Chapter 197

Nikolai POV

“That was his plan?” I mutter, standing the second the last sedan’s taillights vanish into the trees. My knees crack like they’re pissed at me for crouching that long. “He’s gonna get himself fucking killed.”

No one answers.

Not that they need to.

King’s already locked in—jaw set, shoulders squared, that dark, chaotic storm building behind his eyes. He’s slipping into full predator mode.

And we all know what that means.

Nothing’s stopping him from finishing the hunt tonight.

Even knowing it was a setup, watching Alyssa down on her knees—gagged, tied, helpless—made my blood fucking boil. My hands itched to put a bullet in every man in that clearing.

Especially Lee.

That motherfucker’s got something coming that’ll make hell look like a warm bath.

War’s plan wasn’t the worst... but it reeked of improv. All instinct. No structure.

And now? They’re walking right into the lion’s den.

Into Silas’s ha