Marco's POV
Two weeks.
Fourteen days.
Three hundred and thirty-six hours since Matilda was stolen from me.
And I was losing my mind.
I hadn't slept. I barely ate. My wolf was raging, restless, furious and so was I.
Every warrior, every tracker, every ally was searching, but we had nothing. No scent, no trail, no sign of where Kade had taken her.
And it was driving me insane.
"How is she?"
"How is my mate? My baby?"
The thoughts haunted me every second.
Was she safe? Was she scared? Had Kade hurt her?
I exhaled sharply, my fists clenching so tight my claws pierced my palms.
Everyone in the pack avoided me. My anger was dangerous,volatile. Even Darius, my Beta, kept his distance unless absolutely necessary.
But I didn't care.
All that mattered was finding her.
And when I did when I got my hands on Kade
He would beg for death.
Then, one day, Darius burst into the war room with urgent news.
"Alpha, there's a girl at the borders," he said, his voice low but insistent. "I think she might know where your Luna is."
My heart pounded so fiercely it felt as if it might shatter. Without wasting a second, I raced toward the meeting point, every muscle in my body charged with anticipation.
When I arrived, I found a young woman waiting amidst the dusty landscape. I strode up to her, eyes blazing with determination and barely concealed fury. "Who are you?" I commanded, my tone brooking no delay.
She lifted her gaze, meeting mine with equal parts trepidation and resolve. "My name is Anita," she said softly. "I have traveled far to meet you, Alpha."
I narrowed my eyes. "Anita, then. Tell me what do you know about Matilda?"
Anita hesitated, as though the weight of her words might break her. Finally, her voice wavered slightly as she confessed, "I have been her maid. I served her when she was with Kade, and I know where she is."
The mention of Matilda's name sent a jolt through me. I clenched my fists, my mind swirling with questions and a burning need for answers. "Where is she?" I demanded, barely managing to keep my fury in check.
Anita took a steadying breath, her eyes flickering with both fear and compassion. "I cannot say everything here, Alpha. But I promise you I will tell you all that I know if you promise to help me."
Every instinct screamed at me to seize the moment. "You have my word," I said, the intensity of my voice softening only for that solemn pledge. "Tell me everything, Anita. My Luna's safety is all that matters now."
In that desolate borderland, with hope and determination surging within me, I knew that this was the breakthrough I had been waiting for. The path to Matilda was finally unfolding before me and nothing would stop me from reclaiming my mate and our future.
Anita's voice trembled as she spoke, but her eyes held a desperate kind of determination.
"Luna promised me that if I helped her, you would help me get my sister," she said, her hands clenched into fists. "Please, Alpha. You have to help me. Kade has my sister locked up somewhere. I don't know where, but I can't leave her behind."
I exhaled sharply, my jaw tightening.
Matilda. Even in her captivity, even while suffering under Kade's twisted obsession, she had still thought of others.
That was my mate,selfless, strong.
And now, Anita had risked everything to come here. She had escaped, just to get me to Matilda.
I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "I will help you, Anita. That is a promise."
Her lips trembled, tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you."
"Now," I said, my voice turning sharp again, "tell me everything you know. Where is Kade keeping my mate?"
Anita swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll tell you everything, Alpha. But we have to move fast."
Anita took a deep, shaky breath before speaking.
"Kade is using black magic to hide his scent," she said. "Not just any magic—powerful spells from a dragon demon."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Darius cursed under his breath. "No wonder the witches couldn't track them." His expression was grim, his jaw tightening. "Dragon demons are ancient… their magic is nearly impossible to break."
I clenched my fists, rage simmering beneath my skin. Of course Kade wouldn't rely on brute strength alone he was cowardly enough to use dark magic to keep Matilda hidden from me.
My wolf snarled inside me, demanding blood.
"How do we break it?" I asked, forcing my voice to remain steady.
Anita hesitated. "I don't know. But I do know that the spell is tied to something an object, a relic. Kade keeps it close. If you can destroy it." She trailed off, looking at me with hope in her eyes.
Darius crossed his arms, deep in thought. "If we can find out what he's using, we might be able to counter it."
I nodded, determination hardening in my chest. "Then we find it."
Matilda was out there, waiting for me. And no amount of dark magic would keep me from her.
I turned to Darius, my jaw tight. "Get the witches. Tell them everything Anita just said."
Darius nodded and immediately left the room.
I turned back to Anita. "Think. Have you ever seen Kade with anything unusual? A stone, a weapon, a piece of jewelry he always keeps close?"
Anita's brows furrowed. "There is something…" She hesitated before continuing. "He has a pendant—an old one, dark red, almost like it's made of dragon scales. He never takes it off."
A relic.
My teeth clenched. "Then that's it. That's what's masking his scent."
Darius returned moments later, bringing with him Helena, the head of our witches. Her eyes gleamed with ancient wisdom as she listened to Anita's words.
"A dragon scale pendant," Helena murmured. "Yes, that would explain it. Dragon demons imbue objects with their power, making them nearly indestructible."
"Nearly?" I pressed.
Helena nodded. "There's a way to destroy it, but it won't be easy. We need dragon fire."
I exhaled sharply. "Where do we get dragon fire?"
Helena's expression darkened. "There's only one place I know of the Fire Caves, deep in the Ashen Mountains."
Darius swore under his breath. "That's rogue territory."
I smirked, feeling the first hint of satisfaction in weeks. "Then we fight."
I turned to my warriors. "Prepare to ride. No one rests until my Luna is back where she belongs."
Kade thought he could keep Matilda from me.
He was wrong.
We rode through the night.
The wind howled around us as we crossed into rogue territory, the scent of ash and blood thick in the air. The Fire Caves lay deep within the Ashen Mountains, a place where few dared to go. But I would walk through hell itself if it meant getting Matilda back.
Darius rode beside me, his expression grim. "If Kade is using a dragon demon's magic, this won't be a simple fight."
"I don't care," I growled. "We're burning that pendant to ash."
Anita rode behind us, gripping the saddle tightly. She had insisted on coming, claiming she knew how to get us through the mountain paths without being detected. I allowed it she had risked everything for Matilda, and I would honor my promise to help her find her sister.
Helena had warned me that dragon fire was unpredictable. Even if we reached the caves, taming it was another battle entirely.
But I didn't care about the risks.
Matilda was out there scared, pregnant, and in the hands of a monster.
My wolf clawed at the surface, restless and furious.
"I'm coming for you, my love."
Nothing would stop me.