All Chapters of FATED TO THE ALPHA MATED FOR ETERNITY : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

David's blood was boiling. He hadn't even clocked that Heather had slipped away until her trail was already going cold in the woods, and the panic clawing at his chest felt like it might rip him open."We're gonna track her down," Rowan told him, voice steady but eyes doubtful.David didn't buy it for a second. Deep in his bones, something screamed that she wasn't okay that she was in real trouble right now. His mate needed him, and every passing minute without her felt like a countdown to disaster.The beast inside refused to settle. It paced, snarled, and demanded action.He didn't bother looking back at Rowan. Bones cracked, fur rippled over skin, and he dropped to all fours as the wolf took over. One deep pull of air through his nostrils, then he launched forward, tearing through underbrush and leaping fallen logs like they were nothing. The forest blurred past him. There had to be a clue he'd overlooked. Heather wouldn't just ditch him not without a word, not after everything. So

The crowd erupted again, roaring for more blood, more chaos.Heather lifted her head, squinting against the harsh lights and the wall of noise laughter, shouts, the clink of bottles. She couldn’t make out faces, only shapes leaning over railings.“What’s happening now?” she asked, voice low.The scarred wolf beside her gave a slow shake of his head. “No idea. They’ve never pulled this stunt before.”That didn’t help the knot in her stomach.He leaned closer. “Listen. If we both shift full change right here it’ll scare the shit out of them. Might give us enough of a window to bolt.”“Are you out of your mind?” Heather snapped. “We can’t expose ourselves like that. Never. Not to humans.”A dark chuckle rumbled in his throat. “I didn’t say they’d live to tell anyone.”She stared at him, really looked. The guy was half-starved, open wounds still weeping, ribs showing under patchy fur. He’d torn into that steak like it was his last meal because it probably was. These people weren’t feeding

She rippled fur surging forward then retreating in uneven waves, like her body couldn’t decide which shape it wanted. The bear was still raw, untrained, a live wire with no grounding. David watched, jaw tight, half-convinced she’d lose the battle and stay stuck somewhere in between. After what felt like forever, the shift finally settled. Human skin emerged, pale and trembling, and she slumped against the rope, breathing hard.“Move!” he barked.Flames were already licking up from the cluster of parked trucks, orange tongues jumping higher with every gust of wind. A forest fire down here would be catastrophic smoke thick enough to choke lungs, trees going up like tinder. The she-bear gripped the rope and started climbing, but her arms shook, progress agonizingly slow.David spun, not liking Maddox at his six. They stared each other down, sizing up scars and intent.“I never touched her wrong,” Maddox said quietly. “Name’s Maddox, by the way.”David rolled a shoulder. Didn’t matter. Ev

David felt it in his gut like a lead weight he wasn’t thinking straight about Maddox. Not even close. Every instinct screamed to rip the newcomer’s throat out, end the gnawing itch under his skin once and for all. He hated how possessive his wolf had become, hated that Heather’s scent had ever touched another male, even for survival. But he kept his mouth shut and followed Rowan toward the back of the property, past the old barn where moonlight spilled silver across the grass.Maddox sat cross-legged on the ground, head tilted back, staring straight up at the sky. One deep breath and David caught it salt and wet cheeks. The guy was crying, quiet and private.“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Maddox said, voice rough but soft.No one moved. They just watched him watch the stars.Reese broke the quiet first. “What’s going on, man?”Maddox didn’t look down. “Couple months back those hunters grabbed me. Worst day of my damn life. They had no idea what I was why would they? I’d been running four

Heather spun at the wet crunch behind her. Maddox lay sprawled on the hallway floor, one hand clamped over his stomach, blood seeping between his fingers. David stood over the hunter’s corpse, hoisting the limp body onto his shoulder like it weighed nothing. The man’s head lolled at a grotesque angle, neck clearly broken.She crossed the distance in three quick steps and cupped David’s face, thumbs brushing the tension from his jaw. “You saved me.”David shook his head once, sharp. “No. He did. I just made sure the bastard stayed down.”Heather glanced back. Maddox managed a crooked smile through the pain. “Guess that squares us. I’m in your debt.”David’s voice came out low and lethal. “You’re not in her debt anymore. Consider it paid with interest.”Maddox grunted, pressing harder against the wound. “Bullet caught me in the gut. Wouldn’t have killed her. Not a fatal shot. I’ll live.”Heather started toward him, concern flickering. David’s low growl stopped her cold his wolf wouldn’t