Chapter 202

Ava’s POV

Instinct took over, and I rolled to the side just as his claws struck. The sharp tips grazed my shoulder, tearing through my shirt. Pain flared, hot and searing, but I couldn't stop to focus on it. I kicked out, catching him in the knee and throwing him off balance.

The man staggered, growling, but I didn't wait to see if he'd recover. My wolf howled in my head, urging me to fight, to protect myself, but I suppressed the instinct. Fighting him head-on wasn't an option—not here, not like this.

I scrambled to my feet, my body protesting with every movement as adrenaline surged. My eyes darted around, searching for a weapon. The hallway was narrow, lined with old pipes and wires, but nothing useful.

He recovered quickly, his eyes glowing with a predatory light as he stalked toward me. His claws scraped together, churning my stomach.

"You should've stayed away," he sneered, lunging again.

I ducked under his swipe, my back hitting the wall. I reached up, grabbed a loose pipe hanging from the ceiling, and swung it with all my might.

The pipe connected with his side, eliciting a pained snarl; he doubled over. I didn't wait for him to recover. I bolted down the hallway, my footsteps echoing loudly.

I could hear him behind me, his growls growing louder as he chased me. My heart pounded, my mind racing. I turned a corner, spotted a stack of crates, and shoved one over, sending it crashing into the narrow passage behind me.

He cursed as the crate smashed, buying me precious seconds. I didn't waste them, sprinting down the hallway. My wolf screamed at me to move faster, to find Grayson before it was too late.

The hallway opened into a smaller room, lined with strange equipment. I searched frantically for the vault but couldn't find it.

Before I could move, a low growl rumbled behind me. I turned to see him burst into the room, claws extended, eyes blazing with fury. Blood trickled from his mouth; his lips curled into a feral grin.

"Nowhere to run, little wolf," he said, his voice dark and taunting.

My grip tightened on the pipe; my knuckles turned white. My heart pounded as my wolf clawed at my control, desperate to shift. It would be so easy to let her take over, to tear through this man. But I couldn't. If I shifted, the others would hear, potentially triggering them to blow up the vault. I couldn't risk Grayson's life.

He stepped closer, a cruel smile on his face. His claws flexed, and I was seconds from letting my wolf take over when his expression shifted. His eyes widened; his body tensed.

Then I heard it—a sharp crack that echoed through the air. Before I could react, he collapsed. My mouth fell open in shock as I saw my mother standing behind him, holding his still-beating heart in her bloodied hand.

She dropped the heart with a sickening thud, reaching into her suit jacket for a white handkerchief. She wiped her hands with precision, her face twisting in irritation at the blood.

My mouth opened, but no words came out. My mother had just killed someone. She’d saved me.

She spoke, her tone dry and clipped, as if discussing a mundane task. "We need to get moving. Your friend and Rickon are waiting. If we get caught, the wolves will storm this place, but until then, let's find the vault and finish this."

I stared.

"Ava," she snapped, her eyes narrowing. "Come on."

Her authority snapped me out of my daze. I nodded, following her through the dim hallway. My mind raced, still processing what I'd just seen.

We moved in silence, our footsteps echoing faintly. I half-expected her to break the tension, but she remained focused, scanning every corner.

Without warning, she stopped.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

She huffed and unbuckled her heels, tossing them aside. "They're too loud," she muttered.

I blinked. I'd never seen her without heels. Never seen her not perfectly dressed.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't wear heels all the time. And right now, they're making too much noise. We're trying to sneak through a steel factory, not prance around a ballroom."

She walked with the same precision, but without the clack of her heels. I quickened my pace to match hers. Her gaze was sharp and focused.

We continued down the corridor. I sensed something was about to happen, but before I could figure it out, a low growl rumbled in the distance.

My mother stopped, holding up a hand. We froze. Her eyes darted around; I followed suit, staying low and silent. The silence stretched on. She tilted her head, scanning the shadows. I held my breath.

After a moment, she straightened, her expression calm but tense. "False alarm," she muttered. "Let's keep moving."

Relief mixed with unease as I nodded and followed. My steps were quick, matching her brisk pace.

And then I saw it: the vault.

A gasp escaped me. I rushed toward it. My mother was right behind me, her voice cutting through my excitement. "Ava, wait—"

"It's here!" I said, practically throwing myself against the massive steel door. My hands ran over the cold metal, searching for a mechanism. "We found it! Help me open it!"

She hesitated, her eyes narrowing. "Something about this feels wrong. Why would it just be here? Unprotected—"

"Mother," I cut her off, my voice urgent. "Help me open it. Grayson is in there!"

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn't argue. She stepped forward, joining me as we searched for a way to unlock it. The mechanisms were complicated, but together, we worked quickly.

Finally, with a low groan of metal, the vault began to open.

I barely waited for the door to swing fully open before stepping inside. But the moment my eyes landed on the figure inside, I froze.

It wasn't Grayson or Elaine.

It was my father. He was tied to a chair, his face bloodied and swollen. His mouth was gagged, but his eyes were wide with panic. He shook his head furiously.

Behind me, I heard my mother gasp, "Luther?"

Before I could process anything, the vault door slammed shut. My mother and I spun around, and my blood turned to ice as I saw the man standing there.

His lips curved into a slow smile—a smile I'd seen a thousand times before, but now it was different. "It's nice of you to join us, Evelyn."

Then his eyes landed on me, and the smile deepened. "Little Dove."