(Luca's Perspective)
The silence in my room was the kind of quiet that made your ears ring, like it was taunting you with everything you didn't want to hear. I paced back and forth, my boots scuffing against the hardwood floor, the weight of my phone in my pocket unbearable. I'd called her so many times I lost count. It always went straight to voicemail. Not once did it even ring. I'd replayed the sound of her voice in that automated message so many times, it was branded in my mind: "Hey, this is Quinn. Leave a message, or don't. Whatever."
God, even her voicemail had more fight than I did right now.
I couldn't sit still. Couldn't think straight. Every instinct in me screamed to run, to find her, to burn the world down if I had to. But I knew better. I knew that moving too soon, too recklessly, would only get her killed. And I couldn't lose her. Not her.
When my phone buzzed, I almost ripped it out of my pocket. A text. Not from Quinn. From Kimmy.
In. He bought it.
Relief hit me hard, but it was fleeting. Kimmy was in, yes, but that didn't mean she was safe. Cale was cunning, unpredictable. He didn't trust easily, and I knew he wouldn't make it easy for anyone to get close to Quinn, let alone protect her. But Kimmy wasn't just anyone. She'd earned her place as Enforcer, and I trusted her with my life. More importantly, I trusted her with Quinn's.
Still, I hated this. I hated that I'd had to send her in. Hated that Quinn was out there, vulnerable, surrounded by monsters who'd sooner tear her apart than look at her. I ran a hand through my hair, gripping the strands at the back of my head, and let out a frustrated growl.
Kimmy wasn't just an Enforcer. She was a warrior through and through, sharp as a blade and twice as deadly. I'd seen her in action more times than I could count, and she always came out on top. But she was also… Kimmy who was as close to me like a little sister. She's the same girl who once slapped her older brother, Ash, across the face for suggesting she couldn't take him in a fight.
I grinned despite myself, the memory playing out in vivid detail.
"You think you're better than me because you're bigger?" she'd snarled, standing toe-to-toe with Ash, who towered over her. "Try again, meathead."
"I'm just saying," Ash had replied, holding his hands up in mock surrender, "you're not exactly… built for this."
She'd laughed, the sound sharp and dangerous. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I hear you right? You think I can't handle myself?" Before he could respond, she'd swept his legs out from under him and pinned him to the ground in one fluid motion.
Nick had burst out laughing, doubling over and slapping his knee. "Ash, man, she's half your size, and she's got you begging for mercy!"
"She caught me off guard!" Ash had protested, his voice muffled from the floor.
"Yeah, sure," Kimmy had said, rolling her eyes. "Keep telling yourself that."
She'd stood, dusting herself off like she hadn't just humiliated one of the strongest warriors in the pack. That was Kimmy: fearless, relentless, and completely unapologetic. And now, she was walking straight into the lion's den for Quinn.
"You're seriously doing this?" Ash's voice carried through the den, laced with disbelief. "Kimmy, come on. You don't have to prove anything."
Kimmy crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "It's not about proving anything, Ash. It's about doing what's right."
Nick snorted, leaning back against the couch. "Since when is walking into a death trap the right thing to do?"
"Since it became the only way to keep Quinn safe," Kimmy shot back, her tone sharp. "I'm not asking for your permission. I'm going."
Ash groaned, running a hand down his face. "Kimmy, think this through. Cale's not some run-of-the-mill psycho. He's—"
"Dangerous. I know," she interrupted. "I'm not an idiot, Ash."
"Could've fooled me," Nick muttered under his breath.
Kimmy's head snapped toward him, her glare so fierce it could've cut steel. "What was that?"
"Nothing," Nick said quickly, holding up his hands. "Look, we're just saying—"
"You're just saying you don't think I can handle it," Kimmy finished for him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Real supportive, guys. Thanks."
Ash stepped forward, his expression softening. "That's not what we're saying. We know you can handle yourself. But this isn't just about you. If something happens—"
"Nothing's going to happen," Kimmy said firmly. "I've got this."
The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of unspoken fears hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Ash sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Fine. But if you get yourself killed, I'm gonna be pissed."
Kimmy smirked. "Noted."
The door to my room creaked open, and my Beta, Marcus, poked his head in.
"You're gonna wear a hole in the floor," he said, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. "What's the latest?"
"Kimmy's in," I said, not bothering to stop pacing.
His smirk faded. "And Quinn?"
"Still no word."
Marcus nodded, his expression darkening. "She'll be okay, man. Kimmy's got this."
"I know," I snapped, more harshly than I intended. "I just… I should be there. I should be the one protecting her."
Marcus's eyes softened, but he didn't say anything. What could he say? He knew as well as I did that this wasn't about who should be there. It was about who could be there without getting her killed. And right now, that wasn't me.
Hours passed like molasses, each second stretching into an eternity. I'd tried to distract myself with training, with paperwork, with anything that didn't involve staring at my phone, willing it to ring. But nothing worked. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Quinn's face, pale and scared, surrounded by enemies.
Finally, when the sun dipped below the horizon and the shadows in my room grew long, my phone buzzed again.
Kimmy.
I answered before the first ring had even finished. "Kimmy."
"Luca," she said, her voice steady but tense. "I've got an update."
"Talk to me," I said, my grip on the phone so tight it'd probably leave a dent.
"Cale's got a tight leash on her," she said. "But I've managed to get close. He's… impressed with me. More than I expected, honestly. I'm already acting as her guard."
Relief flooded through me, and I sank onto the edge of my bed, my free hand rubbing at my temple. "Good. That's good. You're keeping her safe?"
"As safe as I can without blowing my cover," she said. There was a hesitation in her voice that set my teeth on edge.
"What aren't you telling me, Kimmy?" I demanded.
She exhaled sharply, and when she spoke again, her voice was quieter. "Cale… he plunged a silver blade into Quinn."
My blood turned to ice. "What? Is she—"
"She's okay," Kimmy interrupted quickly. "It wasn't fatal. Just a test. She's recovering nicely. She should be able to meet with you next week for more wedding plans."
Her words blurred after that. All I could hear was Cale plunged a blade into Quinn. My vision tinted red.