Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 127

Elowen

Before we could enter the war room for the strategy meeting, Evelyn found us.

She appeared from around a corner, her red hair wild as always, but her expression was subdued. The moment she saw Scarlett and me, she rushed forward and pulled us both into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "About the pack. About not being there. I—"

"Oh, I heard you've been having quite the time here," Scarlett interrupted, pulling back from the hug with an edge to her voice. She crossed her arms. "Eating well, sleeping in comfortable beds, and apparently you found yourself a man? I don't know if he's been helping you read books or... doing other things with you." Her eyes narrowed. "But either way, you've been living pretty carefree, haven't you?"

Evelyn opened her mouth to respond, then closed it. Her usual sharp retort died on her lips. She just stood there, pouting slightly, unable to meet Scarlett's eyes.

*She actually feels guilty. That's... new.*

"Well," I said, stepping between them, "she's been helping Faelan research countermeasures against Morgath. I'd say that's contributing plenty to our cause."

Scarlett looked at Evelyn's uncharacteristically remorseful face and her expression softened. "Come on, I'm just messing with you. Honestly? What could you have done if you were there? You're a witch—those transformed wolves would have torn you apart." She reached out and squeezed Evelyn's shoulder. "I'm actually glad you weren't there. At least you're alive."

Evelyn's face broke into a genuine smile. "Scarlett! But seriously—when I heard you'd been injured, I was terrified. So, out of a burning desire for revenge on your behalf—" She straightened, trying to look brave. "I've decided to join this mission to the witch's lair!"

Both Scarlett and I stared at her in shock.

Before we could respond, Frost appeared in the doorway. "Everyone? The Alpha King is ready. Please come to the council chamber."

---

When we entered, Kaius and Faelan were already waiting. The round table had been cleared except for several rolled maps and documents. We took our seats, and Kaius wasted no time getting to business.

He unrolled a large map, spreading it across the table. "Everyone see this red mark here?"

My eyes found the indicated spot, and recognition hit me immediately. "That's—"

"Yes," Kaius confirmed. "The location of that mysterious cave system. Faelan's research indicates the Flesh-Weavers' ancestral lair is accessible through these tunnels. To reach it, we must pass through the cave entrance."

He looked directly at Evelyn. "Which is why we need you on this mission. You're our expert on magical barriers and wards. Without you, we won't be able to access the lair at all."

Evelyn pressed her palms against her face. "Oh God. You're really going to make me do this?"

"Didn't you just volunteer?" Scarlett pointed out with a smirk. "Something about revenge on my behalf?"

"And you've been dying to meet your 'idol' Morgath," I added, grinning. "Now's your chance."

Evelyn turned pleading eyes to Faelan, clearly hoping he'd offer her an escape.

Faelan just scratched his head sheepishly. "Evelyn, I'm afraid the success of this entire operation really does depend on you. Your ability to break wards, your knowledge of witch magic, your understanding of—"

"Fuck!" Evelyn interrupted, slumping in her chair dramatically. "Fine. FINE. I'm about to do the most reckless thing I've ever done in my entire life."

"Don't worry," I said cheerfully. "If things go wrong, you have my permission to run away first."

Kaius continued once that was settled. He pulled out another, more detailed map. "This is what Faelan managed to reconstruct of the lair's interior layout. Once you're inside, you'll need to move quietly. Locate the gemstone that powers their dark magic and destroy it."

He traced a route with his finger. "Without that gemstone, their magical enhancements will fade rapidly. The transformed wolves will revert. Morgath's power will diminish. She'll no longer be the threat she is now."

"Simple enough," I said, studying the map. "Get in, destroy the stone, get out."

"Simple in theory," Kaius corrected. "But the lair will likely have defenses. Possibly guards. You'll need to be strategic."

Frost leaned forward. "When do we leave, Alpha King?"

"No, Frost." Kaius's voice was firm. "You, Scarlett, and Faelan stay behind. With both packs now consolidated in one location, we're an obvious target. My father warned me that Morgath is accelerating her timeline—she could strike at any moment."

Frost's expression showed he understood the weight of the responsibility, though disappointment flickered across his face. He nodded solemnly.

Scarlett, however, couldn't hide her frustration. "Alpha King! With respect—I should be protecting MY Alpha! And my—" She glanced at Evelyn. "And our witch!"

I placed my hand over hers. "Scarlett, our people need you here. Your strength, your leadership. I promise I'll bring everyone back safely."

She held my gaze for a long moment before finally nodding, though her jaw remained tight.

Kaius stood, his hands flat on the table, his expression resolute. "Tonight. Tonight we end this witch's reign of terror. Tonight we reclaim our freedom from her shadow."

The determination in his voice sent shivers down my spine. This was it. No more running. No more reacting to Morgath's moves.

Tonight, we would strike first.

---

By the time darkness fell, the three of us were already at the cave entrance.

The journey had been tense and silent. Each of us lost in our own thoughts about what lay ahead. Now, standing before the innocuous-looking cave mouth, the weight of our mission settled over us like a physical thing.

Evelyn broke the silence first, her voice filled with uncharacteristic wonder as we entered the tunnels. "God, this place is beautiful. Look at these crystal formations—the way they refract light is absolutely mesmerizing. And the mineral composition suggests—"

"Evelyn," I interrupted. "Focus. We're not here for a geology lesson."

"Right, right. Sorry."

We moved deeper into the cave system, following Faelan's map. The bioluminescent moss provided just enough light to navigate by, casting everything in an eerie green glow.

"Kaius," I said quietly, my voice echoing slightly off the stone walls. "Do you think our packs are safe right now? If they're attacked while we're here—if this whole mission fails—"

"We're gambling," Kaius admitted, his hand finding mine in the darkness and squeezing. "Gambling on our speed. Our timing. If we can destroy the gemstone before Morgath launches a major assault—or at least before she can cause significant casualties—we win."

"And if we can't find the gemstone in time?" The words came out barely above a whisper. "If the packs are overwhelmed while we're down here chasing shadows?"

I could see the worry in Kaius's eyes, but his voice remained steady. "My father is there. Recovering, yes, but still formidable. If danger comes, he'll defend everyone with his last breath. I trust him."

That did ease my anxiety somewhat. Aldric had proven his loyalty—and his power—despite everything Morgath had done to him.

We continued in silence until the tunnel opened into a dead end. Smooth stone wall stretched before us, seemingly impenetrable.

Evelyn immediately perked up, moving forward to examine the barrier. Her hands traced patterns in the air, feeling for magical signatures invisible to werewolf senses.

"Wow!" Her mood shifted instantly from anxious to excited. "This ward is quality work. Really sophisticated layering. It reminds me of the barrier-breaking competitions I used to do back in my old coven when I was young!"

She pressed her palms against the stone, eyes distant as she analyzed the magic. "We'd create wards and challenge each other to break them. You make one, I try to crack it. I make one, you try to crack it. Such good times. The complexity here is actually quite impressive—"

"EVELYN!" Both Kaius and I shouted simultaneously.

She blinked at us. "What?"

"TIME!" I snapped. "We're racing against time! Our people could be dying right now while you reminisce about your childhood!"

"Oh! Right! Yes, of course!" She shook herself. "Okay, let's call this a competition then. Me versus whatever witch made this ward." Her grin turned slightly manic. "And I always win."

She began chanting in a language that hurt my ears—old magic, older than any pack history I'd learned. Her hands moved in intricate patterns, fingers weaving invisible threads of power.

The stone wall began to shimmer. Then crack. Not physically—the cracks were made of light, of concentrated magic being unmade.

A doorway appeared—no, not a doorway. A portal. A tear in reality itself, glowing with violet energy. Through the opening, I could see something that shouldn't exist.

The space beyond was vast—impossibly vast for something hidden inside a mountain. The sky, if it could be called that, hung in perpetual twilight. Not the natural purple-blue of dusk, but something more alien. Violet shot through with veins of sickly green, pulsing like a living thing.

The ground wasn't earth or stone. It was smooth, polished obsidian crystal that reflected the strange sky above. In the distance, I could make out structures—twisted towers and warped buildings that defied normal architecture.

"What the fuck," I breathed.

"A pocket dimension," Evelyn whispered, her voice filled with equal parts fear and fascination. "The Flesh-Weavers didn't just build a lair. They created an entire realm."

Kaius's hand went to his weapon. "Can we survive in there? Will the air be breathable? The gravity normal?"

"Only one way to find out," Evelyn said, though she looked considerably less confident now.

I took a breath, squeezed Kaius's hand one more time, and stepped forward.

The three of us crossed through the portal together, plunging into the violet twilight of the Flesh-Weavers' ancestral realm.