Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 393

Andrei’s POV

The forest was almost too dark to see, even with my wolf’s enhanced vision, as we made our way through the underbrush. I led the search party deeper into the Thornwood, following the same path that the rogues would have taken when they fled Bloodmoon.

My jaw clenched as I pushed aside a low–hanging branch. Damon was out here somewhere. He had to be. I refused to believe that my brother was dead, even if the logical part of my brain kept whispering that the chances of finding him alive were slim to none.

“Alpha Andei! Over here!”

I turned toward the voice. One of the Bloodmoon warriors was crouched near the base of a massive oak tree.My heart lurched as I jogged over and dropped to a crouch beside him, ignoring the pop in my aging knees. There, half -buried in the soil and dead leaves, was a ring.

Not just any ring.

Damon’s wedding ring.

I picked it up with trembling fingers, brushing off the dirt. I knew that ring all too well—it was definitely Damon’s. I had seen Grace slip it onto my brother’s finger with my own eyes. He had only had the chance to wear it for a couple of days, and it was already his most prized possession. And now…

My mind raced as I curled my fist around the ring. Damon wouldn’t have lost this. Not willingly. He’d rather lose a finger than lose this ring, and there was no blood around this spot, no hint of my brother’s body laying in the underbrush. Which meant that he might have left it here on purpose–perhaps as a breadcrumb for us to find.

I looked up, beyond the tree, deeper into the dark forest. Right now, everything was silent and still. But if Damon had been taken this way… I hardly

dred to think that he might still be close, but I had to try.

“Spread out that way,” I ordered the warriors, standing and gesturing in that direction. “Search the area. Look for anything–blood, tracks, torn fabric. Anything.”

The warriors fanned out immediately and began heading that way, scouring the forest for another breadcrumb to follow. I stayed where I was for a moment, staring down at the ring in my palm.

“You’d better not be dead, asshole,” I whispered.

I slipped the ring into my pocket to give to Grace later and moved deeper into the forest, scanning the ground for any other signs. The underbrush was trampled here, branches broken at odd angles. There had definitely been a struggle or at least a group of people moving through quickly.

We searched for what felt like hours, but found nothing but disturbed earth and snapped twigs. I was about to call off the search when I heard the distinct sound of a twig snapping up ahead. It wasn’t one of my warriors.

I held up a fist, signaling the others to freeze. Everyone went silent with their weapons drawn. I strained my ears, listening, and heard more footsteps in the distance. I heard a low male voice grunting and cursing.

I gestured for two of my men to flank left, two more to flank right. Then I moved forward silently, keeping low. Through the trees ahead, I caught a glimpse of movement–a rogue sniffing around in the bushes, digging for roots with his bare hands. He seemed to be looking for something to eat.

I waited until the rogue was almost past me, then lunged. I grabbed him from behind, one arm locking around his throat, the other pinning his arm behind his back. He struggled, but I tightened my grip until he went still.

1/3

Chapter 393

+25 Bonus

“Don’t move,” I growled in his ear. “Or I’ll snap your neck.”

The rogue wheezed, nodding frantically. My warriors emerged from the trees, surrounding us. I forced the rogue to his knees, keeping my hand on the back of his neck.

“You’re going to answer some questions,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “And if I think you’re lying, you’ll die slowly. Understood?”

The rogue nodded again, eyes wide with terror.

“There was a man taken from here,” I said, pulling Damon’s ring from my pocket and holding it in front of the rogue’s face. “Dark hair, tall, strong. Looked like me, but… younger. He would have been fighting back. Do you know who I’m talking about?”

The rogue’s eyes darted to the ring, then back to me. He hesitated.

I applied more pressure to his neck. “I won’t ask again.”

“Y–yes!” the rogue gasped. “I saw them! I saw them carrying someone like that!”

My pulse quickened. “When?”

“Three days ago. Maybe four. I don’t–I don’t know exactly-”

“Was he alive?”

The rogue nodded frantically. “Yes! Yes, he was alive! He was fighting them, cursing at them. They had to knock him out to get him to stop struggling.”

Relief crashed through me like a tidal wave. Damon was alive. Or at least, he had been three days ago. If they had kept him alive before, then maybe he was still alive.

“Where did they take him?” I demanded.

“North,” the rogue said quickly. “They were taking him north to the Winter King’s stronghold. In the mountains.”

The Winter King. Of course. The bastard who had orchestrated all of this.

“How many were with him?”

“Six warriors. Maybe seven. I–I didn’t get a good count-”

“Why were you here?” I cut him off. “Why are you alone?”

The rogue’s jaw clenched. For a moment, I thought he might refuse to answer. Then his shoulders sagged. “I got separated during the retreat. I’ve been trying to make my way back north, but I got turned around in these damn woods.”

I studied him for a moment. He was telling the truth–I could see it in his eyes, hear it in the tremor in his voice. He was just some low–level warrior, not worth the effort of killing.

But he’d given me what I needed.

“Take this one back to the compound,” I said, releasing him and stepping back. “Lock him up and question him until you’re certain you’ve squeezed every last drop of information out of him.”

With that, we started back toward Bloodmoon. My mind was already racing ahead, planning. We’d march north. tomorrow at dawn, just as we’d discussed. But now, it wasn’t just about stopping the Winter King.

2/3

Chapter 393

+25 Bonus

It was about getting Damon back.

When we returned to the compound, I dismissed the warriors with a curt nod and headed straight for the suite where Natalia and the twins were staying. I needed to tell her. Grace, too. Damon was alive, and we might have a real chance at bringing him home.

“Natalia?” I opened the door, finding the room dark. She must have been asleep. I crept forward, not wanting to wake her, and spotted three lumps under the blankets. The sight made me smile faintly, imagining my wife and children snuggling together in bed, safe and sound.

But when I stepped closer, I froze.

The lumps… They were just three pillows stuffed under the blankets.

I yanked the covers back with a gasp, revealing the pillows in the pale moonlight. Natalia wasn’t here. The twins weren’t here.

Someone had taken them.

P