Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 161

Elowen

The journey to Ashenvale took two days of hard riding. By the time we reached the border of vampire territory, exhaustion had settled into my bones, but adrenaline kept me sharp.

"There." Scarlett pointed ahead to where the landscape shifted dramatically. The trees grew darker, their bark almost black. Even the air felt different—cooler, heavier, like breathing in shadows.

We approached the border checkpoint cautiously, hands ready on our weapons. Vampires and wolves weren't exactly friendly neighbors. I expected hostility, demands, maybe even violence.

What I didn't expect was a welcoming committee.

A dozen vampire soldiers stood at attention, their pale faces eerily serene in the dim light. As we approached, they parted smoothly, creating a clear path.

"What the fuck?" Scarlett muttered under her breath.

The lead soldier—a woman with silver hair braided intricately down her back—stepped forward and bowed. "White Wolf. We've been expecting you. Lord Zane extends his warmest welcome to the Ashenvale territories."

My skin prickled with unease. "You were... expecting me?"

"Of course." Her smile revealed just a hint of fang. "The legendary White Wolf honors us with her presence. Please, follow us. Lord Zane is eager to receive you."

Scarlett and I exchanged wary glances. This was wrong. All of this felt choreographed, prepared.

But we had no choice. Evelyn and Faelan were somewhere in this territory.

We followed.

---

The vampire estate was magnificent in a cold, unsettling way. All dark stone and sharp angles, lit by blue-white lights that cast everything in an otherworldly glow. Servants appeared from nowhere to take our horses, to offer refreshments, to escort us through winding corridors.

Zane met us in a grand reception hall, his green eyes bright with what appeared to be genuine delight.

"Elowen! You actually came!" He spread his arms wide, as if greeting an old friend. "When I heard you'd crossed into Ashenvale, I could hardly believe it! Please, please—you must be exhausted from your journey. I've prepared our finest accommodations—"

"Where is she?" I cut through his pleasantries like a knife. "Where's Evelyn?"

Zane's expression shifted to confusion that looked almost convincing. "Evelyn? The delightful witch?" He tilted his head. "She and her mother visited briefly, yes, but they departed days ago. I assumed she'd returned to your pack—"

"You're lying." My voice came out flat, cold. "She wouldn't just leave. Not like that."

"I assure you, I'm not." Zane's tone remained pleasant, but something flickered behind his eyes. "Though if you don't believe me, you're welcome to investigate. Please, consider yourself my honored guest. Stay as long as you need to satisfy your concerns."

The offer sounded generous. It felt like a trap.

---

The accommodations Zane provided were obscenely luxurious—a suite of rooms with silk curtains, plush furniture, and a view of the estate's sprawling gardens. But they were also far from the main castle, isolated from the core of vampire activity.

"This is wrong," I told Scarlett as yet another servant appeared with elaborate refreshments we hadn't requested. "Everything about this is wrong."

"I know." Scarlett watched the servant leave. "I tried asking her about Evelyn. She smiled and said nothing. Like she didn't even hear the question."

I'd noticed the same thing. Every servant, every vampire we encountered—they were polite, accommodating, but completely unhelpful. They brought food, arranged flowers, offered to draw baths. But the moment we asked questions about Evelyn or anything meaningful, they became deaf.

When I tried exploring the estate grounds, other vampires would materialize from nowhere, always blocking my path with courteous smiles and gentle redirections. "That wing is under renovation." "The gardens are lovelier this direction." "Oh, that area is restricted—but let me show you this magnificent library instead!"

It was like being trapped in a gilded cage where the bars were made of politeness.

By nightfall, I was ready to scream with frustration.

---

I couldn't sleep. How could I, knowing Evelyn was somewhere in this cursed place, knowing Faelan had vanished trying to find her?

I sat by the window, staring out at the dark gardens, my mind churning through possibilities and plans.

That's when I heard it—a soft scraping sound from the corridor outside.

I moved silently to the door, hand on my dagger. Scarlett was already awake, positioned on the other side.

The scraping came again. Not from a servant's measured footsteps, but something furtive, desperate.

I yanked the door open.

Faelan practically fell into the room.

"Thank the Goddess—" His normally tidy appearance was a disaster. His robes were torn, dirt smeared across his face, his carefully styled hair wild. But his eyes—his eyes burned with urgent intensity. "Elowen! I've been trying to reach you for hours! They have patrols everywhere, I could barely—"

"Faelan!" Scarlett caught him as he stumbled. "What happened? Where have you been?"

"No time!" He gripped my arms hard enough to bruise. "I found her! I know where Evelyn is! The Crimson Sanctuary—it's not a sanctuary at all, it's a temple! An ancient ritual site!" His words tumbled out frantically. "She's there right now, I saw her, but I couldn't get close, there were too many guards—"

"Show us." I was already moving, grabbing weapons. "Take us there. Now."

"We need to hurry." Faelan was already at the door, checking the corridor. "The ritual—I think they're preparing something tonight—"

The three of us moved through the darkened estate like shadows, following Faelan's lead. He navigated the winding corridors with surprising confidence, avoiding patrols, taking routes that kept us hidden.

Finally, we emerged into an open courtyard. Across it, I could see a massive structure—all dark stone and crimson banners, with light spilling from its entrance.

"There," Faelan whispered. "The temple. That's where—"

"HALT!"

Lights blazed to life all around us. Vampire guards materialized from every shadow, weapons drawn, surrounding us completely.

Zane stepped forward from the temple entrance, and his pleasant expression had vanished entirely, replaced by cold calculation.

"Breaking into sacred sites during the night." His voice carried across the courtyard, pitched for the gathering crowd of vampires. "Violating the sanctity of our most holy temple." He looked at me with something like disappointment. "Elowen. I welcomed you as a guest. I extended every courtesy. And you repay me by treating my hospitality as cover for espionage?"

"You're holding my friend prisoner—" I started.

"Am I?" Zane spread his hands. "I told you she left. You chose not to believe me. And now you've invaded our sacred grounds, accompanied by this man—" He gestured at Faelan. "—who's been sneaking through our territory like a spy for days."

More vampires were gathering. I could feel the hostility building in the air.

"This is a violation of centuries of peace," Zane continued, his voice grave. "You've entered vampire lands under false pretenses, violated our sovereignty, desecrated our sacred spaces." He looked around at his people, then back at me. "Tell me, White Wolf—are you here representing yourself? Or is this an official act of aggression from the Wolf Kingdom?"

My stomach dropped as I understood the trap. If I claimed to act alone, I'd be imprisoned as a criminal. If I claimed to represent Kaius, I'd be starting a war.

"I—" My voice failed as I stared at Zane's coldly triumphant expression.

We'd walked straight into exactly what he wanted.