Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 31

Kaius

Days of mind-numbing boredom had stretched into an eternity. Frost had been gone for nearly a week now, supposedly tracking Elowen through human society with his meticulous surveillance methods. Every evening brought the same infuriating phone calls that told me absolutely nothing useful.

*"Kaius, you'll never believe what your mate has been up to. The scale of what she's accomplished..."*

*"I'm discovering more about her situation every day. She's far more complex than we anticipated."*

*"Trust me, you need to hear this in person. I want to see the look on your face when I tell you what she's really been doing all this time."*

The bastard was enjoying himself, dangling fragments of information like treats while I rotted in this castle. *How complicated could her life possibly be? So she was playing businesswoman in some gleaming human tower, moving their worthless paper money around. A lucrative game, perhaps, but a hollow one. None of that changed the fundamental truth—she was my mate, and her real life belonged here.*

*Alpha? Maybe. I could see her stubborn nature driving her to try leading some small group of misfits. But at the end of the day, she was still my queen, still bound to my pack by bonds she'd never severed.*

As the days dragged on, my doubts about Frost's careful approach were growing stronger. *What are the actual odds of his surveillance and gentle persuasion working? She's already proven she'd rather jump off a cliff than submit. His methods might be sophisticated, but they're not designed for someone this stubborn.*

Every hour she remained free was another hour she could disappear completely, another opportunity for that human bastard Cassius to try claiming what was mine.

I pushed through the breakfast I barely tasted and made my way to the council chamber for the morning security briefing. The same tedious routine I'd endured every day since taking the crown—reports, assessments, decisions that any competent gamma could handle in his sleep.

"Morning, Alpha King," Gamma Cross greeted me as I settled into the head chair. His weathered face carried its usual expression of professional alertness. "Shall we begin with the border reports?"

"Proceed," I said, already fighting the urge to dismiss everyone and retreat to my study.

"All territories remain secure. Eastern patrols report no unusual activity, and our intelligence network hasn't detected any coordinated movements from the rogue factions. The smaller packs continue to maintain their distance from our borders."

I nodded absently. *Of course they do. With me personally overseeing pack security, what alpha would be stupid enough to test our defenses?*

"Southern territories?"

"Completely quiet, Alpha King. Our presence there has effectively discouraged any territorial ambitions from the neighboring packs."

*Naturally. My reputation alone keeps the peace.*

I was reaching for the gavel to end this mind-numbing session when urgent footsteps echoed in the corridor. A messenger appeared in the doorway, slightly out of breath and carrying an envelope sealed with burgundy wax.

My blood chilled instantly. That elegant script, that particular shade of red wax—I'd know my mother's correspondence anywhere.

"Everyone out," I commanded sharply. "Now."

The council members filed out without question, recognizing the dangerous edge in my voice. Cross cast a concerned glance over his shoulder, but I was already breaking the seal with hands that trembled slightly despite my efforts to remain calm.

Sera Blackthorne had been the only source of warmth in my childhood—gentle hands that soothed scraped knees, soft lullabies when nightmares woke me, the one person who looked at me and saw a child instead of the future Alpha King. But my father, former Alpha King Aldric Blackthorne, had made it clear from an early age that sentiment was weakness, that showing affection for my mother would compromise the ruthless authority I'd need to rule.

Aldric Blackthorne. Even his name carried weight that made enemy alphas reconsider their ambitions. During his thirty-year reign, there had been virtually no rebellions, no territorial wars that couldn't be ended with a single show of overwhelming force. He was known as the Unconquerable King, the alpha who'd united more territory under one crown than any ruler in recorded history.

*My dearest son,*

*I'm writing this letter in secret, knowing your father would be furious if he discovered my interference. But what he intends to do concerns your future, and you deserve advance warning of his plans.*

*You know how stubborn your father can be—it's both his greatest strength and his most dangerous flaw. His reputation for absolute power was built on decisive action and unwavering control. He cannot understand or tolerate what he sees as indecision on your part.*

*Kaius, an Alpha King without a Queen cannot command proper respect. Even rogue wolves question the legitimacy of an unmated ruler, and your father has grown increasingly concerned about the whispers of instability surrounding your reign. Four years without a queen has tested his patience beyond its limits.*

*He's made his decision, my son. Aldric intends to use his extensive connections and knowledge of ancient bond-breaking rituals to permanently sever your connection to that white wolf. You know the depth of his influence—there are practitioners of the old magic who still owe him favors from decades of political maneuvering.*

*Once your current bond is destroyed, he is confident that with the 'flaw' of your old connection removed, the Moon Goddess will quickly grant you a new, more suitable mate from one of the major alpha families. He believes this is the only way to secure your position before the growing unrest turns into open challenge to your authority.*

*Please, my darling boy, don't lose your temper when you read this. I remember how your eyes lit up when you first saw that girl, before duty and pride clouded your judgment. Some bonds cannot be simply replaced for political convenience.*

*Your loving mother*

The letter crumpled in my fist as rage exploded through my system like molten metal. "That presumptuous bastard!" I snarled, hurling the paper across the room. "Who the hell does he think he is? I'm the fucking Alpha King now! No one—not even him—has the right to decide who I bond with!"

My hands slammed against the desk hard enough to crack the ancient wood. "He thinks he can treat me like a puppet? Make decisions about MY mate without consulting me?"

Everyone wanted a queen so badly? Fine. They'd get one—the most legendary queen this kingdom had ever seen. My beautiful, impossible, infuriating white wolf would take her rightful place beside me, not because my father arranged it, but because she belonged there.

*Sorry, Frost. Looks like I can't wait for your gentle courtship approach after all.*

I strode to the door and bellowed down the corridor. "WRAITH! Get in here now!"

Within seconds, my most trusted spy materialized from the shadows—a thin, unremarkable man whose greatest weapon was his ability to become invisible in any crowd. If anyone could track down Frost and end this ridiculous surveillance mission, it would be him.

"Alpha King," he said with a respectful nod.

"I need you to leave immediately," I commanded, my voice deadly calm despite the fury still coursing through my veins. "Find Frost and tell him his mission is over. I cannot tolerate him remaining in human society any longer."

Wraith's expression didn't change. "What reason should I provide for the recall?"

"War," I said simply. "Tell him there are immediate threats to the kingdom that require his return."

As Wraith turned to leave, I called out one final command, my tone shifting to something soft and infinitely more dangerous.

"One more thing. When Frost returns, the real mission begins." My smile was sharp as a blade. "You will bring my beloved mate back to me."

Wraith's expression flickered with uncertainty. "But Alpha King, isn't Frost already handling this matter?"

"One more thing. When Frost returns, the real mission begins." My smile was sharp as a blade. "You will bring my beloved mate back to me."

Wraith's expression flickered with uncertainty. "But Alpha King, isn't Frost already handling this matter?"

A cold laugh escaped my throat. "Tell me, Wraith—what do you think the probability is of Frost convincing her to return willingly to our pack?"

Wraith considered this carefully. "Given the beta's gentle temperament and mild methods... I'd have to say the probability is close to zero, Alpha King."

"And what do you think the probability is with my approach?"

Wraith hesitated slightly. "If your intended method is what I think it might be, I can boldly say one hundred percent. Though I cannot be certain your approach is... the right one."

"Very good," I said with satisfaction. "It seems you're the right person for this job. You may go."

Wraith paused at the door. "When, Alpha King?"

I leaned back in my chair, my voice taking on a deceptively calm tone. "Although I'm more anxious than you are, I still advise you to be patient. The opportunity will come soon. Wait for my notice." My smile turned predatory. "Now, go."