ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ 30
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ᴡᴏʀʀʏ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴏʙꜱ ᴛᴏᴍᴏʀʀᴏᴡ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛꜱ ꜱᴏʀʀᴏᴡ, ɪᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ꜱᴀᴘꜱ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛꜱ ᴊᴏʏ.
...Lucas
I went away for barely ten minutes and someone snuck into my room and snatched my mate. My mind races with multiple possibilities on who could have had the balls to do this to me, defy me and even take something of importance away from me? I didn't build up my reputation of a horrible, powerful Alpha for nothing. People's fear of me fueled me and my powers. Not that anyone knew of my inherited abilities just yet.
My hands curl into fists as anger begins coursing through my veins once again. My wolf stirs in the back of my mind, also enraged by the loss of our mate. We stay standing, just a few feet away from my empty bed that's still enveloped by Melanie's sweet scent. How many times had we lost her again? Three? How many times had we failed to keep her safe?
'Definitely more than three,' Jake growls, hanging his head in shame. I know I'm projecting my anger to the rest of my Pack but if anyone of them did this and I find out, which I probably will, they're done for. Forget being banished, they won't leave my Pack alive. This is a direct challenge to me, their Alpha, and a betrayal to Melanie, their Luna. There's a traitor in my Pack, probably an acquaintance of Caine's, and I'm going to weasel them out with the opportunity of a lifetime. Did I mention the asshole tried escaping last month? He failed miserably so that's one assurance.
Jeremy, my Beta, is the first person to storm into my bedroom, but his face mirrors his confusion as his eyes dart from my towel-clad self, to the empty bed, and then back to my fuming face. More people join Jeremy - warriors and some other worried Packmates that had helped me reach my potential when I first became Alpha. They all murmur, wincing at the severity of my rage and baffled as they try to find out what's making me so mad, asking questions along the lines of, "What's wrong, Alpha?"
"What's wrong?" I hiss, realizing maybe I shouldn't be so crude to these people because none of them would ever go against me. I've known them too long and they've been here a long time, every step of the way as I became the Alpha I am today. I pinch the bridge of my nose. I haven't even properly introduced Melanie to the Pack yet so the only people that know of her importance are a few doctors, a few trusted warriors, Jeremy and most of the people crowding my room right now. I get straight to the point. "My mate's fucking gone. She couldn't have just gotten up and left. She may have healed but it's been months and she's in unknown territory. Someone kidnapped her and waltzed right past under our fucking noses and through the increased security. I know it. Call it instincts or whatever. We have a rat on our hands."
A bunch of perplexed gazes are trained on me as my people think through what I've said and the austerity of the situation before they realize that I might be right. Of course I'm right, I wouldn't have gotten this far in life, especially as an Alpha, if I didn't know things. Jeremy speaks up, representing the voice of the people as I mull over how I should probably go put on clothes. Wearing just a towel hanging low on my hips is probably considered indecent. "You're probably right, Alpha Lucas, but who could it have been? What are you going to do with them?"
"What I'm going to do with them?" I echo as multiple scenarios run through my head, all including torture. I can just imagine the grin on my wolf's face. We both like causing pain. Call it a bad habit, but I know it's inherited because it's a part of my bloodline. "I'm going to fucking rip off their heads with my bare hands. But not before cutting off their little toes and fingers first." My Pack members simultaneously wince, still not used to my violence even after facing my dad's violence. But he was a relatively tame man compared to me. He had no control over his powers and never quite understood how or when to use them. I'm not him. I also don't do the disappearing act on people that depend on me. "Whoever did this should have known the extents I would go to, to protect those I care about."
"Of course, Alpha," an elderly woman, Josephine, murmurs, giving me a sheepish grin. She was the woman that raised my siblings and I after my father left and I have plenty of respect for her, not that I don't respect other people too. "We all know how much Melanie dear means to you. And we'll be by your side the entire time as we search and fight for her." The rest of my trusted Pack members agree but I notice Jer doesn't add much like he usually does. He's lost deep in thought. "We'll you to get dressed and then I suggest we hold a meeting?" I nod, not at all affected by the fact that she just gave me a suggestion.
I stop Jeremy. I highly doubt I look very intimidating in my light blue towel. But I corner Jeremy all the same, staring him down even though he's only a few inches shorter than my 6'3 self. "What are you not telling me, wolf?" I wonder, watching for any signs of lies. I know him well enough. We're close friends. What could he possibly be keeping from me. Jeremy gulps.
"Nothing. Why would I keep anything from you? We're mates." He flinches at the same time I do. "Sorry, wrong choice of words. But you know what I mean."
"Do I?" I press, crossing my arms across my chest. I know something's off. I'm not stupid. He's acting odd. "Jeremy, if I find out you of all people are hiding something from me..." I trail off, sighing. Friend or not, if he's keeping something from me, it'll piss me and my wolf off and we might be forced to take action. "I don't want to hurt you. You're right, we're friends. We've been through a lot of shit together. But I will hurt you if I have to."
Jeremy rubs the back of his neck, not meeting my stern gaze. Frustrated, I leave him to think through whatever he's concealing as I go grab clothes. It's difficult being intimidating when you're not wearing proper clothes. I slip on a black t-shirt along with grey sweatpants, remembering Melanie's outfit the first day I met her.
Goddess, she was beautiful and I was an asshole. Her bright green, twinkling eyes darting everywhere as she searched for my scent. The way her full lips parted when our eyes finally met. Fuck, even the fluttering of my own heart at the fact that my favorite childhood redhead was my mate. But I ignored her and acted like a dick, even going as far as to hurt and threaten her. I thought she'd be like her parents. Then my wolf and my doubts convinced me to get to know her first. So I attacked her Pack, granted it was more about revenge for their actions to harm my Pack and my family, it was also because I did not want to have to ask that horrid Alpha for their daughter. They took her away from me once, even though we were kids back then, and they'd probably do it again.
Why they'd ever call for a meeting, begging forgiveness for their past actions, I will never know because they got what was coming for them. Allying with Jorge was one thing, but agreeing on separating bonded mates, rape, and the unnecessary death of an innocent mother and unborn child? It's unforgivable. They knew it too.
When I finally snap out of my thoughts and return to Jeremy, I find him sitting on the sofa by the window, head in his hands. I immediately storm over to him, frustrated with his silence. "What the fuck is going on?"
"I did something bad. So, so bad." He blurts out, yanking at his hair. I plop myself down on the sofa opposite him, glad that this little corner of my room was finally put to use. I had it put here in case Melanie wakes up and wanted to get off the bed every now and then. There's a whole screen that comes down and a sound system too. I also restocked the mini kitchen in my room for her and had another closet made with all of her clothes and stuff from her old Pack. "She took my mate. She really took her away. Said if I didn't do what she said, she'd murder Kathy and send back her body and our unborn child. I didn't even know Kathy was pregnant and I don't think she knew either. I had to do what she demanded."
He sniffles, leaning back into the sofa and throwing his head back. "It was either that or lose my other half. You've got to understand, I would never go against you. I respect you and you're a really good leader. You're my friend and we grew up together. And Melanie's my Luna, I would give my life to protect her. And I will give my life to get her back, as long as Kathy is safe. I should have never let Kathy leave for her brother's house. Now she might not come back."
The man that supported me through all the tough times in my life, looks up at me with dread and tears in his eyes. He was falling apart and I have no idea what to do. With Melanie gone and my closest friend a fucking rat, I have no one. But I understand his pain, what a mate in danger can do to a man. I don't know how to act, especially since I've said the traitor won't leave my pack alive. This is different. Whoever's behind this is going to do the same to his mate that happened to my mother, and I personally know what that can do to a person. Look at my father for example. Gone. Poof. Never to be seen again.
"What are you saying?" I hesitate to ask, dreading the answer. Oh Goddess, how do I get this stupid man out of this mess now? Letting him go angers my wolf like crazy which is understandable almost, and not punishing this man can show that I can be walked over. I can't be a weak Alpha, especially not now. Not without her.
"Lucas, I'm so fucking sorry but I'm the traitor."
Dun dun dunnnn
GUYS GIVE ME THOUGHTS I LITERALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS BOOK IS GOING AND I NEED MOTIVATIONNN.