Nick POV
The hot water rushes over me, steam filling the small bathroom as I stand under the showerhead, trying to clear my mind. Every muscle in my body aches from the relentless search, my body exhausted but my mind wide awake. I cannot relax—not yet. Mariah is still out there somewhere, and I cannot afford to stop. My wolf is pacing inside me, restless, demanding action.
I finish rinsing off, grabbing the soap, but I am barely focused on the task at hand. My thoughts keep drifting back to her—Mariah. Her absence, the broken pack link between us, the pain I can’t shake. Every minute that passes without her feels like an eternity. I can feel the loss deep in my chest, and the desperation is eating at me. I’m lost in my thoughts when my dad’s voice comes in my head.
“Nick, we have news.
