Page 22 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

“You’re getting worse.”

“No, you’re not,” he counters, crossing his arms. “The pack knows it. Hell, you know it. The bond didn’t take, Bane. You rejected her, but she’s still tied to you. And if you don’t find her soon…”

“I’ll survive,” I snap, though the words taste bitter on my tongue.

“Will you?” Liam steps closer, his voice softer now. “Because it doesn’t look like it. You’ve been getting weaker every day, and your wolf is barely holding on. You’re the alpha, but if this keeps up, you won’t be able to protect the pack—let alone yourself.”

I slam my fist onto the desk. “What do you want me to do, Liam? Go crawling back to her? Beg her to fix this?”

Liam doesn’t flinch. “You don’t have to beg. Just find her. She’s been ‘missing’ for 5 years now. Vittorio’s grip on the city is crumbling, and she’s out there, alone. Vulnerable.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut. I grip the edge of the desk, my knuckles white. “It’s not like I haven’t looked. She’s very good at hiding” I mutter, but even I don’t believe it anymore. I tried to search for as long as possible because I didn’t want to accept it. I don’t want to accept the bond.

“You would have found her if you searched your wolf would literally sniff her out.”

“The private investigator will have news soon. Lets leave it at that.”

“What’s the status” I ask, leaning back in the chair and folding my arms.

“Some Rogues hit the eastern border again last night. Nothing major, they were just testing the waters.”

“They’re getting bold.”

“They’re getting stupid,” Liam corrects. “Our patrols chased them off before they could do any real damage. But there’s something else.

I narrow my eyes, my wolf stirring at the edge of my consciousness. “Go on.”

“They’re organized,” he says, his tone losing its usual levity. “This isn’t random attack; someone is pulling the strings.”

My jaw tightens. “Who?”

“We don’t know yet. But they’re moving like a pack. Their moves are coordinated, and strategic even. This isn’t the usual rogue chaos.”

I don’t respond immediately; my mind is already working through the possibilities. Rogues are dangerous enough on their own. There are feral, desperate, unpredictable. But organized rogues? That’s a whole different animal.

“Double the patrols,” I say finally. “And tell Marcus to dig into the supply routes. If they’re organizing, they’ll need resources. If we cut off their supply line, they will crumble.”

“Already on it.” Liam shifts. “Anything else you need, our fearless leader?”

I glare at him, but before I can respond, my phone buzzes on the desk.

Liam glances at it, then back at me, his eyebrows raised. “Are you expecting a call?”

I don’t answer, picking up the phone and glancing at the screen. Vincent.

“Out,” I say, already standing.

Liam raises his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. I’ll go babysit the warriors. Try not to break anything while I’m gone.”

I wait until the door shuts behind him before answering the call.

“Vincent.”

“Alpha Bane,” comes the smooth, practiced voice of my private investigator. “I’ve got something.”

My grip on the phone tightens, my pulse kicking up a notch. “Talk.”

“I found Aria.”

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