Chapter 195

[Third-Person’s POV]

Alexander had been in the middle of skimming through his files when he’d heard the blood-curdling explosion go off in the distance. It took him a moment to comprehend what was happening. They were under attack!

“Evelyn,” he whispered under his breath.

His heart slammed frantically against his rib cage, knowing that she was outside along with the sudden explosion was enough to send him into an early stage of cardiac arrest.

He dropped whatever was in his hands and immediately raced outside. Alexander had no idea what awaited him the second he reached the back doors to the gardens. The air was still wafted with smoke and dust.

Soldiers were racing in all different directions, ready and willing to take on whatever threat would come charging through. Only...There didn’t seem to be any threat.

As he rushed down to where Evelyn said she’d be working, the only people Alexander managed to see were his own. There were no opposing soldiers around. No clashing sounds of war.

In fact, apart from the scattered voices all trying to figure out what was going on, the area carried an eerie silence.

He couldn’t make sense of whether or not it was a good thing or a bad thing. All he knew was that once he found Evelyn and could assure himself that she was fine, he would then be able to deal with the problem.

Alexander’s entire body came to an abrupt halt. His blood turned cold when he took in the rough sight of the greenhouse. His eyes traced the severe crack that split the wooden door frame as well as the metal hinges that appeared bent.

Someone has forced themselves in here.

A painful twist in his chest made him lift his hand to the door handle and silently pray that Evelyn was still somewhere inside.

The state of the place was no better than the outside. It looked as though a small tornado blew in. Various plants had been toppled over and there was dirt covering most of the floor.

There was an anguished feeling in the pit of his gut.

“Evelyn?” he called out weakly.

He searched every corner and behind every large plant. But he couldn’t find her.

Stay calm...You need to stay calm...Fuck! No, I can’t...

Without Evelyn being accounted for, Alexander felt like his world was about to turn off its axis. Where could she possibly be?

“Alexander!”

His attention was pulled to the door where he found Oliver. The man looked just as frazzled and dazed as him. Alexander fought to keep the harsh bitterness and sheer panic out of his voice.

“What’s happened?”

“A low-grade explosive was set off on the far barrier.” Oliver’s expression hardened. “It was the same wall that’s had numerous repairs done to it the last two years.”

Everyone in the pack knew that the area of the barrier had always been a weak spot. It was why Alexander had chosen to have extra security placed on it in the first place.

So much good that had done it would seem.

“Is anyone injured?” he asked.

“I don’t believe so. Everyone is just thoroughly confused. When the explosive went off they highly anticipated being faced with another group of soldiers. But nothing. Just the bomb.”

Just the explosive...With this newly gathered information, Alexander was forced to piece together the unfortunate truth of the situation. That explosion was not to lead the enemy’s charge into Alexander’s territory. No.

All it did was create the perfect diversion for what the real objective was.

Oliver glanced around the weakened state of the greenhouse. His expression slowly melded into one of pure shock.

“Sir? Where’s Evelyn?”

“Gone,” he said roughly. The next words that came out made him feel like he was swallowing a rusty nail. “She’s been taken.”

“Sir!”

The pair were joined by Erik and Thomas. The two wore similar looks of hardened distress.

“Sir, the damaged part of the wall is currently being secured,” Thomas stated.

Erik stepped up to add to the report. “The only casualties are those of mild concussions and ruptured eardrums for those that were closest to the wall when the bomb went off.”

Both of their attentions were instantly captured by the unexpected disheveled mess of the place.

“What happened here?”

“I don’t understand, the explosive went off on the complete other side of the compound. This place shouldn’t...”

Their eyes widened.

“Sir, where’s—”

Oliver cleared his throat and spoke low. “She’s been taken. The explosive was merely a distraction. Whoever it was that got in here clearly knew the layout of the place.”

Alexander didn’t need to guess who was behind the attack. He knew well enough that this was the King trying to pull whatever move he could in order to regain the upper hand. As far as knowing the particular layout of the compound and happening to know where Evelyn was likely to be...Well, Alexander had his own theories about that as well.

Someone had to have told Gregory. Someone who knows Kingston Hall like the back of their hand.

His disdain for the King grew sharper with each newly taken breath.

Without Evelyn by his side to remind him of who he really was, Alexander was beginning to feel that long-forgotten version of himself that had been buried in the darkest recesses of his mind. The side that longed for victory and overdue bloodshed.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

Alexander reached into his pocket for his phone. An unfamiliar number showed up on the screen. He had a good feeling that he already knew who it was.

He spoke through clenched teeth. “Hello?”

A deep chuckle came through the speaker, causing his blood to boil.

“I see you’ve figured out what’s gone missing,” the King commented mockingly.

“You really are fucking around with the wrong person,” he snarled.

Gregory wasn’t bothered in the slightest. “Perhaps now you’ll reconsider who’s really in charge here,” he said. “Call off this ridiculous wager of war and I will happily return your wife.”

A devilish smile curved the Alpha’s lips while his pupils doubled in size.

“Here’s the difference between you and me, Gregory. Unlike you, and your prissy little mentality, I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty. If you think I’m just going to wait for you to return Evelyn, then you’re a lot dumber than anyone gives you credit for.”

A resounding growl tore through his chest.

“I was nice enough to give you a choice. Clearly, you’re not honorable enough to respect even that. So I’m going to make the decision for you.”

“Careful, Alexander, or I’ll be forced to send Evelyn back to you in pieces,” the King tsked.

Alexander sneered at the man’s sense of audacity.

“You won’t. Not unless you expect to leave the palace alive. You won’t. If I find out that you, or anyone else, touched even a single hair on her head, I will tear your throat out and watch the life drain from your eyes.”

He was about to discover the consequences for messing around with the one and only thing that was keeping Alexander’s sanity intact.

“This will be your last day as King.”

He ended the call.

“Oliver, ready the soldiers,” he demanded. “We’re going to war.”