All Chapters of Alpha’s Blood Mate: Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

Leo nodded, and the easy smile on his face slowly faded. “I’m sorry we couldn’t save Gabriella. We spent too long hunting for that scroll. We had to get you out before they regrouped and came rushing back. I’m… I’m really sorry.”I thought back to the fierce determination in my mother’s eyes the last time they dragged her away. A quiet certainty had settled in my mind, and I shook my head. “She’ll be okay. I think she’s already come to terms with whatever happens next. I want her safe more than anything, but we did everything we could. If anyone can give Viola and her whole twisted organization hell, it’s Gabriella. Honestly? I think she let them catch her on purpose.”“What?” Leo looked completely thrown, like I’d just claimed I was from another planet.“She’s spent almost thirty years staying one step ahead of everyone. After all that time, you really think she’d screw up and get nabbed right before the super moon by accident?” I shook my head again. “No. It was deliberate. Maybe sh

The press room exploded into a storm of shouted questions, flashbulbs popping like crazy. The secretary raised his hands to quiet everyone down and pointed to a woman in the front row, one I’d seen on the evening news for years. “Yes? Samantha?” he said, motioning to her.She stood and nodded. “What’s the administration’s plan to handle this? Early reports already show nearly a dozen deaths caused by these infected shifters. How are you going to protect the public? Are there any treatments or cures being developed?”The press secretary shifted uncomfortably for a second, glanced at his notes, then took a deep breath. I could tell whatever he was about to say was going to be bad, especially for shifters.He looked up. “Yes, this is an extremely serious situation. Roughly thirty percent of the U.S. population are shifters. Those numbers, combined with what we’re seeing, have pushed the president to take… extraordinary steps to safeguard both the human population and shifters themselves.

He chuckled and turned to face me, making us stop walking. “I know it got under your skin, but”, he pointed back toward the house, “those frightened old men are still on our side. We need every single person we can rally to take down Viola and her whole operation. Especially now with all the added dangers we’re facing.”“We haven’t had any trouble here yet,” I said. Leo broke eye contact and stared at the ground. I could tell he was about to say something I wouldn’t like. I nudged him. “What happened? Just tell me.”He let out a heavy sigh and forced himself to meet my gaze again. “Some local cops showed up at the security gate earlier. They asked if we had any feral shifters on the property. They didn’t push hard or ask if we were planning to head to the holding facility down in Tampa, but that’s only because they probably still have some respect for our family. Dad always stepped up whenever the community needed help, he’s done a ton of volunteer work over the years.” He shook his h

When Lyanna and Mira came down the stairs, I tried not to stare. Mira hadn’t left her room more than a handful of times since getting back. I’d started worrying she might need professional help of some kind. But there she was, holding Lyanna’s hand with a small, hesitant smile on her face. They headed straight for the kitchen without stopping to talk to anyone else.Across the room, Rowan sat on the couch with his eyes glued to Mira. A worried, thoughtful expression covered his face. He wasn’t even trying to hide it. I let out a quiet sigh and walked over to sit beside him. The house was full of noise and movement, enough chaos that most people wouldn’t notice how intently he was watching her. It was harmless enough, but we both knew he needed to dial it back before she caught on.“Hey?” I said, giving his knee a light nudge.“Hmm?” Rowan answered absently, eyes still fixed on Mira.“Bro? Staring at her like that isn’t going to make her feel any less on edge.”Finally he tore his gaze

When the alphas began arriving, I couldn’t focus on much else. A call from the guard house let us know the first ones were coming, and from my upstairs bedroom window, I watched the initial trucks and cars roll up the road and turn toward the meeting hall. It seemed like the rest of Leo’s pack was just as curious, plenty of folks stood on their porches watching the procession come in. A strange mix of excitement and dread hung thick in the air.After nearly two hours, I was inside the meeting hall, and every alpha had shown up. Every single alpha from the southern half of Florida had come. Some from smaller packs arrived alone, while others from bigger groups brought two or three elders or high-ranking members along. Florida was a stronghold for wolf shifters, and about ninety percent of the men there were wolves. There was also a small group of panther and bear shifters. Leo’s cousin Eliza pointed out a grizzled older man who was apparently the alpha of a gator shifter clan, one of t