Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 70

Elowen

Using my newly mastered lightning rift ability, Kaius and I arrived at the cave location in minutes rather than hours. The mysterious luminescence made finding the entrance effortless—just as I'd predicted, the magical energy created an eerie glow against the night sky.

But something was wrong.

The surrounding area was unnaturally quiet. No patrol patterns from enhanced wolves, no suspicious movements in the shadows, no trace of the supernatural guardians that should be protecting this place. Even more disturbing, the oppressive magical energy that had nearly overwhelmed me last time was completely absent. The gravitational pull that had tried to drag me into the cave's depths—gone.

It felt like an invitation. A trap disguised as opportunity.

I glanced at Kaius, who seemed frustratingly cavalier about the whole situation, and immediately regretted bringing him along. I hadn't wanted to—my original plan was to investigate alone. But creating an opportunity for Scarlett and Frost to spend quality time together had seemed worth the sacrifice of dealing with Kaius's presence.

*Maybe they're officially becoming permanent mates right now,* I thought hopefully. *At least one of us should get a happy ending with our destined partner.*

I couldn't bear watching my best friend suffer the same pain I'd endured. If giving them space meant tolerating Kaius for one evening, it was a price worth paying.

Speaking of which, he was standing way too close right now. My body's traitorous response to his proximity irritated me—the way my skin warmed, the instinctive urge to lean into him, the bond humming with contentment at our nearness.

"You don't need to stand so close," I snapped. "You're not in immediate danger. I'm perfectly capable of handling any enhanced wolves that appear."

Kaius's expression darkened. "Fuck, I'm trying to protect you by staying close! You think I need your protection?"

I smiled despite myself, pointing toward the cave entrance. "Last time, this place disrupted my abilities with magical interference. There was this black-hole-like gravitational force trying to pull me in. Now? Nothing. It's completely dormant."

Kaius stepped slightly in front of me, his voice carrying insufferable confidence. "The Alpha King has arrived. Obviously they fled in terror."

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.

"I'm not joking," he continued more seriously. "I have natural resistance to magic, but more importantly, I can track magical sources with unusual precision. How do you think I located that masked witch last time?" His expression grew focused. "If we encounter those enhanced wolves again, I can trace them back to their creator. We can end this threat at its source."

I studied him carefully, trying to determine if this was typical Kaius bravado or legitimate ability. His expression suggested he was being genuine for once.

*If he really can track the mastermind, and I can eliminate them with my evolved powers...* The possibility of ending the Flesh-Weavers threat permanently was tempting.

I followed as Kaius began moving toward the cave entrance, each step bringing us closer to the mysterious depths.

The closer we got, the more breathtaking the interior became. The fog that had obscured everything during my last visit was dissipating, revealing walls that seemed to pulse with inner light. Blue phosphorescence faded into delicate shades of lavender and rose pink, the colors shifting and dancing in hypnotic patterns. The cave stretched deep into the earth, appearing bottomless from this angle.

When the light hit the walls at certain angles, I realized the entire cavern was embedded with crystalline formations—thousands of gems catching and refracting the magical illumination. They seemed to call to something primal in my wolf nature, promising power and beauty and secrets waiting to be discovered.

It was stunning. Mesmerizing. Almost too perfect.

Just as Kaius was about to step across the threshold, instinct screamed through me like a physical force.

"Fuck! We need to leave. Now!"

Kaius turned, confusion written across his face. "Seriously? This gorgeous cave appears and you want to run away? We're about to solve the mystery!"

I shook my head sharply. "I have a terrible feeling. Something bad is happening at the pack. We have to go back immediately."

"I thought only witches had premonitions," Kaius said with obvious skepticism. "You're just getting cold feet—"

"We're leaving!" I cut him off, already opening a spatial rift. "This cave will still be here tomorrow. My people won't wait."

Kaius looked like he wanted to argue, but I'd already pulled him through the lightning-edged portal.

We materialized back in pack territory within seconds. Everything looked peaceful—buildings intact, no signs of combat or disturbance.

Kaius pressed his palm to his forehead in exasperation. "This is your bad feeling? Everything's fine!"

But I wasn't listening. My eyes had caught movement on the distant training field—a lone figure moving with mechanical precision through combat drills.

Scarlett.

My heart dropped into my stomach. It was nearly dawn, the moonlight already fading toward morning gray. Yet my beta was drenched in sweat, her face frozen in an expression of cold emptiness I'd never seen before. As she executed a particularly vicious strike against the practice dummy, I noticed blood at the corner of her mouth.

She'd been at this for hours. Pushing herself past exhaustion, past pain, into something that looked like self-destruction.

*Oh no. What happened?*

I broke into a sprint without conscious thought.

Behind me, Kaius muttered, "Fuck. What did Frost do? We're about to get banned from this pack forever, aren't we..."

*You're damn right about that,* I thought grimly as I ran. *If Frost really hurt my beta, I'll ban both of you from this territory permanently.*