Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 118

Elowen

I woke lazily in Kaius's bed, sunlight streaming through the tall windows and warming my face. For a moment, I just lay there, enjoying the rare peace—

Then Scarlett's voice burst into my mind through our pack link, practically vibrating with excitement.

*Elowen! Guess what! Frost and I—we restored our bond!*

I shot upright so fast I nearly fell out of bed. "What?!"

*It's true!* Her mental voice was giddy, almost disbelieving. *The mate bond—it's back. Stronger than before, even.*

"God, Scarlett! That's—that's incredible!" Relief and joy flooded through me in equal measure. "I'm so happy for you! For both of you! Is Frost okay? How did this even happen?"

*He's fine. Better than fine, actually. He's here at our pack right now.*

I couldn't stop smiling. Finally—*finally*—the two people I'd been most worried about could be together. The weight I'd been carrying, the guilt over Frost's feelings for me and Scarlett's heartbreak, all of it was lifting.

*Thank the Moon Goddess. I was so afraid that—*

*You two enjoy your time together,* I said warmly. *Make the most of it while Evelyn and I are still here. Speaking of which, you won't believe what's been happening with her and—*

The bedroom door opened. Kaius walked in, and I quickly wrapped up the conversation.

*I have to go, Scarlett. Talk later!*

*Okay, Alpha. And... thank you. For everything.*

I wasn't sure what she was thanking me for, but before I could ask, the connection closed.

Kaius crossed the room in three strides and scooped me up effortlessly, a playful smile on his face. "My Queen," he said, his voice warm and teasing. "Did you sleep well?"

I laughed and swatted at his shoulder. "Terribly, actually. Two people in one bed is significantly less comfortable than having my own space and my own blanket."

"Liar." He set me down gently, then moved to his wardrobe and pulled out a dress that made my eyes widen.

It was elegant—objectively beautiful, really. Deep emerald silk with intricate gold embroidery along the bodice and sleeves. But it was also clearly designed for formal court appearances, with a fitted waist and a skirt that would make walking anywhere quickly absolutely impossible.

"Absolutely not," I said immediately.

Kaius ignored me, already moving closer with the dress. "I think today's occasion calls for something like this."

"What occasion? And get away from me—I'm not a child who needs help dressing!"

But he'd already started unlacing the simple shirt I'd slept in, his fingers deft and gentle. "Trust me on this," he murmured. "You'll want to make a certain impression today."

"Kaius, I swear—"

A knock at the door interrupted us. One of Kaius's guards called through, "Alpha King! Your mother has arrived and is waiting in the formal receiving room."

I froze. *His mother?*

*Sera Blackthorne. The former Alpha Queen who'd been living in seclusion. The woman who famously never appeared in public without her veil.*

*Fuck. The "occasion" is meeting his mother.*

I shoved Kaius away immediately and tossed the silk dress onto the bed. "No. Absolutely not."

"Elowen—"

"I am not meeting your mother dressed like a decorative ornament." I moved to the wardrobe and pulled out my own clothes—black leather pants reinforced at the knees, a fitted charcoal tunic with silver buckles, and my favorite boots. Practical. Comfortable. *Me.*

Kaius watched with amusement as I dressed quickly. "You know, most people try to impress their mate's parents."

"I'm not most people." I buckled the last strap. "Why is your mother here? Is it about your father?"

His expression sobered. "I don't know. She didn't say in her message."

I frowned, thinking back. "I met Sera once when I was young. Just a glimpse. She was already living in seclusion by then, and she's always worn that veil." I looked at him curiously. "I never knew why. Do you know?"

Something uncomfortable flickered across Kaius's face. He opened his mouth, seemed to reconsider, then just said, "Come on. We should go see what she wants."

*That's not suspicious at all.*

---

The formal receiving room was one of the most ostentatious spaces in the castle—all marble columns and gilded furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows that flooded the space with light.

And standing in the center of it all was Sera Blackthorne.

She was tall—nearly as tall as Kaius—and moved with the kind of grace that came from decades of royal training. Her gown was exquisite, layers of deep purple silk and black lace that probably cost more than my entire pack's annual budget. And of course, the veil—delicate black fabric that obscured her features completely, flowing from an elaborate silver crown woven into her dark hair.

She turned at the sound of our footsteps, and even through the veil, I could feel the weight of her gaze.

"Kaius." She moved toward him with surprising speed, pulling him into an embrace. "It's been too long, my son."

Then she turned to me, and her hand shot out to grasp mine. Her grip was firm—uncomfortably firm, actually, her fingers pressing hard enough to make my bones ache.

"And this must be the legendary White Wolf. Elowen." Her voice carried a strange quality, like she was assessing livestock rather than greeting her son's mate.

"Sera," I said carefully, trying to extract my hand without being obvious about it.

Kaius stepped between us smoothly, breaking the contact. "Mother, this is my mate, Elowen." His tone was formal, but I caught the warning underneath. "What brings you here? Is this about Father's disappearance?"

Sera laughed—a cold, brittle sound. "Disappearance? Oh, I know perfectly well he was captured. But why on earth would I be concerned about that?"

Kaius's expression tightened. "Mother—"

"I came to see the new Queen, obviously." She began circling me slowly, and I felt like prey being evaluated by a predator. "Though I must say, the silver hair is unfortunate. A proper Queen should have golden hair—it photographs better, looks more regal in portraits."

I blinked. *Is she serious right now?*

"And that outfit." She made a disapproving sound. "Far too... utilitarian. You're the Queen of a kingdom, dear, not a mercenary. Where are the gowns? The jewels? The symbols of your station?"

"Mother," Kaius said sharply. "That's enough. Elowen isn't just a Queen—she's an Alpha in her own right. She has her own style, her own way of doing things."

"Of course, of course." Sera's tone suggested she found this deeply amusing. "She's your mate, after all. I'm merely making observations. No offense intended."

*None taken because I'm not listening to a word you're saying.*

But I was done with pleasantries. "Sera, with all due respect—what happened to Aldric? How exactly did he disappear?"

She moved to sit on one of the ornate couches, her movements unnaturally graceful. She lifted her veil just enough to sip from a teacup that had been prepared for her, then lowered it again.

"You want to discuss such tedious matters?" Her voice carried a note of disdain. "Though I suppose that's what Alphas do—always focused on violence and politics rather than civilized conversation." She paused. "But fine. Listen carefully, and try not to blame yourself for what happened."

My eyes narrowed. "Blame myself? Why would I—"

"Because my husband was captured while trying to break your mate bond, of course." Sera said it so casually, like she was commenting on the weather. "Though looking at you two now, clearly that wasn't necessary. You've accepted Kaius quite thoroughly, haven't you?"

"Mother!" Kaius's voice was sharp with warning.

"What?" Sera's tone was innocent. "I'm simply stating facts. When you first captured this girl, she was quite resistant to the idea of being your mate. Fought it terribly, from what I heard. But now look—she's sleeping in your bed, wearing your mark. How things change."

My blood was starting to boil, but I kept my voice level. "Get to the point."

"The point," Sera continued, "is that our kingdom was without a Queen for far too long. Aldric, in his infinite foolishness, decided that since you two clearly weren't going to work out—" She gestured vaguely at us. "—he would seek magical assistance to sever your bond entirely. Allow Kaius to choose a more... suitable mate."

"That's insane," I said flatly.

"Is it?" Sera tilted her head. "You were rejecting my son at every turn. The bond was causing both of you suffering. Aldric thought he was helping."

"He went to a Flesh-Weaver," Kaius cut in, his voice tight with anger. "He played with dark magic and got exactly what he deserved. This has nothing to do with Elowen."

"Doesn't it?" Sera's attention fixed on me again. "A former Alpha King, driven to desperate measures because the White Wolf refused to accept her destined mate. One could argue that—"

"One could argue," I interrupted coldly, "that a King who decides to interfere with other people's mate bonds, who dabbles in forbidden magic without considering the consequences, brought his fate entirely upon himself. Are you seriously suggesting that *I'm* responsible for his stupidity?"

Silence fell over the room.

Then Sera laughed—actually laughed. "Well. At least you have a spine. That's more than I can say for some Queens." Her hand moved unconsciously to her veiled face, fingers brushing across where her cheek would be beneath the fabric. "Sharp words are better than silent suffering."

There was something haunting in the way she touched her veil. Something that spoke of old pain, old scars—

"Mother." Kaius's patience had clearly reached its limit. "If you came here just to cause trouble, you can leave. Now."

"I told you," Sera said, her voice taking on an edge. "I came to see the Queen. Not you. I have important matters to discuss with Elowen." She turned to face me fully. "Privately. So if you would be so kind, Kaius—leave us."