Chapter 5: She’s Alive
1149 Words
Kaelen’s POV
I could not sleep, the palace was silent, but my mind was not. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nyra standing before me with tears in her eyes.
“Please… just this once… trust me.”
I gripped the edge of my desk. “Enough.”
My wolf growled, “Go to her.”
“I made the right decision.”
“Liar.”
I shut my eyes. Why wouldn't this feeling leave me?
I rejected her. I banished her.
It should be over, but instead, every hour felt worse than the last. Then a knock came at the door.
“My Alpha.”
“Come in.”
Beta Ronen walked inside, and he looked worried, “You haven’t rested.”
“I’m fine.”
He knew I was lying, but he said nothing.
“The elders are asking if today’s meeting will continue.”
“Cancel it.”
He looked surprised, “You have never canceled a council meeting.”
“I said cancel it.”
“Yes, my Alpha.” He turned to leave.
“Wait.”
He stopped and turned to me.
“Has the search party returned from Rogue Territory?”
He lowered his head, “They returned before sunrise.”
My heart beat faster. “And?”
“They found blood.”
I stood immediately. “What else?”
“There were signs of a fierce battle.”
“Any bodies?”
“Only rogues.”
I froze.
“Only rogues?”
“Yes.”
My wolf let out a loud howl, “She’s alive!”
The burning pain returned, and I pressed my hands against my chest. It had not stopped since Nyra left, it felt like someone was pulling me toward her.
Ronen noticed my expression. “My Alpha…”
“My wolf keeps calling her.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“It refuses to believe she’s dead.”
Before he could answer, another knock interrupted us and a guard rushed inside.
“My Alpha!”
“What is it?”
“We captured two rogues near the eastern border,” he reported.
“Bring them.”
Moments later, the rogues were dragged into my office, and they fell to their knees, shaking. One had blood running down his face and the other could not even lift his head and I walked toward them.
“What happened three nights ago?”
Neither answered and I pulled out my sword. The steel shone in the morning light.
“I will only ask once.”
The older rogue spoke quickly, “We attacked the woman.”
My jaw tightened. “What woman?”
“The one your guards abandoned.”
Nyra.
“What happened?”
“We surrounded her.” His voice trembled, “We thought we could devour her. But…”
“But what?”
“Something changed.”
My wolf growled and the rogue continued.
“She screamed. The ground shook. A giant silver wolf appeared.”
My eyes narrowed, “A silver wolf?”
He nodded quickly, “It killed many of us.”
“It wasn’t a normal wolf. It was a monster,” the younger rogue suddenly spoke. “I’ve never seen power like that. It tore through our pack.”
I stared at them.
“What happened after that?”
Both rogues became even more afraid.
“We heard horses.”
“Hundreds of them.”
“A powerful army surrounded the forest.”
“Did they kill her?”
The older rogue shook his head. “No. They took her.”
I stepped closer.
“Who?”
“We don’t know. They wore black armor. Their leader carried her away.”
“Where?”
“We don’t know. They disappeared before we could follow.”
Silence filled the room and my wolf was almost impossible to control now. “Find her. Find our mate.”
Mate.
The word echoed inside my head. I rejected my own mate. The realization made my chest hurt and I dismissed the rogues.
“Lock them away.”
“Yes, my Alpha.”
The guards dragged them out. As soon as the door closed, another voice spoke behind me.
“Kaelen.”
I turned and Seraphine stood there.
She smiled gently, “I heard you questioning the rogues.” She walked toward me, “You shouldn’t let them fill your head with lies. They’re only trying to save themselves.”
I remained silent and she reached for my hand.
“You did the right thing.”
I pulled my hand away and her smile disappeared.
“Kaelen?”
“I need to think.”
She stepped closer again.
“Why are you thinking about her? She tried to kill me! She deserved her punishment.”
I looked into her eyes and for the first time… I felt nothing.
Only confusion, questions.
If Nyra truly wanted to kill Seraphine, why did my wolf never sense hatred from her? Why did it keep crying for her now?
Seraphine noticed my silence. “You believe those rogues?”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
Her face stiffened.
“Kaelen…”
“I need to be alone.”
She opened her mouth to speak again but shut them almost immediately. Instead, she turned and walked away.
The office became quiet and Ronen watched everything without saying a word.
“My Alpha.”
“What?”
“I have served you for many years.”
“I know.”
“I have never seen your wolf fight you like this.”
Neither had I.
I walked to the balcony. The wind no longer carried Nyra’s scent.
Still…
My wolf refused to stop searching and it kept calling her name.
Again. Again. Again.
I finally whispered the words I had been trying to deny.
“You’re alive.”
The moment I said it, the burning inside my chest eased, only a little but enough.
I turned back toward Ronen. “Gather every warrior.”
His eyes widened. “My Alpha?”
“We leave before sunset.”
“Where are we going?”
“We will start with Rogue Territory,” I replied.
“And after that?”
I looked toward the mountains beyond my pack lands. “Every kingdom. Every border. Every forest.”
Ronen nodded. “It will be done.”
I tightened my fist.
“I don’t care who took her. I don’t care how powerful they are. If Nyra is alive, I will find her.”
My wolf let out a powerful howl and, for the first time in days, I did not silence it. Instead, I made a promise.
“I swear on my Alpha blood. I will bring my wife home. And whoever is keeping my wife from me…” I gazed into Ronen’s face, “…will lose his life.”
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