Alle Kapitel von The Alpha Forgets : Kapitel 51 – Kapitel 60

51 Lotty didn’t realize how tired she was until she closed the bathroom door behind her. The training with Garrick had been intense physically, mentally, and emotionally. Every movement corrected, every mistake pointed out, every success measured and then immediately pushed further. And on top of that, the adrenaline from the accident in the training hall still lingered in her system like a low hum. She turned the shower on hotter than usual. Steam filled the room quickly, wrapping around her as she stepped under the spray, letting the heat sink into muscles that ached in places she hadn’t used this way before. For a few minutes, she didn’t think about anything. Not the pack. Not the whispers. Not the council. Not the future. Just the water. Just breathing. By the time she stepped out, her body felt looser, her mind clearer, though not entirely quiet. She wrapped a towel around herself, twisting another through her damp hair, and pushed the bathroom door open as she walked back i

53 The announcement had settled over Dark Mountain like a storm that hadn’t quite decided if it was finished. By mid-morning, every wolf in the territory knew. By noon, they were still reacting. And by the time Decker stepped into the strategy room with Tony, the ripple effects were already spreading beyond their borders. Tony didn’t waste time. “The message went farther than just the pack,” he said, shutting the door behind him. “Our allies heard it too.” Decker leaned against the edge of the table, arms folded. “Good.” Tony gave him a look. “Not all of them will agree.” “I didn’t ask them to.” Tony exhaled through his nose, pacing once before stopping across from him. “No. But they were expecting something else.” Decker’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Explain.” Tony tapped a finger against the map spread across the table Dark Mountain in the center, Edgewater Falls to the west, and to the east… “Alpha Morgan’s territory,” he said. Decker followed the motion. Tony continued, “Mo

55 Lotty’s first day at the hospital started with a knot in her stomach and Garrick waiting outside her door like judgment in human form. He stood with his hands folded behind his back, dressed in dark clothes instead of formal guard gear, but nothing about him looked less watchful because of it. “You’re early,” Lotty said, stepping into the hallway. “You’re on duty.” “That sounds like a yes.” “It is.” She sighed, adjusting the strap of the bag over her shoulder. “You know, for someone assigned as an assistant, you do a very convincing impression of a bodyguard.” Garrick looked at her evenly. “I am both.” “That’s comforting.” “It is meant to be.” Lotty rolled her eyes and started down the hall. Garrick fell into step beside her with the kind of quiet presence she was already learning to expect. He didn’t crowd her. He didn’t hover. But he was always there, always watching the corners, always aware of who was in front of them and who was behind. The morning air outside was c

57 The moment it happened Decker felt it. Not as a thought. Not as a warning. As an impact. The bond between them snapped tight, violent, raw, flooding him with Lotty’s adrenaline, her fear, the sharp spike of danger that didn’t belong in a hospital. For a fraction of a second, everything in him went still. Then it exploded. The chair behind him slammed into the wall as he stood too fast, the wood cracking under the force. “Decker?” Tony started. “Lotty.” That was all he said. But the way he said it, every wolf in the room froze. The temperature dropped. The air thickened. Alpha. Not calm. Not controlled. Rage. Pure. Unfiltered. Decker didn’t wait. Didn’t explain. He was already moving, already halfway to the door before Tony fully registered what was happening. “Hospital,” Tony snapped, already following. “Something’s wrong.” Decker didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. The bond pulsed again. Alive. She was alive. But something had tried to harm her. His vision sharpened dangerous

59 Morning came slower than usual. Not because the sun lingered. Because the night hadn’t lasted long enough. Lotty woke with that strange, weighted awareness that came after too little sleep and too much tension. For a moment she stayed still, staring at the ceiling, listening. The packhouse was awake. Distant footsteps. Voices in the hall. Movement. Normal. But beneath it something else. Tighter. More alert. She turned her head. Decker was already up. Dressed. Moving quietly near the window, speaking low into the pack link she could feel the subtle hum of it even if she couldn’t hear the words. Planning. Adjusting. Preparing. She pushed herself up, rubbing a hand over her face. “You’re up early.” He glanced back. “I didn’t sleep much.” “Same.” A small pause. “You don’t have to go to the hospital today,” he said. “I know.” “And you’re not leaving the packhouse.” Lotty raised a brow. “That sounded less like a suggestion.” “It wasn’t.” She studied him. The control in his vo