Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 267

Chapter 267

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Blood poured from dozens of wounds, staining his red cape even darker. By any measure, he should have been severely injured, weakened,

close to defeat.

But he kept smiling. Kept laughing. Kept licking the blood from his lips like it was the finest wine.

Something’s wrong. He’s too calm. Too-

“Kaius!” Elowen’s scream cut through my thoughts. “It’s a trap! He’s-”

Zane moved.

His hands swept through the air in a complex pattern, and the blood-all the blood I’d spilled from him, pooled on the ground-suddenly

came alive. It rose in crimson droplets, hardening into needle-sharp projectiles.

“Blood magic at its finest,” Zane said conversationally. “Every drop I spill becomes a weapon. Thank you for being so… generous with your

attacks.”

Hundreds of blood needles hung in the air, all pointed at me.

Then they launched.

I moved with Lycan speed, faster than thought, dodging and weaving through the deadly barrage. The needles whistled past my ears, my face, my torso-missing by fractions of inches as I pushed my enhanced reflexes to their absolute limit.

Too fast. Even for needles. I’m faster than-

Then the needles changed direction mid-flight.

They curved through the air with impossible precision, abandoning their pursuit of me entirely. Instead, they redirected toward-

“NO!”

Elowen and Frost. Sitting together behind me, Elowen too injured to move, Frost trying to shield her with his body.

Kaius

The needles would reach them in seconds. There was no time for them to dodge, no time for Frost to raise a defense.

No time for anything except the choice I made without thinking.

I threw myself between the needles and my mate.

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Chapter 267

The impact felt like being stabbed by a thousand hot knives simultaneously. The needles-infused with vampire magic and corrupted blood-punched through my forearm as I raised it to protect my face and chest. Through my shoulder. Through my side.

Each needle that struck me was one that didn’t hit Elowen.

Worth it. Every single one worth it.

“Kaius!” Elowen’s scream was anguished.

“Bravo!” Zane applauded slowly. “How romantic. The devoted mate sacrifices himself for his lady love.”

The needles were still embedded in my flesh, and I could feel somethin

was, it burned through my veins like liquid fire.

wrong spreading from them. Poison? Corruption? Whatever it

My Lycan form flickered, becoming harder to maintain. My movements slowed. The wounds weren’t healing as they should have.

Blood corruption. He poisoned his own blood. Used it as

weapon.

I tried to focus, tried to push through the pain and continue t

sluggish, easily dodged. My defenses weakened.

fight. But my body wasn’t responding properly. My attacks became

Zane pressed his advantage relentlessly, each strike pushing

me further back, further toward defeat.

“Frost.” I managed to gasp out the words between labored breaths. “Your only priority-protect her. Even if I-even if I die-you keep her

safe. Understand?”

“Kaius, I can help-”

“That’s an order!” I snarled with the last of my Alpha authority. “Don’t you dare approach me! Protect the Queen!”

Frost’s face twisted with conflict, but he stayed where he was, crouched protectively over Elowen.

Good. At least she’ll be safe. At least-

Zane’s hand made a grasping motion in the air.

Reality rippled. And suddenly he held a sword-no, not a sword. A blade made entirely of crystallized blood, red as a fresh wound,

radiating malevolent power.

“This blade hasn’t tasted Lycan blood in over three centuries,” Zane said, his voice almost reverent. “Today, I’ll feed it until it’s sated.”

He moved faster than I could track in my corrupted state. One moment he was across the platform, the next he was directly in front of

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Chapter 267

The blood blade punched through my chest with surgical precision.

Cold. So cold. The blade was like ice made from death itself, stealing the heat from my body, pulling the life from my heart-

“ZANE!”

Elowen’s voice rang out across the square, clear and desperate.

I’ll give you what you want! 111 be your consort, your companion, whatever you demand! Just Her voice broke. “Just let Kaius go.

Please. Let him live.”

Time seemed to stop.

Zane paused, the blade still embedded in my chest but not yet pushed to its fatal depth. He turned his head toward Elowen, something

calculating in his expression.

“Now you see reason,” he said softly. “You should have offered this sooner, my dear. Could have saved everyone so much pain.”

No. NO!

I tried to speak, to refuse, to tell her she couldn’t make that trade. But blood filled my mouth, choking off the words.

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