Chapter 41
Chapter 41
I pressed close to Kai, back–to–back, one eye blinded by the blood trickling down my face. The sting was unbearable, every pulse of pain reminding me how precariously close we were to death.
“Where the hell is Ethan?” I shouted, my voice cracking with desperation. I could barely hear myself over the snarls and murmurs of the wolves encircling us. With each passing encircling us. With each passing moment, I could feel death slowly gripping my heart. This was a dire situation and if Ethan didn’t show up soon, I’d be meeting the Moon Goddess sooner than expected.
Kai shook his head, his usually calm demeanor fraying at the edges. His hand tightened briefly on my arm as if to steady me. “I tried Keith too, but nothing. It’s been twenty minutes. They’re not coming.”
Not a single werewolf stepped forward to help us. The wolves native to this forest didn’t even flinch, their blank expressions betraying a grim acceptance of what they believed to be our fate. Wolves from outside the forest? As good as dead.
I swallowed my bitterness, understanding their reluctance. Nobody wanted to risk becoming a target themselves. These wolves were ruthless and ready to kill at a moment’s notice
“Move aside!” A sudden commotion rippled through the crowd. A thunderous growl shattered the tense silence, and a massive gray wolf burst through the throng, scattering the onlookers like leaves in a storm.
“Zoe!” I gasped.
Her commanding presence struck like lightning. The surrounding wolves faltered, their hesitation palpable. A Beta in her prime, Zoe was not to be trifled with. Her strength and speed were unmatched by any wolf below her, her fangs as sharp and deadly as assassin‘ knives. None of them dared to mess with such a formidable Beta
“Get on!” She barked, barely slowing as she nudged her massive body against us.
Kai and I scrambled onto her back, the maneuver clumsy but efficient. For a fleeting
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Chapter 41
moment, I felt a strange sense of relief that both Kai and I were Omegas–we wouldn’t crush
her under our weight.
But relief was short–lived.
A shadow lunged from the side. Kai was yanked violently off Zoe’s back, his scream cut
short as he hit the forest floor with a sickening thud. The ground here wasn’t just dirt–it
was a lethal mix of jagged branches, sharp rocks, and thick mud. Blood pooled quickly
around him, seeping into the earth.
“Kai!” I screamed, reaching out instinctively, but Zoe didn’t slow down.
Carl, a hulking rogue wolf with scars crisscrossing his body, stood over Kai like a predator toying with prey. He raised his foot and stomped down hard on Kai’s back, a sickening crack echoing through the clearing.
I couldn’t even hear Kai groan anymore.
Tears blurred my vision as my wolf howled in anguish, the sound reverberating through my mind. My chest tightened with unbearable regret. I had brought them into this hell. I had made a mistake–one I would never forgive myself for.
“Do you wolves have no respect for the Pack Security Alliance?” I yelled, the words tumbling out of me in a desperate bid for sanity.
My voice was drowned out by laughter, a cruel symphony that only fueled my despair. We were surrounded.
Trapped.
“Claire-” A faint voice pierced the chaos, soft but unmistakable.
I froze, my breath hitching. My gaze darted around until I spotted a figure weaving through the crowd, small and determined.
“Steven?” I breathed, disbelief washing over me.
His eyes were bloodshot as he approached, his movements frantic. He dropped to his knees
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Forsaken Mate: Alpha’s Second al
Chapter 41
near the southeastern corner of the clearing, w around an older woman.
group of Omegas stood protectively
“Steven!” I screamed, my voice raw.
He crawled toward the woman’s feet, his hands trembling. “Mrs. Mandy, please…”
It was her–the woman I had stabbed. Her eyes glinted with malice, and her lips curled into
vindictive sneer.
You killed my dog,” she hissed, her words dripping with venom.
“You old witch, stop spewing shit!” A weak but furious voice rang out–it was Kai.
I exhaled shakily, relief flooding through me at the sound of his voice.
He was alive.
Mandy ignored him, her gaze fixed on Steven. “A traitor like you dares plead for that
Omega?*
“How dare you?!” Another male voice snarled, stepping forward.
My heart sank as I recognized the man–Luca, a fervent disciple of the Abyssal Sect. This forest wasn’t just home to rogues; it was a haven for those who followed Maldrathis, the false god whose twisted doctrines defied everything the Moon Goddess stood for.
I couldn’t help the bitter smile that twisted my lips. This forest was already lost. The last time I visited Steven’s bar, I hadn’t been targeted–likely because an Alpha had been with me. Alone, the rules were entirely different.
“Damn it… Ethan must’ve been blocked outside the forest,” Zoe whispered to me, her voice tight with frustration.
This labyrinthine forest was notorious for its rogue wolf packs, their conspiracies deeply ingrained. They could fabricate any excuse to stall Ethan, or worse, use underhanded methods to keep him out.
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Forsaken Mate: Alpha’s Second Chance at Love
Chapter 41
Ethan would have to fight through countless obstacles to reach us.
For now, all we could do was stall for time.
I glanced at Steven, my chest tightening with gratitude and worry. He was trying to buy us
that time.
“Steven, you little shit, how dare you show your face here?” Luca sneered. “You broke Abyssal Sect’s rules, defied our god Maldrathis, and brought disgrace upon your bloodline. Your parents‘ bodies weren’t even left behind as punishment. You’re a traitor–why aren’t you dead yet?”
“No!” I shouted desperately, my voice rising above the jeers. “Steven, don’t listen to them! They’re wrong. The Moon Goddess teaches us to respect life, freedom, and every wolf’s choice–their gender, their identity. They are the ones who have lost their way!”
“Silence, you hybrids!” Luca snapped. His eyes glinted with unholy fervor. “Steven, the only reason you’re alive is because of your parents‘ loyalty to the god. But since you refuse to repent, we’ll deliver divine punishment ourselves.”
The surrounding Omegas moved swiftly, binding Steven with thick iron chains. Gasoline
soaked his clothes, the acrid smell stinging my nose.
“No! Stop!” I screamed, my voice hoarse with desperation.
Panic consumed me as I realized I had brought them into this hell, yet I couldn’t save them.
Tears streamed down my face as I lowered my head in despair.
But then, something caught my eye–a small, inconspicuous plant growing near my feet.
Was it a silverclaw vine?
A flicker of hope reignited in my chest..
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