Chapter 44

LLOYD

I watched the helicopter disappear into the sky, my disbelief quickly giving way to anger.

Turning to Adam, I could barely contain my rage. “Why the hell did you volunteer to open the door?” I snapped. I’d been hoping for a chance to act, but Axel had forced Misty in, yanking the chain so violently that I could feel her pain through our bond.

Adam raised his hands in defense. “I dropped my phone into the cabin, behind the seat. We can track them,” he explained, his voice steady.

“You can do that?” I asked, my anger giving way to a flicker of hope.

“I just need a laptop,” he confirmed.

Around us, wolves were pouring out of the entrance—palace warriors and pack members alike. The fighting had ceased, and all eyes were on me as though I were some kind of savior.

“Tanner, get some order in this place,” I commanded. There was no time to waste. “And I need clothes,” I added, the urgency in my voice clear.

“Yes, Alpha,” Tanner responded, his words stopping me in my tracks. Damn it, this was not the responsibility I wanted.

“There are laptops in the administration office,” Adam said, leading the way through the crowd. To my dismay, each warrior bared their neck as I passed.

I had never been to the administration office before, and I was struck by its size.

Desks were crammed together with barely any space between them, each equipped with a computer. Adam hurried to the nearest desk, quickly sat in a wheeled chair, and rolled up to the computer.

I stood behind him, watching as he grabbed an oval object—the mouse. It was a strange name, but everything about computers was still a mystery to me. The phone had been hard enough, and I still didn’t fully understand how it worked.

The screen flickered to life, and Adam’s fingers flew over the keyboard with a speed that rivaled Tanner’s.

Within seconds, a map appeared on the screen. I leaned in closer.

“See this red dot? That’s where my phone is. Once they stop, we’ll know their location,” Adam explained.

I exhaled slowly, watching the dot inch forward. I had no idea where they were headed, but this wasn’t a hasty decision. I recognized the pilot, which meant they were likely going to a property owned by the palace—something that should be on record.

“Is there a way to find a list of properties the palace owns?” I asked, my eyes fixed on the screen.

“Probably, but I’ll need help from one of the administration staff for that. I can’t link them anymore,” he replied.

“Do it,” I said, sitting in the chair Adam vacated.

Left alone, I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment settle over me. They were treating me like the alpha king, and something inside me recoiled at the thought.

It was an uncomfortable mantle, one I had never asked for nor desired. The idea of being an alpha king felt like a betrayal of who I was.

This place was my prison, not my salvation. The dot moved again; I would use the resources afforded me to find and rescue Misty, and after that, I wanted some time alone with her, away from this place.

I couldn’t bear to think Axel might hurt her, but I wouldn’t give him enough time. I’d be on the road as soon as I knew their destination.

Tanner strode in, a phone wedged between his shoulder and ear. “We’re doing everything we can. Don’t worry, sweetheart. Axel won’t get away with this.” He ended the call and handed me a bundle of clothes.

“These should fit,” he said, dropping sneakers and socks on the floor before focusing on the screen.

As I quickly dressed, I asked, “Do you know where all the palace properties are?”

Tanner frowned. “There’s quite a list, but most are rented out. Did you see who the pilot was?” he said scathingly, and I gathered that no love was lost between him and Egon.

I nodded.

“Didn’t know he could fly a helicopter. Must’ve kept that under wraps. Wherever they’re headed, it’s probably not on any official list.”

He was right. Axel was cunning, always a step ahead, and prepared for any eventuality. It made me wonder why he needed to take such precautions—he must have sensed the growing unrest within the palace.

“Where’s Harris?” I asked.

“He’s retrieving Adam’s car so he can use the phone he gave Misty. He hasn’t replaced his own.”

“Get him, and tell him to bring Misty’s backpack. I want to check something.”

A knock at the door interrupted us, and a young she-wolf entered, pushing a trolley laden with food. “Sire, I thought you might be hungry,” she said softly, bowing her head in submission.

This was nothing like the crude food cart from the dungeon. The special treatment caught me off guard, leaving me momentarily speechless. I noticed Tanner’s expression falter, but he quickly masked it with a nod. “Thank you, Petra.”

“Always a pleasure, Beta Harris,” she replied before exiting.

As soon as the door closed behind her, I turned to Tanner. “What was that about?”

Tanner sighed, his gaze lingering on the trolley as he handed me a plate. “Frieda didn’t make it when you escaped the dungeon.”

“Oh,” I murmured, the weight of his words sinking in. I remembered catching a glimpse of her but had been too focused on Misty to notice anything else after the alpha command took hold.

I had no appetite and set the plate aside. The dot on the screen moved incrementally and I hoped they would reach their destination soon; I was itching to leave the palace.

The door opened again, and Harris walked in, looking as bad as I felt. I could only imagine what anguish he was going through—Misty was his only pup.

He dropped the backpack next to me and squinted at the screen. “Goddess,” he exclaimed and wiped his eyes.

Pushing the chair backward, I grabbed Misty’s backpack, unzipped it, and hauled out the grimoire.

“Only Misty could read it; for us, it was in a foreign language,” Tanner said, stepping closer.

“I know.” I flipped through the book, but all the pages were blank, confirming my suspicions. I almost missed the writing at the start and quickly turned to the first page. On the reverse side, I found it and read with trepidation.

~The witch’s curse I cast with might,~

~Binding these bones in blood tonight.~

~A protector shall rise for the throne,~

~In Crystal’s grasp, his fate is sown.~

~Bound by day and bound by night,~

~Awakened only for the fight.~

~Death’s cold slumber, his endless plight,~

~No age shall claim him, no fading light.~

~No brew nor blade can end his woe,~

~The yearning for death he’ll ever know.~

~But if his true mate he should find,~

~My essence will break the bind.~

~In deepest well, his alpha power,~

~Will shatter the magic in that hour.~

I exhaled sharply, rereading the text as Harris and Tanner leaned in to peer over my shoulder.

“Oh, it’s in English…,” Tanner muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the curse.

~“Bones in blood? What bones?”~ Vetus asked.

A memory surfaced. ~“Do you remember King Finn’s hand being bandaged even though there was no fighting at Monolith?”~

~“You think he sacrificed a bone?”~

~“I do,”~ I replied, the realization sinking in. ~“It would have been easy to take a finger or something similar from my father after they killed him.”~

“Does that mean what I think it does?” Harris asked, his voice tight with concern.

“I think so,” I replied. “When Misty marked me, the witch’s essence she carried since before she was born must have transferred into me, breaking the curse.”

The marking had felt overwhelmingly powerful, almost as if Misty was compelled to do it. I had assumed it was because of Lou-Anne.

If I had known, I could have broken the curse while I was at Knox, and none of this would have happened. I could have snuck back into the palace and strangled Axel in his sleep.

Guilt racked me; I could have avoided all this bloodshed if I had accepted her as my mate.

“So, she can’t protect herself against Axel?” Harris’s voice trembled.

“I think we need to move,” Tanner cut in, his tone urgent. “Adam can track his phone through mine. Where is he?”

“He’s trying to find someone from Administration to get a list of properties owned by the palace,” I answered.

“That’s a moot point now. Can you link him, Harris?”

Harris nodded, his eyes glazing over for a moment as he connected.

“Give me twenty minutes to prepare. I think Trent and Sully should come along. I know Adam will want to… That makes six. I’ll prepare the palace minivan, and I suggest everyone eat before we head out.”

Adam burst through the door, immediately sensing the tension in the room. His eyes darted between us, searching for answers. “What’s going on?”

“We leave in twenty minutes. Gather everyone and meet in the garage,” Tanner instructed, handing his phone to Adam. “You can track your phone through mine. They may have a head start, but they won’t expect us to close in this quickly.”

“Got it,” Adam replied, taking the phone. “Hope you’ve got a charger,” he called after Tanner, who raised a hand in acknowledgment as he strode out the door without looking back.

A heavy tension settled over me. Despite my lack of appetite, I grabbed some food from the trolley. If Misty had seen the curse, she would have mentioned it, which meant it must have been hidden.

Why had the witch concealed it? Once Misty discovered the pentagram, everything else became visible. It didn’t add up—

Half an hour later, we were on the road. Had I known it was possible to track through the car, I would have insisted we leave immediately.

There were so many things I still had to learn, but it was the age-old quandary. I couldn’t ask questions about things I didn’t know.

Tanner drove, and I sat in the front, my head grazing the minivan’s roof. I glanced back and marveled at its size; Harris and Adam sat on a bench, and Trent and Sully, whom I’d only just met, behind them.

I couldn’t think about Misty and what Axel might be doing to her. I had to think clearly, but cutting off the roiling emotions was impossible.

“They’ve stopped,” Adam said excitedly. Tanner’s phone mirrored the screen on the car display, and I watched to see if he was right.

“How far is it?” I asked, unable to make heads or tails of the information.

“Two hundred and sixty miles,” Adam confirmed. “It should take about four hours unless Tanner speeds up a bit.”

“I will, but not in the city.”