Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 263

Chapter 263

Hope sparked. If I could just hold out, tire him out, wait for the sun to weaken him enough-

Zane’s eyes followed my gaze to the sun. His smile vanished.

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“Clever girl,” he said quietly. “But not clever enough.”

His body convulsed. His hair turned blood-red, standing on end as if electrified. His fangs extended to twice their normal length, curving like scimitars. His elegant cape billowed out, the fabric seeming to drip with fresh blood that hadn’t been there before.

And the worst part-the sky itself began to darken.

Gray clouds rolled in from nowhere, thick and unnatural, blocking the sun within seconds. The temperature dropped. The oppressive

darkness of true vampire territory descended over the square.

Elowen

No. No, no, no-

“Blood Lord form,” Scarlett gasped. “He’s entered Blood Lord transformation! Elowen, we need to-”

Zane moved. Faster than before. Faster than should be possible.

His fist slammed into my chest, sending me tumbling across the platform. I hit the ground hard, vision swimming.

Get up. Have to get up. Have to-

Through the mate bond-still blocked, still silent-I reached desperately for Kaius.

Please. Please be looking for me. Please come-

Nothing. Just that same dead emptiness.

A shadow fell over me. Zane loomed above, his transformed state making him look more demon than vampire.

“It’s over,” he said simply. “Surrender, or watch them die first.”

Scarlett. Evelyn. Can’t let them-

Through the bond, through pack links, I sent a desperate command to Scarlett. Alpha authority that couldn’t be refused even through the

pain and chaos.

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Chapter 263

Take Evelyn. Run. Now.

I felt her resistance, her refusal, her loyalty screaming against the order.

NOW!

Scarlett grabbed Evelyn and bolted. Several vampires moved to intercept.

I threw myself between them and Zane’s charging form.

His attack-some kind of blood magic manifestation, a crimson sphere of pure destructive energy-hit me square in the chest.

This is it. This is how I die.

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But in the split second before impact, I called on the one ability Zane couldn’t have absorbed because it wasn’t about power-it was about

finesse.

Wind. Not to attack, but to deflect.

The sphere’s energy scattered around me, dissipating into harmless gusts. I skidded backward from the force but remained standing.

Zane froze, genuine surprise crossing his transformed features.

“Impossible,” he breathed. “That should have-”

But Scarlett and Evelyn were gone, disappeared into the crowd. Safe. For now.

Which meant I’d just trapped myself alone with a Blood Lord.

Zane’s surprise melted into cold satisfaction. “Well played. You saved them.” His smile was terrifying. “Which means I have you all to

myself now. Perfect.”

We circled each other, predator and predator. I used every ounce of speed I possessed to stay ahead of his attacks, every tactical lesson I’d

learned to anticipate his moves.

I even managed to score hits-my claws raking his arm, my fangs finding his calf. But his enhanced healing closed each wound within seconds. My attacks were pinpricks to something in this form.

Can’t keep this up. Too fast. Too strong. Too-

Time blurred. Minutes? Hours? I couldn’t tell anymore. Just endless motion, endless fighting, endless pain accumulating despite his

“restraint.”

My movements slowed. My lungs burned. My muscles screamed.

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Chapter 263

So tired. So tired…

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A kick to my ribs sent me sprawling. I tried to rise, but my legs wouldn’t support me. I collapsed back to the blood-slicked stone, panting,

everything hurting.

Zane approached slowly, savoring his victory.

“I’ll give you credit,” he said. “You lasted longer than I expected. But this rebellion ends now.” He crouched beside me, his hand stroking my white fur in a mockery of affection. “Don’t worry. The cell I’ve prepared for you is quite comfortable. You’ll have plenty of time to

reconsider your defiance. Years, perhaps. Decades. I’m very patient.”

No. Can’t let him-can’t-

Then something shifted. A sensation I hadn’t felt in days, so sudden and violent it was like being struck by lightning.

The mate bond-blazing back to life with explosive force.

Not just open. Screaming.

I felt Kaius’s emotions crash over me like a tidal wave. His rage. His desperation. His absolute terror at what he was sensing through our

reconnected bond.

And something else. Something that made my exhausted heart leap.

He’s close. He’s here. He’s coming for me.

Strength flooded back into my limbs-not physical strength, but something else. Hope. Determination. The absolute certainty that I wasn’t

alone anymore.

Zane frowned, noticing the change. “What-”

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