven’t seen anything on the patrols or picked up any chatter. It’s like they vanished.”

“That’s exactly what’s unsettling, Enzo. Just because you haven’t seen a snake doesn’t mean it’s not there. And with Edward’s potential return…”

Enzo sighed, his eyes meeting mine. “You’re right. We can’t rule out anything at this point.”

“Either way,” I said, “keeping him around could be beneficial. He’s bound to let something slip eventually.”

Enzo thought for a moment, his brow furrowed. “Maybe,” he murmured, his eyes moving back and forth across the landscape as though he were studying it closely, on high alert. “But if he doesn’t, I might need to…”

“Resort to violence?” I interrupted. “That’s not us, Enzo. That can’t be us. Not after everything.”

“I know,” he admitted with a reluctant nod. “We’ll keep him contained for now, see if he provides us any useful information. Maybe we can figure out who’s pulling the strings. But I can’t make any promises, Nina.”

I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding.

“But that brings me to another point,” he began, his tone shifting, becoming heavier. “Nina, there’s something else we need to discuss.”

“Okay, what’s on your mind?”

“I need to be direct about this. With the situation being as uncertain as it is, I have to know you’re safe.”

“I know, Enzo. I do plan on taking precautions. Maybe moving Luke in while you’re gone—”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interjected. “I’m talking about bigger changes. I’m giving you an ultimatum.”

I blinked, stunned. “An ultimatum? What for?”

Enzo looked at me, his eyes searching mine as if hoping I would find the answer for him. “Either you go live with your parents in the werewolf realm while I’m gone, or I quit my new job. There’s no other option.”