Page 37 of The Alpha's Fated Bond

“Are you my mother?” I let out a gasping sob. “Where are you? Tell me how to find you! I’ll save you. Please, just tell me where you are!”

Each time I see this wolf in my dreams, I’m overwhelmed with emotions. This time is no different. My heart is unable to bear the condition she is in. It’s obvious that she’s barely holding on. And the fact that I can do nothing for her is killing me.

“Please, say something!”

“Grow stronger.”

The wolf opens one eye, and it is red.

I jerk awake, sitting up in bed, covered in sweat.

My heart racing, I stare blankly at the wall. For a few seconds, I feel delirious.

Where am I?

My surroundings don’t make sense to me.

But as I begin to calm down, I recognize the flower-patterned wallpaper of the guest room I’ve been staying in. Supporting myself with my hands, I look to the other side of the bed.

Alex is gone.

I pull myself into a sitting position before touching his side of the bed. The sheets are rumpled and cold. He must have left quite a while ago. The wall clock says it’s three in the morning.

He left the other night, as well, once I was asleep. And when I asked him where he’d gone, he never told me. His excuses were vague at best.

I climb out of bed, no longer sleepy, and turn on the lamp next to me. The room fills with a warm light. My stomach rumbles, and I remember that I didn’t have dinner last night.

We went on that picnic, I recall. It was so lovely.

I kept expecting Alex to make some sort of move, but he didn’t. He simply wanted to spend time with me. While my wolf wasdisappointed by the lack of physical contact, it was also quite pleased at the respect Alex showed.

There’s an electric kettle in the small kitchenette, and I add some water from the tap to it before turning it on. Alex left some instant coffee sachets and some tea bags for me. I’m not in the mood for coffee, but a soothing tea might help me relax.

As I wait for the water to boil, I sit at the table and think back to the dream.

It has to be my mother. I’m convinced of it. But where do I begin looking for her?

She must be somewhere in South Alliance territory. I’ll have to go back there to look for her.

When we left the South Alliance and made our way to the North, we used the stretch of land that is unclaimed territory. It is often used by travelers who do not want to request permission from packs to pass through their territory.

Both the North and South Alliances have small areas between pack territories that allow people to pass through without encroaching on pack land. We were quite lucky that we were not spotted by travelers, even though these paths are quite old and not many people use them anymore, especially since there are now cars and planes for travel. Another reason is that, after not being maintained for centuries, these trails have become overgrown with trees and overrun with wildlife. Most packs have set up fencing around their territories as a result.

We could use the same route to re-enter the South and look for my mother, but Robert will have hidden her somewhere deep within Red Rock Wolf territory.

I rest my elbows on the table, which I stare down at in frustration.

How am I supposed to find her? If I had even an inkling of the area she is in, I would go. But I don’t have any idea.

The water begins to boil, and I get up to pour it into the mug, teabag already there, before sitting down on one of the arm chairs next to the window. The curtains are closed, and as I sip the hot tea, I pull one aside slightly to catch a glimpse of the quiet village.

It’s dark outside, the whole village resting in the early hours of the day. I’m about to release the curtain when I see something. It looks like movement. Narrowing my eyes, I focus on the spot, and that’s when I see them.

Two men are approaching the guest house. I’ve seen a lot of Alex’s soldiers in the village, and they all dress in the same customary, red and gray uniform. These men are wearing black.

I have no problem with anybody dressing the way they want and roaming around the village at this time of night, but there’s something about the way these two men are walking toward the guest house, their strides so purposeful, that has the hair on the back of my neck rising.

I glance back at the empty bed. Alex isn’t here. My first instinct is fear.

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