Crowned by Fate Chapter 128

Adrian's POV

The host nodded, visibly impressed. "Alpha Adrian, you grasp the concept quickly!"

Leon, who had remained mostly silent, suddenly spoke up. "And if we fail to open it in time? What happens then?"

The host's smile took on a darker edge.

"What do you think happens to meat left too long in an oven?"

Then the host walked over to a small red button mounted on the wall beside the oven.

"However, there's one more important rule. If you wish to forfeit, you may press this alarm button—but only during the first twenty-seven minutes of the game."

A low growl escaped my throat before I could stop it. The thought of Skye trapped in that "oven" while it heated up made my blood run cold.

"The oven's password consists of six digits," the host continued, unfazed by my reaction. "Once the game begins, the password will appear on a screen in the Sender's room. However, the Sender cannot simply write down these six numbers. They must create a puzzle or riddle that the Receiver can solve to determine the password."

I turned to Skye, my decision immediate. "I'll take your place. I can't let you risk this."

"That's not permitted," the host interjected before Skye could respond.

Leon stepped forward, his posture rigid with barely controlled anger. "I agree with Adrian for once. Frostshadow Pack doesn't have a tradition of sacrificing our women." His eyes locked onto mine, filled with accusation. "I told you before—if you can't protect my mate, return her to us."

His mate？！

The possessive term made my wolf snarl internally, but I forced myself to remain calm. Looking at Leon's face, I could see genuine concern beneath his hard exterior. Despite everything, he still cared for Skye.

Maya stepped forward, her voice thick with impatience. "Excuse me, but shouldn't the rules prevent card swapping? Otherwise, what's the point of drawing roles in the first place?"

The host nodded. "Indeed, role exchanges are prohibited. Additionally, mind-linking and shifting are forbidden during this challenge."

Before I could protest further, Skye placed her hand on my arm. "Even if it were allowed, I wouldn't switch with you. Have you forgotten? I'm your Beta. Protecting you is part of my duty."

I captured her hands in mine, my resolve hardening. In front of everyone, I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I won't let anything happen to you," I promised. "If I can't open that oven before the final three minutes, I'm hitting that alarm. No question."

Leon cleared his throat loudly. "Let's get started then. We're wasting time." Without another word, he led his team toward the opposite corridor.

With heavy steps, I personally escorted Skye to the glass-fronted oven. As I closed the door, sealing her inside, she offered me a reassuring smile through the glass. Her calm demeanor only strengthened my determination.

Stay focused, I told myself. The worst outcome is just forfeiting the competition.

But as I took my position in the Receiver's room, a nagging voice in my head reminded me that losing this competition could mean losing our chance at the Alpha King title—and the protection my pack desperately needed.

The electronic timer on the wall began its countdown from thirty minutes. I paced the room, my eyes constantly darting between the door and the clock. The steady tick-tick-tick hammered against my nerves like tiny daggers.

Twenty-five minutes remaining. Still no sign of Maya.

I glanced at Skye through the glass. She maintained her composure, giving me an encouraging nod.

How could she remain so calm while trapped in that contraption?

Finally, at the eighteen-minute mark, the door swung open. Maya sauntered in, her chin tilted upward in a display of pure arrogance. She carried the envelope between two fingers as if it were something distasteful she'd found on the bottom of her shoe.

"Your message," she announced.

"What took you so long?" I growled.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was I supposed to rush? Nobody specified a delivery timeframe." She dropped the envelope into my outstretched hand with deliberate carelessness. "Good luck, *Alpha*."

I tore open the envelope as she sauntered back toward the door, finding a sheet of paper with a musical staff drawn on it.

Ryder had sketched out musical notes—his background in music making perfect sense for this puzzle. Looking at the pattern, I quickly understood that the six-digit code corresponded to the notes: 720310.

A flicker of doubt crossed my mind. Had Maya tampered with the message?

I had no way to know, but I couldn't waste time second-guessing. I approached the keypad on the oven and entered the numbers.

Nothing happened.

I tried the sequence backward: 013027.

Still nothing.

Damn it.

I glanced at Skye, who offered an encouraging nod. Her calm in this situation was remarkable, almost as if she knew something I didn't.

"It's okay," she mouthed through the glass. "Try again."

The clock showed fifteen minutes remaining. I studied the musical notation again, wondering if I'd misinterpreted the puzzle. Perhaps the notes represented something else entirely?

I tried various combinations, transposing the notes to different keys, counting the spaces between them.

The realization hit me like a physical blow—Maya must have altered the message.

The clock ticked down mercilessly. Five minutes. Four minutes. Three minutes and thirty seconds.

Enough.

My decision was made. With three minutes remaining, I moved toward the red alarm button.

"I'm ending this," I called to Skye through the glass. "Your safety matters more than any competition."

As my hand reached for the alarm, Skye suddenly lunged forward, pounding frantically on the glass door. Her eyes were wide.

"Wait!" she shouted, her voice muffled by the barrier between us. "Don't press it!