Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 77

Chapter 77

Elowen

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“That’s what I think. Which means we’re dealing with enemies who have resources we can barely comprehend. Scarlett’s warrior instincts were clearly on high alert. “I spent most of yesterday observing from a safe distance, but I haven’t gotten close enough to determine their

ultimate objective.”

“Don’t,” I said sharply. “Don’t risk approaching alone. We need more information before anyone gets within striking distance. My mind raced through possibilities, all of them bad. “I’m coming home early. We need to investigate this properly.”

“What about your work? I thought you couldn’t afford any more absences.”

I rubbed my temples where a headache was building. “I’ll figure something out. This is too important to ignore.”

After hanging up, I sat staring at my sad salad for several minutes, weighing options. Finally, I gathered my courage and marched toward

Patricia’s office.

She looked up from her computer with obvious irritation as I knocked on her open door.

“What now, Elowen?”

I forced humility into my voice, hating every word I was about to say. “Patricia, I’ve been thinking about the Chicago situation. You’re absolutely right–I wasn’t prepared properly, and it cost us a significant opportunity.” I took a steadying breath. ‘I’d like to request a few personal days to work from home. Review our protocols, study the client profiles more thoroughly. Make sure I’m operating at the level

this firm deserves.”

She stared at me for a long moment, clearly trying to decide if this was genuine contrition or elaborate manipulation.

“You were mugged,” she said finally. “Traumatic experience. Maybe you do need time to get your head straight. Her expression remained skeptical. “But Elowen–Friday. The Caelus Capital group. You will be here, you will be brilliant, and you will close whatever they put in front of you, Do I make myself clear?”

“Caelus Capital?” The name sent a curious shiver down my spine, though I couldn’t place why it seemed so familiar.

“The most powerful firm you’ve never heard of,” Patricia said, her voice humming with a rare intensity. They keep an incredibly low profile, but they’re an emerging force with the kind of capital that makes giants tremble. Landing them doesn’t just put us on the map, Elowen–it redraws the map entirely.” Her smile turned predatory. “Which is why I need all hands on deck. No mysterious illnesses, no family emergencies, no excuses whatsoever.”

“Of course,” I said quickly. “I’ll be here bright and early Friday morning.”

“Good. Now get out of my office and go restore your obviously damaged confidence.”

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I made it home just as the sun was setting, shifting to my wolf form before I’d even reached the pack house. The familiar comfort of four legs and enhanced senses helped settle some of my anxiety about the looming confrontation.

Scarlett and Evelyn were waiting in the main common room, a detailed map spread across the wooden table between them. The contrast between their expressions was telling–Scarlett’s face tight with warrior’s focus, while Evelyn looked almost bored.

“Show me what you found,” I said, shifting back to human form and moving to study the map.

Scarlett’s finger traced a route through dense forest terrain. “Here. About fifteen miles north–northeast of our barrier. The cave entrance is

concealed by natural rock formations, but once you know what to look for…” She tapped a specific location. The energy signature is

unmistakable.”

I studied the topographical details, noting how isolated the location was. Perfect for clandestine operations.

“Right,” I said, my gaze fixed on the tapped location on the map. “This is enough. I have to go there, right now.”

“We should go together,” Scarlett protested immediately. “If this is as dangerous as I suspect-

“No.” I held up my hand firmly. “Someone needs to stay here and protect the pack. If this turns out to be a trap… I glanced at Evelyn, who was examining her fingernails with studied indifference. “Besides, our detached witch isn’t trying to stop me, which clearly means

she’s too busy being aloof to care about potential danger.”

Evelyn looked up with a laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement rather than offense. “Well, you know I’ve been bored out of my mind sitting around here all day. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about the pack.”

“So,” I said with a teasing grin, “any prophetic insights about this little adventure of mine?”

Her expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious. “I can only say the future’s always in flux. I can’t predict every stubborn decision

you’re going to make.”

“Reassuring as always,” I said dryly, but her casual attitude did ease some of my concern.

Within an hour, I was racing north through the forest in my wolf form, following Scarlett’s carefully marked trail. The landscape grew progressively wilder as I moved away from our territory–ancient trees that blocked out most of the moonlight, undergrowth thick enough

to hide an army.

I smelled the wrongness before I saw it.

The scent hit me like a physical blow–something that should have been wolf but wasn’t quite right, mixed with magical energies that made my white wolf abilities recoil instinctively. As I crested a small ridge, the cave entrance came into view.

Jesus.

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It wasn’t like any natural cave I’d ever seen. The opening glowed with an eerie blue phosphorescence that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. Wisps of energy drifted around the entrance like ghostly fog, and the air itself seemed to shimmer with power.

But as I approached cautiously, something else became apparent–the cave was exerting a pull, like a massive magnet drawing in anything with supernatural energy. I could feel my fur being tugged toward the entrance, my white wolf abilities being drawn and suppressed

simultaneously.

This is definitely a trap.

Every survival instinct I possessed screamed warnings as I backed away from the hypnotic glow. Whatever was in that cave, it was designed to neutralize wolves like me.

I was just turning to retreat when soft footsteps announced I wasn’t alone anymore.

Three wolves stood behind me, blocking my escape route. But these weren’t normal wolves–couldn’t be. Their fur was pure white like mine, but the color was too perfect, too artificial, like something painted rather than grown. Worse were their eyes–solid red orbs that held no spark of intelligence or personality.

Empty. They’re completely empty.

As I stared in growing horror, they began to move toward me with predatory coordination, their movements too smooth, too synchronized. Whatever these things were, they weren’t acting on their own will.

Puppets. Someone’s controlling them.

That was my last coherent thought before they attacked.