MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA
Chapter 83: Beta Thane’s Headache

Chapter 83: Beta Thane’s Headache

Beta Thane stood resolute at the West border, flanked by a formidable force of nearly a thousand warriors, their eyes fixed intently on the horizon.

The ground trembled beneath their feet as the enemies emerged from the dusty horizon, their werewolves’ pounding hooves growing louder, a deafening drumbeat that signaled the impending battle.

The numbers were overwhelming: over three thousand warriors as they stretched across the horizon, a seemingly endless sea of teeth and claws.

Beta Thane’s heart dropped.

The threat of fighting these incoming invaders, while also looking out for the rogues who’d likely take advantage of the situation to infiltrate the pack, and lastly, substaining the manpower needed for the winter ahead, was almost suffocating.

Unless everyone set aside everything else to join hands in fighting these invaders, they would lose, but that would leave the pack vulnerable to the rogues’ attack.

Beta Thane felt a headache coming on. He wished that the Luna was present. Now, he finally understood the weight of responsibility she carried, the constant juggling of pack politics, security, and survival. Her absence had left a gaping void, and Beta Thane felt the strain of filling it.

Just when he was losing hope, he saw a familiar wolf, one he’d fought side by side with for years - Zeta Tara.

...

Meanwhile, in the heart of the forest, Xavier awoke with a start when he inhaled the acrid scent of smoke, his instincts snapping him into alertness.

"You’re awake."

Xavier turned to the speaker, his eyes adjusting to the dim light in the camp. Three men stood by the makeshift bed, watching him like predators. Their unpleasant smell wafted into his nose, and he subconsciously scrunched up his face in distaste...

Xavier’s instincts flared to life, his eyes snapping wide.

Rogues!

Xavier felt uneasy, his mind racing, he took stock of his surroundings, searching for an escape route or a weakness in his captors.

The men, seeming to sense his tension, took a step closer, their movements eerily synchronized. "Don’t even think about it." Gideon, one of the rogue leaders said.

"What do you want from me? Why did you kidnap me?" Xavier shot back, his eyes blazing with fury.

Victor smiled, the scars on his face giving a sinister edge, his voice dripping with menace. "Your cooperation, otherwise we can’t guarantee that you’d leave this forest with your life..."

"His father is an Elder, and his mother is the sister to Alpha Killian of the West Wood Pack. Surely, we can’t kill him," Moss said languidly, as if he had no interest in this messy situation.

Victor’s gaze snapped to Moss, his expression darkening. "You think that’s a reason to spare him? His family connections make him a liability."

Moss shrugged, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I’m merely pointing out the potential consequences. But, of course, you know best, Victor." His tone was thick with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes, folding his arm across his chest as leaned his weight on the wooden pillar holding the tent in place.

"You two, enough already!" Gideon growled, his eyes blazed with anger as he glared at the two. Couldn’t they see that they had a captive?

Meanwhile, Xavier had sensed the tension in the group and his mind spiraled with possibilities. A divided enemy was a vulnerable one. He filed away the information, his gaze darting between Gideon, Victor, and Moss, searching for any weakness he could exploit.

The dynamics between the three rogues were complex, and Xavier sensed that there was more to their hierarchy than met the eye. He made a mental note to keep a close eye on the tension between them, hoping to use it to his advantage.

"A live captive is far more valuable than a dead one," a low, mysterious voice called out from the darkness beyond the camp. A masked figure emerged from the shadows, their presence seeming to command attention. "If he refuses to cooperate, you can always... alter him. Render him useless and compliant."

Xavier’s heart took a dive. That voice...he was the hooded person who kidnapped him from the dungeon!

But did he mean by "Alter him?"

Xavier’s mind recoiled in horror as the masked figure’s words hung in the air like a specter. What did they plan to do to him? He remembered the strange, pungent smell in the dungeon, and his stomach churned with a growing sense of dread. The figure’s gaze locked onto his, and Xavier felt a shiver run down his spine as he beheld the yellow eyes.

Who was this person, and what did they want from him?

"You mean?" Gideon asked.

"The Serum," the masked figure replied, their voice low and gravelly. "A little dose of my special concoction will make him... more agreeable. And if not, a higher dose could alter his mind forever."

"Wh– what do you want from me?" Xavier’s voice trembled as he spoke, his eyes fixed on the masked figure with a growing sense of terror. The figure’s gaze seemed to bore into his soul, and Xavier felt his heart racing with trepidation.

"We want information," the masked figure stated, his voice cold and calculating. "Every detail you possess about Luna Reana’s plans, strategies, and thoughts."

Xavier’s head snapped back and forth in a fierce denial. "I don’t know anything," he insisted, his voice firm. "Luna Reana doesn’t confide in me, in anyone. She’s the Luna - her thoughts and plans are her own, and I’m not privy to them."

"What’s behind the recent frenzy in the pack?" Xavier was pressed for answers. "Why is Luna Reana constructing a wall around the pack’s territory?"

"She said it’s to prepare for the coming winter," Xavier replied, trying to sound convincing.

The masked man’s expression remained skeptical. "Winter’s an annual occurrence," he pointed out, his voice laced with disdain. "It’s not a sufficient reason for Luna Reana to undertake such an extensive and costly project. There’s more to it."

Xavier’s voice cracked as he spoke, his throat dry with fear. "Then... I don’t have anything else to tell you," he stammered, his eyes darting nervously towards the masked figure.

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