Into the Alpha’s Keep Chapter 80: 80

The fact that I had fought so hard to be accepted by the Dăneşti was the security they offered me, the life I could have with them, free from Hunter and all his persecution. But after what happened, I realized that he was one step ahead of us.

There was no longer any security for me.

I looked at Fenrir, my lips parting, tormented.

In reality, there was, yes, only one method of security, one that would leave me alone and make sure that nothing could happen to me, daze me or threaten my life in any way. That I would always be safe.

I fixed my eyes on his blue and silver, holding them.

He, the Dăneşti leader.

At his side, no one would be a threat, not even Hunter.

***

The scene reminded me of the first time, when I was properly, or not, introduced to them.

Anton, Andrei, and Alexandra were seated at the table, their tired and swollen faces showing the effects of disturbed and interrupted sleep. I took the chair at the end, hugging my body and leaning against it, still tormented by everything that had happened. Fenrir stood beside me, as if he could protect me from any threats that might arise.

"This was supposed to be impossible," Anton said, drumming his fingers on the table.

"Someone is betraying us, and it's no longer just a possibility, it's a certainty," Andrei declared, sighing.

Alexandra rubbed her face.

"You must be really stupid to betray the pack."

"And for what interest? For what purpose?" Anton asked, considering each possibility.

"Money?" Alexandra objected.

I shook my head.

"I don't know... Eclipse and Twilight are not like the packs here, with profitable businesses. If Hunter is really buying some of the Dăneşti wolves, they’re selling themselves for little."

"No one would be crazy enough to sell themselves for so little, not when they know they’ll face Fenrir’s wrath," Andrei said.

"But for the right amount, yes," Alexandra declared. "Hunter might not have much money, but he’d have enough to buy a wolf. I mean, buy their freedom to live in the human world."

I thought about it.

"Not to live the rest of their life without needing to work, but to escape, yes," I decreed.

Anton looked up at Fenrir.

"Savannah isn’t safe anymore. If they were able to find and invade your house to get their hands on her, they can do it, and they will, anywhere, at the first opportunity. They’re desperate for her and getting closer every time."

"I know that," Fenrir exhaled, arms crossed, staring at them, deep in thought.

"We need to find a way to locate the traitor. It could be anyone. A regular pack member, some of the guards," Andrei commented.

"I don’t think it’s that difficult," Anton retorted. "The guy crossed our territory border, where there are men patrolling. For him to pull that off, the traitor must be influential. I even believe it’s one of the alphas in charge of security."

"I believe that as much as you do, Anton," Fenrir said. "To get past the patrol, he knew which paths would be free, so he wouldn’t be intercepted until he got here. He was fed relevant information."

"Now, the question is: how are we going to find out?" Andrei drummed his fingers on the table.

"I can start snooping around. Mihaela could be a good ally in this too, since she’s in contact with the pups' parents. Someone’s going to slip up at some point. If it’s not for financial gain, it’s surely for revenge," Alexandra murmured.

"Revenge?" I asked, swallowing hard.

She shrugged.

"They know your life and Fenrir’s are tied together. If they want to hand you over to Hunter, it’s because they want the alpha’s head." She gave me a sincere look. "I don’t see anyone hating you enough to do that."

Not yet, at least.

Andrei whistled.

"I just know that this bastard, this Hunter, is closing in, getting closer and closer. If he keeps this up, he’ll catch Sava at some point."

Fenrir slammed his fist on the table, startling everyone.

"He’ll never lay a hand on her," he spat, through clenched teeth. "I’ll reduce everything he is, everything he has, to flames," he promised, and I felt the intensity and truth of every one of his words.

A painful warmth spread through me. I shifted in my seat, furrowing my brow.

"You two," he pointed at his friends, "will follow Savannah wherever she goes when I’m not around. She’s never going to be alone, not at any time."

I cleared my throat and nodded, feeling my throat dry up.

My skin prickled, and a sharp pain hit me below my abdomen. I rested my hands on my lap, pressing the area.

What the hell was happening to me?

"I was about to advise you to do exactly that," Anton said. "I wouldn’t trust anyone else to watch over Savannah, not until we know who the traitor is."

"And I won’t," the alpha affirmed. "He brought a syringe in the attack," he shot out. "By the smell, it was a tranquilizer. It would have knocked out Savannah."

Anton’s eyes widened.

"They know how to drag her without the mating bond interfering with their plans."

I gasped for air, inhaling and exhaling repeatedly, trying to calm myself.

"How exactly do they drag her without the bond?" My voice was rougher than I’d intended. I felt Fenrir’s suspicious gaze on me. I avoided looking at him, focusing on Anton.

"When they’re sleeping, the bond is dormant. That’s why Fenrir only felt you when he woke up," he explained.

I pressed my abdomen harder as another wave hit me.

It made perfect sense. Hunter didn’t know I was mated until weeks ago, that’s why he sent his males to drag me back to him, not caring if he kept me awake or not.

"Someone told him," I stated, resolute. "Mating isn’t common in the packs, he wouldn’t have known about it. I didn’t know until now."

God, the syringe must’ve been poisoned, and I was suffering its effects. It was the only plausible explanation for the pain.

"Obviously, the traitor is keeping him well-informed," Alexandra scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Whoever it is, they want to see you far away from here and put an end to Fenrir."

Hunter would kill me. Maybe not at the first opportunity, but at some point. Whoever was betraying us hated Fenrir so much that they wanted him dead, and handing me over to the Eclipse leader was the easiest way to make that happen.

"And if he’s from other packs?" I asked.

Fenrir shook his head.

"No one is allowed to roam in other territories. If it’s someone from another pack, it could only be one of the leaders, and I highly doubt they’re capable of that."

"Really?" I mocked. "One of them kills females like they’re in a playground; the other ordered the death of a pup, and only God knows about the rest."

Fenrir was firm as he spoke:

"The females Riuk killed, since you seem well-informed," he raised an eyebrow, indirectly calling me a gossip. Idiot, "were human."

"What?"

"Riuk found out, on his own, that humans can’t handle our bite, the mark of mating. They die, they’re not compatible with us."