Page 52 of Fated to the Enemy Alpha

But I told myself that this was for the best. I didn’t need him. He was Magnus’s right-hand man. I was self-reliant.

Everything was going as planned. Taking advantage of the distraction, I went to Ella, drawing her to the door. “Could you organize some refreshments for everyone while we wait for the alpha’s return?” I looked out into the hallway as if thinking of him, worrying my lip. “I need to take a minute. Are you okay to sort things?”

“Go,” Ella said. “Of course, take as long as you need, Lina.”

I nodded, feeling time flying by, even though it had only been a few minutes since Magnus and his men had gone. But I knew I couldn’t count on having any longer than an hour to find the entrance to the secret room, find my mother, and run.

Suddenly, I was at Magnus’s study door and entering the room. The cacophony of the guests’ chatter was smothered by the heavy door. A prickling sense of foreboding came over me as I breathed in the stale air. The study itself seemed to reprimand me, its mahogany wood desk, looming bookcases, and dark red leather sofas exuding that same territorial masculinity that had unnerved me the first time I was in here.

I hadn’t been in here since that first evening when I’d sat with Magnus, and he’d interrogated me. We’d had all our meals together in the dining room and sat in one of the smaller lounges to discuss our mate ceremony plans this week. Carson and Finn’s relentless patrolling of the villa had made it impossible for me to search this room until now.

I went straight to the towering bookcases, remembering how the middle one had shown a doorway in the footage Emily had shown me. My hands trailed over the spines of the books and the few paperweights that rested there. I looked for any signs of dust trails that would highlight recent movement.

One of the books had a slight dust track, and my heart pounded. I pulled out the book. The entire bookcase swung forward, revealing the darkened passage that had plagued my dreams all this week.

I drew my phone from my pocket, turned on the torch, and hurried down the corridor.

My heels echoed on the stone floor, and my steps quickened, my veins filling with adrenaline and my chest with hope. The bodice of my dress suddenly felt too tight, the usual fear of the small space threatening to steal my breath. But I forced a deep breath, slowing my heart rate and the deafening pounding of blood in my ears.

As I turned left, the room opened up into a small chamber, and my gaze landed on a bed. “Mom?” I called out. It was the same small space I’d seen in the footage—the frame of the bed and the small washbasin on the other side of the room telling me she had been in here.

My gaze flew around the room, once, twice, as if more space might materialize. But, searching the small space, dread trickled through me.

It’s empty.

Intuition bristled along my skin, and I couldn’t help remembering Magnus’s ominous expression as soon as I reached him.

He knows.

Panic thumped through me as I just stood there, staring at the emptiness.

I rebuked myself and made myself move. I needed to get out of here. Matthew, Emily, and I could regroup, but I had to get out.

Going back through the narrow passageway was even worse, and it was actually a relief to stumble out into Magnus’s study.

I was still clutching my phone, taking it off of torch mode, when it started to buzz with an incoming call.

I took a sip of air, relieved to see Matthew’s name on the screen. I had planned to call them once I had found the room and my mother or if I had trouble getting into the chamber. They must be getting anxious that I hadn’t called yet.

Answering, “Matt,” I said. “It’s empty,” I blurted out, not really knowing what to do, feeling the threatening panic swelling my chest and needing my friends’ advice more than ever.

But Matt’s voice was frantic through the speaker, “Emily’s home was attacked.” I could hear the terror in the way Matt’s gruff tone.

“Is she okay?” I gasped, dread pooling through me.

“I’m on the way to the hospital. She’s wounded and unconscious,” he trailed off, then added, “but her pulse is strong.”

Pain clawed through my chest, and tears pricked my eyes.

No, no, no, this isn’t happening. This isn’t meant to happen.

“What about Betty?” I asked in another hurried gasp. I couldn’t hold back the panicked question. After Stephen had come to see me mid-week and explained that Magnus seemed edgy, we’d all agreed that having Emily take Betty to her place in Philadelphia, where Stephen had never been and that had even fewer links to me, would be safer for her.

But somehow, Magnus knew where they were.

My heart felt like it would explode as Matt confirmed my worst fears. “Magnus’s men took her before I could get there, Lina.”

Panic made my knees weak and my legs quiver. I wobbled toward the sofa.

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