The Alpha's Stolen Luna-Chapter 111: Why Risk Your Life?

Magnus

"Were our suspicions confirmed?" I ask Aksel the moment he steps into my office, a stack of document folders in his hand.

He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he strides to my desk and tosses the folders onto it, his rye-colored brows drawn together in a storm of anger and frustration.

"Yes. Every damn one of them," he finally bites out, his voice heavy with annoyance. "Every pack that reported missing females had the Kellan twins in their registry. They used different names and faces each time, of course, but the pattern’s the same—right before the disappearances started, the packs accepted them as new members."

"And the last reports?" I press, though I already know what he’s going to say.

"Before this mess reached Blood Moon," Aksel sighs, dragging a hand down his face, "it was Mistfall’s Luna. No one reported the twins missing because, according to their packmates, they left voluntarily—a month before she vanished. I guess that was convenient, to keep the suspicion away."

"Different faces..." I murmur, raking my fingers through the thick tangles of my hair. "Considering Gloria’s confession and everything else we’ve uncovered, it’s clear enough they’re half-sirens. But the disguises—they reek of witchcraft."

"You think that bastard Windthorne hired a witch for it?" my beta grumbles, collapsing heavily into the chair across from me, slumping forward in sheer exhaustion.

I can’t blame him for the dramatics. He’s been running himself ragged for days, and if I’m being honest... the tension suffocating Blood Moon is partly my fault. An alpha’s mood bleeds into his pack, and mine has been far from steady.

"What do we do?" The man peels his face off the smooth surface of the desk and shoots me a half-lidded look. "I get that the King has never given two shits about other packs, but we are his army. If someone goes against us, they’re going against him, too."

Despite the weight of the situation, I almost want to laugh.

If the King truly cared about the other packs, he would have had me investigate years ago, back when the first report landed on my desk. But he didn’t. He never does.

Because the truth is simple: when other alphas grow weaker, the King grows stronger. And there’s nothing in this whole fucking world he treasures more than power.

He’d let the entire world burn as long as he keeps his ass on the throne––a comfortable seat to watch the flames.

"The King will never give us the green light to move against Alpha Windthorne," I say at last, leaning back heavily in my chair. "He’s already denied my request to search Dark Wood’s territory. As far as he’s concerned, they’re not a threat as long as they stay quiet."

"Yeah, he feels fucking secure," Aksel scoffs, lips twisting into a bitter smile. "Instead of stopping the danger, he’s betting on us cleaning up the mess later."

I wish Aksel were wrong. But he isn’t.

The King’s calm isn’t negligence—it’s confidence. Confidence in one thing only.

Me.

He knows what I am. He knows what I can do. And he knows that I can’t... won’t... go against him.

I fucking can’t.

"Alpha Magnus?" A sudden knock at the door snaps both our heads in its direction. Oliver peeks inside, his face half-hidden behind the doorframe. "Is this a bad time? Someone is here requesting to see you."

"Who is it?" Aksel and I ask at the same time, exchanging a quick look of surprise as we do.

"Arthur Stone," a new voice answers from the hall. A moment later, a tall, sun-browned man steps in, his young face marred by a deep-set frown. "I am one of the omegas from the Dark Wood Pack. Could you spare me a minute, Alpha Reiner?"

I mirror his expression, though I can’t tell if it’s concern or suspicion twisting my features. Either way, I give Oliver a brief nod before motioning for the man to step inside and take the chair beside Aksel.

"Thank you, Alpha Reiner," Arthur says as he sits. He moves cautiously, as if even shifting his weight might risk stirring trouble. "Thank you."

"So," I begin, forcing my tone to remain leveled, careful not to sound cold or unapproachable. "What did you want to see me about, Mr. Stone?"

"I want to..." He hesitates, voice trailing off as his eyes flick nervously toward Aksel.

Aksel exhales sharply and turns away, as if only now realizing how hard he’s been staring the man down.

"I want to report a missing person," Arthur finally says, shifting uneasily in his chair. "Luna Camilla Theon, to be precise."

"The Luna of your pack?" I arch a brow at him, too drained to fully process the weight of his words.

"Yes," the man nods quickly. "She went to a meeting with the shifter coalition at Dawn Springs and then disappeared. Alpha—Alpha Windthorne said she went on vacation, but I don’t believe that. She... she wanted to meet the coalition because she was going to divorce our Alpha."

"Well, how amusing," Aksel scoffs, folding his arms across his chest. I mirror his reaction with a faint nod.

"Alright," I say evenly, "but what if she simply changed her mind and then did go on vacation? Or perhaps she left after meeting with the coalition?"

Arthur shakes his head firmly. He slips his hand into the pocket of his cardigan and pulls out a folded sheet of paper, sliding it across the desk toward me.

"This is the only thing she gave me before leaving for Dawn Springs—like she knew something might happen to her. At first, I didn’t know what to make of it. But now..." His voice falters, and he inhales sharply before locking eyes with me. "Now I think I do."

His tone hardens. "She would never change her mind. And this blueprint is proof of that. He took her. And I believe... he is keeping her there."

Arthur’s finger lands on the blueprint, though his gaze never wavers from mine. "I don’t know what this place is, Alpha Reiner, but I am convinced it’s some sort of storage space hidden within Dark Wood’s territory."

"What makes you so sure you’re right?" I ask, meeting his steady gaze with one just as unyielding.

"I’m an errand boy in the pack, like most male omegas—unless they’re assigned to the patrol squads. But the men Alpha Windthorne brought with him when he became our Alpha... they’re all on the construction team. And to be honest, that’s strange. Our pack house doesn’t need anything built, not really. Yet for years they’ve been working on something, and we still haven’t seen what it is."

"Working underground?" Aksel cuts in, tugging the blueprint toward him. His eyes narrow as he scans it. "This doesn’t look complete. Where’s the rest?"

"This is all I have," Arthur admits with a weary sigh. "It’s all she left me."

"Mr. Stone," I press, letting my wolf rise forward. My aura pushes against him, a warning and a demand all at once. "Why are you really here? Why risk your life to meet me? Why risk everything to bring this to me? Why... risk your life for your Luna?"

"Because—" he begins, his voice firm at first, but the strength falters quickly. He swallows hard, the silence stretching heavy between us. Finally, the words break free, quiet but raw. "Luna Camilla... is my mate."