Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Elowen

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Moonlight spilled across the red earth like liquid silver as I raced through the barren hills in my wolf form. My white fur caught the pale light, creating an ethereal contrast against the rust–colored soil beneath my paws. Each stride carried me farther from the forest, farther from the danger I’d sensed closing in around Kaius and his beta.

Why am I doing this?

The question gnawed at me as I leaped across a narrow ravine, my enhanced abilities making the jump effortless. Kaius’s safety had nothing to do with me anymore. If anything, I should be celebrating the fact that some rogue wolves might solve my mate problem

permanently.

But the thought of him dying because of me–because those wolves had followed him to my territory–made something twist painfully in my chest. I didn’t want him dead. I just wanted him gone. There was a difference, even if I couldn’t quite articulate what it was.

Besides, I told myself as I splashed through a shallow stream, I can’t have him dying on my pack’s doorstep. That would bring all kinds of

unwanted attention.

“Kaius is safe,” Evelyn’s voice suddenly materialized in my mind through our pack link. “They’ve escaped the pursuit. You can stop running

now.”

I skidded to a halt on a rocky outcropping, my chest heaving as relief flooded through me. Relief? For him?

No, I corrected myself firmly. Relief that this mess is over. Now that he’s escaped his little predicament, his survival is no longer my concern. There won’t be any more rescue missions from me.

Rather than dwell on that uncomfortable thought, I began the process of suppressing my scent completely, I’d deliberately let traces of my presence linger while leading Kaius away–just enough to keep him following the right trail. But now that he was safe, I wanted to disappear completely.

With my scent masked and my white wolf abilities fully engaged, I began manipulating the wind currents around me. What should have been a two–hour journey back to pack territory became a matter of minutes as I rode the air itself, leaping from one gust to another with supernatural grace.

By the time I shifted back to human form outside our pack house, I was exhausted but satisfied. Crisis averted, problem solved, and hopefully Kajus had learned his lesson about wandering into places he didn’t belong.

I pushed through the front door and headed straight for my office, rubbing my neck where tension had gathered. All I wanted was a hot shower and about twelve hours of sleep.

But voices from my office made me pause. Through the partially open door, I could see Scarlett and Evelyn hunched over my desk, staring intently at something that cast an eerie blue glow across their faces.

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14:37 Tue, Jan 13

Chapter 35

A scrying crystal. Of course.

I pushed the door open to find them watching images flickering across the surface of one of Evelyn’s larger crystal balls. The scene showed two figures in what looked like a heated argument beside a stopped vehicle.

“I’m exhausted, I announced, crossing my arms. “Since they’ve already left, you can shut down your little surveillance operation.”

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Evelyn looked up with a grin that was far too pleased for my liking. “Oh, I spent way too much magical energy opening this connection to

just shut it down now. I wasn’t just watching to make sure they escaped–I want to see what happens next!”

Scarlett looked confused. “What else could happen? They got away, right?”

I moved closer to the crystal despite myself, squinting at the images. “Hell no! I don’t want to watch that arrogant bastard for another second. He can barely save himself, and he thinks he can capture me? Dream on!” I reached toward the crystal ball. “Turn it off!”

“Wait!” Evelyn suddenly straightened, pointing at the swirling images. “Look at this!”

All three of us leaned in to see Kaius and Frost in what appeared to be an intense argument. Kaius was gesticulating wildly while Frost

seemed to be trying to calm him down.

“I can’t hear anything,” I muttered, frustrated by the silent images.

Evelyn wiped sweat from her forehead, looking drained. “I’m running on fumes here. Visual only is about all I can manage. And the image quality is going to get worse–do you have any idea how much energy I spend daily maintaining our protective barriers?”

The crystal’s surface began to flicker and blur, as if the connection was weakening.

‘No, no, no!” Scarlett suddenly grabbed Evelyn’s hand. “Please, just a little longer! I’ll cook you that five–course meal with the honey- glazed duck, the truffle risotto, the chocolate soufflé–the whole thing!”