Crowned by Fate Chapter 154

Skye's POV

Leon and I quickened our pace. The oppressive weight of the maze seemed to lift with each step we took toward freedom. Since waking from my nightmare, we hadn't encountered any more dangers.

"I think each person only faces one nightmare," I said, breaking the silence between us. "Once you wake up, the illusions lose their power."

Leon nodded without looking at me. "The mind can only be tricked once before it learns to recognize deception."

Finally, I spotted a bright opening ahead of us. The maze exit appeared as a magnificent archway carved from ancient stone, intricate wolf symbols etched into its surface. Golden sunlight poured through the opening, highlighting the path before us.

Standing just beyond the archway were three familiar figures. Ethan's tall frame was unmistakable, with Maya hovering close beside him. Another Frostshadow pack member stood a few paces behind them, keeping watch.

The moment Maya spotted us, her jaw dropped comically before her face contorted into an exaggerated display of outrage. She dramatically placed her hand over her heart as if she'd witnessed something scandalous.

"What are YOU doing with Leon?" she demanded, her voice rising an octave higher than necessary. "Did you follow him into the maze to sabotage our team?"

Before I could respond, Leon stepped forward, his shoulders squared. "Skye is my mate," he stated firmly, the words sending an unexpected tremor through my chest. "I sensed her danger. Of course I found her."

Maya scoffed, rolling her eyes. "She may be your mate, but right now she's our competition. Or have you forgotten what we're here for?"

Leon's eyes flashed dangerously as he turned to her. "Are you presuming to tell me what to do, Maya?"

She immediately lowered her gaze, her face flushing crimson.

Ethan's expression shifted from surprise to relief as he rushed forward and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, pulling back to examine me. "What happened in there?"

"I'm fine," I assured him, though the lie tasted bitter on my tongue. The nightmare had left invisible wounds that wouldn't heal so easily.

"What about your teammates?" Ethan asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"We got separated," I explained, trying to keep my voice steady.

Satisfied that I wasn't injured, Ethan released me with a relieved sigh. "The important thing is you made it out safely."

My thoughts immediately turned to Adrian. "Ethan, have you seen Adrian on your way out?"

My brother shook his head. "No sign of him."

Panic seized my chest as I closed my eyes, focusing all my energy on reaching Adrian through our mind-link.

*Adrian? Can you hear me? Please answer.*

Nothing but silence greeted me. I tried again, pushing harder against the mental barrier.

*Adrian! Where are you?*

Still nothing. The emptiness on the other end of our connection felt like a physical blow.

There was only one explanation—Adrian was still trapped somewhere in the maze, possibly caught in his own nightmare. The thought of him suffering alone twisted my insides into knots.

"I have to go back," I said, already turning toward the entrance.

Ethan caught my arm, his grip firm. "Absolutely not. You just made it out. Mom and Dad would be devastated if something happened to you."

Maya let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, isn't this precious? Your chosen Adrian can't even find his way out of a maze? How fascinating. It seems your first two trial successes were nothing but dumb luck after all."

I glared at her, my wolf rising dangerously close to the surface. Before I could respond, I spotted two figures emerging from the maze. Lydia's masked face came into view, followed by Ryder's tall form. Relief flooded through me as I broke away from Ethan and rushed toward them.

"Have either of you heard from Adrian?" I asked breathlessly.

Their grim expressions told me everything I needed to know before they even shook their heads.

Without another word, I darted past them and sprinted back toward the maze entrance. Adrian needed me, and nothing else mattered.

"Skye!" Ryder's voice boomed behind me. "We're coming with you!"

——

Leon's POV

I stood frozen as she raced back into the maze, willing to risk everything for him.

Rage ignited in my chest, burning hot and fierce. This wasn't the first time.

During the first trial, she'd dived into that lake without any diving gear, knowing the dangers that lurked beneath the surface. All for Adrian.

And now she was throwing herself back into a maze filled with traps and nightmares—for Adrian.

What did she see in him?

A coward who couldn't even stand up to his uncle to claim his rightful place as Alpha. A man who abandoned his birthright rather than fight for it. And this was who my mate chose over me?

My mate. The words felt hollow now. People whispered behind my back, mocking me because my own mate had chosen another man. I pretended not to care about such gossip, but every rumor was like a thorn in my side.

She'd once followed me everywhere, desperate for my attention.

What changed?

Adrian must have brainwashed her somehow. There was no other explanation.

Fury boiled through my veins as I realized how foolish I'd been these past days. I shouldn't have stayed up all night writing that testimony when she and Adrian nearly got eliminated in the second trial.

I shouldn't have brought her medicine when she burned herself.

I shouldn't have saved her from her nightmare in the tunnel.

Every act of kindness I'd shown her had only strengthened her bond with Adrian. Every time I helped her, I was helping them work against me.

My mate had betrayed me. The thought made me clench my fists so tightly my knuckles turned white.

*You abandoned her first!* my wolf growled accusingly.

*Shut up. That was four years ago. Is she really still angry about something so trivial?* I shot back.

My wolf whined, disagreeing with my assessment, but I pushed him down. I made a silent vow then and there—when I became Alpha King, my first act would be to disband the Oasisborn Pack. I would scatter them to the winds and watch Adrian lose everything he'd built.

"Let's go," I said to my team, turning away from the maze entrance. "Elder Selene is waiting for us."

As we walked away, I didn't look back. Not even once.