For Her Sake

“Alpha Lucious, I hate to be the one to put you in this uncomfortable position, but you and I both know that it would be better for her sake if you told me where she’s taken refuge.”

The other Alpha stared at me, clearly unamused by my tactics. I had him bound to a metal chair that had been bolted to the ground. I was not oblivious to the red tint his skin was sporting, but I would feel no guilt for doing what I was doing.

I admired his dedication to protecting his daughter, but my drive to protect our kind was even greater. I stared at him, waiting for an answer. I had come to realize that this man was incredibly slow when it came to choosing his words—which could undoubtedly be pinned on the fact that he didn’t want to give away his daughters whereabouts by accident.

“Knowing where my daughter is does not make much difference, does it? You’ll never be able to catch her, and that’s just the bottom line. That is after all why you want her, isn’t it? Her speed is something to be envied, even by a wolf of your caliber.”

The venom within his voice was impossible to ignore, the darkening in his eyes solidifying my analysis of his emotions. I allowed myself to smile slightly, trying to seem amused in an attempt to get under his skin. People did a lot when they were angry—including saying things that they’re not supposed to.

“Alpha Lucious! If you’ll allow me to be blunt, I was not expecting you to make the connection this fast. I had always thought of you as rather... inferior. Turns out my assumptions were just slightly off target.”

It came as no surprise when he broke free from his bounds, his intentions as clear as the anger on his face. My Beta stepped in between the two of us and sent a blow hurtling towards the older Alphas face.

I knew that I would have to deal with the consequences of assaulting an elder Alpha, but the council was of little concern to me. They would be forced to accept why I was doing this.

Malcolm let out a growl once the Alpha was seated within the chair again, not bothering to refasten his bounds. If he broke free once, he would be able to do it again. I kept my eyes focused on my Beta for a moment longer, before I made a decision.

“Malcolm. You know the importance of the lovely Luciana. She’s an asset to any pack and they would have welcomed the opportunity of providing her refuge with open arms. Find her.”

I started pacing around the cell, the little hope I had of Alpha Lucious confiding her location in me slowly dissipating. My frustration was like adding fuel to the fire that was my anger. It had been an entire week since I had started my search for the mysterious she-wolf, and we were even farther from finding her than we had been then.

“Realistically thinking, it’s difficult for an Alpha to leave his pack. Anyone who shares the Alpha bloodline shares a similar struggle. Luciana is your only child, and therefore, the heir to the title. She’d find it near impossible to leave her territory. Meaning that the likelihood of her still being on the Crimson Rose Land, is pretty good.”

I turned to Malcolm, silently praising his dedication to this pack and to me. I had appointed him as Beta—it wasn’t a title he had inherited. He deserved to be where he was. If anyone deserved to be an Alpha, it was him.

“Lead a group of trackers onto their land. I want no stone left unturned. If she’s there, then I want her found and captured. At any costs.”

Malcolm nodded, leaving the cell without so much as looking at the man sitting in the chair. If I didn’t know any better, I would have doubted his existence. The room remained quiet, until I decided to shut the door behind Malcolm.

Alpha Lucious started laughing, and the fact that I had no idea why he was amused was angering me. I desired nothing more than to rip out his throat, but until his daughter was found, I’d have to refrain from doing so.

“Alpha Vermont, I don’t mean to insult you, but my daughter is not stupid. She knows her strengths and is aware of her weaknesses. Once she shifts, she’ll be even stronger than she is now. I’d even go as far as saying that she’ll end up being the strongest Alpha the world has ever known. Even stronger than you.”

I laughed, the sound echoing through the room before it died down into nothingness. I focused on the Alpha, deciding to bite back.

“You seem to have a lot of confidence in your daughters’ abilities, Alpha Lucious. But if Luciana was really that great, she would have faced the challenge of meeting with me.”

I watched his jaw clench, and knowing that he would take years to formulate a reply to my accusation, I fired another shot at him.

“Speaking of which, Luciana is such an odd name. What made you decide upon it? Wait, that’s a rather silly question. Alpha Lucious and Luna Diana. You named your daughter after yourselves. How sweet.”

Upon seeing the Alphas reaction, I felt an odd weight settle within my chest. It was an unspoken law to never mention a deceased mate. Watching Alpha Lucious recoil into himself reminded me of that. Feeling empathetic, I decided to redeem myself.

“How have you been coping with... her absence?”

I had phrased my question differently, trying to be considerate in an attempt to draw the Alpha out once more. I was grateful that I had not yet found my mate. The thought of having to constantly worry if I would find myself in the situation that Alpha Lucious found himself in all those years ago is unpleasant.

“Let’s be honest, shall we? My emotional state is of no concern to you. Your treatment of me during this time has proved as much.”

I noticed the gloss that was now covering his eyes, a clear sign that he wasn’t quite in control of his emotions. He seemed to lean back in the chair, the fight visibly draining out of him.

“What is your motive in gaining access to my daughter, anyway? Are you planning to use her to train your pack? Because I can practically guarantee that there will be minimal results.”

Was civil conversation the key to getting this man to sell out his daughter? I mentally mocked myself for not starting out like this in the first place.

“I can promise you, you daughter shan’t be used for personal gain.”

He looked at me, a frown deepening the creases on his forehead. I didn’t blame him for immediately thinking that I wanted his daughter to train my pack. I guessed that countless Alphas had contacted his with a similar proposition—or had kept him in a similar holding cell.

“Then why?”

I stayed quiet at first, debating whether or not it would be wise for me to confide in the older Alpha. He had a reputation for being able to strategize during battle, his defense almost impenetrable. I had nothing to lose.

“The Resistance has been increasing in numbers drastically. The recent amount of wolves who have gone missing has grown suspiciously and I have a hunch that they have something to do with it.”

I waited a moment, trying to see if the Alpha had anything to say, but his lack of reaction proved that I had not said enough to win him over. Or maybe confiding in him was an accident. If that were the case, he could be sure of his death.

“I have hopes of finding the facility in which they’re keeping our kind captive. But for that to happen, we need wolves with extra ordinary abilities. A skill that not every other wolf possesses. Something that enables them to get in and out easily.”

I watched the Alpha’s frown deepen. I hoped that he processed the words in the same manner that I meant them.

“And you plan on making my daughter part of this ‘dream team’?”

“That is the plan yes.”