The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King Chapter 275

ATLAS

I watched my father pace back and forth in his office, his brow furrowed with concern. He hadn't heard from Alex in a week. Neither had I. The silence weighed on us both.

"Victor will start training our warriors tomorrow," I said, breaking the heavy silence. "He'll teach them how to fight vampires more effectively."

Dad nodded. "Good. We need every advantage."

He stopped pacing and turned to me. "Can you sense him? Alex?"

I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind, searching for that familiar presence. Nothing. Just emptiness where Alex's consciousness should be. I opened my eyes and shook my head.

"I can't feel him through our pack bond." I clenched my fists. "But I know he's alive, Dad. I feel it here." I tapped my chest.

Dad rubbed his face tiredly. "We need to be patient, son. We can only wait."

My wolf, Luke, growled inside me, hating the helplessness. *Waiting is for prey, not predators.*

I silently agreed.

ALEX

I trudged behind Jake and Leo, keeping my eyes down but memorizing every turn we took. We'd been walking for an hour through dense forest. The mountain loomed ahead, its peak disappearing into low clouds.

Leo, the shorter wolf who couldn't speak due to his missing tongue, kept glancing back at me suspiciously. Jake seemed more relaxed, but I didn't trust either of them.

"Don't bother trying to remember the way," Jake said suddenly. "The entrance moves. Only those of us who know the magic can find it again."

I nodded, playing dumb. "Smart security."

We reached the base of the mountain where solid rock met forest floor. Jake placed his hand against a seemingly random spot on the stone surface and muttered words I couldn't quite catch. The rock shimmered and a narrow opening appeared.

*Magic,* I thought. *Jace needs to know about this.*

"After you," Jake gestured with a yellow-toothed grin.

I stepped into darkness, my wolf senses immediately adjusting to the dim light of the tunnel. The smell hit me first—unwashed bodies, blood, and something else. Something wrong.

The tunnel opened into a massive cavern. Dozens of wolves moved about, some in human form, others as wolves. All looked feral, dangerous. My skin crawled.

"Wait here," Jake ordered before disappearing down a side passage.

I stood perfectly still, knowing I was being watched. Minutes later, Jake returned with a tall, muscular man. His presence made my wolf bristle.

"So," the man said, his voice deep and commanding. "You wish to join us."

This had to be Magnus, the Rogue King. He looked exactly as our intelligence described—dark hair streaked with silver, cold eyes, a jagged scar running from his left eye to his jaw.

"Yes," I answered, keeping my voice steady. "I left my pack. I'm tired of being controlled."

Magnus circled me slowly. "Which pack?"

I gave him the story we'd prepared. "Eastern Pack. Alpha Harrison is obsessed with pleasing the so-called King. I couldn't stand the blind obedience anymore."

Magnus smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "And why should I believe you? How do I know you're not a spy?"

My heart pounded but I kept my expression neutral. "Test me however you want. I have nothing to hide."

"Oh, I will." Magnus snapped his fingers. "Tara!"

A small woman with hollow cheeks and frightened eyes approached. "Yes, my king?"

"Check his memories. I want to know if he's telling the truth."

The witch placed her cold fingers against my temples. I felt her magic probing my mind, searching. I silently thanked Greta Wildflower for the protection spell she'd cast before I left. False memories of mistreatment and growing resentment toward my Alpha flooded forward, hiding my true purpose.

Tara's eyes widened slightly before she stepped back. "He speaks the truth, my king. I see his memories of the Eastern Pack, his frustration, his decision to leave."

Magnus studied me for another moment before nodding. "Welcome to my family, Alex. You've chosen the winning side in the coming war."

I bowed my head, hiding my disgust. "Thank you for accepting me."

ATLAS

A week passed with no word from Alex. I was sparring with Lawrence in the training grounds when it happened—a flicker of awareness, distant but unmistakable.

"Alex," I whispered, losing focus.

Lawrence's fist connected with my jaw, sending me sprawling onto the dirt. I barely felt it.

"Sorry!" Lawrence extended his hand to help me up. "You disappeared for a second there."

I grabbed his arm. "I felt him. Alex. Just for a moment."

We raced to my father's office, taking the stairs two at a time. Dad looked up from his desk as we burst in.

"I felt Alex," I said breathlessly.

Dad stood immediately. "Where? Is he safe?"

"I don't know. It was just a flash." I paced, trying to recapture the connection. "I need to try something."

I closed my eyes, focusing on the blood connection between us. Alex wasn't my blood relative, but we'd performed a blood bond ritual years ago. It wasn't as strong as a pack bond, but it might be enough.

"Maddie can help," Dad suggested. "Her abilities might strengthen your connection."

I shook my head. "No time. I need to try now while the link is fresh."

I sank into a chair, concentrating harder than I ever had before. The room faded away. Images flickered behind my eyelids—trees, a mountain, a cave entrance. Then Alex, walking beside another wolf. They were talking.

"I see him," I murmured. "He's with another wolf. They're in a forest."

I listened intently to their conversation, catching fragments.

"...Alpha Harrison is a tyrant..."

"...can't speak anymore. His Alpha cut out his tongue when he tried to protect his mate..."

"...forced his mate to bond with him instead..."

I opened my eyes, the connection breaking. "He's alive. He's with a rogue wolf named Leo who can't speak. His Alpha from the Crimson Pack cut out his tongue and took his mate."

Dad's face darkened with anger. "Crimson Pack. Alpha Harrison. I know of him."

I described the mountain I'd seen. "It had a distinctive formation at the top, like three fingers reaching for the sky."

Dad spread a map across his desk. We studied it together until I pointed to a location. "There. That's it."

"Good work," Dad said, squeezing my shoulder. "We'll send a message to Alpha Harrison. Invite him and his Luna to visit."

"You're going to confront him?" Lawrence asked.

Dad's eyes flashed dangerously. "No. I'm going to stop him. No Alpha should abuse their power like that. We need to know more about what we're dealing with."

I nodded, feeling a mixture of relief about Alex and anger about what I'd learned. "We can't let tyrants continue hurting their people."

Dad picked up his phone. "Marcus, arrange an invitation to the Alpha of Crimson Pack and his Luna. Tell them it's regarding a potential alliance."

His voice was calm, but I knew that tone. Someone was about to learn why my father was King.