Maya pov

Morning came too quickly.

I woke to find Alpha Ryker already up, dressed in dark clothes that somehow made him look even more intimidating. He saw me watching and gave me a small smile.

"Ready?"

No. I wasn't ready. I'd never be ready to face Uncle Marcus again.

But I nodded anyway, because Ryker believed in me, and I didn't want to let him down.

Zara had left clothes on the dresser—nice jeans and a soft sweater that actually fit. She'd also left a note: You're stronger than you know. Show them who you really are.

I got dressed, my hands shaking so badly I could barely button the jeans. In the mirror, I barely recognized myself. Clean clothes, clean hair, a face that wasn't marked by fresh bruises. I looked almost normal.

Almost.

Downstairs, Kade and Owen waited with serious expressions. Both were armed—I could see the guns at their waists.

"It's just a precaution," Ryker said, seeing my face. "Your uncle won't try anything with me there."

"You don't know him like I do."

"Maybe not. But he knows me. He knows what I'm capable of." Ryker's voice was hard. "He won't risk open conflict."

We got into the car—a different one this time, black and official-looking. I sat between Ryker and Kade while Owen drove.

The closer we got to Silvercrest, the harder my heart pounded. Every familiar landmark made me want to tell Owen to turn around, to take me back to safety.

"Breathe," Ryker said quietly, taking my hand. "You're not alone this time."

His hand was warm and strong, grounding me. I held on tight.

The car pulled up to the pack house and my stomach lurched. Five years I'd been trapped in that building. Five years of pain and fear and hopelessness.

"Stay close to me," Ryker said as we got out.

The front door opened before we reached it. Uncle Marcus stood there with his fake smile, wearing his Alpha authority like a costume.

"Alpha Ryker. What a surprise."

"Is it?" Ryker's voice was cold. "The contract specifies I have rights to inspect allied pack operations at any time."

"Of course. But I thought you'd provide notice."

"Defeats the purpose of an inspection." Ryker moved past him into the house, pulling me with him.

I kept my eyes down, not wanting to see Uncle Marcus's face. But I heard his sharp intake of breath when he saw me.

"Maya." He said my name like a curse. "I didn't expect to see you back here."

"She's with me," Ryker said firmly. "As is her right as my intended mate."

"Intended mate." Uncle Marcus's voice dripped with disbelief. "You're claiming her as your mate?"

"I already have. It's in the contract you signed."

I risked a glance up. Uncle Marcus's face was red, his hands clenched into fists. He hadn't read the contract. He hadn't known.

"This is highly irregular—"

"What's irregular," Ryker interrupted, "is how you treated your own niece. But we'll discuss that later. Right now, I want to see your financial records and pack medical files."

"That's private pack business."

"Not anymore. The alliance makes it my business." Ryker pulled out the contract. "Section twelve, subsection four. I have full access to all pack records."

Uncle Marcus's jaw clenched. He'd been outmaneuvered and he knew it.

"Fine. Beta Thomas will show you to the records room." He turned to me, and I flinched despite Ryker's hand on my back. "Maya, why don't you wait in your old room?"

"No," Ryker said before I could respond. "She stays with me."

"She's a member of my pack—"

"She's MY mate. She goes where I go." Ryker's voice went deadly quiet. "Unless you want to challenge my claim?"

The room went silent. Challenging an Alpha's mate claim meant a fight to the death. Uncle Marcus might be cruel, but he wasn't stupid enough to fight Ryker.

"Of course not," Uncle Marcus said through gritted teeth. "Thomas!"

A man I didn't recognize appeared—Uncle Marcus's new Beta. He led us through the house to a room I'd never been allowed to enter.

"I'll need to see the medical records from five years ago," Ryker said. "Specifically regarding the deaths of the former Alpha and Luna."

Thomas pulled out files while Kade photographed everything with his phone. I stood near the door, trying not to remember all the times I'd cleaned these floors, all the times I'd been beaten in these hallways.

"Maya." Ryker's voice pulled me back. "Come look at this."

I moved closer. He held out a file—my parents' death certificates.

"Look at the cause of death," he said quietly.

I couldn't read the words, but Ryker pointed to a section. "It says they died of poisoning. But it doesn't specify what kind of poison."

"Is that unusual?" I whispered.

"Very. Medical examiners always specify the toxin. Unless..." He looked at Thomas. "Where's the full autopsy report?"

"There wasn't one."

"No autopsy?" Kade's voice was sharp. "For the Alpha and Luna? That's against pack law."

Thomas shifted uncomfortably. "Alpha Marcus said it wasn't necessary. The cause of death was obvious."

"Convenient," Ryker muttered. He turned to me. "Maya, I want you to take me to your father's office."

We left Thomas and headed upstairs. My legs felt like lead as we climbed the stairs I hadn't been allowed to touch in five years.

The office door was locked. Owen pulled out some kind of tool and picked it quickly.

Inside, everything looked the same as I remembered. My father's desk, his chair, his books lining the shelves.

"Start looking," Ryker said. "We don't have much time before Marcus gets suspicious."

They started searching through drawers and files. I stood in the middle of the room, memories flooding back.

My father sitting at that desk, looking over pack documents. My mother bringing him coffee. Me doing homework in the chair by the window while they worked.

They'd been good people. Fair leaders. Kind parents.

And Uncle Marcus had murdered them.

"Maya." Owen's voice was urgent. "Come here."

I went to where he crouched by the bookshelf. He'd found a hidden panel in the wall.

"Can you open this?" he asked.

I looked closer and saw it—a small handprint scanner. "That's my father's security system. Only he could open it."

"Try your hand."

"I'm not him—"

"You're his daughter. It might recognize family DNA."

I pressed my hand to the scanner, expecting nothing.

The panel clicked open.

Inside was a small safe. Owen examined it. "This needs a code."

"Try her birthday," Ryker suggested.

I gave Owen the numbers. The safe opened.

Inside were documents, a journal, and a USB drive. Kade grabbed everything, shoving it into his bag.

"We need to go," he said. "Now."

We hurried back downstairs just as Uncle Marcus appeared with Sienna and three large warriors.

"I think your inspection is over," Uncle Marcus said coldly.

"I agree." Ryker's hand pressed firmly on my back, guiding me toward the door. "We have everything we need."

"If you're implying—"

"I'm not implying anything. Yet." Ryker looked at Uncle Marcus with cold eyes. "But if I find what I think I'm going to find in these records, we'll be having a very different conversation."

Uncle Marcus's face went pale. He knew we'd found something.

Sienna stepped forward. "You can't just come in here and—"

"Yes, I can. Read the contract." Ryker pulled me past them. "Come on, Maya."

I walked quickly, not looking at any of them. We were almost to the door when I heard a familiar voice.

"Maya?"

I turned. A young man stood at the top of the stairs—black hair, dark eyes, features so much like my father's that my breath caught.

Leo. My brother.

He stared at me with confusion and something like recognition. "You... I know you. From somewhere."

"Leo, go to your room," Uncle Marcus ordered.

"But—"

"NOW!"

Leo looked between Uncle Marcus and me, clearly torn. Then he disappeared down the hallway.

"We'll be in touch," Ryker said to Uncle Marcus, then guided me out the door.

I didn't breathe properly until we were in the car and driving away.

"You did great," Ryker said, squeezing my hand.

I didn't feel great. I felt sick and shaky and terrified.

But we'd done it. We'd gotten in, found evidence, and gotten out.

Now we just had to prove that Uncle Marcus was a murderer.

And somehow convince my brother that everything he'd been told was a lie.