Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

99 Chapter 99

99 Chapter 99

Seraphina’s POV

The convoy moved through the winding mountain roads like a funeral procession, each mile bringing us closer to

the unknown horror that might be waiting for us. | sat in the passenger seat of the lead vehicle, my

hands clenched so tightly in my lap that my knuckles had gone white.

“Sera,” cRiley's voice. “You should try to eat something. It’s been hours since breakfast.”

| glanced at the protein bar she'd placed on the dashboard earlier, my stomach immediately rebelling at the

thought. “I can’t. Not until | know he’s okay.”

“The baby needs—"

“Sorry. | just... | can’t think about anything else right now.”

Through the rearview mirror, | could see the other two vehicles following behind us, filled with sof the

best warriors our pack had to offer.

*Damien?* | tried the mindlink again, sending the thought out with all the desperate hope I could muster.

*Please, if you can hear this, just givesomething. Anything.*

The response was the sendless void it had been for days, but | refused to let that discourage me.

Distance. Mountains. Something was blocking our connection, but it was still there. Faint, fragile, but

unbroken.

It had to be unbroken.

“There, Riley said suddenly, her voice tight with concern. “Up ahead. Do you see that?”

| followed her gaze to a spot about fifty yards ahead where something metallic glinted in the afternoon

sunlight. As we drew closer, my heart began to pound with recognition and dread.

It was a piece of military gear. A tactical vest, torn and bloody, discarded beside the road like trash.

“Stop the car, | said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Riley pulled over, and | was out of the vehicle before it had cto a complete stop. The other cars pulled up

99 Chapter 99

behind us, and | could hear car doors slamming as the rest of our team emerged to see what had caught our

attention.

| knelt beside the vest, my hands trembling as | reached out to touch the dark stains that covered the

reinforced fabric.

“There was a fight here,” | said, rising to my feet with my jaw set in determination. “But look at the blood

pattern. This looks like... like someone was wounded but kept moving.”

“All right, everyone,” | called out, raising my voice to address the entire rescue team. “We're going on foot

from here. The terrain ahead is too rough for vehicles, and we need to be able to move quietly.”

There was a murmur of acknowledgment from the assembled warriors as they began checking their gear and

weapons.

“Luna,” ca voice from behind me. | turned to see James, one of the younger warriors, approaching with

his pack slung over his shoulder. “Are you sure about this? | mean, no disrespect, but you're... well, you're

pregnant. Maybe you should coordinate from back here while we-"

“No.” The word cout with enough alpha dominance to make him take an involuntary step backward. “I

appreciate your concern, James, but I'm not staying behind.”

The forest was ancient and vast, with towering pine trees that blocked out most of the afternoon sunlight

and created a cathedral-like atmosphere that would have been beautiful under different circumstances. Now,

it felt oppressive and threatening, full of shadows that could hide any number of dangers.

We'd been hiking for nearly two hours, following the intermittent blood trail and broken branches that

marked the passage of whoever had been here before us. The silence was absolute except for our own careful

footsteps and the occasional bird call from somewhere high above.

*#Stay calm, * | told myself as we pushed deeper into the wilderness. *You’re an alpha now. You can handle this.

You've got the best warriors in the pack with you, and you've got abilities that can help if someone gets

hurt.*

But with each step, the knot of fear in my stomach grew tighter. The blood trail was getting fresher, which meant

we were gaining on whoever had left it. That should have been encouraging, but instead it filled me

with dread.

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“Luna,” Riley whispered, appearing at my elbow with her weapon drawn. “We're getting close to something. |

can smell smoke up ahead.”

| nodded, my own enhanced senses picking up the acrid scent of a recent fire. But underneath that, there

was something else-the unmistakable musk of rogue wolves, thick and cloying in the still air.

“Signal the others,” | whispered back. “We approach with extrcaution.”

As we crept through the underbrush, the smell of smoke grew stronger, mixed with other scents that made

my stomach turn-blood, sweat, and the particular stench that cfrom bodies that had been left too long

without proper care.

The trees began to thin ahead of us, revealing what looked like a clearing bathed in the golden light of late

afternoon. But as we drew closer, | could see that what I'd taken for natural sunlight was actually the flickering

glow of flames.

“Moon goddess,” someone whispered behind me, and | felt my heart sink as | got my first clear view of what

lay ahead.

The camp-or what was left of it-spread out before us like a scene from a nightmare. Tents had been

shredded and scattered, equipment lay broken and abandoned, and the remains of several fires still

smoldered throughout the area. The ground was dark with stains that | didn’t want to identify too closely.

But what terrifiedmost was the complete absence of any human presence. No guards, no prisoners, no

bodies. Nothing but devastation and the lingering smell of violence.

“Where is everyone?” | whispered, my voice cracking with fear.

| moved forward on shaking legs, stepping carefully around the debris that littered the camp. Every shadow

could hide a body, every overturned piece of equipment could conceal evidence of Damien’s fate.

*Damien,* | called through the mindlink, putting every ounce of desperate love | possessed into the connection.

*Damien, if you can hear me, please respond. I'm here. I've cto find you.*

A new voice cut through the afternoon air-a howl! that echoed through the trees like a warning siren. It was

answered immediately by another, then another, until the forest rang with the sound of approaching wolves.

“Rogues,” Marcus growled, appearing beside us with his weapon ready. “They know we're here.”

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“We need to move!” Riley shouted over the chaos. “This position is too exposed!”

| looked around frantically, trying to spot the best route for retreat, when | saw it-a narrow gtrail that led

away from the camp and deeper into the forest. It was barely visible between the trees, but it seemed to head in

the sdirection the prisoner trail had gone.

“This way!” | called out, pointing toward the trail. “Follow me!”

What happened next was like something out of a nightmare. One moment | was following the narrow trail with

Riley close behind me, and the next | was alone in a part of the forest | didn’t recognize, with no sign of my

companions anywhere.

“Riley?” | called out softly, not wanting to attract unwanted attention but desperate to reestablish contact with

my team. “Marcus? Anyone?”

Silence answered me, broken only by the distant sound of wind through the pine branches and my own rapid

breathing.

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