Reclaimed By The Alpha King
Chapter 121

Every step they took echoed through what seemed like a long, narrow corridor.

They could hear muffled voices and footsteps, but no words made sense.

Kimberly’s heartbeat was deafening in her ears, and Elena’s breathing was steady but deliberate.

Finally, the footsteps of their captors stopped. Kimberly and Elena were pushed into a room, and the heavy sound of a door slamming shut followed.

The air around them felt cold and damp.

Elena’s mind raced as she tried to make sense of the situation. Her years of experience told her this wasn’t random.

Someone planned this, and it had everything to do with Kimberly. But why? She stayed silent, hoping to focus her heightened senses and pick up on anything useful.

"Ma’am," Kimberly’s voice broke the silence, trembling. "What’s happening? Do you have any idea who these people are?"

Elena hesitated, her mind calculating. "I don’t know who they are," she replied cautiously, trying to keep her voice calm.

"But I think it’s clear they don’t want you to find out the truth about yourself."

Kimberly’s anxiety spiked. Before she could press further, a voice filled the room.

"That’s a lie," the voice boomed, deep and chilling. "I don’t care if she knows who she is. I just want her."

Kimberly froze, gripping Elena’s arm tightly. The voice continued, echoing off the walls.

"But thankfully," it said with a cruel chuckle, "she doesn’t know anything about herself yet. And that makes this all the more entertaining for me."

Kimberly swallowed hard, her fear almost paralyzing her. But then, something shifted inside her—a spark of courage she didn’t know she had.

"If I’m so insignificant," Kimberly said, her voice shaking but determined, "why go through all this trouble to kidnap us?

Why hide your face and send others to do your dirty work? Are you that scared of me?"

Elena turned her head sharply toward Kimberly, stunned by her sudden boldness.

The room went eerily silent. Kimberly’s heart raced, and doubt crept into her mind.

*What did I just say? Have I made things worse?

Should I have stayed quiet?* She tried to prepare herself for the worst, but then the voice broke the silence.

"You are fascinating," it said, almost amused. "So brave, and yet so naive. Bravery alone won’t save you, my dear.

Actions, knowledge, and timing—that’s what matters. And you and your companion have none of those."

Elena, sensing an opportunity, interjected. "Then tell us. Who are you? What do you want with Kimberly?"

The voice shifted, colder now. "I don’t owe you any explanations, Elena. You’re a nobody in this equation.

I want Kimberly. She’s the prize. You, on the other hand, are expendable. If you try to stand in my way, I’ll end you."

Kimberly’s stomach turned at the words, fear flooding her. But Elena’s response was immediate and fierce.

"You think I’ll let you take her without a fight?" Elena spat. "Over my dead body!"

A sinister laugh echoed in the room. "That can be arranged," the voice said menacingly.

Before Elena could react, heavy footsteps approached. She felt a strong hand grip her arm, and a sharp prick pierced her neck.

Her breath caught, and her legs buckled as darkness consumed her.

"Elena!" Kimberly screamed, her voice breaking. She reached out blindly, but the room felt colder now, emptier.

"Now," the voice said, with a cruel calmness, "let’s talk about what I’m going to do with you, Kimberly."

★★★

The morning after Elena and Kimberly’s disappearance, the pack was in turmoil.

Alpha Derrick’s usually composed demeanor was nowhere to be found.

He paced back and forth in the meeting hall as the elders slowly gathered, their faces etched with concern.

Whispers of fear and confusion rippled through the pack.

When everyone had assembled, Alpha Derrick stood at the head of the table and slammed his hand down, silencing the murmurs.

"Last night, Kimberly and Elena vanished," Derrick announced, his voice carrying a sharp edge of frustration.

"I need answers. I need them now. What do we know about this situation?"

One elder, Elder Marcus, cleared his throat and spoke hesitantly. "Alpha, there were no signs of a struggle.

No tracks, no scents to follow. It’s as if they vanished into thin air."

"That’s not good enough!" Derrick barked. "This is my pack! I will not allow anyone—enemy or otherwise—to take what is mine. Someone must have seen something!"

Before anyone could respond, the doors burst open, and a young warrior entered, holding up a small device.

"Alpha! We found this near the edge of the forest where Kimberly was last seen."

Derrick grabbed the device, his sharp eyes narrowing as he inspected it. "What is it?"

"It’s a tracker," the warrior explained. "It’s inactive now, but it’s sophisticated. Whoever planted it had the resources to cover their tracks."

Derrick’s grip tightened around the device as his mind raced. "So, someone’s been watching Kimberly... for how long? And why?"

Elder Miriam, one of the oldest and most revered of the elders, raised her hand for silence.

"Alpha, we need to think clearly. Whoever did this has a plan, and they want us in chaos. We must stay focused."

Derrick nodded but couldn’t suppress the growl that rumbled in his chest.

"Focus, yes. But we also need action. I want every warrior searching the surrounding territories. Leave no stone unturned!"

As the meeting continued, a sudden commotion outside drew everyone’s attention.

The door opened, and two warriors entered, supporting Elena, who looked battered but alive. Gasps filled the room as she was brought to the center.

"Elena," Derrick said, rushing to her side. "What happened? Where’s Kimberly?"

Elena took a deep breath, her voice hoarse. "We were ambushed in the forest.

Blindfolded and taken somewhere—I don’t know where. I couldn’t see anything, but I heard everything."

The room fell silent, every ear tuned to her words.

"What did you hear?" Derrick asked urgently.

"They were after Kimberly," Elena said, her voice breaking slightly.

"A man... I don’t know who he was, but he said Kimberly was the key to something. He didn’t care if she knew who she was or not. He just wanted her. He called her... a prize."

Elder Miriam leaned forward, her brow furrowed. "Did he say anything about what he planned to do with her?"

Elena shook her head. "No. But he said I was useless. They injected me with something, and I passed out.

When I woke up, I was dumped at the edge of the forest."

Derrick’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching. "A prize? What does that even mean? Kimberly is a member of this pack, not some trophy to be hunted!"

Elder Marcus interjected cautiously. "Alpha, we’ve known for a while that Kimberly is... different.

Perhaps it’s time we consider the possibility that others know this too. She may be more important than we’ve realized."

Derrick turned sharply to face Marcus. "You think I don’t know that? I’ve been trying to protect her, but this... this is beyond anything we’ve faced."

Elena, still weak but determined, spoke again. "Alpha, I know one thing for sure.

Whoever took Kimberly isn’t done with her. They surely have a bigger agenda than what’s clear to us."

Derrick nodded. "You’ve done well, Elena. Rest now. We’ll take it from here."

As Elena was escorted out, Derrick turned back to the elders.

"I want every resource we have dedicated to finding Kimberly. If anyone knows anything—no matter how small—I need to hear it. Dismissed."

The elders left the room, murmuring amongst themselves. Derrick remained behind, staring at the tracker in his hand.

*Kimberly... wherever you are, I will find you. I need answers from you for my own use.*

★★★

Meanwhile, Alpha Theo stood near the door, his jacket in hand, ready to leave for his scheduled meeting when one of his men rushed in, breathless and tense.

"Alpha, we’ve received news from our men keeping watch on Alpha Derrick’s pack," the man said urgently.

Theo stopped in his tracks and turned sharply. "What news?"

"It’s Kimberly, Alpha. She’s been taken."

The words hit Theo like a punch to the gut. His jaw clenched, and his grip on the jacket tightened.

"Taken? By who?" he demanded, his voice laced with anger and worry.

"We don’t know yet, Alpha. There are no leads. Only that Elena was found, but Kimberly is still missing."

Theo’s mind raced. He tossed the jacket aside and ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room.

*How could this happen? Kimberly... I promised to protect her. And now she’s gone?*

"Gather the team," Theo ordered, his voice sharp. "Now!"

"Yes, Alpha!" The man rushed out to follow the command.

Theo sat down for a moment, his hands gripping the edge of the table. His thoughts spiraled.

*Why Kimberly? Is it because of who she is? What she’s hiding?* He shook his head and muttered, "I should have acted sooner."

Moments later, five of his most trusted men stood before him. They exchanged uneasy glances as Theo rose to his feet.

"This is not just about the pack," Theo began, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of urgency.

"This is about Kimberly. She’s been taken, and no one knows by who or why. But I need answers, and I need them now."

"Alpha, where do we start?" one of the men asked hesitantly.

"Every source we have," Theo said firmly. "I don’t care how far you have to go or who you need to talk to. Find out who would dare take her."

Another man spoke up cautiously. "Alpha, there are whispers about rogue factions in the north.

They’ve been moving quietly but aggressively. Could it be connected?"

Theo nodded, his eyes narrowing. "It’s a lead. Follow it. But don’t stop there. Kimberly could be anywhere."

"Yes, Alpha!" the men said in unison before leaving the room.

Alone again, Theo sat down and stared at the map on the table before him.

His fingers traced over the borders of the packs, the rogue territories, and the neutral zones.

*Where are you, Kimberly? And who has you?*

His phone buzzed, breaking his thoughts. It was a message from one of his informants.

He opened it quickly, but it only added to his frustration.

"No news yet," he muttered under his breath, slamming the phone down.

The hours dragged on as Theo called contact after contact, trying to piece together any information.

Each time, the answer was the same—nothing.

By nightfall, his frustration turned to anger. He stood by the window, looking out into the city lights.

His reflection stared back at him, eyes filled with worry.

"This isn’t over," he whispered to himself. "Whoever took her will regret it.

I’ll turn this pack and every rogue corner upside down if I have to."