98 Chapter 98


    98 Chapter 98


    Seraphina’s POV


    The words hit me like a p to the face. My legs gave out instantly.


    “What?” I gasped, grabbing the edge of the desk. “What did you just say?”


    “No. No no no.” I was shaking my head so hard it hurt. “That’s not possible. You’re wrong.”


    Marcus’s hands shot out to steady me as I swayed. The young soldier was still on his knees, tears streaming


    down his dirt-streaked face.


    “Where?” My voice cracked. “Where did this happen?”


    “Eastern ridge, Luna,” he stammered. “The camp… it was destroyed. Blood everywhere. We couldn’t… we


    couldn’t find…”


    “Stop!” I cut him off, my heart hammering so fast I could barely breathe. “Just stop talking!”


    I pressed both hands to my chest, searching desperately for that warm feeling that told me Damien was alive.


    It was… weak. But still there. It had to be.


    “If he was dead, I’d know,” I said, more to myself than anyone else. “I’d feel it break. The bond would snap.”


    “Sera,” Marcus said quietly. “Sometimes shock can-”


    “NO!” The word exploded out of me. The windows actually rattled. “Don’t you dare say it! He’s not dead!”


    Everyone in the room stepped back. I could feel my alpha power flooding out like a tidal wave, making the air


    thick and heavy.


    “Damien!” I screamed into the mindlink, putting everything I had into it. “Damien, answer me! Right now!”


    Silence. Complete, terrifying silence.


    But silence didn’t mean death. It meant distance. Mountains. Something blocking us.


    “Tell me everything,” I snapped at the soldier, my voice shaking with barely controlled fury. “Right now. Every


    single detail.”


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    98 Chapter 98


    The poor kid looked like he might pass out. “Luna, I—”


    “Talk! What exactly did you see?”


    The boy-he really was just a boy, maybe neen at most-swallowed hard and began his report. As he


    spoke, painting a picture of destruction and apparent massacre at the camp where Damien and his team had


    been stationed.


    “How many bodies did you actually see?” I interrupted when he described finding the remnants of the camp.


    “I… what?” He blinked at me in confusion.


    “Bodies,” I repeated, my tone sharp with forced authority. “How many actual bodies did you personally


    observe?”


    “I… there was blood. So much blood. And the camp was destroyed, everything burned and…”


    “But how many bodies?” I pressed, feeling a spark of something that might have been hope.


    The soldier’s face went pale. “I… I didn’t… the smoke was so thick, and we had to retreat when we heard more


    roguesing. But Luna, the amount of blood…”


    “Blood doesn’t equal death!” I snapped, feeling some fighting back into me. “We heal fast. We recover


    from stuff that would kill humans. Blood just means there was a fight.”


    Marcus stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “Sera, even if that’s true, even if some of them made it… the rogues


    have had days to dig in. Going after them now? That’s suicide.”


    “Good thing I’m not nning to kill myself then,” I shot back, pacing behind the desk like a caged animal. “I’m nning to get my mate back.”


    “Sera. Marcus used my first name. “You’re pregnant. You seriously think you can lead a mission into enemy territory?”


    I whirled around, letting every bit of alpha power I had st out. “Don’t you dare tell me what I can and can’t do! I’m the Luna of this pack! My mate is missing! That makes this MY decision!”


    The room went dead silent. Marcus looked like I’d pped him.


    Then the door burst open and three more officers rushed in, all talking at once.


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    “Luna, we’ve lost contact with two more camps-”


    “The entire eastern perimeter has gone dark—”


    “STOP!” I screamed, my hands flying to my head. “How many people? Just tell me how many!”


    “Sixty,” one of them whispered. “Maybe more.”


    Sixty people. Sixty families waiting for news. Sixty warriors who might be dead or captured or worse.


    “Then we go get them,” I said, my voice deadly calm.


    I saw red. Pure, blinding red. “Every day we wait is another day they could be suffering! Another day Damien


    could be-”


    I couldn’t say it. Couldn’t even think it.


    “Emergency council meeting,” I snapped. “Right now. Get everyone here. Anyone with authority to mobilize a


    rescue op.”


    Twenty minutester, the conference room was packed with the grimmest faces I’d ever seen. The tension


    was so thick I could barely breathe.


    “You know why we’re here,” I said, standing at the head of the table even though my legs felt like jelly. “Three


    camps are down. Including the one with our Alpha King. I want a rescue mission. Now.”


    The room exploded.


    “I can feel the mate bond,” I said, my voice shaking with fury. “It’s weak, it’s faint, but it’s THERE. That means


    he’s alive.”


    I mmed both hands on the table. “I’ll take a small team to check. If I find proof they’re dead, fine. I’ll ept <ol><li> But if there’s even a chance-” </li></ol>


    “You can’t lead this mission,” Marcus cut me off. “I won’t allow it.”


    The words hit me like a physical blow. Won’t allow it?


    Marcus went pale but didn’t back down. “I’ve lost too many people already.”


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    98 Chapter 98


    “It’s not impossible,” came a voice from the door. Riley walked in, her face set with determination. “Not if I go


    with her.”


    “Riley-“I started.


    “No, Sera. You saved my life. You saved all our lives. If you think he’s alive, then I believe you.” She moved to


    stand beside me. “Someone needs to keep you from being reckless. Might as well be me.”


    Tears stung my eyes. “Riley..”


    “Any other volunteers?” she called out to the room.


    Hands shot up around the table. Young warriors, experienced soldiers, people who’d trained with me.


    Marcus looked around, seeing the determination on everyone’s faces. His resistance finally cracked.


    “Fine,” he said. “But we do this smart. Small team. Minimal risk. Extraction only.”


    “Deal,” I said, though we both knew once I found Damien, all bets were off.


    An hourter, I knelt beside Adrian’s bed. He was supposed to be napping but was wide awake, those silver-


    blue eyes watching me.


    “You’re going to find Daddy,” he said. Not a question.


    No point lying. “I’m going to try, baby.”


    “The bad wolves hurt him?”


    “Maybe. That’s why I need to help.”


    Adrian sat up, his little face so serious it broke my heart. “I want toe. I’m good at finding things. And I


    know what Daddy smells like.”


    “Oh, sweetheart.” I smoothed his curls. “This is too dangerous. I need you here to protect yourself.


    He thought about this hard. Finally nodded. “Okay. But promise you’ll bring Daddy home. Pinky promise.”


    I held out my little finger. “I promise, Adrian. With everything I am, I promise.”


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    98 Chapter 98


    Our pinkies locked. For a second, the world felt less scary.


    Two hourster, I stood in the driveway watching our convoy load up. Three vehicles. Twelve warriors.


    Riley appeared beside me, gear packed, face grim. “Ready?”


    I looked back at the mansion. Adrian was at his window with Ophelia. Then I thought about Damien-hurt,


    maybe captured, but alive. I could feel it.


    “Ready,” I said, climbing into the lead car. “Let’s bring them home.”


    As we drove away, I pressed my hand to my chest one more time, searching for that thread connecting me to


    my mate. Still there. Fragile but unbroken.


    *I’ming,* I sent into the darkness. *Hold on, Damien. I’ming.*


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