Chapter 130

Theo

The woods crackled around me as I sprinted through, paws slipping on mud and rotting leaves, the air thick with pine and damp earth. My legs burned, muscles aching, but I couldn’t slow down. Couldn’t afford to.

I knew I was being hunted. Heard the howls—Alexander’s guard wolves, technically—closing in. But I was faster. Smarter. I'd already slipped past their precious security.

Honestly, being chased felt like second nature by now.

I pushed harder, ducking under branches, thorns snagging at my fur. A twig snapped behind me—one of them was gaining. Figures. But I wasn’t about to make it easy.

The mansion loomed ahead, bathed in moonlight like some haunted castle. Abigail’s window glowed faintly—I didn’t have to check. I knew she'd come if I called. She always did.

I slid behind a bush, chest heaving like I’d run a marathon. No time to stop. Mark was in trouble. I had to warn her. And after that? I'd be out. Out of their lives. Out of his life. Owen—Mr. Protector—too busy playing hero to realize I wasn’t the enemy.

I swallowed hard, crouching low beneath Abigail’s window, scanning the shadows. The guards seemed lost in my wake. My voice cracked as I whispered, “Abiga—”

“Really, Theo?” A voice cut through the night, sharp and scathing. “What the hell are you doing here again?”

I froze. My heart did an involuntary somersault, and I had to bite back a groan. Of course. Owen.

He popped down from the roof above, landing with ease. His half-ling form out, tail trashing, claws long at his side. He seemed tall, more broad-shouldered then I remembered, a scowl in place like it was glued to his face.

His eyes were glowing faintly, the furrows in his brow deep enough like I had killed his puppy or something.

“Oh, look who it is, the boy hero, son of the Alpha.” I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes. “Look, can we do this another time? I’m trying to do some good here.”

“Good?” Owen scoffed. “Not in your nature, rouge”

My brow furrowed. “Staying that a thick, hard ‘r’ there, bud. Wanna relax?”

“I warned you,” Owen growled, stopping a few feet from me.

I gave him my best dry smile, though it came out more like a grimace. “What are you, some guard dog in the middle of the woods? Quit bristling a listen for a second, yeah?”

“Stay the hell away from my sister,” Owen snarled, taking a step forward. His voice dropped into a low growl that rumbled through the night air, a threat wrapped in a package of anger.

I felt my lips curl, cocking my head like I had all the time in the world. “Oh, yeah, because that worked out so well last time, didn’t it? Tell me, Owen, what was your plan? Try to chase me off again like I’m just some stray dog you can scare away with a loud bark? You can’t just control everyone. No matter your oh-so-special rank”

His lip curled up, mirroring me. “I don’t need to scare you off, Theo. Just make sur eyou never come back again. You will never see my sister again.”

“That so?” I shot back, raising an eyebrow. “You think you, you, threatening me will stop me? I was literally just tortured by my own father, I think I’m over the whole ‘being scared’ thing.”

“You probably deserved it,” Owen growled, his fingers tightening into fists. “You have no loyalties to anything, pack, gang, or yourself. You’re nothing but trouble, and I won’t let you drag her into it.”

I sighed dramatically, slapping my hand against my forehead. “Oh, my God. That’s it, isn’t it? You really think I’m here to cause problems? Let me break it to you, Owen. I’m here to fix one problem. And it’s Mark. He’s in the rogue camp. The rogue king has him locked up in a cage like some kind of animal.”

Owen stiffened, his eyes narrowing. For a second, I thought I might have caught his attention, that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t a complete moron.

But nope. No such luck.

“Shut up,” Owen snapped, his voice turning sharp. “You’re lying. Trying to lead us to some trap again. There’s no way—”

I cut him off before he could finish. “I’m not lying. I’m not always the villain in every stupid little drama you’ve got going on in that pathetic pack of yours.” I leaned in, throwing my words like daggers. “I’ve seen Mark in that cage, Owen. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. He’s not the one you need to worry about. It’s the rogue king. And that redhead with the ego the size of the damn moon.”

Owen’s face darkened, and I could see the conflict brewing in his chest, muttering. “Redhead…”

It was like a boiling pot on the verge of overflowing.

“Shut up, Theo,” he spat, his voice cracking with frustration. “You’re full of it. You think I’m going to let you anywhere near Abigail again? I’ll—”

Before he could finish, I moved, fast as lightning. I darted in, my fists connecting with his ribs, a swift, calculated hit that sent him stumbling back. “Sorry man, but I owe her.”

Owen wasn’t a small guy anymore, nor weak as I remembered. Not by a long shot. He regained his balance, lunging at me with the force of a charging bull. We collided, and the fight turned from verbal to physical real quick.

His fist hit my jaw, snapping my head back with a sickening thud. I grunted, tasting blood, but didn’t back off. I swiped at his legs, trying to trip him, but he was too fast.

“You want to fight?” Owen hissed, his voice thick with anger. “Fine, let’s go!”

He slammed into me again, knocking me backward, and I barely had time to catch myself before he was on top of me. His elbow came down hard on my ribs, and I let out a sharp breath, the air knocked out of me.

But I wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.

I pushed him off, transformingin an instant and my hands going for his throat. The rage inside me flared up.

“Listen to me, Owen!” I growled, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him close. “I’m not your damn enemy. But Mark is in trouble. And if you don’t let me warn Abigail, I’ll make you regret it.”

“Owen!”

A third voice froze us both, our heads snapping up to the window above.

Abigail’s window was open, in her fosty night gown, her curls bending to the wind. “Let him go!”

She volted off the cill and dropped.

My eyes widened and so did Owen’s, both yelling. “You idiot!”

I shoved Owen away and put my arms out, in a flush of wind, I caught her princess style.

“What are you doing?!” I hissed as her arms hooked around my neck.

“What!” She barked back, “I knew one of you would catch me! Besides it was the only way to get you to stop fighting! Idiots!”

Before any of us could say anything else, a voice sliced through the night like a blade.

“Enough.”

It was Alexander. The Alpha. He strode into view, his presence larger than life, his eyes burning with authority. His gaze flickered between Owen, Abigail and me, calculating.

“Put my daughter down.”

I flinched, plopping Abigail to her feet. “Yes sir. Sorry I—”

Then, with a movement so quick, it was almost a blur, the Alpha grabbed me by the arm and jerked me away from his kids, holding me up by my arm.

“Explain yourself kid,” he said, his voice icy. “Why are you back at my home?”

I gulped, my body still on edge from the fight. “Mark. He’s locked up in a cage. In the rogue camp. Sophia handed him over. And the rogue king is—”

“Mark’s alive?” Abigail leaded in, trying to pull her dad’s grip off me.

Alexander didn’t let go of me, but I couldn’t help but glance at her.

“Yeah. He’s alive. And in danger.” I met her gaze, my voice hoarse. “We need to move fast. I don’t know what’s going on but they have him.”

The silence hung heavy, like the weight of the world had just come crashing down.

Alexander slowly lowered my feet to the ground, the name echoing on his lips. “Sophia…”

“Dad,” Owen cut in. “He could be lying! We can’t just—”

“Sophia’s exiled cabin was the last place Mark’s scent was found… it makes sense.” The Alpha forced me to meet his eyes, and something about him unnerved and comforted me at the same time. “You’re coming with us boy, and if I find out your lying, I’ll handle your pelt myself.”