"Ryder!"
He looked up, ignoring Jay's repeated taps on his lap. Grunts filled the air as both men struggled against each other. Ryder had the poor guy in an arm triangle submission, and it's been almost a minute. With a grunt, he finally let Jay go, pushing him away. He collapsed on the floor, while Ryder got out of the boxing ring, taking off his pad.
"What's up?" Ryder asked between pants. Beads of sweat ran profusely down his bare chest, sliding down his shorts. His hair was ruffled, and there was a funny feeling in his toes, safely tucked inside low-top Nike boots. He flexed his legs, trying to release the tense feeling.
An Omega came over, handing him a bottle of water and gently wiping the sweat with a towel.
"This just came in." Fred waved the envelope in the air. "It's from the OIA."
"Let me see that." Ryder snatched it from him, ripping it open. It was a few seconds and he was trembling in mad rage. The nerves in his temples were throbbing nonstop.
"They won't help, will they?" Disappointment rang in Fred's voice, as he noticed the rage piling up in Ryder.
"Bunch of weaklings!" It came out as a blast, and the Omega flinched but resumed wiping off his sweat almost Immediately.
Ryder squeezed the paper in his grip, with clenched teeth. It was depressing. Ciara was lost or killed, he wasn't sure. But she wasn't in safe hands. Jason was in a mafia family made up of Italian crooks and cheats who are taking advantage of the fact that he doesn't remember anything from his past.
Asking for help from the human authorities was the only safer way he knew to save both Ciara and Jason before the Cariannos destroyed them. Also, Giveon, who he hasn't heard anything from in a couple of days. But no one wants to help. The human authorities are terrified by the Carianno family. They wouldn't dare go against them.
Ryder cussed at them heartily for being such fools and cowards, but that wasn't about to solve the dilemma he was in. He needed help. More now than ever.
Jay came over, slapping his arm slightly. "Let me see that."
Ryder flipped him a glare and tossed the squeezed paper to a corner. "Go pick it up from there."
"I gladly will," Jay mumbled with a chuckle, going over to get the paper.
"So what now?" Fred asked in a whisper. There were a bunch of guys working out in the gym. This was a sensitive matter, so being in earshot wouldn't be so nice.
"I don't know." Ryder was panting from the sparring he just had with Jay, and from how nervous the situation made him feel.
"Well, the humans do have a point," Jay cut in, joining them with the paper in his hands. His eyes are going through each line written on it. Then he finally looked up. "The Cariannos are born beasts. I wouldn't wanna go against them either. Not that I'm scared. I'm just trying to play safe."
"Tough shit. You got no choice." The hard rasp from Ryder shut them up. He looked away, refusing to acknowledge their confused expression.
"Wait, Ryder. What's that supposed to mean?" Jay questioned with arched brows. His arms were wrapped around his chest.
"Yeah, man. What are you trying to say?" Fred let out a nervous chortle.
"You're no way in hell suggesting that we go against the Cariannos, are you?" Jay asked. He adjusted the hairband around his curly, blond hair.
"I think I am." Ryder nodded with her taut face. There were no rooms for jokes and amusement. The Cariannos had his people, and he was sure as hell gonna get them back. Whichever way worked.
"Are you fucking serious?" Jay gasped, with his mouth agape. "The Cariannos is one hell of a crime syndicate. The most ruthless. We might have the agility of werewolves but we're not immune to their crazy-ass explosives and nuclear weapons."
"Yeah, man. Jay's right." Fred added, licking up his dried lips nervously. "I love and will always miss Jason. But c'mon, this is suicide. We can't take on the Cariannos. It'll bring about a bloody apocalypse."
"So what would you have me do instead?" A pool of tears clogged Ryder's vision. "Let Ciara die in their hands? Watch them screw Jason over?"
"Jason isn't stupid. I'm sure he'll figure it out at some point. And Ciara, pfft…" Jay waved off with a nonchalant snort. "She can go to hell for all we care. She's always been one heck of a bitch. I guess this is her karma."
"I wanna share in your sentiment but I can't," Ryder said. He took the towel from the Omega, waving her off. "Bringing Ciara home was the last wish of my Father. I intend to keep it."
The guys went silent, each one of them weighing the odds of the situation and trying to realize what was at stake. But no matter how hard they thought about it, there was no disputing the fact that it was an uninsured risk, which could lead to their doom.
"If we do this," Jay cleared his throat, ridding himself of the sudden apprehension. "If we fight the Cariannos, it wouldn't be just us. We're gonna have to ask for help from other Packs and they're certainly gonna ask for help from other syndicates. It'll be a bloody world war."
"I know that." Ryder nodded firmly. He wasn't the least puzzled. More than anyone, he knew what he was about to wager at the moment, and he had no regrets. No second thoughts.
"We might get killed and it could lead to an unending feud between the werewolves and the Mafia. It could go on for a thousand years." Fred added his tactfully calculated theory.
"Yeah. We could lose our lives. Our packs. Everything we've grown to love and adore." Ryder completed, with an unfazed tone. They all had startled faces. He arched his brow. "What?"
"And that doesn't bother you?" Fred chimed in. "Not even a bit?"
"You don't feel scared of the possibility that our sacrifices might all be for nothing?" Jay was having a hard time wrapping his head around it.
"I'm more scared of the possibility that Jason could die in the Carianno circus and I didn't do shit to stop it. If I die trying to save him, then I'll leave this earth with no regrets. But I have to try. He's worth all the risk."