Semua Bab Alpha’s thirst for Ember : Bab 111 - Bab 120

Caden and the men didn’t need to be told. As soon as Ragnar spun around and gave chase, they fanned out, barreling toward a fleeing Collin like hounds after a blood trail.Collin swerved, leapt, and slid across rocks made slick by the night dew, moving recklessly like a cornered rat.‘Who’s running now!’ Ragnar snarled with glee through the link. He didn’t expect a reply. Collin was too busy staying alive.Suddenly he dove to the left in an attempt to double back. A miscalculation. One of Thorne’s men crashed into him and they hit the ground hard, tumbling in a snarl of limbs and teeth. Ragnar didn’t waste time. He approached fast, and within seconds, Collin was surrounded. He snapped and snarled viciously, still trying to escape, but Thorne’s men snapped back, biting into his body and ripping flesh. They slowed only when Ragnar caught up to them.Ragnar approached, Caden beside him, and stared into Collin’s wild, fearful eyes.‘Where are Kaya and my mother?’ Ragnar asked with a hiss

As the sun rose higher, so did the heat. Kaya sat by Ember’s bed, cooling her by swinging a soft lace fan over the length of her body. Sweat gathered at Ember’s hairline, her lips were pale, the veins under her skin still a dull purple. Stella had left earlier to speak to Killian about her mother, Gertrude, who had been too weak to be moved from Bloodveil to Thorne’s territory when Ember had sent for them. The healer and the pack doctor convened at their temporary makeshift station, where they’d laid out tinctures, blades, rolls of gauze, and a bowl filled with water that was already stained with pink. They spoke in hushed tones, moving with the kind of tired care that came after hours of praying that wouldn’t be enough. Then came the sound of boots on stone. Several boots. The door swung open with such force it cracked against the opposite wall and shed a few splinters. Standing at the threshold and panting, was Ragnar. He had Thorne slung over his back like a sack of grain,

The heat seemed to converge in the hallway as they left, leaving the doctor and healer standing outside the bedroom door where Alpha Thorne and Luna Ember lay.Kaya stared off into the horizon, illuminated by the sun. “Do you think they’ll make it?” she asked to no one in particular.“Their bond is strong,” Caden said firmly. “He won’t let her die.”Ragnar turned to his sister.“Stella, I would like to see Mother. What room is she in, what is her condition?”Stella’s face took on a pained expression. “She’s still in Bloodveil. When Ember sent guards to bring us here, she was weak… under pain medication. And I had to leave her.” She swallowed hard. “I spoke to Killian. He says he can only go there or send men on the order of the Alpha or Luna.”“I’ll go get her then,” Ragnar said, already turning like his mind had decided. “It should take less than a day by cart.”“You should take a carriage,” Caden cut in. “I could accompany you to make less time.”Ragnar nodded once, appreciative. “T

The smell of ash and smoke woke him. His eyes peeled open, struggling against the heat blowing directly in his face. With panic, he realized he was still bound, his arms and legs tied so tightly they felt numb, the ropes biting into his swollen skin.“There’s too many of them, and even if we succeed with this rescue, how will we defend against them? They look about ready to march on Thorne’s territory,” Caden said tensely.He recognized the voice as Caden’s. Shifting into a comfortable position, he saw them both crouched behind a dislodged piece of roofing, their eyes scanning the ruins like hawks.They were in Bloodveil. He had been unconscious the whole trip. His mind filled with thoughts, his parents were alive, with an army to defeat the territories. They were preparing for war, and he didn’t even know what to think, they’d left him behind, their only son and heir, like he was disposable.The stickiness held his mouth shut, but he fought against it, and spoke, forcing the words ou

“Ragnar,” he breathed.Ragnar sat with his back to the cell wall, tossing a pebble in the air and catching it over and over.“Caden?” Raphael asked.Ragnar just pointed to the next cell.Raphael peered into the cage but saw no one. He dragged himself into a sitting position, figuring Caden was tucked in the farthest corner of the cave.The pebble slipped from Ragnar’s fingers and rolled away on the ground.“Why’d he throw you in here with us?” Ragnar asked. “Didn’t you do your mission well?”Raphael’s jaw clenched. “He’s not my father.”“How come?”“He killed my mother after finding out I’m a bastard.”“Damn. Hard luck,” Ragnar said like it was just another piece of bad news.“Caden, you were right,” Raphael called out, scowling toward the next cell. “I used my family name to get to Matteo, so I could get to Kaya. But once I discovered his plan, I came to warn you.”“So I’m just supposed to believe you did that out of the kindness of your heart?” Caden sneered. “You stormed out after