Page 97 of The Alpha's Fated Destiny

The room is empty because Elsa is downstairs making preparations. Alone with my unconscious mother, I allow myself to break.

"I'm scared," I whisper, with a choked sob. "I'm so scared, Mom. I keep losing the people I love. I don't want to lose Alex. I'm putting on this brave face in front of everyone, but I'm a coward. I don't know what I'll do if I don't find him. I'm really scared, Mom. I don't know what to do."

Pressing my wet face against her palm, I sob quietly.

A knock on the door a few minutes later has me wiping my eyes and getting to my feet.

I know it's Elsa.

I open the door and she sees my red eyes but chooses not to comment.

"Come."

The town is quiet, the soldiers resting for their journey tomorrow. The women and children are safe in the underground bunkers in the forest. It's protocol during a war or battle to hide the most vulnerable. Even though the battle is taking place elsewhere, we are taking every precaution we possibly can. Karina is more devious than anyone can imagine.

We head through town to where the others are waiting.

Patrick, Jared, Saul, and Nathan are standing together while Logan stands off at a distance, his arms crossed over his chest. This is the first time Elsa has seen him, and she gives him a wary look.

She takes out a small marble from her pocket, one that I saw her create out of pure power. She’s holding it using a napkin. “As soon as you place your hands on it, I’ll activate it. It will transport you to the borders of the North.”

The others placed their fingers on it. The ball is beginning to glow, but just as I touch it, howls erupt in the air. We all look around, startled. It’s coming from the direction of the town. But I can’t move, the air around me shifting.

“The pack is under attack!” Patrick shouts, but it’s too late now. We are being pulled in.

“I will get your mother out of here!” Elsa shouts, and that’s the last thing I hear her say before I’m forced to close my eyes. When I open them, I’m standing in an entirely different location.

My heart sinks in horror.

I didn’t move my mother to the bunker. She was going to be the last to be moved because I needed Elsa for the portal. What have I done?

“We have to get back!” Patrick says quickly, but before we can move, people come rushing out of the trees and we’re surrounded.

Karina’s soldiers look at us grimly, and behind them are a group of witches, their hands turned in our direction.

Chapter 22

Alex

The back of my head hurts.

I open my eyes, wondering what happened. Did Logan attack me?

But all I see is dirty cement before me. I try to touch the back of my head, but my hands won’t move. As awareness flickers within me, I begin to feel the burning sensation on my wrists.

Each movement hurts my head even more, but I force myself to look to the right and I realize that my hands are pinned against the wall in black manacles.

I can feel the iron. But unlike the manacles that the dark witches had used on me, these are different. They are pressing into my skin and I have no doubt that even if I try to shift into my wolf form and try to slip out of them, it won't work. However, I am not above trying. Closing my eyes, I summon my wolf.

My eyes fly open in shock.

Where is my wolf? Why can’t I feel him? And why can’t I feel Sophia?

“Oh, you’re awake.”

The voice that reaches my ears is so familiar that my head jerks up. I am in a cell, a small dingy place which smells of feces and damp water. There are iron bars in front of me, electricity cracking between them. And outside of the cell, a familiar face is smiling at me.

“It’s about time you woke up, Alex,” Karina says softly. “You certainly took your time. There was a time when I would lock you up, and you would cry for hours. It’s been a while since I saw you cry like that. But no worries. You’ll be here for a long time now. I’m sure I can break you.”

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