All Chapters of The Alpha's Prisoner : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ryker POV I watched Maya through the rearview mirror as Kade pulled the vehicle to a complete stop on the side of the road. Her face had gone pale white, her breathing shallow and quick. The moment the door opened, she stumbled out and fell to her knees. My chest tightened as I followed her, gathering her hair away from her face as her body rejected everything inside.This was what Marcus had done to her. Reduced a strong wolf to this—terrified of even crossing a border. I kept one hand steady on her shoulder, letting her know I was there, that she wasn't alone. Owen brought water and tissues without being asked. Good man."I can't," Maya gasped, wiping her mouth with trembling hands. "I can't go in there."I knelt beside her on the cold ground, my hand moving to cup her face gently. "Yes, you can. Look at me, Maya." Her tear-filled eyes met mine. "You've already done the hardest part. You came this far. The border is behind us now. We're together in this, and I won't leave your side

Maya Pov "You will apologize to Maya." His voice was quiet, but it filled the entire room. Every wolf present felt the weight of it, the command of an Alpha who expected to be obeyed.Sienna's face twisted with indignation. "It was an accident! I already said—""It was deliberate. Everyone here saw it." Ryker's eyes swept the room, landing on each Alpha in turn. "Alpha Rodriguez, did that look like an accident to you?"Alpha Rodriguez shook his head slowly. "No. That was intentional.""Alpha Tanaka?""Deliberate," she confirmed, her expression cold with disapproval.Sienna's cheeks flushed red with anger and embarrassment. Being called out in front of the most powerful wolves in the region clearly hadn't been part of her plan. "I don't have to apologize for anything. This is my home, my pack—""And Maya is my mate." Ryker's voice dropped even lower, more dangerous. "Which means any attack on her is an attack on me. Do you really want to make an enemy of the Nightshade Pack, Sienna?"

Maya Pov Marcus stared at us for a long moment, his expression calculating. Then, surprisingly, he stepped back. "Get out of this room. Now. Before I report this violation to Alpha Ryker myself."We didn't need to be told twice. Kade and Owen hurried me out, their bodies still positioned protectively around mine. Marcus watched us go with that cold smile on his face, like he'd won something. Like he knew secrets we didn't.As we rushed down the hallway, I couldn't shake the image of that blood. Someone was being hurt. Someone needed help. And I'd just walked away from them."We have to tell Ryker," Owen said as we descended the stairs."Agreed. But carefully. Marcus is looking for any excuse to cause trouble." Kade guided me toward the main floor, his hand steady on my elbow.We emerged into the main hallway just as voices rose from somewhere nearby—Ryker's and Marcus's, raised in argument. Whatever private meeting they'd been having wasn't going well.I stood there, torn between go

Ryker POV The Council chamber was empty when Marcus led us inside, which told me everything I needed to know. This wasn't about the meeting at all. This was a trap, a private confrontation disguised as official business. I kept my expression neutral, but every instinct I had screamed danger.Marcus closed the door behind us with a soft click that sounded too much like a lock engaging. Maya stood close to me, her body tense, her breathing shallow. Something had happened while I was in that earlier meeting with Marcus. Something that had shaken her badly. I could feel her distress through our bond, sharp and electric."Please, sit." Marcus gestured to the long conference table that dominated the room. Chairs lined both sides, but he positioned himself at the head like a king on his throne. I guided Maya to a seat on the opposite end, putting as much distance as possible between her and her uncle. Kade and Owen flanked us, their presence a silent reminder that Maya wasn't alone anymore.

Maya Pov The sitting room felt too small, the walls pressing in from all sides. Ryker held my hands, his grip steady and warm, but I could barely feel it. My mind kept circling back to Marcus's words, to the photographs of me as a child surrounded by medical equipment, to the horrible possibility that I wasn't who I thought I was."I need air." I pulled away from Ryker, standing on shaky legs. "I need to think.""Maya, we should stay together until the Council meeting—" Ryker started, but I was already moving toward the door."I just need a minute. Please." My voice cracked on the last word. I couldn't break down here, not in front of everyone. I needed space to process everything Marcus had told us, to try to make sense of the impossible.Kade caught my arm gently. "I'll go with her. Just a quick walk, clear her head. We won't leave the packhouse."Ryker looked like he wanted to argue, but Owen put a hand on his shoulder. "Let her breathe, Alpha. We've got thirty minutes before the