Page 45 of The Alpha's Mystery

I’ve refused to look at the tracker all day. It feels wrong now if she’s no longer a target. But if she doesn’t turn up soon, this unsettling feeling I have is going to force me to do it one last time.

“Mr. Walker. I believe you’re the man I need to speak to about the divots in my lawn.” A gentle touch on my forearm has me looking down, hard as it is to tear my attention away from studying the entrance. Marie Jones. Shit.

“Yes, Ma’am. I apologise for that. I thought the property belonged to Cooper.” She raises an eyebrow at me, as if to say why does that make it any better. “I’ll take care of any damage that was done.” I make a mental note to send someone out to repair the grass, and send a gift to Mrs. Jones.

“Hmm. I won’t bill you for it if you promise to never call me ma’am again. Deal?” She doesn’t wait for me to answer. “Natalie’s not here. From the way her scent clings to you, you’ve seen her more recently than anyone here.” She looks me up and down, trying to figure something out. “Why aren’t you with her? It must be painful to be apart right now.”

Observing her more closely, I notice the shrewd way her hand remains on my arm and the subtle glow in her eyes. That’s the same glow I’ve spotted in the mirror when I get particularly worked up, and Tripp warns me to put on my shades.

“Why would it be painful?” I ask, heart pounding as I wait for someone to finally tell me. Marie fixes her gaze on the front door.

“Zoe and Blake are bringing some senior officials from our world here tonight. The plan was to tell you everything tomorrow. If they see you here, especially in the state you’re in, there’s no way you’ll be allowed to leave. At least not until they’re satisfied you’re no threat to anyone.”

It seems Marie Jones is the one I should have been seeking all along. The matriarch of the entire family is giving me more information that anyone else ever has.

“Why are you telling me this?” Movement near the side entrance catches my attention. A woman with dark hair stumbles at the threshold, gripping her side. Was she out on the obstacle course? She lifts her face and I recognise her as the woman who was on the patio the day I arrived here. I think she’s a friend of Leah’s.

“Because you’re powerful, Chase. Very powerful. And some people are threatened by that. Not everyone will have your best interests at heart.”

Someone calls out Belle's name, as she pants hard and clings to the doorframe. The tension in the room sky-rockets as all eyes fix on her and she moans. The room takes a collective intake of breath and freezes. You could hear a pin drop now, in stark contrast to the steady chatter just a second ago.

“Sometimes there are more important things than getting answers or being right.” Marie places her hand on my lower back and shoves me toward the front door while everyone’s attention is focused elsewhere. “Like protecting your mate. Unless, that is, you want to get paired off with whoever they deem to be a suitable match for you?”

Mate? Natalie.

The connection my brain makes is instant. I don’t know what it means, but I know that’s what she is to me. There will be nobody else.

Ethan shoves his way to Belle’s side and scoops her up, baring his teeth as several men standing close by whose expressions have switched from relaxed and friendly to menacing in a heartbeat.

When he turns and runs, all hell breaks loose.

“Do you want answers, Chase, or do you want your mate? Natalie is on her own. Look at what could happen if anyone else finds her first.” Marie watches and waits for me to process what she’s saying. I can stay here and get the answers I’ve wanted for so long, but potentially be trapped for days, or I can leave and find her. My mate.

There’s not a shadow of doubt in my mind which I want to do. I meet Marie’s gaze and she nods approvingly, a big smile breaking out across her face.

“Then go get her while the council is preoccupied.” With another gentle nudge, Marie has me moving. Testosterone pumped men surge forward, trying to get out the door ahead of each other, but sensing my desire for them to get the fuck out of my way, they part and let me through first.

That’s when I see Ethan, with Belle in his arms, being surrounded as he tries to get the car open. Cooper takes down one man and Rex another, but they keep coming. The other males look possessed, eyes glowing, and attention laser-focused on Ethan. Max steps into the fray, helping to tackle another man practically frothing at the mouth as he pursues them, even as Belle moans and writhes in what looks like pain.

Shit. I might get ripped apart, but I have to help. Following Blake as quickly as I can toward the chaos, I watch as he charges straight to the front of the mob, yelling, “She’s mated. Get a hold of yourselves.” It slows their momentum but only briefly before they surge forward again. “Run, Ethan.”

Knowing this is all about to get ugly, I reach down inside to draw on that other thing deep inside me.

“Stop right there. All of you!” It’s like pressing pause on a video. Everyone freezes. Ethan shakes his head, clearing the fog of my order and without hesitating to consider what’s going on, he shoves Belle inside the car and snaps on her seat belt.

Blake appears at my side, able to shake off my command sooner than the others. He looks at the groggy men, slowly coming back to their senses just in time to watch Ethan tear out of the car park; to me, standing there slightly stunned that it worked as well as it did. I’m used to being able to influence people, not stop them in their tracks. I’m definitely getting stronger. It could be a natural progression since my partial transformation, or maybe it’s being in this town.

Ethan’s car disappears down the road and a low thrum of chatter picks up again as everyone gets over the shock of what just happened. Blake steers me away from the bar and the two men deep in conversation near a black SUV. A black SUV that’s blocking Leah’s car in and preventing my escape. If I wasn’t sure whether I was being watched before, now I’m certain.

“So, Leah tells me you may have unearthed something interesting as part of your investigation?” Blake continues to exude calm, despite the fact that he’s asking me whether I’ve just uncovered his biggest secret and an entire hidden world that humans know nothing about. And right when it looks like the men in black are coming for me. But something tells me to trust him as we continue to walk further into the shadows.

“You should have wiped the CCTV a little better,” is all I say, not willing to confirm any more with plenty of ears close enough to listen, but it’s enough for him to understand. With a frown, he purses his lips.

“Technically, I should encourage you to stay here and speak with the council. I know Zoe has some things she wants to explain. She’s anxious to make sure you’re okay and won’t… flip out.”

I glare at him, not one bit happy, but amazed at the way he seems able to soothe my rage with his reasonable words and calm demeanour. His assessing gaze sweeps the car park and the men loitering around, who have been joined by a willowy, raven-haired beauty. She stares at me until a jeep screeches to a stop behind the SUV, and Tripp hops out.

“But… I’m going to be busy for a while making sure everyone is okay after this little fracas. A mating frenzy is the kind of thing an uninformed human should not be allowed to witness.” He looks at me with a glint in his eyes as Van slowly lowers his feet to the ground and stands.

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