All Chapters of Alpha’s Blood Mate: Chapter 181 - Chapter 190

I shook Tiago's hand and pulled Atlas and Rowan into a hug. "I better see you all in Croatia. Understood?""We'll be there with bells on, bro," Rowan said, some of his usual self finally breaking through. "These fuckers aren't going to stop us."With a firm nod, Lyanna and I made our way to our gate while our three friends headed in the opposite direction. I would have been lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind that it might be the last time I saw any of them, but I had to push those dark thoughts down and keep moving. The rest of the check-in process went without a single problem. It was actually somewhat surprising that everything went so smoothly. Even on a normal flight, I always braced for something to go sideways.I had booked first-class seats. No point in cutting corners when we might not make it back. If things went wrong, we might as well go out in comfort. It gave Lyanna and me a bit of privacy since we had the entire row to ourselves. The sun had barely cleare

The first course arrived, a salad of diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers topped with crumbled sheep's milk cheese. The dressing was vinegar-based with some herb or spice I couldn't quite identify, but it was outstanding. From the sounds of pleasure coming from Lyanna, I was confident she felt the same way. The boat glided along the bay's coastline, and we caught our first real look at the vineyards the captain had described. The entire hillside was lined with stone walls built to hold back erosion, stacked like steps carved out for a race of giants. The vines were dormant at this time of year, but the sheer scale of them was something to behold.The second course was a bowl of clams in a wine and garlic broth with thick slices of toasted bread on the side. By that point, the boat had turned and was heading out into the open waters of the Adriatic Sea. Lyanna and I watched the scenery drift past and shared another glass of wine. The main course was a lamb chop in a rosemary cream s

He nodded and helped me out of the car, though I could see the guarded look that remained in his eyes. I walked over to join the others, Leo falling in behind me. Rowan was signing some paperwork while Atlas and Tiago hauled the gear toward the small boat we had rented. Leo headed toward the little office at the edge of the dock to pick up the keys.After handing the clipboard back to the rental guy, Rowan shook the man's hand. The guy made his way back to his truck and drove off. Rowan glanced over at me and pressed his lips together. He looked concerned. "Lyanna, you don't look good.""Thanks, you're pretty hot yourself, big guy."Brushing off my comment, he said, "We haven't even stepped onto the boat yet and you already look seasick. What's going on?"I shook my head. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. I've never dived before. I think the anxiety is starting to get the better of me. All the talk about how dangerous cave diving is, it's beginning to sink in." The lie came out smoothl

I glanced back at the others and saw Leo holding up the okay sign. I nodded and swam toward the opening, moving more carefully now, alert to whatever else might be lurking down in the dark with us. The dive lights revealed an inclined passage that led deeper into the cave. I tugged the rope to signal the others to follow and swam forward.The tunnel was wide enough that I didn't feel hemmed in, which was a relief. I had already been forced to deal with my fear of snakes. Claustrophobia on top of that would have been too much. The cave angled upward, growing steeper until it was nearly vertical, and then opened without warning into an enormous chamber completely free of water. My dive light bounced off slick stone and rows of stalactites hanging from above. The moment we surfaced, my wolf began to whine. The magic in that place was almost something you could reach out and touch.I swam to the edge and pulled myself up onto a wide shelf of rock. It was graceless and effortful, somewhere

"Sorry for the deception. I'm sure you understand what is at stake right now. If you are reading this, then the worst has come to pass for me and my family. You are the last of us and the only hope we have of stopping the usurpers. We had to have another safeguard in case they discovered how to get past the magical barrier. With the destruction of the cavern, the witch has been notified. She will reveal the final location of my life's blood, the essence of the werewolf. Good luck, and Godspeed., Edemas"I growled and looked up at Lyanna. "What the fuck?"She stood there with her arms crossed, looking even more furious than I felt. "Exactly." She threw her hands up. "What is all this? It's like some massive, idiotic wild goose chase." Her eyes were beginning to go red, but I was too angry myself to try and settle her down.I hurled the vial into the ocean, putting every bit of my frustration behind the throw. It made a deeply unsatisfying little plop as it broke the surface. We were