MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA
Chapter 191: The Wasteland

Chapter 191: The Wasteland

Reana didn’t know why, but she felt extremely restless as the night drew closer.

She stood on her balcony, looking into the distance, beyond the colorful garden and into the woods. She wished she could see what her delegation was doing.

Maybe she shouldn’t have sent them to the islands. Maybe she should’ve gone herself. At least then she wouldn’t be standing here, heart pounding with a dread she couldn’t name.

The wind brushed past her like a warning, sending chills down her spine, despite wearing a thick cloak. Her fingers tightened on her cloak, drawing it closer as of it could shield her from the unease curling in her chest.

Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her, but before she could blink, he wrapped her into a tight embrace. His hot breath fanned her neck, and subconsciously, she purred, leaning into his familiar warmth like she’d been wanting it.

"You’re worried," Ryder’s calm voice sounded beside her ears.

"I am," she admitted.

Ryder’s arms tightened around her, strong and unyielding. His arms stayed wrapped around her as if he could cage away the creeping unease just by holding her.

"My people said they left the islands in good health..." he said softly, hesitatingly. He rested his chin on her shoulder. "They should be close to home by now."

"Then, why are there no signs of them? Why didn’t they reply to letters? Why do I feel so restless?" Reana whispered, her voice barely carrying over the wind. "I can feel they’re in danger, Ryder. Perhaps, they’re already dead."

"That’s not true," he said, his lips brushing against her ear, softly, slowly, sending a shiver down her spine. And hoping it could distract her. "My people are already on the move. You’ll get news soon," he murmured, "and it will be good. You have to believe that."

Reana closed her eyes, drawing strength from his presence. Still, the tremble in her chest didn’t go away. "I’m trying," she said. "But something in the air feels wrong. Like we’re standing at the edge of a storm, pretending it’s just a breeze."

Ryder didn’t speak. He just held her tighter, burying his face in her hair.

Then, he said quietly, "Do you want me to go out there and –"

"No," she interrupted him, her nails digging gently into his skin. "You’re not strong yet. I can’t let you go out there to..." she hesitated and changed her wording, "...cause more trouble, or become a missing person."

Ryder chuckled, his chest vibrated against her, easing Reana’s worries a little.

"As you wish, My Luna." He planted a soft kiss in the middle of her head, then rested his cheek gently on her head, eyes closed as his mind traveled.

No, he wasn’t thinking, he was communicating.

Silence descended on the two, disturbed only by the occasional hoot of an owl in the distance. Reana stood still, feeling Ryder’s presence as a steady weight against her back, grounding her in a way that she hadn’t realized she needed.

After what seemed like forever, she opened her mouth. A soft, almost inaudible question left her mouth. It was as if she wished he wouldn’t hear her, but he did.

"What is the terrain, the roads to the Southern islands like?"

"Danger," he whispered.

Reana shut her eyes, her heart beating faster at his single word. She knew the path to the islands wasn’t safe. She knew that every path to them was fraught with hazards, but she also knew they were dangers that could be bypassed. She knew that her high-ranking warriors, led by Yaz, a powerful high-ranking warrior she handpicked, would be able to overcome the dangers, yet, hearing Ryder say that one word, her heart dropped.

Reana had never been to the Southern islands. In fact, none of their people had ever been to the southern islands. But they’ve heard stories from the merchants that used to bring their merchandise. They learned the route to the islands from those people, and they’d confirm those routes with scouts – birds.

"There are many routes to the islands," Ryder’s voice sounded again. "But only one is a death zone," Ryder finished, his voice low, like a secret he wasn’t sure he should be sharing right now. "The wasteland."

He dropped the bomb and Reana frowned slightly. "What’s the wasteland like?

Ryder breathed. "The wasteland stretches as far as the eyes can see. The landscape is divided into three paths. The snowy mountains. It snows all year round there—thick, blinding blizzards, freezing winds that can turn blood to ice in minutes, depending on the time of the day. No one who goes there survives the cold at night." He paused.

"The cold is not the only thing one needs to look out for." His gaze shifted into the horizon. Silence followed after, a thick silence that even the wind froze for a moment, listening. "It’s the monsters."

Reana’s grip on his arm tightened, believing her people would never go there.

"And the other two?" she asked, voice low.

"The black marshes," Ryder murmured. "Poisoned land. The ground there swallows anything heavier than dying vegetation. It’s said that the marsh itself is alive, that it feeds on blood and metal. Even birds avoid flying over it."

Reana’s lips parted, but no words came. Her heart stopped for a moment before she breathed.

"And the third?"

Ryder’s voice was almost inaudible now. "The glass sands."

She turned her head slightly. "Glass?"

He nodded slowly. "A desert of white, shimmering sand that reflects the sun like broken mirrors. At noon, it blinds you. At night, it sings." He paused. "And if you hear the singing... you don’t wake up the next morning."

A cold silence fell between them. Not even the wind dared interrupt it.

Reana took a shaky breath. "You think they entered the wasteland?"

"I don’t know," he answered, reluctantly. "But if they did... Yaz wouldn’t make that choice unless someone forced his hand."

Reana’s heart clenched painfully. She refused to accept that... that theory. "Or maybe, maybe they took another route, a farther route... And the messenger birds we sent missed them...?" her breath shook, her throat tightened. She didn’t believe her own theory either.

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