Chapter 6

• The Alpha's rage
• Xander POV
• As the night thickened its hold over the pack’s landscape, I found myself in a deep state of turmoil and grave confusion, a sense of urgency gripped my heart. Leila my mate was missing, the air around me reeked of betrayal, and I could feel it. And at this point, I knew it was up to me as the leader of the pack to rescue her. I tossed across the bed, from edge to edge, my heart racing ferociously, till I finally managed to fall asleep.
• The next morning, I summoned the council of elders for an urgent meeting. The atmosphere was cloaked in silence, as the tension in the room was palpable.
• “Alpha” one of the elders spoke out. “We need to act fast, the stability of our pack depends on Leila being found.”
• “Alpha,” the second elder said “ We must hurry and recover her, else, if words of this should spread out, it would show our weakness in the eyes of our enemies. And we can't afford to let that happen, we are the most formidable pack in all of the lands.”
• I clenched my hand into a fist, my eyes flickering with rage. “And you Carlson, what do you have to say about this? After all she's your daughter.” I scoffed. Fidgeting in his seat, he replied. “ I don't know where she is, I suggest we go in search of her,” he stuttered. I could smell his fear from across the hall. For some reason, he was my prime suspect and I had to find out the truth.
• “Romero” I growled, “Take this man away to the dungeon” pointing at Carlson. “ No, please, I am innocent, you must believe me.” Carlson stammered, his voice feeble and brittle.
• He is my true friend but the stakes involved were much higher this time, as I needed to know who was truly behind Leila’s abduction. Just as Romero and a group of warriors were about to take Carlson away, a thought flashed through my mind. “Wait!!” my voice reverberated across the entire hall, making the warriors pause in their tracks. “ You did mention that Leila and her stepsister were involved in a scuffle right?” I said through gritted teeth. “Yes Alpha” Carlson replied, his voice barely above a whisper. “ Where is she now? Amelia” I dead panned.
• He paused for a minute and bit his lower lips. “I have no idea of her whereabouts.”
• I heaved a heavy sigh as my wolf howled “ Betrayal!! Betrayal!!” at the mention of Amelia’s name.
• Immediately I felt something was off. I sent Romero and some warriors to go in search of Amelia. “ When you find her, bring her to me” I sneered. “This meeting is over” and with that, I sauntered away into my office, as I awaited Romero to bring Amelia to me. Romeo was my most loyal, devoted and trusted warrior.
• It didn't take long for Romero to return,“ Alpha, I'm afraid, she's also gone.” I whirled to face him, my eyes blazed with anger, “What do you mean GONE!!” I growled, my voice dripping with venom.
• “We.. We searched everywhere for her, but she was nowhere to be found, Alpha'' Romero replied, his gaze buried to the ground. With a fierce tone commanded. “If I don't have news of her whereabouts before sunset, heads will roll.”
• “Go back, keep searching and don't come back unless you've got some positive news for me” I said in a stern tone.
• “Yes Alpha,” Romero replied and walked out of my office.
• I cursed under my breath as I tried to make sense of Amelia’s absence. Then again my wolf Hala howled within me. “Betrayal!!, betrayal!”. Lost in my reverie, I tried understanding the message, Hala was trying to pass across to me, but it was a vague idea.
• I summoned one of the elders to my quarters for a private conversation.
• “Alpha you sent for me” Magnus bowed as he entered my chambers. “Yes, I did,” I replied, my gaze furrowed at him as he maintained a stoic expression.
• “Don't you find it rather odd that, right after Leila caught her mate, Damian cheating on her with her friend, she calls off their engagement and on the night of the triumph procession, she gets kidnapped and her step-sister is equally nowhere to be found.” I said, massaging the bridge of my nose.“
• Strange indeed Alpha” Magnus replied in a husky voice. The room grew silent for awhile, “ I've got an idea, why don't we summon the mother, she might be in the know of what truly happened.
• Later that day, rather than send for Sonia, I decided to go to the house along with Magnus and Romero.
• “Welcome Alpha Xander, to what do I owe this visit?” Sonia asked in a shaky voice as she fiddled with the helm of her apron. I scouted the area with a menacing gaze before my eye finally settled on her. “Where is your daughter? ” I asked. I could see that she was visibly trembling. No woman could stand in my presence without quivering in fear.
• “I.. I.. I don't know my Lord, I haven't seen her since the night of the Triumph procession, I swear on my life!!” her voice, sounding like a broken record.
• “You’re her mother and we are all aware of how badly your daughter treats Leila.” Magnus deadpanned. “Please, you must believe me, I have no hand in Leila’s abduction or Amelia’s whereabouts.” she sobbed, hot tears pooling down her cheek as she dropped to her knees. I was disgusted and infuriated at her sight. So I walked out into the compound scanning the area.
• And in a flash, I saw how Leila was confiscated during the night of the Triumph procession. I saw how they bonded her, hands and feet. Gagging her mouth as they led her into the forest. My heart sank to my stomach as I tried to make sense of the vision I just saw.