Mated To The Cold Hearted Alpha
Chapter 118

Hycinth was carrying the second-chance baby…which meant I would bet everything I owned that Leander’s sister was the first-chance baby whose life was tragically cut short.

Sydney continued quietly, “Every loss of life is tragic, especially one so precious and innocent, but we just couldn’t understand if her destiny was to change the world, how could she have died? Our hope died that day with her. We didn’t get it back until the week after Leander’s mating ceremony. When all ten mated-pairs conceive, we felt it again. We don’t know what it means. We’ve reached out to Memoree, but she has refused our requests to talk.”

I had the answers she was seeking…

…but there was no way I could tell her before Hycinth told Leander.

“How was your Luna pregnant without all of the packs knowing?” I don’t remember even ever knowing that.

“We kept it a secret, trying to protect her and the unborn child.

But Isabelle was too softhearted. She believed the lies when your mother reached out with a false promise of peace. It was just too enticing-it was the one thing Isabelle wanted more than anything. So, she took a chance that in the end cost her her life. Leander will forever regret he didn’t get to her sooner.”

“And Leander believes that Hycinth knows all of this?” I asked, gutted. Everything made sense now. Hycinth wasn’t wrong when she said something changed the day we left. No wonder Leander reacted so badly.

Sydney nodded.

F**k! This news was going to shatter Hycinth. I had no idea how I was going to tell her without breaking her completely.

Abruptly, I knew I couldn’t stay another minute longer. I had found what I needed to know..and much more than I ever wanted to know. Now, I needed to get back.

Sydney’s eyes widened when I abruptly stood to my feet and walked to collect my discarded bag.

She joined me by the door. “Where are you going?”

“I’ve got to go home,” I mumbled.

Eyes full of compassion and understanding, she murmured, “I hope to hear from both of you soon.”

~~~~~~~

The three-hour motorcycle ride home felt endless. It was late by the time I arrived. Quietly letting myself into the loft, I found Tommy relaxed on the couch. Hycinth was nowhere to be seen. He sat up when I came in, instinctually reaching for the firearm on the table next to him.

“It’s just me,” I muttered.

“I didn’t expect you back today,” he grunted.

“Yeah, I didn’t plan on coming back this soon either.”

“Did you replace the answers you needed?”

I cut my glance in his direction. I hadn’t given him my agenda for the trip, but he was perceptive enough to pick up on the nuances of what I hadn’t said anyway. “Unfortunately,” I gritted through my teeth.

He studied me for a long moment, his expression darkening. “She’s not okay.”

“I know,” I exhaled heavily, “I’m working on it.”

Tommy stood to his feet and tucked the Glock in the back of his pants. On his way to the door, he reached out his hand to me. I clasped his fist. He gripped my hand tightly, pulled me forward and slapped me on the back. He didn’t bother to use any words, but he didn’t need to. I completely understood.

I was overwhelmed with gratitude that we had at least one real ally in the middle of this nightmare. “Thanks for staying with her.”

Tommy made a noise in his throat. and then left.

I closed the door behind him and immediately went to Hycinth’s room. Opening the door quietly, I found her snoring softly.

We needed to talk but it was late, and she was already exhausted from the pregnancy, let alone all of the revelations we’d been hit with…not to mention the bombs I still had waiting to drop. No, it would be better for her to sleep. We could talk in the morning. I closed her door and went into my own room, falling on the bed.

~~~~~~~~

A scream in the middle of the night jolted me out of bed- Hycinth!

Instantly, every one of my senses was firing on high alert. I lurched to my feet and tore into the open space living area. There was a crash in her room. More than one male cursed, “Bitch!”

Who the f**k was in our home?!

My heart thundered in my chest, the beat so sharp and hard, it was painful.

I didn’t make it to her room before six large males burst from her room, two of them roughly pushing Hycinth into motion toward the door. She fought, kicking and screaming, but couldn’t overpower them especially in her condition. Launching my fist into the nearest male, I fought with everything I had. But there were too many of them.

In the mayhem, I didn’t recognize any of them except one-Dagger!

That motherfucker!

Claws out, I went for his throat. Two of the bastards jerked me off of him, but not before my claws caused deep rivets of b***d to flow from his chest. But the male didn’t seem bothered in the least by his wound. If anything, he gave me a spine-chilling cruel smile of intent. He didn’t have to say what he intended to do to her. His face said it all. He was going to hurt her…and enjoy every minute of it.

I couldn’t let them take her!

But I was outnumbered.

Abruptly, one of their boots smashed down on my shin. There was a sickening crack. White-hot fire ran through my leg, dropping me to the floor.

“Should we finish him?” A burly male gruffed.

Dagger’s smile widened. “Nah, let him enjoy his time alone. Let’s go!”

As a group, they rushed down the stairs. I hobbled after them, more tumbling then running, b***d flowing from my leg and several wounds to my back and chest.

But I couldn’t stop….

When I rolled out onto the street, they had already loaded Hycinth into a waiting black SUV. My eyes locked on the license plate number before it sped away.

My body shook uncontrollably, pain and horror washing over me in equal measures. I had no idea how I made it back up the stairs, only that I had no choice. When I finally limped into the bedroom, I swiped my phone from beside the bed and fell to the floor. My hands were trembling so hard, I could barely key in the number.

It rang once. A male voice answered gruffly, “Hello.”

…Ever!

Why did he have Leander’s phone? There was no time to ask.

“Ever!!” I gasped. “I need him…where’s Leander?!”

“Luca?!” Ever’s voice rose sharply. “What the f**k is going on? Are you okay?!”

“He took her!” I panted, my heart beating out of control. “That bastard, Dagger…he took Hycinth!”

“F**k!” Ever snarled.

“Ever, I need to talk to Leander! Why do you have his phone? Where is he?”

There was a beat of silence that caused even more alarm to split apart my chest, but I shoved it back down when Ever replied, “I’ve mindlinked him. He’s on the way to me now. He’ll be here in a few minutes. Tell me what happened.”

I couldn’t catch my breath. “Dagger and five other wolves broke into our home. They took her, Ever, they took her!” Hysteria bubbled up my throat. The memory of Hycinth’s terrified screams replayed through my mind. What little breath I had left whooshed out. I hunched over, struggling for air. I was losing too much b***d. Black spots impeded my vision. I forced myself to stay conscious. I couldn’t pass out now! Hycinth’s very life depended on it.

I knew when Leander was in the room from the loud, furious growl in the background.

“What the f**k happened?!” he snarled into the phone.

I didn’t bother recapping what I’d already told Ever. Ever would’ve already relayed the information via the mind link while we spoke. Instead, I gave Leander as much detail about the vehicle as possible including the plate number. It was my only hope to replace her. “Do you have a way to run the plate?!”

Leander cursed loudly, “No! We’ll have to break into a police station. I’m on my way!”

“Actually, I think I might know someone. The bikers we mentioned earlier. They frequently live on the wrong side of the law. I’ll call them and call you right back.”

“Done,” Leander barked. “We’re leaving now.”

“Leander,” I sucked in a breath in an attempt to control my fear. “Bring a healer.”

There was a loud growl on the other end of the phone. “Of course.”

The line went dead. I slumped against the chair, my head ringing with anxiety. Leander had assumed the healer was for Hycinth. And in truth, it was. But I feared much more for her baby, the pup Leander didn’t even know he had.

Shit…

There was a change in the wind, a shift in the Earth’s dynamic.

A storm was coming…

…and when he arrived, he would burn the world down to get to Hycinth.