Chapter 7

The heavy wooden doors of the Frostwell packhouse slammed open with a deafening crash, bouncing off the stone walls of the central foyer.

Gamma Liam burst through, his chest heaving, his clothes torn and stained with blood and silver wolfsbane ash. He ignored the startled shouts of the sentries, marching straight down the main hallway toward the Alpha’s private sanctuary.

Inside the high-ceilinged office, Alpha Asher Frost stood over a broad mahogany desk, staring down at border defence maps. His tall, imposing frame radiated raw authority, raven-black hair falling slightly over intense, ice-blue eyes. Beside him stood Cindy Torelli, twirling a strand of hair around her finger with a sweet, artificial smile, while Beta Cassius leaned casually against the fireplace mantel, sipping a glass of bourbon.

“Asher!” Liam demanded, his raw, hoarse voice echoing off the stone walls.

Asher looked up instantly, his icy blue eyes narrowing as he took in his Gamma’s battered state. “Liam? What happened? Where is the Caldwell delegation?”

“She was taken,” Liam spat out, pointing a trembling, bloodied hand straight at Cassius. “We were ambushed by a rogue unit in the mountain pass. They used silver wolfsbane gas and dragged Lady Lydia into the forest!”

Cindy gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to her heart, while Cassius merely set his glass down with calculated slowness. “Taken? Liam, I told you the pass looked clear. I accelerated to secure the northern bend—”

“You sped up to leave us as bait!” Liam roared, stepping directly into Cassius’s space, his Gamma aura flaring dangerously. “You left two guards unconscious and the Caldwell Alpha’s daughter completely defenceless!”

“Enough!”

Asher’s Alpha command hit the room like a physical shockwave, the sheer authority making the glass windows rattle in their frames. Cassius instantly snapped his mouth shut, though a faint, bitter glint remained buried deep in his eyes. Asher stepped around his desk, his blue eyes burning with an icy, lethal rage that made the temperature in the room drop.

“She was under your lead, Cassius,” Asher said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, deadly whisper. “And you left her behind.”

“Alpha, I didn’t realize—” Cassius began, but Asher cut him off with a single raised hand.

“Liam, gather Curtus and the entire tracking division,” Asher commanded, his wolf surging to the surface as his eyes flashed brilliant gold. “No one rests. We are tearing down every mile of the northern wilderness until my bride is found.”

The heavy iron door at the top of the cellar stairs groaned open, its rusty hinges screeching like a wounded beast. Heavy, unhurried footsteps echoed down the stone steps, followed by the acrid smell of cheap tobacco and stale sweat.

Lydia pulled her knees to her chest, her fingers tightening around her silver-bound wrists as two hulking figures emerged from the gloom. The lead rogue was a broad, scarred man with yellowed teeth and a jagged claw mark tearing across his jaw. Behind him stood a leaner wolf, tossing a polished silver dagger lazily from hand to hand.

“Look at that, Jax,” the scarred one grunted, holding up an oil lantern that cast long, flickering shadows against the damp cellar walls. “The little Alpha princess is finally awake.”

Lydia lifted her chin, staring him down through the dark strands of brown hair clinging to her face. Her green eyes blazed with pure defiance, refusing to show a single trace of weakness. “If you know who I am, then you know my father will skin you alive for touching me.”

The lead rogue let out a rough, barking laugh that echoed in the tight stone room. “Your father doesn’t even know where to look, sweetheart. Neither does that shiny new Alpha you were supposed to wed.”

“Who paid you?” Lydia demanded, her voice sharp and steady despite the throbbing agony in her head.

The rogue with the silver dagger leaned against a stone pillar, a crooked smirk spreading across his face. “A delicate little thing from the Frostwell pack. Soft hands, loud mouth... Cindy, I think her name was. She paid us a heavy pouch of gold to make sure you never made it to the packhouse. Her orders were simple: tear your throat out and throw your body into the canyon so Alpha Asher stays all hers.”

Lydia’s breath hitched, though a cold, dark validation washed over her. She had known Cindy was treacherous, but she hadn’t expected the woman to strike so viciously before they had even met face-to-face.

“So why am I still breathing?” Lydia challenged, her gaze cutting between the two men.

The scarred rogue stepped closer, the heavy leather of his boots crunching on the gravel floor. He reached out, his dirty thumb brushing roughly against her jawline. Lydia violently snapped her head back, baring her white teeth in a feral snarl.

“Because Cindy’s an idiot,” the man chuckled, his amber eyes darkening with dangerous intent. “She thought we’d just do her dirty work like obedient dogs. But a fiery Alpha female like you doesn’t come around every day. The plan was to kill you right away... but my boys and I decided we’re going to have a little fun with you first before we put you under.”

“Touch me again,” Lydia hissed, her voice drop-dead lethal as her green eyes flashed gold beneath the dark, “and I’ll rip your throat out with my teeth.”