Chapter 11
Kael Vaughn had not stopped running for hours. The mountains around him were steep and covered in snow, with sharp rock breaking through the ground. Cold wind hit hard against his body, but he ignored it. He didn't care about the cold or the pain. All that mattered was the pull in his chest.
Ariana.
His wolf pushed him forward, fast and focused. The bond had changed after she disappeared. Before, it had been faint and easy to ignore. Now it was constant. Strong. It pulled at him without stopping, guiding him in one direction.
She was alive. He didn't question it. He felt it. But she was far away and hidden, and every second made the pressure inside him worse.
Behind him, footsteps followed across the snow and rock. Ryder caught up first, shifting back into human form as he reached Kael. He took a breath and ran a hand through his hair.
"You've been running nonstop," Ryder said. "Where exactly are we going?"
Kael didn't answer right away. He stayed in wolf form for a moment longer, staring at the mountain ahead. Then he shifted. Bones cracked as he returned to human form, his eyes fixed on the cliff.
"She's here."
Ryder followed his gaze but saw nothing except stone, snow, and thin mist.
"Kael…" he said, uncertain.
"I can feel her," Kael replied, his voice steady. There was no hesitation in it. The bond pulled harder the closer he got. It pressed against him now, impossible to ignore.
Ryder frowned. "You think they're hiding inside a mountain?"
Kael stepped forward and shook his head. "No. They're hiding behind it."
He placed his hand against the stone. At first, nothing happened. The wind moved around them, and snow shifted across the ground. Then something changed. The surface felt different, not natural. It was magic.
Ryder noticed it too and muttered, "That's not from the council."
Kael shook his head. "No. It's older."
He pressed his hand harder against the stone, and for a brief moment, a faint flash of gold appeared beneath the surface before disappearing again.
Ryder went still. "You saw that?"
Kael nodded once. "Yes."
The bond reacted again, stronger this time. Ariana was close now. Close enough that it tightened sharply in his chest. Behind them, more wolves arrived as members of the pack climbed up the slope, armed and ready. Kael recognized all of them. People who trusted him. People who would follow him without hesitation.
Ryder glanced at them, then back at Kael. "This looks like more than a rescue."
Kael didn't look away from the cliff. "It is."
One of the warriors stepped forward. Talia. "Scouts saw movement near the southern ridge," she reported. "Not council. We don't recognize them."
Ryder exhaled. "Of course."
Kael turned toward them. "No one moves until I say."
Talia nodded, though her expression remained serious. "If they move her again, we might lose her."
Kael already knew that. He could feel the bond shifting, like Ariana was moving somewhere on the other side. Not far, but not free. He stepped closer to the stone again.
This time, the wind carried something else. A warm, familiar scent reached him, and he recognized it immediately. It was her. His chest tightened sharply.
"She's right there," he said.
Ryder studied him. "You're sure this isn't just the bond?"
Kael's eyes hardened. "She's there."
No one argued after that. The group fell silent.Kael placed both hands against the stone and took a breath. Then he let his wolf rise.
Power pushed outward from him, controlled but heavy. The air shifted immediately. The mountain reacted.A deep vibration moved through the rock.
Talia stepped back. Ryder tensed. "Kael, forcing it could,"
A loud crack cut him off.
The stone split down the middle, and light broke through. Gold. The ground shook as snow fell from above. Wolves behind them struggled to keep their footing. The barrier gave way just enough. A gap opened.And beyond it,
A city.
White structures. Bridges stretching between cliffs. Buildings carved into the mountain itself.
Ryder stared. "What is that…"
The opening started closing again, but Kael didn't hesitate. He ran forward.
"Kael!" Ryder shouted.
Too late.Kael crossed through, and the air changed instantly. It was warmer and still, carrying the scent of stone and water. The ground beneath his feet was smooth.
The city stretched around him, built deep inside the mountain. People moved everywhere, but none of them were wolves or vampires. Something else.
Every head turned toward him as soon as he appeared. Alarm spread quickly. A horn sounded, then another. Kael ignored it all. The bond pulled harder now.She was here. Close.
He stepped forward, and six armed figures dropped in front of him. They wore dark armor marked with gold and carried curved blades.
One of them stepped forward. "You shouldn't be here, Alpha."
Kael didn't look at him. "Move."
The guard's expression hardened. "You crossed into a restricted area."
Kael's voice turned cold. "You took what's mine."
The guards exchanged glances.
"She does not belong to you," the leader said.
Kael's jaw tightened. "She's my mate."
Silence followed. Then the guard replied, "That doesn't matter here."
Kael gave a small, cold smile.
"It will."
They attacked. Kael shifted instantly, and his wolf tore into them without hesitation. The fight was fast and brutal.Then the bond reacted again.
The feeling was sharp and urgent.
Ariana…
Fear…Kael froze for a fraction of a second, then looked up. A large circular structure stood higher along the cliff. Light poured out from inside. It was gold, and he knew it was her power.
Kael moved immediately. He pushed past the remaining guards and ran across the structures toward it. The noise of the city faded behind him as the bond pulled harder with every step.
He reached the upper level. The doors were open, and light filled the room.
Then Ariana screamed. Kael rushed inside and stopped.
She stood in the center of the room, surrounded by golden light, her body shaking as if she was losing control.
A man stood beside her, dressed in black and gold, one hand raised as if holding the power in place.He turned slowly.And smiled.
"The Alpha finally made it."
Ariana looked at Kael, and the light around her neck tightened, then locked into chains.