Mated To The Beastly Alpha
Chapter 70

The forest seemed to close in on Liam as he ventured deeper, his heart heavy with the weight of Nicole's absence. Every step seemed to echo the ache within him, the gnawing emptiness that consumed his soul without Nicole by his side. James and Garrett exchanged concerned glances as they followed him. He was tethered too close to the edge, and it made them wonder if they were going to have to wrestle with him in the forest. The three of them trudged through the dense forest, their senses on high alert. They separated and scouted on their own for a while, checking bushes, barks, track prints, and sniffing the air. "Anything?" Liam asked as soon as they found their way back to each other. His voice was laced with frustration as he scanned the surroundings, hoping for any sign, any clue that would lead him to Nicole. James sighed, his face etched with weariness. "No, Alpha. We've scoured every inch of Lilian's territory and questioned her pack members, but there's no trace of anything that can lead to Nicole." Garrett's jaw clenched as he stepped forward, his voice filled with anger. "We can't let Asha get away with this, Alpha. She's partly the reason Nicole is missing. She needs to pay for her betrayal."

Liam's eyes burned with a mixture of pain and determination. "I don't care about that right now. I only care about replaceing Nicole. She's out there somewhere, and every second we waste brings her closer to danger."

As they continued their search, the silence was heavy, each step echoing the urgency that pulsed through Liam's veins. Thoughts of Asha, the one who had once been Nicole's closest friend but had turned on her, intruded upon his mind. "But what should we do with Asha?" James's voice cut through the quiet, his tone filled with contempt.

Liam paused, his eyes narrowing as he contemplated the fate of the betrayer. "Imprisonment won't be enough. She needs to suffer to understand the consequences of her actions."

James' voice was cold and unforgiving. "Perhaps a fate worse than death would serve as a warning to anyone who dares to harm our pack."

Liam's gaze turned distant, a flicker of a memory igniting within him. He recalled the moments he had shared with Nicole, their love and bond that seemed unbreakable. The thought of her suffering, of her being lost forever, sent a surge of primal rage coursing through his veins.

"No," Liam said firmly, his voice filled with determination. "Our focus is replaceing Nicole. Everything else can wait. Asha is insignificant compared to her. Once we have her back, we'll decide what justice she deserves."

Garrett grumbled under his breath, but James nodded, understanding the depth of Liam's desperation. "You're right, Alpha. Nicole is our priority. We'll deal with Asha when the time is right."

As they continued their search, the forest seemed to whisper secrets, the wind carrying a sense of foreboding. Liam's mind raced with thoughts of his mate, her smile, her touch, and the emptiness he felt without her by his side.

Time was slipping through his fingers like sand in an hourglass, and the fear of losing control, of succumbing to the feral instincts within him, gnawed at his soul. He knew that replaceing Nicole was not only a matter of love but also of survival. "We'll replace her, Alpha," James assured, his voice filled with determination. "We won't stop until she's safe in your arms again."

Liam nodded, his jaw set with resolve. "I'll search every corner of this forest if I have to. I won't rest until Nicole is back where she belongs."

They had walked for hours, and there was nothing. They had circled the point where they had found Lilian dying a lot of times, checking every nook and cranny, yet nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Frustration and anguish consumed Liam. Days had turned into weeks and weeks to months, and there was still no sign of his beloved.

His pack was almost desolate because he had become unable to do any other thing than search for Nicole. It caused him so much pain to do this to his people, yet he could do nothing else. Garrett groaned and rested on a trunk. James said nothing, but Liam could feel their spirits dampening.

Annoyed and tired of being suppressed, his wolf surged to the surface, a tumultuous transformation overtaking his body. The powerful muscles rippled and expanded, bones cracking and rearranging themselves as he underwent metamorphosis. James and Garrett, caught off guard by the sudden change, quickly moved to restrain him.

"Alpha, calm down!" James shouted, "We need to replace another way!"

But the primal instincts of the wolf had taken hold, overpowering Liam's rationality. He growled and snarled, his eyes ablaze with a wild, untamed fury. The struggle was fierce as James and Garrett fought against the unleashed force of their Alpha. "Garrett, hold him!" James commanded, his voice strained with the effort. "We can't let him run off like this!"

Garrett, his muscles straining under the weight of the struggle, grunted as he tried to keep Liam contained. The sheer strength of the wolf was overwhelming, each attempt to restrain him met with a furious resistance. Claws scraped against the forest floor, and the earth trembled beneath their feet as the battle waged on.

"Liam, please! You have to fight it!" Garrett pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation. "We're here to help you, but we can't let you lose control like this!"

But Liam's wolf, driven by a desperate need to replace Nicole, was heedless of their words. He lunged forward, breaking free from Garrett's grasp, and darted off into the depths of the forest with lightning speed.

James and Garrett exchanged worried glances before giving chase, their determination fueled by their loyalty to their Alpha.

"James, we can't let him go alone!" Garrett shouted, his voice filled with concern.

"I know," James replied, his gaze fixed on the retreating figure of the wolf. "We have to catch up with him. We can't afford to lose him in this state."

James and Garrett pursued Liam's wolf form through the dense undergrowth, their bodies pushed to their limits in the relentless pursuit. The forest blurred around them as they raced against time, their hearts pounding in sync with the thundering rhythm of their footsteps.

"Alpha! Liam!" James called out, his voice echoing through the forest. "We're here for you! We'll replace Nicole together!"

But the wolf, driven by an instinctual longing for his mate, continued his frenzied dash deeper into the unknown.

The struggle between Liam's human consciousness and the wild spirit of the wolf intensified with each passing moment, a battle fought not only in the physical realm but within the depths of his being.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows upon the forest, James and Garrett pressed on, refusing to give up.

James had already mind-linked the warriors. They were combing the forest in search of him.

The forest was a blur as Liam's wolf raced through the underbrush, a force of raw power and untamed fury. His senses were heightened, his instincts primal.

And like magic, he perceived the faintest of Nicole's scent lingering through the air. Letting out a soft growl, he followed it. Every fibre of his being yearned to replace her, to bring her back to safety.

But as soon as it appeared, it vanished. Liam's wolf was going into a frenzy again, his primal instincts clashed with his desperate longing, and he felt the grip on his self-control slipping. The world around him blurred as his wolf's relentless pursuit took over, leaving Liam trapped in the depths of his own mind.

Within the pack, panic set in as news spread of Liam's uncontrollable transformation. James and Garrett had mobilized the warriors and sentinels, directing them to search for Liam before he unleashed his primal wrath upon innocent bystanders, but the fear was eminent. If Liam went feral now, it was over for them.

"Spread out! We have to replace Liam before he causes any harm," James commanded, his voice laced with urgency. "Stay alert and be prepared to subdue him if necessary."

The pack members fanned out, their eyes scanning the forest, their senses attuned to any sign of their Alpha. They moved swiftly and silently, their determination overshadowed by the fear of what Liam's unleashed wolf might do.

Meanwhile, deep within the recesses of Liam's mind, he fought to regain control. He grappled with his wolf, struggling against its relentless dominance.

Images of Nicole flashed through his thoughts, memories of their love, and the life they had built together, serving as an anchor in the tumultuous storm of his emotions.

"I have to replace her," Liam growled through gritted teeth, the fierce determination in his voice echoing in the depths of his mind. "I won't let anything keep us apart."

His wolf's instincts drove him forward, leading him through the maze of trees. The forest was yet a blur of green and shadows as his senses sharpened, honing in again on the faintest trace of Nicole's scent. His pace quickened, the urgency of his pursuit heightening with each passing moment.

But as he neared what seemed to be a breakthrough, the scent vanished once again, leaving Liam with an overwhelming sense of frustration and desperation. He let out a roar of frustration, the sound reverberating through the trees, alerting his pack members to his presence.

James and Garrett, who had been tirelessly searching for Liam, sensed the surge of power and immediately changed their course, their bond with their Alpha guiding them unerringly toward him.

Their hearts pounded with a mix of relief and concern as they drew closer, prepared to face the challenge of subduing their own Alpha.

The forest grew quiet as Liam's wolf paced restlessly, his eyes scanning the surroundings. James and Garrett approached cautiously, their presence a calming influence amidst the storm raging within Liam's mind. "Liam, we're here," James called out, his voice steady and reassuring. "We're not your enemies. We're here to help you."

James was glad that he wasn't feral, not yet. But he needed Liam to be in control.

Liam's wolf snarled, his hackles raised, but a flicker of recognition flashed in his eyes. Slowly, the intensity of his wolf's rage began to subside, allowing Liam's human consciousness to regain control.

His wolf form melted away, and Liam stood before them, his chest heaving, his eyes filled with a mix of exhaustion and anguish. "I... I lost her scent. I need to replace her, James. I can't lose her." "You caught her scent?" Garrett blurted out.

Liam growled and began pacing around. "It's prominent around this area, but it continues vanishing."

"Hmmm, surprisingly, this is a new part of the forest. How haven't we been to this part before?" Garrett questioned.

"It means we've gained ground," James commented. "This route was abandoned a long time ago. No wolf wanders into this part. It has a history of dark magic."

"It's probably why the scent vanished," Garrett said.

All their talk seemed useless to Liam. His wolf was clawing for release again.

"Yes. It's also a track route to different pack borders."

They all turned to look at James.

"What?" Liam growled.

"There's a secret route to different packs. I'm guessing whatever spell Lillian placed on her led her right to this place and also let her through the routes."

"Then we should replace it!" Liam growled.

"Do you know why this place is avoided, Liam? It's enchanted. The moment you step into it, it drives you crazy, sucks out your energy, and kills you. If Nicole went through it and survived, it's only because Lilian's spell was propelling her. We can not take this path at this time. I know a better way."

"It's dark. We had better return home," Garrett said.

Liam growled and surged forward.

James approached Liam, his voice gentle yet firm. "We'll replace her, Liam. But right now, we need to focus on keeping you and the pack safe. We can't let your wolf's rage consume you."

Garrett stepped forward, his voice filled with empathy. "We understand your pain, Liam. We all want Nicole back. But we have to approach this with a clear mind. Let us help you."

Liam's shoulders slumped, the weight of his emotions almost too much to bear. He nodded, a mix of gratitude and resignation in his eyes. "I... I don't know if I can do this alone. Thank you, both of you."

Together, they returned to the pack, their footsteps echoing through the forest. The search for Nicole would continue, but for now, the priority was to restore Liam's balance and protect the pack from the dangerous storm that raged within their Alpha's heart.