Page 118 of Unhinged Alphas

The Ghosts are coming for me.

And when they do, there will be hell to pay.

Chapter

Twenty-Five

WHISKEY

The ATV's engine roars beneath me as I push it to its limits, tearing through the snow and dirt. My eyes scan the terrain, making sure we're still following Wraith's trail. The cold wind bites at my face, but I barely notice.

All I can think about is finding Ivy.

And then, I'm gonna tear Valek limb from fucking limb.

"Anything?" Thane's voice crackles through the comm in my ear.

"Nothing yet," I growl, frustration building in my chest. "How the hell is Wraith moving so fast on foot?"

"He's not thinking, just followinghis instincts," Plague chimes in, his voice as cold and clinical as ever. "Pure feral alpha drive. He'll lead us straight to her."

I grit my teeth, hating how right Plague is. Wraith might be a feral beast, but right now, those instincts are doing what our fancy tech can't. My hands tighten on the handlebars as I remember how I'd fallen for Valek's trick.

Stupid. So fucking stupid.

"There!" Thane's shout snaps me back to attention. I follow his gesture and spot it. A set of massive bootprints in the snow, heading toward a set of train tracks in the distance.

We gun our engines, closing the gap. As we near the tracks, I can't help but notice they're leading us in an all-too-familiar direction.

"These tracks," Plague mutters, voicing my thoughts. "They're heading toward the outpost near the border with Vrissia."

"Of fucking course they are," I spit, rage boiling in my gut.

Thane's voice is tight with tension. "Valek's never shown any love for Vrissia before. Why start now? There's a chance he's taking her to the safe zone near the border."

"Who gives a shit about his motivations?" I snap, rounding on him. "He's got Ivy, and that's all that matters. Forgive me for not trusting his sorry fucking backstabbing snake ass after he poisoned me."

We fall into an uneasy silence as we follow the tracks, the only sound the roar of our engines and the crunch of snow and dirt beneath our wheels. My mind races, replaying the moment I'd let my guard down. I'd been so caught up in the afterglow with Ivy, so fucking pleased with myself.

And Valek had played me like a goddamn fiddle.

"You're being too hard on yourself," Thane's voice cuts through my self-loathing, as if he can read my damn mind. "Valek fooled all of us."

I laugh, bitter and harsh. "Yeah, but I'm the dumbass who fell for his 'bonding' bullshit. I should've known better. Should've known he doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself."

"We all should have," Plague adds, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "Valek's always been a wild card. We got complacent."

"Fat lotta good that does Ivy now," I mutter, pushing my ATV even harder.

We keep riding in silence, the landscape blurringpast us. The tracks stretch on endlessly, a stark line cutting through the wilderness. The constant vibration of the ATV makes my muscles feel steamrolled and the poison's still burning and aching in my gut, but I don't give a shit. Physical pain is nothing compared to the knot of guilt and anger twisting inside me.

The train tracks lead us to the edge of a valley and I slam on the brakes at the sight below, my heart nearly stopping. The train lies derailed, smoke and flames billowing from the wreckage.

But that's not what grabs my attention.

Vrissian soldiers swarm the area like ants on spilled sugar, their snow-camo gear barely visible against the stark white landscape. Sleek hovercrafts built for the terrain zip back and forth, kicking up plumes of snow.

"Fuck me," I breathe, my stomach twisting into knots.

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