Todos os capítulos de MARKED BY THE ALPHA CEO: Capítulo 171 - Capítulo 180

Aéron's point of view The mountain had swallowed the sunlight long before sunset. I noticed it only when I looked up and realized the sky above us had turned into a narrow strip of darkness between the enormous trees. It wasn't supposed to be this late.We still had time before sunset, yet the forest around us looked as though night had already fallen. The trees were too dense. Their branches twisted over one another, creating a natural roof that blocked whatever light remained above the mountains. Even my enhanced vision struggled to see more than a few dozen feet ahead.I didn't like it, not one bit. My warriors moved behind me in a tight formation, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of leaves and damp earth covering the mountain floor. I kept scanning the surroundings.From.left to right, then above but there was nothing, yet it made everything worse somehow. This mountain had been wrong from the moment we entered it. First, two warriors disappeared after going ahead to sc

Elara's point of viewThe river swallowed me whole. For several terrifying seconds, I couldn't tell which way was up. Cold water rushed over my head, filled my ears, and dragged at my body with a force that made every muscle in me scream. I kicked blindly, fighting against the current while panic clawed through my chest.“Keep swimming,” Nyra whispered inside my mind. “Don't look back.”I didn't, If I looked back and saw Caius behind me, I knew the last piece of hope inside me would shatter. My lungs burned as I kicked harder. Finally, my hand struck something solid beneath the water. I pushed against it and forced myself upward until my head broke through the surface.I gasped for air and coughed violently, dragging myself toward the riverbank. My fingers dug into wet soil, and with the last of my strength, I pulled myself onto the shore. For several seconds, I simply lay there. Water dripped from my hair and soaked my clothes. My entire body trembled from cold and exhaustion.A brok

Aéron's POVZorya attacked before I could say another word. I barely managed to block her first strike. The impact traveled through my arms, forcing me to take a step backward, and the murmurs around the clearing immediately turned into cheers. Her warriors sounded far too pleased with themselves. I wondered how many had gathered here expecting to watch me lose.Judging by their expressions, most of them. Wonderful. I had crossed a mountain full of traps, watched my warriors die, and fought my way through an army of rogues, only to become entertainment for a group of strangers. At least I could disappoint them before I left.Zorya swung again. I ducked beneath her arm and aimed a punch at her ribs, but she twisted away before my knuckles could connect. Her elbow struck my shoulder, and she followed with a kick that sent me stumbling sideways.She was fast. Faster than I had expected. I straightened, rolling my shoulder to ease the sting. "Do you always greet your guests like this?""O

Aéron's POVThe smell of roasted meat filled the camp, but I had barely touched the food on my plate. After everything we had endured in these mountains, sitting beside a fire with a proper meal should have felt like a blessing.Zorya's people had provided us with shelter, food, and a small camp where my warriors could rest before we continued our journey at dawn. They had even offered blankets and supplies for the wounded. It was more kindness than I had expected from a woman who had nearly broken my bones earlier that afternoon.Unfortunately, hospitality did not mean trust.Her warriors remained scattered around the camp, watching us from beneath lowered brows. Some sat near the surrounding trees, while others stood guard at the entrance. Every time one of my men moved too quickly, a pair of eyes followed him. If suspicion could kill, half my army would already be dead.I couldn't entirely blame them. We were strangers who had crossed their borders, and our presence had disturbed w

Elara's POVThe moment Nyra lunged, the entire room seemed to tremble beneath her paws. I had never experienced anything like it. I was still there, somewhere deep inside my own body, watching through her eyes, feeling every movement but having no control over it. It was as though I had become a passenger inside a creature I had spent my entire life believing was simply a part of me.Except Nyra wasn't simply a part of me and now I was beginning to understand just how much she had been holding back.Caius barely had time to react before Nyra slammed into him. His massive wolf form crashed against the stone floor, sending a nearby table tumbling over. She seized his shoulder between her jaws and shook him violently before throwing him against the wall.A low growl rumbled through her chest. Get up.I could feel her anger. It wasn't the ordinary fury of a wolf defending herself. It was something deeper, something that had been buried for centuries. Caius struggled to his feet, shaking