The Cursed Alpha's Fifth Luna

Chapter 76: Where’s The Alpha?

Nina stood frozen in the bathroom long after Rodrigo disappeared back into the room.

Her eyes drifted shut as she leaned against the cool stone wall, her heart still racing wildly from the kiss.

What was she doing?

Each beat hammered through her ribs, making it impossible to think clearly.

This wasn’t going according to plan at all. She was supposed to make him trust her, get the Vothraki, and leave before he found out who she was, and here she was...

A frustrated breath escaped her as she fisted her hands so tightly that she could feel her nails digging into her skin.

He was making her weak.

The realization settled heavily in her stomach.

Weakness was dangerous. She couldn’t afford to be weak with everything at stake.

You’re mine.

Nina shut her eyes tighter as she tried to block out his voice echoing in her head.

She pressed her teeth into her lower lip until pain blossomed there, welcoming the sharp sensation.

Less than one hundred and eighty days. That was all she had. She couldn’t afford to be in love.

Nina’s eyes snapped open instantly.

Love?

The word struck her with enough force to steal her breath.

Immediately, she rejected it.

No.

Absolutely not.

The thought barely had time to form before she crushed it.

She was Annalise.

The strongest witch who had ever lived. She was not some foolish girl who lost herself over a handsome face and a pair of endearing eyes.

Love was for people who could afford it.

And she could afford nothing.

Drawing in a steadying breath, she pushed herself away from the wall. Her shoulders squared. Her gaze sharpened as she brushed the strands of hair behind her ears, her resolve returning.

By the time she stepped back into the room, her expression was calm.

Rodrigo emerged from the closet at that exact moment, buttoning the front of his shirt.

Nina made sure not to look at his exposed chest, her gaze focused on his face.

"When will you be back?" she asked.

The softness in her voice irritated her instantly.

She cleared her throat.

Rodrigo glanced up.

"By nightfall."

His hands moved deftly as he fastened another button.

"Don’t wait up for me," he said, a worried look in his eyes. "I don’t know how long it’ll take."

Silence settled between them.

Nina watched him cross the room toward a nearby table. He picked up a pair of dark wristbands and secured them around his forearms with practiced movements.

Her gaze stayed on him as she thought.

With the events of the full moon, the only pressing matters would be the Earthstone or the Vothraki, neither of which she could allow this opportunity to slip away from.

She needed to find out where he was going.

She needed to follow him.

But how?

Her thoughts raced as she watched him walk to the empty wall beside the closet and stop there.

For a moment, he simply stood still.

Nina’s brows furrowed as she watched him.

Then he placed his palm flat against the wall.

A low grinding sound echoed through the room.

Nina’s pulse stumbled.

The wall shifted. Brick slid away from brick, revealing a hidden compartment concealed within the structure itself.

Nina felt her stomach drop.

There was a hidden chamber?

In this room?

She forced herself not to react.

She willed her heart to remain steady as she watched him open a concealed door inside the compartment.

From where she stood, she could only glimpse darkness.

Then he reached inside and withdrew a sword.

The blade gleamed silver as it caught the light.

He fastened it securely at his waist before adjusting the belt.

Nina’s mind raced.

What else was hidden in there?

The Vothraki?

Could it be? freēwebnovel.com

But Ruri had mentioned that he’d forgotten his memories. Had he regained them?

A thousand questions raced through her mind as she tried to look unbothered.

What she was sure of was that whatever was hidden in there was valuable enough to conceal inside a secret compartment built directly into his chambers.

She strained to catch another glimpse.

But before she could see anything else, Rodrigo pushed the door shut.

The stone slid back into place.

The wall looked whole once more.

As if nothing had ever been there.

Rodrigo turned around.

Nina quickly smoothed her features into a gentle smile.

"Stay safe," she said softly. "I’ll be waiting for you."

For a second, something unreadable flickered across his face.

Then he nodded.

He crossed the room toward her.

She held her breath, her fingers pressing into her arm as he closed the gap between them.

He stopped in front of her.

Not touching.

Not quite.

Then he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against her chin.

The contact lasted barely a second.

It felt much longer.

Nina’s fingers dug into her arm as she willed herself to remain perfectly still.

Rodrigo stepped away.

Without another word, he headed toward the door.

Nina turned as she watched him leave, her eyes fixed on his back.

When he reached the doors, he turned back to her.

"I’ll be back soon," he assured her again.

Nina forced a soft smile onto her lips and nodded.

"Okay."

He smiled and closed the door behind him with a heavy click.

The instant it closed, the warmth vanished from Nina’s face.

Her eyes snapped toward the wall beside the closet, landing on the area with the hidden compartment.

She crossed the room in a flash, stopping in front of the wall.

Nina stared at it, studying it carefully, and then pressed her palm against the stone.

Her hand stayed flat against it as she waited.

But nothing happened.

Nina frowned.

Was there some sort of mechanism?

Why wasn’t it opening?

Trying again, she moved her hand slightly higher.

Still nothing.

The wall remained motionless.

A third attempt.

Then a fourth.

Nothing.

Frustration tightened her jaw.

She stepped back and stared at the seemingly ordinary stretch of stone.

Was it responding only to him?

Some kind of lock?

A mechanism tied solely to his hand?

Her gaze narrowed.

If so, that meant whatever was hidden inside was important enough that Rodrigo trusted no one else with access.

And that made her want to know what was inside even more.

Slowly, she lifted her hand and ran her fingers across the wall’s surface, searching for seams, hidden grooves, anything that might reveal how the mechanism worked.

Yet there was nothing.

Nina cursed under her breath and crossed to the window.

She waited for a few minutes, looking out.

Just then, Rodrigo walked out with Seven and another man beside him.

All three had swords tucked into their waistbands.

Nina’s brows creased as she watched them.

Rodrigo spoke to a guard for a moment. The guard bowed and then walked back into the house.

Rodrigo then turned toward the direction of the main gates, the other men following behind him.

Nina frowned.

Where were they going?

Her thumb dug into her index finger as she thought.

Then suddenly, her eyes lit up.

She looked around the room quickly and crossed to the drawer.

Nina pulled it open and rummaged through it, searching for anything useful.

Then her eyes landed on a small box.

Grabbing it, she ran down the stairs.

Nina reached the ground floor, her eyes searching for the guard she’d seen the Alpha speaking to.

"Where are you?" Nina muttered to herself, her heart racing.

Then suddenly, she saw him walking out of a chamber, his expression serious as he headed toward the door.

Nina instantly stepped in front of him.

The guard’s eyes widened in surprise, and when he saw who she was, he immediately bowed.

"Luna," he greeted.

Nina stared at him.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Luel," the guard replied. "My name is Luel, Your Grace."

Nina smiled.

"Raise your head, Luel."

Luel obeyed.

Nina held his gaze for a long moment until he looked away.

"Where is the Alpha? He forgot something very important for today’s mission," she said, holding up the small box in her hand.

Something crossed the guard’s expression, and he hesitated.

Then he stretched out his hand to take the box.

"I’ll give it to him, Your Grace," he said instead, avoiding her question.

Nina moved the box aside, and his hand met empty air.

Her gaze fixed pointedly on him.

"Tell me where he is."

This time, there was a command in her tone.

The guard quickly bowed.

"He just left for the auction house, Your Grace."

Nina frowned.

The auction house?

How could the Vothraki or the Earthstone be there?

Her eyes wandered as she thought.

Then she glanced at the guard, a thought forming in her mind.

"Okay," she said. "You may leave."

Luel nodded and turned toward the exit.

Nina folded her arms as she watched him leave, an idea blooming in her mind.

"Luna," Moreen called from behind her. "I’ve been searching everywhere for you. The Matriarch sent for you—"

"Moreen," Nina cut in, ignoring whatever she was about to say.

"Have you ever gone on an adventure?"