Chapter 337
Chapter 337:
The air in the study was instantly suffocated by my ancient cedar scent, thick and heavy with unadulterated, murderous intent. My Inner Wolf was thrashing against my ribs, driven to the edge of madness by the thought of Adelina discovering the truth before I was ready.
“I swear on the Moon Goddess,” I snarled, my voice a guttural, demonic vibration that made his Inner Wolf whimper in submission, “if you ever breathe a word of what’s on my chest to her, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth, strip you of your wolf, and leave you to die as a Rogue p>
Lance choked, his hands frantically clawing at my iron grip. He nodded rapidly, his eyes wide with absolute, paralyzing terror.
I held him there for one more agonizing second, ensuring the threat was permanently branded into his mind, before my grip loosened.
T𝗁𝗈𝗎ѕаո𝖽ѕ 𝗈f 𝗿𝘦𝖺d𝗲𝘳𝗌 on
But as I prepared to drop him, Lance’s terrified gaze shifted. He looked over my shoulder, staring wide-eyed at the half-open door of the study. His nostrils flared, taking in a scent that my own rage-blinded senses had completely missed.
“Her scent…” Lance choked out, his voice trembling so violently it was barely a whisper. “Wild roses and storm… she was here. She heard everything p>
The words pierced my chest like a jagged silver blade.
I dropped him instantly. I spun around and tore the heavy door wide open, stepping out into the black-and-white marble hallway. It was completely empty. The ancestral portraits stared down at me in dead silence. But the air was saturated with her beautiful scent, now violently soured by pure, paralyzing terror.
My Inner Wolf let out an agonizing, soul-shattering howl. Mate. We terrified our Mate.
Panic—cold and absolute—hijacked my veins. I reached out through the Mind-Link, desperate to feel the fragile connection we had built, but there was only vast, empty silence. She had shut me out. I pulled out my phone with shaking hands and dialed her number. It went straight to voicemail.
Lock down the estate! I roared through the Pack Mind-Link, the sheer, desperate force of my Alpha’s Command bringing every Warrior on the grounds to their knees. No one leaves! Find the Luna!
I didn’t wait for them to respond. I sprinted down the marble corridor like a feral, wounded beast, throwing open heavy doors, my chest heaving as I tracked the fading, terrified trail of her scent through the sprawling mansion.
The trail led me to the east wing and spilled out onto a secluded stone balcony overlooking the withered rose gardens. The biting autumn wind whipped around the cold stone pillars, carrying the unmistakable scent of her despair.
I stepped onto the balcony, my heart hammering violently against my ribs.
She was there. Adelina was huddled in the furthest, darkest corner, her arms wrapped tightly around her silk gown. She was trembling so violently her teeth chattered—though I knew it wasn’t just from the cold.
I raised my hands in a desperate, open gesture of surrender and forced my Lycan aura to fully retract. “Adelina,” I pleaded, my voice hoarse and entirely stripped of its authority. “Please, let me explain p>