Ethan’s P. O. V
The moment I arrived at the cabin, my heart damn near stopped. Almost all of my men were sprawled out, lifeless. A few were still breathing-barely-but it was clear they were hanging on by a thread.
Ignoring the carnage outside, I bolted into the cabin, searching for Claire. I could still catch traces of her scent lingering in the air, but no matter how thoroughly I checked-every room, even the basement-she was nowhere to be found. All that was left was an empty, slightly messed-up bed.
But among all the scents in the air, one stood out-completely foreign. It wasn’t one of my warriors. It wasn’t anyone from my pack. No, this belonged to someone else. And I had a pretty good idea of exactly who that bastard was.
This was beyond insane. I was supposed to be the one who could predict everything. Yet, the place I thought was the safest turned into a bloodbath for my people.
“Christopher Gale,” I growled, my fists clenching. “That son of a bitch actually had the nerve to sneak into my parents’ cabin like it was his own damn backyard.”
I rushed to the ones still clinging to life, barking orders at the warriors who had followed me from the meeting hall. “Call for reinforcements! Get every available healer to Lake Terara-now! We need to save the ones who still have a fighting chance and evacuate the fallen.”
I dropped to my knees beside one of my wounded warriors, cradling him in my lap. “Hey, hey! Can you hear me?” His breath came in ragged gasps, his face twisted in pain.
“A-Alpha…” His voice was weak, but at least he could still speak.
“Yes, it’s me. Tell me what the hell happened here. Where is Claire?”
“T-that fake Alpha… he broke in with his shadow warriors. They slaughtered everyone… even Commander Danny. They took Lady Halle with them… I’m sorry, Alpha… we-ugh!” He choked on his own blood.
“Hey! It’s okay, don’t push yourself. I got the picture.” I tried to reassure him, though I wasn’t sure he’d even make it until the medics arrived.
His wounds were gruesome-deep claw marks ripping across his chest down to his stomach, gunshot wounds bleeding out. Honestly, the fact that he’d even managed to hold on this long, just to tell me what happened, was a miracle in itself. But I needed him to stay alive a little longer.
Christopher Gale… that bastard had officially crossed the line.
I had made my decision-I wasn’t letting Claire go. I turned down every damn offer Gale made. And yet, he had the audacity to spy on us, ambush us, and kidnap her.
But that prick just made the dumbest move of his life.
“He dared to come here and take my Luna… and my baby.” My voice was low, but filled with pure, unfiltered rage.
That’s right. My baby.
If Christopher Gale so much as touched Claire-if he harmed the life growing inside her-I’d tear him apart with my own hands.
While my warriors worked to evacuate the bodies, the medics finally arrived-along with Chen Lien and a few of his men.
His eyes swept over the carnage before settling on me. “I… didn’t expect things to turn out this bad.”
I gritted my teeth, my hands balling into fists. My rage was barely contained. “Christopher Gale just signed his own death warrant.”
“Did they take Claire?” he asked.
“Danny’s barely alive, and I searched every inch of this cabin. Claire isn’t here.” My voice was sharp. “And I smelled that damn fake Alpha in one of the rooms. It was disgusting.”
Chen Lien frowned. “If it wasn’t for your fiancee letting them in through another route, none of this would’ve happened.”
His words stopped me cold.
Wait. What?
Lucy Torrance… my own fiancee… let them in? She smuggled Christopher Gale and his men into my pack just to take Claire?
I always knew Lucy would betray me someday. Our relationship was never about love-it was lust, power, and politics, nothing more. But I didn’t think she’d sell me out like this. To bring my worst enemy right to my doorstep? She must’ve lost her damn mind.
“How do you know it was Lucy?” I demanded.
“I told you I’d keep Claire safe,” Chen Lien said coolly. “And I started suspecting everyone-including you and your so-called ‘trusted’ circle. But let’s be real-the one person who had the most reason to betray you was Lucy Torrance.”
“Why didn’t you suspect the rogues?” I challenged.
His brow arched. “You mean the Rogue Wolves?”
“Of course. They hate me. Isn’t that reason enough to think they’re behind this?”
Chen Lien let out a dry chuckle. “You seriously think the same rogues Christopher Gale tossed aside would suddenly team up with him to take you down?”
“Why not?”
“You’re overthinking it. Besides,” he jerked his chin toward his car, “their leader is right here with me.”
I narrowed my eyes, shifting my gaze to the vehicle. A woman sat inside, watching us. The second she realized I was looking at her, she stepped out.
And that’s when I recognized her.
Andara Spectra.
She wasn’t the Alpha of the Rogue Wolves, but she was damn important to them. Once, she was an Elder of the Moon Fall Pack, before Christopher Gale betrayed her. She ran for her life rather than suffer under his tyranny, eventually finding sanctuary with the rogues.
And when those rogues attacked my packhouse, she didn’t lift a damn finger to stop them. Not until she kidnapped Claire-the daughter of the Alpha she once served.
And now, here she was, standing in front of me, with a solemn expression.
“I’m sorry for your losses, Alpha,” she said, voice heavy with grief.
But I wasn’t about to fall for her act. Not for a second.