Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 66

Kaius

I rose before dawn, preparing for Wraith's arrival. As the first light touched the horizon, he materialized from the shadows as he always did—silent, efficient, deadly.

"Track Elder Matthias Greystone," I commanded without preamble. "Every movement, every contact, everyone he meets. But Wraith—" I caught his eyes with mine, "—do not let him detect your surveillance. The Greystone family wields power that even I must respect. If he discovers he's being watched, we lose our advantage."

Wraith's weathered face showed a flicker of confusion. Matthias had been a pillar of loyalty for generations. But professionalism won out, and he simply nodded.

"Understood, Alpha King. He'll never know I'm there."

Then, like smoke dispersing, he vanished from the room.

I dressed carefully, choosing clothes that projected authority without ostentation. When I descended to the castle entrance, I was surprised to find Frost already waiting in the car, looking deceptively relaxed despite last night's confrontation.

I approached slowly, awkwardness making my movements stiff. After the way I'd spoken to him yesterday, I'd expected cold silence at best.

But Frost caught my hesitation and turned with that infuriating smirk of his. "What's wrong, Alpha King? Worried your mate will slam the door in your face again? Having second thoughts about this little expedition?"

Relief flooded through me—he was still willing to engage, even if it was through mockery. "Your situation isn't much better than mine," I shot back, settling into the passenger seat.

Frost's smile turned wry. "Touché."

We drove in comfortable silence, the landscape blurring past as we covered the distance to the Silent Forest in record time. When we finally parked and began walking into the woods, Elowen's scent hit me immediately—stronger than before, more intoxicating, layered with power that made my wolf stir with desire and territorial pride.

*She's mine. And she keeps getting more magnificent.*

But as we reached what should have been the heart of her territory, her scent simply... vanished. Like walking into an invisible wall, the trail ended abruptly with no indication of where it continued.

I frowned, settling onto a convenient tree stump to consider our options. The barrier was seamless, impossible to detect by normal means.

"Now what?" Frost asked with amusement. "How exactly do we get in?"

Last time, Scarlett had opened the barrier for me. I had no actual method of entry on my own, but I'd be damned if I'd admit that.

"We wait," I said with more confidence than I felt. "Elowen already knows I'm here. She'll come out soon enough."

Frost dropped onto the grass with exaggerated casualness. "Seriously? Your brilliant plan is to just... wait?"

I picked up a twig and began turning it over in my hands, affecting nonchalance. "Trust me. She won't be able to resist seeing me. We're permanently mated now—our bond is incredibly strong. She'll feel compelled to respond."

Even as the words left my mouth, I felt it—a sudden rush of presence in my mind as Elowen's voice crashed through our newly formed mental link.

*Who said our bond is strong? Get the hell out of here! I don't have time to see you!*

I shot to my feet, unable to contain my grin. "We can use mindlink now! I didn't realize the marking would establish that so quickly!"

*Fuck off!* Her mental voice was sharp with irritation. *I'll only contact you when I need to. Otherwise, you're permanently blocked!*

"Well," I responded smoothly through the link, "today you actually do need me. I have intelligence you want, and you have information I need."

Silence stretched between us. I could feel her considering, weighing her hatred of me against her responsibility to her pack.

"To find your missing pack members," I continued, pressing my advantage, "to recover my missing wolves and investigate the disappearances happening across multiple territories—you need to set aside our personal issues. We have a common enemy. I told you this before, didn't I?"

Her surprise rippled through the bond. *What? Other packs are experiencing disappearances too?*

"Yes. Which is exactly why I'm here—for information exchange, not to drag you back to my territory."

*You'd better mean that,* she replied suspiciously.

I was about to respond when Frost suddenly tensed, his entire body going on high alert. I looked up and felt the change in the atmosphere—the air itself crackled with electricity, and the scent of ozone filled my nostrils.

Lightning flickered between the trees, growing in intensity until the very fabric of reality seemed to tear open. Time and space split apart with a sound like thunder, creating a shimmering rift right in front of us.

Frost and I both moved to shift, preparing to fight whatever supernatural threat was emerging, when a powerful white wolf leaped through the dimensional tear like a ghost materializing from another realm.

*What the fuck?*

The white wolf landed gracefully beside us, and I could only stare in shock. Elowen had progressed this far in just days?

She shifted back to human form, and impossibly, her clothes remained intact—a flowing silver dress that looked like moonlight made fabric.

I couldn't help myself. I moved closer, inhaling deeply, trying to understand the changes in her scent. "How?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief. "It's been days, and you're already this much more powerful? That was lightning manipulation—not just for travel, but capable of generating combat-level electrical currents?"

Elowen crossed her arms, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips. "Just letting you know—when you threatened to 'capture' me earlier? I'm not even slightly worried. In fact, I welcome you to try whatever methods you think might work."

Frost burst out laughing, clearly delighted by her confidence. I felt heat rise in my face—both embarrassment and frustrated arousal.

*Even if you become as untouchable as a porcupine,* I thought fiercely, *I'll grab you even if it means hurting myself in the process.*

But aloud, I kept my tone diplomatic. "Well, as I said, I'm here today to discuss our mutual enemy, not engage in… capture attempts."

"Fine. That's why I came out." Her expression turned businesslike. "Talk fast. I'm busy."

My embarrassment shifted to indignation. "Right here? In the middle of the forest? I'm still your Alpha King—don't I deserve some hospitality?"

Elowen glanced at Frost, something knowing in her expression. "Can't do that. Someone in my pack doesn't want you inside our territory."

Understanding hit me immediately—Scarlett didn't want to face Frost. I saw my beta's face flush slightly as he ran a hand through his hair with obvious discomfort.

"That's... understandable," Frost said quietly. "I wasn't planning to disturb her anyway. Though I do owe her an apology."

The pain in his voice tugged at something in my chest. I wanted to defend him, to explain his circumstances, but it wasn't my place. If Frost wouldn't advocate for himself, I couldn't do it for him.

Frost's expression remained carefully neutral, but I caught the slight tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw tightened just a fraction. He looked like someone who'd taken a hit but refused to show it.

"I'll wait outside the forest," he said, his tone perhaps a touch too casual. "Take your time with whatever you need to discuss."

He'd barely taken a few steps toward the treeline when Elowen's voice rang out.

"Wait! Change of plans!"

Frost stopped and turned back. Elowen's expression had shifted—her eyes distant for a moment as if listening to something only she could hear. Then that mischievous smile spread across her face.

"Looks like it's your lucky day," she said with mock graciousness. "Apparently someone's had a change of heart about letting you in."

Frost hesitated, his posture stiffening with obvious reluctance. Before he could make excuses or retreat further, I grabbed his arm firmly and pulled him back toward where Elowen stood.

The air before us shimmered and parted. The barrier opened like a curtain being drawn back, revealing the hidden pack lands beyond.

"Come on," I muttered to Frost, keeping my grip on his arm as we stepped through the magical threshold and into Elowen's domain.