Page 4 of Taken By the Alpha Priest

Every nerve in my body is alive, hyper-focused on one thing: finding her.

Claiming her.

2

TILDA

The Alpha Prime dies tonight.

Annie’s hooves strike the ground in a steady rhythm, solid and certain–as certain as I am in the way this is going to end. No more second-guessing. No more hesitation. I’ve planned this, scouted every weak point, and practiced every move in my head until it’s muscle memory.

Reyes Garza won’t be around anymore when the sun rises.

Almost a year ago, the unbelievers kicked the Heavenly Host out of Austin. At first, I figured the Angels would come storming back—it was one of their main bases in Texas, after all—but no. They abandoned us. Left us with no protection, no medicine.

No insulin for my sister.

Homestead—my home, my sister’s home—is crumbling. The place we fought to build, the place I’ve protected for almost a decade, isn’t safe anymore. The Infernal Legion creeps closer every day. The Angels made it clear: they’ll return if we take out the Alpha Prime of the Austin pack. A cruel deal, sure. But I’m not about to let my sister waste away while we sit around hoping for a miracle.

Mayor McAllen called me reckless. Said this mission was suicide, that we’d be better off retreating to Dallas, deep in Angel territory. But I know what happens when the Host pulls out for good. I’ve seen it.

So I said screw him, screw Dallas, and screw waiting around for the end. I’m no lost lamb; I was a fucking Crusader.

The cool night air brushes past, carrying the scent of live oaks and damp earth. The Celestial Curtain glows red overhead, casting eerie shadows on the forest. I adjust the rifle slung across my back and glance at the four men riding behind me: three bounty hunters and Enid’s boyfriend, little more than a kid. David, Enid’s beau, is the one I’m worried about. The others…? Well, they’re too cocky for their own good, but at least they’re competent.

“Keep it tight,” I murmur, my voice low but firm.

To my left, Jackson grins, his teeth gleaming white in the dim light. He’s a bounty hunter from out east, tall and wiry, with a sharp jawline and sharper instincts. “Relax, Cap. We’re professionals.”

“We’ve got you covered,” his partner, Abrams, adds.

“You two are talkative for professionals,” grumbles Kenny, the third bounty hunter. He’s built like a brick wall, all muscle and scars, with a deep voice that rumbles like thunder.

His horse snorts, as if in agreement.

David, the youngest of the group, barely older than my sister, rides just behind me. His hands are clenched tight around his reins, and his eyes dart nervously between the trees. He doesn’t say a word, but I can see the tension all over him.

“David,” I call over my shoulder, “you good?”

He nods, a quick jerk of his head. “Yeah, yeah. Just...don’t wanna screw this up.”

“You won’t,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “Stick to the plan. We’ve got this. He’ll be on watch…we lure him out, then we strike.”

“And you really think you can kill him?”

I almost laugh–David wasn’t around during the New Crusade, but I grew up in it. Killing wolves is old hat for me.

The Alpha Prime…? Maybe another matter, but I have to believe I can do this.

Annie slows as we near the edge of the forest, her hooves crunching softly against the damp earth. I dismount in one smooth motion, boots landing with barely a sound. “Tie the horses here,” I whisper. “We move on foot from here.”

The others dismount silently. Jackson adjusts the shotgun slung across his shoulder. “This is your show, Captain,” he says. “Tell us where to go, and we’ll follow.”

“Stick close, stay quiet, and watch for patrols,” I reply. “We lure out the patrols, you cover me while I take out Reyes, and we’re out before they know we’re there. There should only be a few people on watch tonight.”

David hesitates, his voice barely a whisper. “What if he’s not with the guards?”

“He will be,” I say firmly. “The full moon’s got them distracted, and he doesn’t partake in the debauchery. They’ll be deep in their lycan shit. That’s when they’re vulnerable.”

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