16. THEO

Chapter 16

THEO

Mia’s parting kiss lingers on my lips as I make my way back home. Dragging my feet across the stone path, I feel my sister’s presence outside.

Absentmindedly stroking my bottom lip, I’m about to head inside when Anastasia’s gentle hand settles on my shoulder. Looking up without much interest, I say, “Not now, Ana.”

“Theo…” she tries to cajole me, but I shake my head.

She wears a look of deep concern on her face, her brows knitted with worry.

“I can see that Mia’s leaving has affected you,” she calls after me as I proceed inside.

I pause between the doorway, my head hanging with all the sadness filling my chest.

“... She is your fated mate, isn’t she?”

When Anastasia makes the discernment, it prompts me to turn around and finally lift my head to meet her eyes. The sadness I feel echoes in her eyes as she comes forward and pulls me into a hug.

“Oh, Brother…” she whimpers as her smaller arms wind around me. “... Why didn’t you say anything?”

“What difference would it have made?” I grunt regretfully as I allow myself to soak up the comfort Anastasia’s arms provide. While Mia’s kiss remains in the fragmented pieces of my heart, I can’t be strong right now.

“Oh, it would have made a world of a difference, Theo,” MIa cries compassionately. “We would have stopped her from leaving.”

Pulling away from my sister’s embrace, I shake my head as I stare into her eyes. “You don’t understand, Ana. Blackclaw declared war on us if she didn’t return.”

Anastasia shakes her head firmly, planting her hands on her hips as if she’s about to scold me. “Is this because of the marriage deal?”

“No, Sister. It has nothing to do with the marriage deal.” I can’t tell my sister that there’s something Mia doesn’t know about her past. That she needed to go back to figure out who she truly is. And that for some reason, Cyrus seems to think that an Omega is important enough to declare war over.

“So… Tell Cyrus you agree to the marriage deal. Tell him that I will marry him, and in exchange you will marry Mia for the sake of the alliance.”

“I can’t do that,” I shake my head as dread fills my gut. “I can’t forsake your happiness.”

Anastasia places a hand on my shoulder, looking up into my face with deep concern. “I’m not asking you to forsake my happiness, Theo. I’m begging you not to forsake your own.”

“I can’t do–”

“No,” she says firmly. “I will not listen to any more of this self-sabotage. You will go and meet with Cyrus and tell him that I’ve made up my mind. And you will bring Mia back to Overton, where she belongs; with her fated mate.”

It had taken a lot of convincing for me to finally come to a decision. To send word to Cyrus Savage that I have finally agreed on the marriage to my sister. We receive a reply within a day, and I’m called to Rocheport tonight.

“Are you sure you want to make the journey there yourself?” Liam asks when news comes back from Blackclaw. He and the Delta stand in my office as I read the letter sent by Cyrus in reply to my request for a meeting.

“I don’t want him thinking I’m bringing a fight to his door,” I inform my soldiers.

Both men nod, even if their faces show that they aren’t convinced. They steal a knowing glance at each other before Jarrod says, “Is it a good idea? We’re not sure what Cyrus is capable of.”

Sighing, I fold up the piece of paper with Cyrus’s reply and fling it onto the desk. I lean back on my leather chair, folding my arms behind my head. With the human hunters still locked up downstairs, we haven’t received word from anyone.

Not for their release or for the threat of raging war on us. The radio silence suggests that the humans could attack us at any given moment.

I can’t risk being at war with both the humans and the neighboring werewolf pack.

“With the threat of human hunters on the horizon, I doubt he’ll make any sudden movements. Just be on standby.”

Liam gulps. “It’s not like we’ll be able to hear you, Alpha,” he reminds me.

Though it’s something we’re not certain of, I’ve come to the conclusion that Blackclaw has some form of technology that prevents us from using our mind links. Like a blockage of some kind – that’s why I’ve been unable to reach Mia’s mind.

I’ve tried, ever since she would’ve arrived in Rocheport. And failed every single time.

Grabbing my duffel bag off the floor, I get to my feet. “I’m leaving now,” I announce to the Beta and Delta.

Not knowing what the situation is like in Blackclaw, I just need to get there. To find Mia and bring her back in exchange for Cyrus marrying my sister.

It’s not ideal, but Anastasia won’t listen to a word I say. Even going as far as threatening to journey to Rocheport all by herself.

“... I’ll call if I need anything,” I continued handing out instructions to my subordinates.

Once they’ve agreed to all my instructions, I head out of the den in preparation of my journey. Tying the duffel bag to my ankle, I shift into wolf form and enter the woods.

A faint trace of Mia’s scent still lingers across the river. Like breadcrumbs directing me, I fill my lungs with the sweetness of her scent as if to remind me of my quest. It’s only that sweetness which allows me to accept what my sister has offered.

As I travel in wolf form toward Rocheport, memories of my childhood begin playing out. Those nights I’d spend outside Anastasia’s bedroom while Mother recounted tales of a beautiful love story.

Those stories had been so vividly and stunningly woven in words, that both my sister and I had longed to feel it ourselves. The fated mate bond outweighed any other kind of love story.

And now that I found my fated mate, I know what it feels like. It’s as effortless as breathing. As blissful as life itself. And I cannot imagine living my life without her by my side.

As soon as I near Rocheport, the distinct smell of the Blackclaw wolves enters my airways. As the border patrol emerges from the far corners of the woods, I realize that Mia didn’t have this murky smell around her.

It’s almost gut-churning in its irregularity. I only stomach it for the sake of the meeting with their Alpha, following the border patrol wolves. I’m led down an inclined hill, bricks forming a path leading to a cabin in the woods west of Rocheport.

Once there, I’m the first to shift back to human form. Only one of the Blackclaw wolves shifts too – and I recognize him as the Beta who visited Nightwalker.

“Alpha Theo,” he greets with a nod as I quickly dress into the spare set of clothing from my duffel bag. “Alpha Cyrus is inside.”

I nod as the Blackclaw Beta opens the main door to their pack den. I enter the cabin, the dimly lit wooden structure eerie once I’m inside. Brushing off the feeling of impending doom, I follow the Beta as he leads me to another door on the left.

“Alpha Theo!” Cyrus beams from behind an antique desk in his office. He seems rather cheerful to see me, while I feel the exact opposite.

When he gestures to the seat across from him, I take it. Once I'm comfortable – at least, as comfortable as I can be on enemy territory – I try sending out a message to Mia.

But the telepathic mind link echoes in my own head and bounces around like a marble in a tin can. It doesn't extend to her mind.

She isn't here…

So where is she?

Ignoring the red flags that suddenly pop into my head, I choose to continue with the meeting instead. I'll find out soon enough why I can't send Mia a mind link.

I take a deep breath, settling further on the hard chair. “As we've discussed before, my sister Anastasia will be your bride to wed,” I inform the Blackclaw Alpha, maintaining composure despite how it infuriates me inside.

“Great!” He claps his palms together, that sinister smile deepening on his face.

Even his eyes twinkle with malicious intent – and I relegate it to the tyrant werewolf leader always getting things his way. “I will let my pack go forth with wedding preparations. You will bring her to me on the next full moon.”

Mentally keeping my composure in check, I nod as I agree to the Alpha's demands. “Since my sister and I have agreed to this marriage, the question of my marriage to one of your pack members remains.”

“Ah, yes…” Cyrus nods slowly, the smile only mildly dampening on his face. “The Delta's cousin, Serena–”

“No,” I interject sternly. “I will take Mia Alvarez as my bride.”

Tension rises palpably in the office as the smile gets wiped off Cyrus's face. His eyes narrow like little sharp blades as he glowers at me, leaning forward.

“I told you before, Theo Marrock…” he says my full name with venom laced on his tongue. “... That's not possible.”

In the moment of silence that spreads, I try sending another mind link to Mia.

‘Mia… where are you?’

But again, it fails to leave the confines of my mind. As if blocked by a force stronger than the powers of a werewolf.

Of which there are very little.

“Why not?” I challenge with an equally threatening glare.

When Cyrus feebly smirks, it's like he's taunting me.

“Because…” he snickers, “... Mia Alverez isn't here.”

“What?”

Bemused by my frown, Cyrus flips his hand through the air dismissively. “She didn't come back.”

Raising one suspicious brow, I say, “I don't believe you.”

He shrugs diffidently. “Believe what you want, Theo. Now, if you'll excuse me…” He rises from his chair and proceeds to walk to the office door. He pulls it open, and stands aside as if waiting for me to pass.

Huffing a breath of discontempt, I get up and walk to the door. I'm just about to pass him, when something catches my eye just behind him.

A flicker on a screen that I hadn't noticed before. My instincts seem to kick in, yelling at me to check the screen.

I pause, peering over his shoulder when I realize that it's a surveillance monitor. With eight blocks representing a different camera angle all around the vicinity of their pack territory.

But it's one particular block that captures my attention. The one in the far right corner, watching over a prison cell with a familiar figure curled on the floor.

“Mia…” I breathe with disbelief as I shove past Cyrus toward the screen.

He grabs my shoulder to stop me, but I shrug from his vile touch. “Where is she?!” I demand, throwing daggers at him with a tenacious glare.

“There's nothing you can do to save her,” he warns threateningly.

A flurry of footsteps sound on the wooden floors of the cabin. I grab the sides of the screen, trying to make sense of Mia's whereabouts.

But when I look back up, Cyrus is gone.

Muttering a string of curses under my breath, I rush out of the office.

Only to be met with an army of Blackclaw wolves.