Marked by the Alphas

Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Kane POV

“What the hell did you do?” I growl, lunge forward, grabbing a fistful of Braden’s shirt and shoving him against the wall with one hand, while I reach for his neck with the other.

If he is seen again, he will be killed on the spot. – Gustav’s words are ringing in my ears as I squeeze his throat.

What will Gustav do if he finds out the vampire, he warned me about is inside our fucking house?

Shit.

Everything is already crumbling around me, and now Elara is gone. A sharp bolt of pain shoots through my body.

“Braden, what the hell did you do?” Father steps forward.

“What?” I shout, looking at Father. “You know him?”

“Yes, but ...”

“Fuck, just ... just, shut up,” I snap. Now is not the time to call Dad out on another lie.

“Tell me what you did!” I scream at Braden, beside myself with worry.

“It wasn’t me,” he chokes. “It was Anton.”

“Calm down and let him go.” Axel’s voice breaks through my cloud of fury. “We need to know where Elara is.”

I growl in response but release Braden from my grip.

“What does Anton have to do with this?” I demand.

Braden rubs absently at his neck, but I can tell he is not hurt. He is stronger than he looks, but not stronger than me, and certainly not strong enough to take on three huge wolves at once. Braden glances around the room at all of us. He is probably thinking the same thing.

“Anton found us in the woods and used sleeping powder to take us out,” he explains. “When I came to, he and Elara were gone.”

I stare at him like an imbecile when it feels like a dagger pierces my heart. I should be more concerned with Anton, but I am stuck on the idea of Elara and Braden alone together - again. So, that is where she went after we slept together. I thought she knew where we stood with her, that we just needed time to get Alice out of the way. I thought she wanted the same thing we did.

“What were you doing with Elara in the woods?” Axel growls at Braden, but Father steps forward.

“The real question is,” Dad crosses his arms, “Why the hell is Anton conspiring with witches?”

Axel and I exchange confused glances. Has the world gone mad? What the hell is going on?

“What do witches have to do with this?” I narrow my eyes at Dad.

“It’s the only way he could’ve gotten the powder. It’s witch magic.” Braden waves his hand in the air. “But none of that matters right now. We need to find Elara before Anton makes his next move.”

There is an unmistakable twinge of fear in Braden’s voice. He is genuinely concerned for Elara. But what right does he have to be? Who the fuck is he to her? Not her mate, that was for damn sure.

“You really have no idea where they went?” I study his face, looking for a hint of a lie, but I only see concern and impatience.

“I tried to track her,” he explains, “but I only made it as far as the clearing by the lake before her scent went dead.”

“Fuck!” I run my hands through my hair, grabbing fistfuls.

“I know you and Axel are her mates,” Braden says, his face twisted like the idea is painful. “Can’t you mind-link her or feel her through the bond or something?”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Father shakes his head. “If she’s that far from here, you would never hear her, especially since she hasn’t even been properly claimed. The bond you have is weak.”

“It’s very real,” I snarl. What the hell does he know about our bond?

I lock eyes with Axel and nod. We close our eyes, and I hear Axel’s voice echo in my head.

“Elara, if you can hear us, tell us where you are.”

Silence.

“Elara, we know you’re out there. Just say something, anything.” I beg.

“Well?” Father’s impatient voice breaks through our thoughts, and my eyes fly open again.

“No,” I grind my teeth. “What if she’s ...”

“She’s not dead,” Braden cuts in. “You would know if she was, and I’m pretty sure I would, too.”

What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

“If no one can track her, then what do we do now?” Axel asks. “Where would Anton even take her?”

Axel POV

My head is spinning with all the information being dropped. Vampires, witches, Father’s betrayal. I am too scared to ask what else.

“How the fuck are we going to find her?” Kane shouts, as if he had not heard me asking that very same question a minute ago.

“I might be able to help with that,” Mother enters the room. “Hello, Braden.”

“What the fuck, Mom?” I blurt out. Is there anyone who does not know Braden? How many damn secrets are our parents keeping from us. I am furious.

“Don’t talk to your mother like that,” Dad intervenes. “And I called her.”

“I can’t believe this,” I glare from Mom to Dad. “The two of you didn’t think to mention any of this when we took over?”

“Do you want to bicker about this or find Elara?” Mother’s lips pull into a thin line as she crosses her arms.

“Of course we want to find Elara,” I grunt.

“But I’m beginning to think she wouldn’t have been kidnapped if you two were honest from the very start,” Kane adds.

“Listen, son,” Dad’s cheeks are puffed with anger. “You might be the alpha, but I’m still your ...”

“Okay!” I shout, holding up my hands and silencing everyone. “Can we please drop this and concentrate on finding Elara?”

A deafening silence fills the room, and I look at Mother.

“For now,” I inhale deeply, fighting my anger and worry about Elara. “Let’s forget the how, what and why you know and tell us where we can find our mate.”

“It’s an old building, close to a human city,” Mother answers. “I’ve only been there once, and can’t give you directions, but I can take you there.”

“Good enough for me,” Kane growls, picking up his car keys. “Let’s go.”

“We can’t,” Mother looks at us apologetically. “We can’t go until sunrise.”

“Mom, are you crazy?” I gape at her. “We can’t sit around all night and do nothing.”

“Then go outside and run amok in the moonlight,” she snaps. “Let the entire pack, and the Elders, know there’s trouble in the Alpha household. I can’t find the place at night, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Then if we can’t do anything, what kind of Alpha are we?,” Kane storms off.

Okay, Kane is about to lose himself. No, it can’t be.

“Just breathe,” I throw my arm around his neck. “Save the rage for when we find Anton.”

“We must find her, Axel,” he chokes out. “I know she was with Braden, but I don’t even care. I can’t do this without her.”

“I know,” the thought of losing Elara sends a tornado swirling in my head and a vice-like grip around my chest. “I can’t, either.”

“Gods, how can this be possible?” Kane whispers. “Mere days ago, we didn’t even know she existed, and now we’re following a fucking vampire to find her?” freewebnøvel.coɱ

“If only that’s the way out,” I sigh. “It’s going to be a long night.”