Fate's Unwritten Path

Chapter Sixteen

Lucas's POV:

After seeing the apartment door was opened, I reached for my phone, dialing a familiar number. The call was picked up on the first ring.

"Get upstairs," I ordered, my voice leaving no room for hesitation. "Bring another man with you."

Within moments, I heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs, quick and purposeful. My men, Jax and Ryan, appeared in the doorway, their expressions hardened, ready for whatever came next.

"Ryan, stay with Sasha," I commanded, my gaze flicking to her as she stood anxiously in the hallway. I could see the fear in her eyes, and the confusion as she tried to process what was happening.

Ryan moved to her side immediately, placing himself between her and any potential threat. "It's going to be okay," he murmured to her, his tone calm and reassuring.

I nodded to Jax, who followed me as I re-entered the apartment. We both drew our guns, keeping them at the ready as we methodically searched each room. The place was a mess, with furniture overturned, and papers scattered across the floor. Whoever had been here hadn't bothered to be discreet.

We swept through the living room and kitchen first, but there was nothing. No signs of whoever had broken in. I felt a knot of frustration tighten in my chest. They were gone, and I had no idea who they were or what they wanted.

Moving to the bedroom, I tensed, scanning the space. The bed was unmade, pillows tossed aside, and a dresser drawer had been yanked open, its contents spilled onto the floor. But the most unsettling part was the eerie silence.

Where was Scooby?

He had to be here somewhere, right?

"Scooby!" I called out, my voice carrying through the apartment. Nothing. The apartment was eerily quiet, save for the distant hum of city traffic outside. My heart sank, and I felt a wave of worry rise in me. I tried again, louder this time. "Scooby, come here, boy!"

Still nothing.

I looked at Jax, who was moving to check behind the dresser and anywhere else he could look, but something in the corner of the room caught my attention—a faint, almost imperceptible sound. A whimper.

It was coming from under the bed.

I slowly approached the bed, kneeling down to lift the dust ruffle. There, huddled against the wall, was Scooby. He looked terrified, his body trembling, his eyes wide with fear. The sight of him like that made something twist painfully in my chest.

"Hey, buddy," I said softly, reaching out to him. "It's okay. Come here. You're safe now."

Scooby hesitated for a moment before inching forward, his small frame shaking as he crawled out from under the bed. I scooped him up into my arms, feeling his rapid heartbeat against my chest. He buried his face in my shoulder, whimpering softly. His tail wagged, happy to see me.

"You're okay now," I murmured, standing up with him securely in my arms. I turned to Jax, who had already holstered his gun and was surveying the room. "Let's get back to Sasha."

We walked back into the hallway, where Sasha stood anxiously. Her eyes widened with relief when she saw Scooby, who had stopped whimpering but still clung to me.

"Scooby," she breathed, rushing over. Her hands trembled as she reached out to him, gently stroking his head. "Thank God."

I handed him over to her, watching as she hugged him close, whispering soothing words into his fur. Seeing her with him, the fear in her eyes melting into relief, made me more certain than ever that I needed to get them both out of here, now.

"Sasha," I said, my voice firm but not unkind. "You need to pack up whatever you need. We're not staying here tonight."

She looked up at me, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and fear. "What? Why? Where are we going?"

"I don't know who broke in here, or what they were after," I said, my tone serious. "But I'm not taking any chances. For now, you're coming with me."

She opened her mouth to argue but then seemed to think better of it, nodding instead. "Okay. I'll pack some things."

Jax and Ryan moved swiftly, helping her gather whatever essentials she needed. I could see the panic starting to set in as she frantically grabbed clothes, important documents, and anything else she could think of. Jax took charge, guiding her through what to take, his voice calm and steady.

In the meantime, I kept Scooby close, trying to keep him as calm as possible. He was still shaking, but the fear in his eyes had dimmed slightly. He stayed huddled in my arms until Sasha came over to grab him.

We moved quickly, working together to pack everything into suitcases and bags. The apartment, once so neatly organized, was now a mess, the signs of our hasty departure evident in every room. But I didn't care about that. All that mattered was getting Sasha and Scooby out of there safely.

Once we had everything packed up, we loaded it all into the vans that Jax and Ryan had driven. Sasha looked back at the apartment one last time, her expression a mix of sadness and uncertainty. But she didn't say anything, just tightened her grip on Scooby as we made our way down to my car.

I opened the back door, gently placing Scooby in the backseat. He curled up immediately, his little body finally starting to relax.

Sasha looked at me, her eyes searching mine for answers. "Lucas...what's going on?"

I closed the car door and turned to face her, my expression serious. "For now, you're going to stay with me."

She didn't argue, didn't question it. Just nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. I could see the fear lingering in her eyes, but there was also trust—a trust I knew I couldn't betray.

With one last glance at the now-empty apartment, I led her to the passenger side of the car. As we drove off into the night, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much bigger, something darker. And I would do whatever it took to keep Sasha safe, no matter what.