The Alpha King's Mistress Chapter 27: Escape Part 2

“Definitely captured,” I replied, hiding the agitation in my tone after the shock sank in. I relaxed my shoulders to let the thick tension in my body lessen.

Scyther's chilling laughter filled the room, echoing off the cold stone walls. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"Captured, huh? You should know better than to clash with Nicholas," Scyther mocked, "You can't win against his strength. He's a monster, you know."

I ignored him. I was not really in the mood to hear anything about that man.

"How about you? Why did you let yourself be captured?" I couldn't help but ask, my curiosity burning within me. "You were a feared name. Why surrender?"

"It was time," he replied, his voice low. "I have spent far too long in the webs of manipulation and revenge. It was getting boring and tiring. How about you? What is the cunning spy doing here?"

"I ended up in the Moonstone Pack because something happened in the Swiftmane pack. Our Alpha betrayed us. She sold off our pack to the Madcrest Pride, and as a result, it was wiped out."

A flicker of curiosity danced in Scyther's eyes as he absorbed my words.

"And you save someone" he mused.

It was not a question but a statement. I was not easy to read, I know that, but maybe facing a more vicious man made me predictable.

I nodded and confessed, “I am”

Scyther's harsh lines on his face relaxed for a moment. "Hasn't the man that raised you taught you that you must save yourself before the others? Or teach you to abandon them?"

Through gritted teeth at the mention of that vile man, my blood boiled and my wolf suddenly wanted and thirsted for the blood of that man. The room seemed to darken, and a burning sensation consumed my chest.

My eyes, normally a vibrant shade of hazel, began to change into an intense violet completely different from the golden eyes of typical werewolves. But I knew I had to control myself. I took a deep breath, my chest rising and falling with each measured inhale and exhale. I squared my shoulders, my expression hardening.

"Well, well," Scyther remarked with a hint of amusement. "A rare sight indeed. The eyes of the first hybrid"

Startled by Scyther's amused reaction, I blinked rapidly, trying to regain control over my eyes. The vibrant violet hues faded away, replaced once again by my normal hazel eyes.

"You have a kind heart. Saving someone when you know you will be trapped... It speaks volumes about your character. That's why I know you don't belong to our kind" he continued.

"It is just a split moment of empathy" I shot back. "And you had saved someone before, don't be ridiculous. We are the same breed"

Silence settled between us. I couldn't help but recall a particular incident. It was a glimpse into a side of Scyther that the world seldom saw. I remembered the day when I had witnessed a group of ruthless werewolves cornering a frightened woman and her child. Scyther saved them by killing the men.

He showed me a sinister and spine-chilling grin that made me take a step back, "Guilt prompts you to put yourself in the line of mad people like me but our difference was we do not have guilt, child. We just have madness. I saved the mother and child because I just didn't feel like killing them at that time anymore. There was no reason. There was no empathy or guilt"

I shook my head, "No, we're the same. We both carry darkness within us”

He laughed darkly, “You were just a scared child, thrust into a world of chaos and violence. You did what you had to do to survive, to protect those you cared about. But I reveled in the darkness, embraced it willingly. I allowed it to consume me, to guide my actions without remorse."

It was a painful truth, one I had buried deep within myself. The weight of my choices, and the lives I had taken, had always haunted me.

"No," I choked out, "I'm just as tainted as you are. I have blood on my hands, sins that stain my soul."

"Child, you may carry guilt, but your heart is not consumed by darkness. That is something I lost long ago."

“I…..” I trailed off, with nothing to say. I was used to being called a bad person because I deceived people and killed them at the same time.

Scyther spoke again, his voice now laced with a sense of purpose." Is Nicholas out there?"

I frowned, confused, "I am not sure but I think he left. Hopefully”

"Then you still have a chance. I will provide you with detailed directions to navigate your way out of the Moonstone Pack. There are hidden paths, secret passages, you can rely on that will make you out of this pack"

"Really?" I replied, surprised.

Scyther nodded and I listened, attuned to his every word. He began outlining the intricate routes I should look out for.

"Why?" I found myself whispering after he finished giving the details, "Why would you help me?”

"Think of it as just a returned favor for your father," he said unemotionally.

As I opened my mouth to reply at the mention of my deceased father, Scyther's firm voice cut through the small and cold room.

"There's no time, Lancaster. The guard has long gone. Leave now."

His words snapped me out of my thoughts. Reluctantly, I nodded, knowing that I had to take my leave.

I gazed into Scyther's eyes, "Thank you, Scyther. I... I don't know if I can ever truly repay you for this. But I won't forget what you've done for me."

He offered a solemn smile, "Your father... he would be proud of the choices you've made”

My heart ached at the mention of my late father, a wave of bittersweet memories flooding my thoughts. With a final nod of gratitude, I turned away from Scyther and made my way toward the exit.

With Scyther's instructions echoing in my mind, I swiftly made my way to the corridors of the Moonstone Pack. I turned left at the first intersection, my footsteps quick but silent.

"Left, right, left... no, was it right, left, right?" I muttered to myself. Frustration tugged at the corners of my mind.

But then, as if the universe conspired in my favor, I stumbled upon a familiar junction. It was a narrow opening tucked behind a crumbling stone wall. I squeezed through the tight space, feeling the rough edges scrape against my skin. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I confidently turned right, my memory aligned with Scyther's instructions. It felt like a small victory.

"Yes, Florence. You've got this. Just a little further now."

I followed the twists and turns. At last, I reached a rusted metal door at the end of a narrow tunnel. It creaked ominously as I pushed it open. The cool night air instantly brushed against my face. Taking a deep breath, I stepped beyond the castle walls and I found myself standing on the outskirts of the Moonstone Pack's land.

My heart skipped a beat as I abruptly halted, a sharp intake of breath catching in my throat.

"Hear that? I swear, there's something out here," one guard whispered, his voice laced with suspicion.

I closed my eyes, focusing on my breathing, willing my heart to slow down. It was a blessing for the ability to mask my scent. Then I strained my ears, listening for the guards that patrolled the castle grounds. Their voices floated through the night air, growing louder as they approached.

"Nah, just your imagination. It's quiet tonight," the other guard dismissed.

I clenched my fists, my heart pounding in my chest. I desperately hope that they will continue to ignore the sounds.

"Seriously, I heard a rustling over there. We should check it out," the first guard insisted.

"Look, we've been patrolling for hours. I'm tired, and I don't want to chase shadows. Let's just finish our rounds and call it a night,"

Relief washed over me as their voices faded into the distance. It was a stroke of luck. I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, my tense muscles finally relaxing. As I moved deeper into the night, I grew more certain that freedom was within my grasp.

……..

**Clifford**

I was engrossed in my work, poring over documents scattered across my desk, when a loud knock on the office door interrupted me. The door swung open, revealing Simon, one of our guards, standing in the doorway with a nervous expression etched on his face. I can smell his fear from my seat. His eyes darted around the room, avoiding direct contact with mine.

"What is it, Simon?" I demanded annoyingly.

Simon swallowed hard, his voice quivering as he spoke. "Sir, I... I have some distressing news. The woman we escorted to her prison cell... she's not there. She's gone."

“What?” I seethed, my voice laced with venom. "How could you let her escape?!"

Simon's shoulders slumped, his gaze fixed on the floor. He stammered, "I-I'm sorry, Beta Clifford. It was a momentary lapse. It was Carter, who escorted the woman to her prison cell. I just received a report that they heard something in the dungeon and when I came down to check we found Carter unconscious within the cell, the woman was gone and the chains restraining Scyther had been crushed”

"Fck" I swear under my breath, "How could Florence overpower Carter?”

Simon shifted uncomfortably, "I... I'm not sure, Beta Clifford. By the time I arrived, Carter was already unconscious, and beaten"

My anger simmered, mingling with a sense of disappointment. I had trusted Simon to carry out his duty, to keep watch over Florence and ensure her confinement. And yet, he had failed me. And I failed as well.

"You don't know who that woman is. The Alpha will kill us all" I snarled.

Simon's face turned pale, "I... I understand, Beta Clifford. I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit," Simon whispered, his voice barely audible.

“It is not me who will set the punishment. It was the Alpha”

I swiftly rose from my seat and left my office. Through the mindlink, I gave out an order.

‘Gather the search party! I want every available pack member on high alert. We need to find a woman who escaped not too long ago and bring her back, no matter the cost!’

With my jaw clenched, I dialed Nicholas' number on my phone. He picked up on the other end, his voice steady and authoritative.

"Alpha, Florence….she escaped," I confessed.

There was a momentary silence on the other end.

“Scour the premises, leaving no stone unturned” he ordered coldly but I can sense the fury in his voice that my wolf submitted in its own accord in my head. “Find her, Clifford”

“I will Alpha” I pledged until the call ended.*