The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate-Chapter 136: Bitchassery, Black Ops, & Bloodhound Instincts

Chapter 136: Bitchassery, Black Ops, & Bloodhound Instincts

She woke alone. Dex was gone again.

The moon hung in the sky. Dex’s scent was still fresh on the pillow.

Serena sat up slowly. Her head felt thick and foggy, like it was stuffed with cotton.

She pulled on a short silk robe and slipped on her boots.

She didn’t understand what compelled her to do it, but she moved toward the door. Her legs carried her forward of their own accord, and her mind was strangely quiet.

The corridor was empty at this hour. Torches burned low in their sconces. Her boots were silent on the stone floor.

She didn’t know where she was going. But something was pulling her forward, and she couldn’t resist the urge to follow.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor ahead.

Serena ducked behind a painting, and her fingers found a hidden latch that she didn’t know she knew existed. The wall gave way, and she slipped into a narrow tunnel that smelled of dust and forgotten years.

She moved through twists and turns, navigating a labyrinth of passages that seemed to guide her rather than confuse her.

She emerged behind a small hidden door. A heavy tapestry hung in front of it, and beyond that lay the war room. She cracked the door open just enough to hear.

"It’s been over two weeks, and there is no word from Hyran or Shadowclaw." Captain Halvek stood rigid at the map table, his expression grim. "Both are missing in action. Nightspire and Maelor confirmed they arrived at the source, but we haven’t heard from them since."

"They have their cuffs on, and mindlink hasn’t worked for either of them." Major Falstaff shook his head slowly.

"Their mindlink stopped working the second they arrived there." Colonel Varflarous leaned forward with his hands braced against the table. "I’m not sure if the death failsafe would even function at this point. Either we’re limited by distance, or there’s an enchantment blocking the signal."

"The reinforcements sent are also M.I.A." Halvek’s jaw tightened.

The silence that followed was heavy.

"Serena is going to be devastated when she learns that Hyran and Shadowclaw are both gone." Falstaff exhaled. "They went to take care of this for her."

"It’s clear they’ve been captured and are being held to lure her there." Colonel Varflarous traced a finger along the map. "This has trap written all over it."

"They still weren’t able to extract the sources for Viper’s Kiss." Captain Halvek straightened. "There’s more work to be done here before we can even consider—"

"I knew I should have gone instead of Shadowclaw." Dexmon’s voice cut through the room, jaw tight with barely contained frustration.

King Tiberon didn’t look up from the documents in his hand. "You have a bounty on your head worth more than some kingdoms generate in a year. Every cutthroat and glory-seeker in Orosia would crawl over their own mothers for a chance at it."

"Shadowclaw is a king, and he went," Dex shot back.

"Shadowclaw’s decisions are his own affair. You are my heir." Tiberon set down the documents and fixed his son with a stare that had made generals reconsider their life choices. "I don’t recall raising you to be stupid. Prove me right."

"This has to do with my mate." Dex stood, eyes blazing with defiance. "I should be the one taking care of it, not sitting here."

"Your mate needs a living husband, not a heroic corpse." Tiberon’s voice was dry as aged parchment. "By some mercy of the moon goddess, you and her are getting back on track. After Viper’s Kiss, a broken matebond, and other hiccups. Don’t screw it up now."

His words landed like a blade on stone. No one spoke for a minute.

Hale blinked. Hiccups was certainly one word for it.

"Have we considered letting her go?" Varflarous asked carefully. "She took out an entire Dark Fae battalion on her own. She would be able to handle—"

"No." Dexmon’s voice was sharp enough to cut steel. "She’s not going anywhere. She’s not fully recovered."

"That doesn’t mean she wouldn’t be able to—" Halvek started.

He didn’t finish. One look from Dexmon, and the words withered in his throat.

"Dexmon is correct." Alaric stepped forward from his position against the wall, and his tone was clinical. "She completely overpowered herself. Her energy levels haven’t returned to baseline."

"It’s easy to forget she has silver poisoning still because she adapts. But she has been pushed too much. More is going to cause damage," Alaric added.

He glanced at Dexmon. The look that passed between them said everything the room didn’t need to hear. Serena seeing an Emperor in her mind. The nightmares. The calming tonics. Both of them knew what would happen if any of that got out.

Tiberon turned to the physician. "How long until she’s recovered?"

"Difficult to say." Alaric folded his arms. "At least two weeks for her energy if I were to guess. For silver poisoning, a few months."

The room absorbed that in silence.

"I’m going." Dex’s voice left no room for negotiation. "She’s mine, and I’m done watching from the sidelines."

Hale straightened from his position by the door. "I’ll go as well."

"I’ll be there too." Gavriel pushed off from the wall, his usual humor was notably absent. "No point in letting you two get yourselves killed without proper supervision."

"I’ll attend as well." Archibald adjusted his spectacles and cleared his throat. "Hyran would have my head if you all went alone, and none of you speak High Orosian."

"Reassuring," Gav muttered. "Our survival depends on the man who just adjusted his glasses twice."

"Three times, actually," Archibald corrected. "And yes. It does."

"Do we know where they are?" Halvek asked.

"No." Dex shook his head. "But we start with the source Nightspire provided and work our way from there."

"This could be a trap." Varflarous straightened and met Dex’s eyes. "You do realize that."

"I realize it." Dex’s expression didn’t waver. "If it’s a trap, they should have built a better one."

"Every mission with you is a trap, Dex. At this point I’d be suspicious if it wasn’t," Gav said, dryly.

"We leave now if you want to keep this from Serena." Hale glanced toward the door. "Elara is going to kill me. I need everyone here to know that. For the record."

Gavriel nodded. "Serena is going to notice when half her inner circle disappears overnight."

Dex ran his hand through his hair, and frustration radiated from every line of his body. He didn’t like the idea of Serena waking up without him. He didn’t like the thought of leaving without saying goodbye, without explaining, without giving her the chance to argue him out of it.

But he also knew that the second she asked, he would cave. It had been hard enough keeping this from her as it was.

"Serena will ask." His voice was rough. "And I won’t lie to her. We leave now."

Tiberon’s jaw locked. He studied his son for a long moment, something unreadable passing behind his eyes.

"Fine." His voice carried through the room. "Don’t get yourselves blown up. I have neither the time nor the patience to plan state funerals."

His gaze lifted, and for just a moment, his eyes seemed to look directly at the tapestry.

Directly at where Serena was hiding.

Then he looked away.