I woke up with a throbbing pain in my neck; the ache was so intense it made me wince as I slowly opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. My mind felt sluggish, clouded with confusion as I tried to piece together wh happened before I cked out. it hit me, all at t once-a tidal wave of memory crashing over me. My stubborn refusal to leave without seeing Titus. And then Scott knocked me out. I was about to get up when I heard voices right around theer of the room. Familiar ones.


    Then


    T


    Whispers floated from the corner of the room, hushed but loud enough that I could make out every word.


    "Are you out of your mind? Why did you do that to her? His Majesty will kill you for hurting her!" It was ra, her voice sharp and furious.


    "What choice did I have?" Scott''s voice replied, equally frustrated. "I had my orders, and time is running out. Would you rather I waited until we had no time left, huh?" ra wasn''t backing down. "Lay a finger on her one more time, she hissed through gritted teeth, "and I''ll be the one to kill you with my bare hands.


    ked, startled by the raw fury in her tone. And then came Scott''s reply, casual andced with flirtation: "I have other things in mind that you can do with your bare hands."


    blinked,


    Wait.


    What


    Had I heard that right? Was there something going on between them? I told myself as I continued to pretend that I was still asleep.


    I


    "Don''t you daree closer!" ra threatened, her voice trembling with the kind of anger that onlyes from a ce far deeper than the moment itself. There was history there. Something more than I had ever realized.


    Scott scoffed, the sound dismissive, as if her anger was amusing to him. "Are you mad at me because I hurt yourdy, or is it because of something else?"


    The room suddenly felt smaller, the tension thickening like a physical presence. ra''s irritation spiked as she snapped, "What else could it be?"


    "I don''t know," Scart drawled. "Maybe because you found out I was engaged?"


    Silence. A thick, suffocating silence.


    Iy still, not daring to move, as the atmosphere in the room shifted. ra didn''t respond right away, and when she finally did, her voice was brittle and thin, as though she were grasping for control. The hell do 1 care what you do with your life."


    But the words rang hollow. Even I could hear it, and I wasn''t the one she was speaking to.


    Scott, however, wasn''t letting it go. His voice darkened, bitterness curling around his words. "Yeah, you''re right. You have no right to be mad. You''re the one who ran away first, remember? You chose her over me."


    ra''s silence spoke volumes, and though I couldn''t see her face, I imagined the conflict etched across it.


    "I had to," she finally admitted, her voice quiet but fierce with conviction. "She wouldn''t survive out there without me." Her tone softened, just a touch, as though her next words pained her. And don''t me me for doing the right thing., Scott. We both know you''d do the same for your alpha if the situation were reversed"  @ GE Chapter


    I


    78


    Scott''s retort didn''te as quickly as before. The room felt hegy with unresolved tension, emotions that lingered from whatever past they shared. It was clear now-ra''s loyalty to me hade at a personal cost. One that involved Scott


    I wanted to continue listening to them to understand what happened to them. But my worries about Titus were far greater than my curiosity, I decided to inform them of my awaken presence by letting out a low groan as I stretched my body from the bed. When I turned to them, they moved in a swift as they put distance between them,


    MY


    "I have some pain in my neck, but other than that, I''m fine," I replied.


    "Don''t worry. I I prepared a


    Im sorry for what I did numbing tea for you. I''ll just reheat it so you can drink it," ra said before leaving the room.


    mydy, Scott t apologized,


    Scott. I understand that you did what you had to, I assured him. "But right now, I need to know what''s going on.


    "No need to I to worry, Scott


    "Alpha Titus will fill you with all the details once he''s here," Scott replied.


    "Here? Where is "here"? Where are we exactly?"


    This is a hideout Alpha Titus prepared just in case something bad happened. This ce is protected with spells that even the Royal Elder can''t trace."


    "But why are we here, Scott? What''s really going on with Titus?"


    He remained silent. He was about to open his mouth when I cut him off. "I know, I know. You''re not in liberty to answer my questions, I said, answering for him. Just right on t on time, ra ara came back with a tray on her hands. "Here''s your tea, mydy." can go go now,


    You


    "I dismissed him. He took took a slight bow before he left the room. I sat up slowly, grimacing at the dull ache throbbing at the baselief as she rushed to my side. She reached out, her hands hovering near me as if uncertain whether to touch me or not. "How are you feeling? Her eyes flickered with worry. Mydy, you''re awake! ra gasped, her face lighting up v


    with


    e of my neck.


    "I have


    some pain in my neck, but other than that, I''m fine." I replied, rolling my shoulders slightly to shake off the stiffness.


    ra''s shoulders rxed as if a weight had been lifted. "Don''t worry, I prepared a numbing tea for you. I''ll reheat it, and you''ll feel better in no time," she said, giving me a reassuring smile before swiftly heading our of the room.


    As she disappeared through the door, Scott took a hesitant step forward. His usual confident stance seemed to falter, and there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes. He cleared his throat, his voice softer than I''d ever heard it. I''m sorry for what I did, mydy." I met his gaze, my expression softening. "No need to worry, Scott I understand you did what you had to," I assured him. "But right now, I need to know what''s going on." he replied.


    His jaw tightened and he shifted ufortably. "Alpha Titus will fill you in once he''s here,"


    ???


    My eyes narrowed slightly. Here? Where is here? I nced around the unfamiliar room once more, the walls bare and cold.. devoid of the opulence of the pce. "Where are we exactly?"


    Scott


    hesitated for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully. This is a hideout Alpha Titus prepared in case of emergencies. It''s protected with spells-strong ones-that not even the Royal Elders can trace."


    I frowned, my mind racing. "But why are we here, Scott? What''s really going on with Titus?" My voice was firmer now. I  @ G.


    couldn''t shake the unemse that had settled in my chest since the moment I''d woken up.


    Scott''s silence was answer enough. He nced away, his lips pressing into a tight line. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off before he could give me another evasive response. "know, I know, I said with a sigh, frustration creeping into my voice. "You''re not at liberty to answer my questions. He gave a slight nod. his posture stiff, as if he were holding back more than just words.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, the door creaked open, and ra walked back in with a tray in her hands. "Here''s your tea, mydy," she said, her voice soft as she set the tray on the small table beside the bed.


    1 gave her a small smile, grateful for her constant care. "Thank you, ra."


    I turned to Scott, dismissing him with a gesture "You can go now, Scott."


    He hesitated for just a second before bowing slightly. "Of course mydy," he said, his voice respectful. He turned and left the room quietly, the door clicking shut behind him.


    I leaned back into the pillows, my thoughts spinning wildly as I reached for the cup of tea ra had brought. The warmth of the cup seeped into my hands, but it did little to calm the unease gnawing at me. Something was wrong-terribly wrong- and no one was telling me the full truth. "Are you okay, mydy?" ra''s voice broke through the cloud of frustration hanging over me. Her face was a mask of concern: her brow creased as she hovered near the bed.


    I


    I clenched my fists, trying to keep the bubbling anger in check. "No, ra. I''m not okay," I snapped, though I wasn''t really angry at her. Tm pi****d off that I have no idea what''s going on. No one''s telling me anything, and the one person who can actually give me answers is nowhere to be found." My voice grew louder with each word, and I could feel the heat of my frustration rise in my chest. "It infuriates me!"


    ra frowned, her lips pursed as she thought for a moment. "Why don''t you try using your mind link, mydy?" she suggested.


    Her words stopped me in my tracks. Mind link? Of course! How had I not thought of that? Titus and I shared a bond, a connection that should allow me to reach him wherever he was. My heart skipped a beat as hope bloomed in my chest. "Holy crap!" I muttered, feeling both exasperated with myself and a flicker of excitement. "Why didn''t I think of that sooner?"


    Without wasting another second, I pushed myself up from the bed, ignoring the dull ache still lingering in my neck. I sat at the edge, my feet touching the cold floor, and closed my eyes, focusing inward. Reaching for the bond, I tried to connect with Titus.


    My mind searched for his presence like a thread straining to reach the other end.


    "Titus..." I called out silently. But instead of theforting tug I usually felt when we connected, there was... nothing.


    nad


    had


    I frowned, concentrating harder. "Titus, where are you?" I tried again, this time more forcefully. Yet again, the connection remained empty, the silence pressing in on me like a weight. The bond wasn''t there-it was as if the thread between us been severed, or worse, blocked My eyes flew open, panic creeping into my chest. Why isn''t it working? I should have been able to reach him, no matter where he was, but something was wrong-terribly wrong. I nced over a ra, who was watching me with growing concern


    "The mind link," I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. "It''s not working." The words tasted bitter on my tongue, and the pit in my stomach deepened.


    ra''s face paled "That''s... that''s impossible. Your bond with His Majesty is strong, isn''t it?" She took a step closer, her hands wringing together as though she could feel the anxiety radiating off me.  @ G Chapter 78


    "It should be," I murmured, Ceeling the weight of uncertainty settle over me. "But I can''t reach him. My heart pounded in my chest, fear wing at the edges of my mind. If I couldn''t use the mind link to find him, then what could have happened to him? ra stepped closer, her hand gently touching my arm, offering silentfort. I''m sure there''s an exnation, mydy. Maybe the spells around this ce are interfering with the bond Her voice was soothing, but I could tell she was just as worried as I was.


    "I did once try to severe our mental link when he was forced to share his pleasure with me. Do you think I severe our ties permanently?" "You did what?" ra asked in surprise.


    You


    "I blocked him off when he tried using our mind link to seduce the into sleeping with him." She stared at me for a second, as if digesting what I just said. "Why, what''s wrong?"


    "I heard about that. But I thought that was only a myth. ver heard of anyone sessfully blocking their mate bond. Especially not with a powerful lycan like His Majesty." Though it intrigues me, it''s the least of my concerns. "So, do you think I permanently cut off our bond


    She smile. "No, it doesn''t work that way, Sage. The only way you can severe your bond permanently is when you reject him and he epts."


    "Then, why can''t I feel him, ra?" I asked in frustration.


    There could be another reason, Sage. That is if he''s... dead."