Page 45 of Alpha's Hated Mate

“How’s he doing?” Chad asks his mother.

“He’ll be fine, all things considered,” Professor Robertson replies. “Another day of rest, I’d say, and he’ll be well enough to attend classes. Until then, he needs to stay put.” She glances at me. “You hear me, Mr. Vaultmore?”

“Yes.” I sigh.

“Well, I’ll let you catch up.”

Yarra touches Professor Robertson’s shoulder. “Thank you, Mom.”

She looks at Yarra and says, “Of course. It’s good to see you, dear,” before walking away.

As soon as she’s gone, Yarra says, “Where’s Saffron? Is she—?” She stops herself, and I notice her eyes are damp and rimmed with red, evidence that she’s been worried sick.

“I don’t know,” I say, the panic creeping back into my mind again. “We went into the woods together with my sister but we were attacked! I need to go back and find them.”

They exchange a worried glance. Chad says, “Did you tell anyone you were going? Or see someone follow you?”

I shake my head. “It was a monster . . . “ My ribs ache as I shift position. “It was massive — bigger than any wolf I’ve ever seen. It had red fur, and when it howled, it affected Saffron, made her weak. It has to be the one mind-controlling the Scarlets.”

“Another rogue Scarlet, like Cole?” Yarra gives Chad a worried glance.

“I doubt it,” I add. “If it is, it’s a super-powered Scarlet that I’ve never heard of.”

As my mind processes what Professor Robertson shared with me, my chest tightens. I begin to connect the dots. “Professor Robertson told me something disturbing about my father. He believed Scarlet wolves had some kind of extraordinary power and did extensive research on them when he taught here. So much that he became obsessed with it and had to leave Moonhelm before I was born. And then . . . ” I swallow hard. “Saffron realized that it’s my father that’s torturing Natasha in her vision.”

“Your father?” Yarra repeats.

“The timing fits.” Chad paces in front of the bed. “The coup and Natasha’s disappearance would’ve happened around the time your father left Moonhelm.”

“It has to be connected somehow to what’s happening to the Scarlet wolves,” Yarra says. “That’s why Saffron is having these visions in the first place.”

Chad’s expression darkens. “If Alton was experimenting on Scarlet wolves, perhaps this creature is one of his experiments gone wrong. Saffron’s visions might have been warning us.”

“But your father is gone,” Yarra says softly.

Another possibility hits me like a physical blow. “Saffron said she saw him inject himself with something. What if he experimented on himself? What if that thing in the woods . . . what if itismy father?”

“Whether it’s an experiment gone wrong or your father, this is bad.” Chad clenches his jaw.

“No kidding,” I say and start pushing the blanket off of my body. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I have to go back.”

“You’re in no condition—” Yarra protests.

“If my father had anything to do with this . . . ” I say, desperation in my voice. “I can’t let it hurt anybody else . . . if it’s done anything to Saffron or my sister, I’ll never forgive myself.”

Chad doesn’t say anything for a long moment. He stands there like the elder Alpha he is, arms crossed, his dark eyes like stone. “It’s dangerous to go alone,” he says.

“They are my pack,” I say through clenched teeth. My eyes fall on Yarra and move to Chad. “Saffron is my Luna.”

Yarra gasps. “You marked her?”

“Yes,” I turn to plead with Chad. “It is my duty to protect them as an Alpha. If anybody understands that, it’s you.”

Chad looks at Yarra for a moment. I can only assume he’s imagining how he would feel as an Alpha himself and if it was his Luna that was missing. “It’s foolish,” he finally says. “But if youwereto leave the infirmary, you’d have to take the back stairs and go out the service entrance.”

Yarra smiles, catching on fast. “Totally foolish, but no one would be around during this time of day. You’d have to change into your wolf and head straight into the woods to not get caught. There’s no time to do anything else.”

“In the meantime, we’ll gather reinforcements to help you . . . and to face whatever is out there.” Chad locks his eyes on mine. “It’s a huge risk going out there alone, Aydan. But, I’d never advise another Alpha against doing whatever it takes to protect his own.”

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