All Chapters of The Alpha's Fated Desire: Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

{Dominic}It should’ve rained.The sky should’ve opened up and poured every ounce of heaven’s wrath on Crownshaven, just to match the way my chest felt like it had caved in. But no. The skies were blue, mockingly clear. And a warm breeze swept across my blood-soaked shirt like the deities above were applauding my fall.I was dragged across the ground. Literally.Two of Varen’s warriors had me by the arms, hauling me across the marble like I was yesterday’s garbage. My feet scraped lifelessly behind me, boots leaving a trail of blood and broken pride all the way to the front gates of the villa.“Mind the step,” one of them muttered, and then ruthlessly shoved my already battered body down the stone stairs.I hit every single one.“Son of a—” My voice cracked as I rolled, bones screaming with every jolt. My vision sparked white at the edges. I bit back the groan climbing up my throat because I’d be damned if I gave them that satisfaction.Corvin was waiting at the bottom, looking every

{Lyra}I sat there for a while, pondering my next move. I still couldn’t move, but my tongue tingled every once in a while, and I had a crazy idea to try and speak.My voice cracked on the way out, rough from disuse, but somehow, it made it through the heavy silence. One of the figures in the corner lifted her head.“Mace,” I tried again, louder this time.She turned, her eyes flicking toward me with suspicion. I willed my gaze to hold hers like it mattered more than breathing.“What did you just say?” she muttered.“Mace… It’s me. Lyra.”She stood slowly, chains clinking as she did, and stalked across the cell like a cautious predator. When she got close enough to see my face, her lips curled into a snarl.“Nice try, witch.”“No, no—it’s not her. It’s not Alissa. I swear, it’s me,” I said quickly, blinking hard, trying to force some truth into my eyes. “I don’t know how to prove it, but I’m me, Mace. I’m Lyra.”Mace squinted. “You expect me to believe that after everything that’s hap

{Lyra}I stared at him, heart pounding so loud it echoed in my ears. He turned and began to walk away, but not before tossing the vial back up, catching it neatly.“Sweet dreams, little witch.”The silence that followed his footsteps echoed louder than any scream. The vial’s glow still flickered behind my eyelids. He wanted to finish what Alissa started. He wanted to seal the curse and tie it with a pretty bow made of my blood. My life. And for what? Immortality? What use was a sad life that never ended? No useful bonds formed.“You’re pathetic, Varen.” I spat, but he obviously couldn’t hear me.I tried to slow my breathing, but my thoughts didn’t listen.“Dominic was dying. Alissa wasn’t letting go. Varen wants to kill me. I might as well be powerless.”I wanted to scream. I wanted to set the stone walls on fire with my bare hands and rip the chains off Mace and myself. I wanted to undo everything, rewind time, kiss Dominic’s stupid, furrowed brow, and tell him I never stopped bein

{Dominic}Before anything else could be said Ryker pulled me into a hug so tight I thought he’d finish what death started.“Easy,” I grunted, barely keeping the groan in.He didn’t let go.“Damn it, Dominic. You can’t do that to me,” he muttered.I froze for a second. Then wrapped my arms around him, ignoring the pain dancing across my ribs.It wasn’t just a reunion hug. It was the kind you gave a brother who you thought was dead.He finally stepped back, looking me over with narrowed eyes like he was trying to make sure I was really here.“You died, man.” His voice dropped, letting a flood of emotion overwhelm him for a few precious breaths.I exhaled slowly, not quite sure how to process everything myself.He rubbed his hands down his face. “Shit. I knew it. I felt it. The second it happened, it was like something snapped in my chest. And I just, I couldn’t sit still. Couldn't believe it. So I came running.”He paced a little, stepping around a shelf of dried herbs and what looked

{Dominic}The road back to Crownshaven was darker than I expected. Maybe it was the clouds, maybe it was my own shadow stretching longer after everything I'd lost in the span of 48 hours.We traveled by moonlight, slipping through the forest like shadows with an agenda. The path was tight, crooked, and overgrown,Ryker moved a few paces ahead of me, silent for the most part, occasionally brushing aside a low-hanging branch or grumbling when his boots hit a root.“Are we close?” I asked, ducking under some overgrowth that clung to my shoulders.Ryker glanced back, grin sharp under the moonlight. “Starting to think I dragged a ghost with me. You’ve barely made a sound.”“I’m savoring the peace,” I muttered. “Won’t be much of that once we walk into a warzone.”“Fair enough.”Another mile passed. The wind had a cold bite to it, but the walk was brisk enough to warm the blood in my sore limbs. Despite the tension humming beneath my skin, I could feel myself returning to that old rhythm of