The Alpha Can’t Sense His Mate

AZRIEL’S POV

This madness ends today.

I thought as I marched to Zadok’s office with proof of why we must rescue Ithra.

Yes, I was beyond convinced she was the one. My instinct had once again been proved right and if the Alpha refused to take action this time, I would do so myself.

She was my half-sister after all.

I knocked on the door and Zadok ordered me in. His face was a wreck as always. I didn’t care. I was done doing things on his terms. If there would be any further proceeding with us, then he needed to get out of that self-depreciating slum or I would yank him out myself.

Damn the consequences.

“What is it this time?” His tone was bored, uninterested.

“I have important news,” I said, walking inside his office and taking a seat.

“Go on.” He didn’t spare me a glance as he signed off papers. Alpha duties.

I was going to need his full attention for this one. “It’s important,” I said again, waiting for him to acknowledge me.

Zadok knew to pick his battles with me. He dropped the pen and glared at me, relaxing on his chair. I could see the dark shadows underneath his eyes. He had not been sleeping. I had noticed since that day, he was slipping off my fingers and this was my last resort at saving him.

Or should I say, saving what was left of him?

“This had better be worth it.” He said, with a corked eyebrow. “I’m all ears.”

I cleared my throat, leaning closer to the table. I knew he wouldn’t be pleased but I was done caring. “It’s Ithra,” I said and a dark cloud covered his face. “Listen to me,” I said but that ship had sailed.

“I warned you, Azriel.” His tone was cold and angry. “I told you to stay away from Cole and his darned pack!”

“Listen to me, Zadok.”

“It’s Alpha to you!” He roared, using his alpha tone. “I warned you to focus on the business that pays you. Did I have water in my mouth or did you decide to disobey me?”

“She is being molested! She is my sister and if you have no regard or love for her, that will not stop me from carrying out my responsibilities to her!” I roared back, sick of his insults.

Zadok laughed. It was short and faux. “You’ve lost your mind,” he said, looking at me like I had gone nuts. “That woman is not your sister. She is merely a lookalike. A make-believe. Not the real deal. Do you want me to spell it out to you? Can’t you read the darned wall?”

I shook my head. He wasn’t going to get to me this time. I had carefully done my due diligence. I could prove she was Ithra. My guts knew she was the one. I couldn’t be wrong. I have gone through this a billion times in my head.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

I wasn’t stupid.

“I don’t care what you say. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. If you decide to give up on her, then that’s on you.” My tone was resolute. “However, you do not have the right to shove that mindset on us all.”

His reply was sharp. “I am the fucking Alpha. I will do as I please.” He said but I could see the change in his eyes. He was relenting, hopeful. “What’s got you so convinced?” He finally asked and I resisted the smile that threatened to break my lips.

“I got news from one of my informants in the Moonlight pack.” His attention was arrested. “He told me about the sudden marking ceremony that took place and how-”

“Marking?” Zadok interrupted me with flaming eyes. “He marked her?!”

“Almost,” I said and watched as his worry eased. “She didn’t let him. According to news, she engulfed in a fiery flame and nearly burned him alive if not for Athaliah’s intervention.”

“Athaliah?” His eyes perked with shock. I knew that feeling. I suffered the same when I got and confirmed the news of her new identity as a warrior of the Moonlight pack. “How did that happen?” his eyes turned cold, and I knew what he was thinking.

“She pledged her life to Cole a few months after getting banished.” I supplied more information. “Word has it that she is in charge of training warriors of the Moonlight pack. She is an asset after all.”

“She is a traitor.” Zadok growled, “The next time I set my eyes on her will be the same day she dies.” He vowed and I could tell he meant it.

I didn’t combat his words. It was no use. Even I had lost hope in her when I got the information. I’d done everything I could as a rejected mate. From the day she walked away with her life, I vowed she would never be my problem again.

I had better things to do. “According to my source, she was detained and beaten by Cole after his recovery from the incident. Now, she is locked up in her room and under tight supervision.” I rounded up my story and Zadok had a deranged look in his eyes.

I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. And in my books, that was a good sign.

“I wrote to Cole.” He said and I was surprised.

“Why?” I asked, wondering if the motherfucker did something else under my nose.

“I’ve been having these dreams.” That threw me off. Zadok’s eyes met mine. “Dreams of my mate calling out to me for help.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. “Alpha..”

“In a spur of the moment, I sent a letter.” He swallowed. “I sent a letter asking permission to see her. I needed another opportunity to ascertain she wasn’t real before I let it go.”

My eyes went the size of saucers. “You told him you wanted to meet her?” My tone was incredulous – Exactly how I felt at the moment.

“I’m not that stupid.” He said coldly. “I told him I needed to congratulate him and apologize for my sudden disappearance.”

“And?”

“I thought he brushed me off because his mate had said something to him, but now I see how it might have come off as me mocking his situation.” Zadok cleared his throat. “He expressly stated he didn’t want me in his pack, and disobedience would be a declaration of war.”

I watched the Alpha dig into his drawers as he handed me a piece of crumpled paper from the Moon Light pack. How had this gone past me?

“Even if there is a little chance you are right, there is no way of finding out. If we can’t see her, there’s no way of claiming her.”

My eyes burned through the paper. “If you can’t go in the right way. Then we are going to have to sneak you in.”

Zadok gauged me with an expression that said I had lost my senses. And maybe I had.

“What’s the plan?”