False Expectations - Chapter 43: Chapter 43

Maximus' pov:
-"Demetrio, I need you to prepare a research team of 100 warriors and 100 scouts ASAP. I want you all in the training field in ten minutes," I mind-linked Demetrio. I had tried linking with Chris several times, but I couldn't reach him. It was like the land had swallowed him whole.
-"Right away, Alpha," Demetrio replied, and I severed the link.
I tidied up my desk and gathered the supplies I needed for the search. I would find her, no matter what. Sonia was right. I had to search the forest. If Adelina had left with another man, I would have felt it. But no, for days now, I had felt nothing. Chris and Sonia were right from the start. Adelina had been kidnapped because of me—because they wanted to hurt me.
-"I was right, too, you know. Not that you ever mentioned me," my wolf, Drako, chimed in with a hint of sarcasm. "I told you from the beginning that Adelina didn't run away. But of course, the big bad Alpha was waiting for the goddesses' intervention to finally believe it."
-"Not now, Drako. We have work to do," I replied firmly.
-"Well, don't say I didn't tell you..." he muttered back, clearly annoyed.
I rushed out of my office, ready to head downstairs when I heard Gina's irritating voice behind me.
-"Maximus, my love, I was coming to you. We were in the middle of something. Where are you going?"
I didn't answer her at all. I didn't even bother to look back. Instead, I kept walking. She followed me, yelling at me, until I reached the last step of the stairs, and she tripped, falling on top of me. I turned around and shot her a stern look.
-"Why are you following me? Can't you see I'm busy? Leave me alone!" I snapped at her.
She pouted and walked away, grumbling. I couldn't believe I had been so blind, so ready to fall into her trap again. What was wrong with me? Why had I acted so stupidly?
-"This same question has been bothering me for days," Draco chimed in with a venomous tone. "I can't accept the fact that my human alter ego is such an idiot!"
-"Okay, Draco, fair enough! I got the message. I'm a total idiot for thinking Adelina betrayed me. Is that what you were dying to hear?" I retorted.
-"I guess something like that... though it's not enough," he confessed.
-"Now can we focus on finding Adelina instead of blaming each other?"
-"We weren't blaming each other. You can't blame me for anything, as I didn't do anything wrong," Draco countered. "Now take your excuse and go save my beautiful mate."
I made my way down to the training field, where the research team was already lined up and waiting for me.
-"Hello, everyone. You are here today because you are the best and only hope to find and save our Luna. You will be divided into four groups and scattered to the four corners of the forest. You will search. You will not stop until you find her. Demetrio's team will go east, and mine west, respectively. Make me proud now!"
-"Yes, Alpha!" they all responded in unison, shifting into their wolf forms. Demetrio organized the teams into their respective groups, and we all waited for the signal to begin. I took my team and headed toward the forest.
We traveled for a while, and then Draco insisted on taking over. He caught a faint scent—a familiar one—and he was certain it belonged to Adelina. I gave him control, and he started running at full speed. The others tried to follow behind, but Draco was unstoppable. After half an hour of running, we reached a part of the forest filled with tall pines and firs. I had never been here before.
I scanned the area but found no signs of humans or werewolves. I sent our scouts to investigate further. An hour later, I received word that they had found a trail about two kilometers away. On this trail, they found tracks—both human and wolf. The trail led to a dirt road where fresh tire tracks were found. According to the scouts, the tires didn't belong to the usual trucks that carried timber—they were from an SUV. That was definitely interesting.
I ordered my team to take a closer look at the area to see if they could find anything else.
Draco was growing more and more impatient. The scent he had picked up earlier had disappeared, and no matter how much he sniffed around, he couldn't find it again. His frustration only increased, and I could feel the agitation coursing through him. He wanted to run, to tear through the forest in a blind rage, but we had to stay focused. There was still work to do.
I decided to follow the dirt road with a small group, hoping it would lead to something, but it quickly ended at a hill, forcing us back to square one. We had already spent the entire day searching, and now night was quickly approaching. I gave the orders: some warriors were to set up camp in a nearby clearing, while others would go hunting. I chose to join the hunting party.
Draco's fury burned inside me, and he didn't hold back on his anger. He blamed me for not starting the search for Adelina sooner, and his frustration made him reckless. He tore through the forest, his instincts taking over as he hunted. Draco single-handedly caught four deer, two wild boars, and three wild goats—more than enough to feed the group. Yet, he refused to stop. He pushed himself to the limit, determined to prove something to himself, even if I had to force him to rest.
I eventually ordered him to stop. "Draco, you need to rest. We'll need you at your full strength tomorrow."
Reluctantly, he let me have control again. With the hunt finished, we made our way back to camp, where a large fire was already blazing in the center. It was a welcome sight, and I could see that the warriors were preparing the meat. We didn't technically need the fire to cook, but I thought it would be better to eat like civilized beings, rather than like wild animals.
The night sky was breathtaking, even without a moon. The stars seemed to stretch endlessly, like an ocean of diamonds scattered across the dark velvet sky. The atmosphere around the campfire was relaxed, with jokes and stories floating through the air, bringing a sense of camaraderie. But I couldn't fully enjoy the moment. My thoughts kept drifting back to Adelina.
Was she out there, somewhere under the same sky? Was she thinking of me? Had she eaten anything today? Was she okay? I couldn't shake the worry gnawing at me. I knew it would take time, but it felt like we should have found her by now. Every moment felt like an eternity.
-"Do you think she sees the same sky?" I asked, almost to myself, staring into the fire.
Draco remained silent for a moment, as if considering my words. Then, in a softer tone than usual, he answered, "She might be out there, looking up at it, just like we are. But we'll bring her back, Maximus. We will."
I nodded, but the doubt still lingered in my chest. Would I be able to find her? Could I bring her back safely?
All of these questions swirled in my mind until exhaustion finally took over, and I fell asleep by the fire. The weight of my thoughts and the pressure of the search left me drained, but I couldn't afford to rest for long. The next morning, we were back at it, determined to find any trace of Adelina.
We decided to head up the hill to check what was beyond it, hoping it might offer some clue. Unfortunately, our efforts were in vain. There was nothing of importance there. We spent the entire day searching, covering every inch of the area, but still no sign of her. Frustration began to gnaw at me, and just as I was beginning to lose hope, one of my scouts contacted me late that night.
"Alpha, I've found something," he said urgently. His voice was laced with a mixture of excitement and caution. "I need you to come here. I'll send you the coordinates."
I immediately told him to stay put and give me the exact location. It wasn't far from where I was, and within minutes, I was on my way. My heart was pounding in my chest as I pushed through the dense woods, the darkness of night surrounding me like a cloak. I had no idea what I was going to find, but I was ready for anything.
When I arrived, I saw it—a small, old, abandoned cabin hidden among the trees. The structure was weathered, its wooden walls covered in moss and vines. It looked like it hadn't been touched in years, but something about it felt significant. My instincts screamed at me that this could be the breakthrough we had been waiting for.
I approached cautiously, signaling to the rest of the team to stay alert. This could be a trap, or it could be the key to finding Adelina. I wasn't taking any chances.
Adelina's pov:
The weight of the situation pressed heavily on me, and I could feel my pulse quicken with every passing minute. Two days had passed, and I still hadn't come up with a solid plan. The deadline was looming—just one more night until the final decision had to be made. I couldn't keep letting this go on, but every option seemed to trap me in a worse nightmare than the last.
The thought of becoming his queen sickened me to my core. Just imagining a future with him made my skin crawl. Yet if I chose that path, my life would be dictated by two miserable outcomes. If he succeeded, I'd be bound to a man I could never love, forced to live a life I despised. If he failed, Maximus would cast me aside. I would become a traitor in his eyes, a disgrace to my pack, stripped of everything. And to me, that seemed worse than death itself.
The suffocating silence of the room matched the chaos in my mind. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't think clearly. Every scenario I tried to play out ended in failure. My thoughts were tangled, and all I could focus on was the ticking clock.
Escape. That was the only thing that made any sense, but how? I was tied to this chair with ropes that bit into my skin, in a place I didn't recognize. I didn't even know how far I was from the pack, or if there was anyone looking for me. The odds were stacked against me, and I could feel the desperation clawing at my chest.
If only I could break free. If only I knew where I was.
I closed my eyes and tried to calm my racing heart, thinking of any possible way out.
It was three in the morning when I heard a strange noise outside. At first, I assumed the guards were just changing shifts, laughing and teasing to pass the time. But then the sounds shifted—there was no mistaking it now. It was a fight. The sounds of struggle, grunts, and maybe even a few curses.
Who was fighting? What was going on? Were they just arguing, or was it something worse? The second option seemed more likely. The chaos outside made my heart race with anxiety. Should I try to do something? Could I do something? The truth was, there wasn't much I could do. I was tied to a chair, helpless. All I could do was wait.
The commotion continued for a few agonizing minutes before it suddenly stopped. Silence. The only sound now was the echo of heavy footsteps approaching the door. I tensed, holding my breath, as the door was slammed open. It fell to the floor with a crash. My eyes widened as a large figure entered, dressed all in black with a hood that shadowed his face. His movements were steady, purposeful as he closed the distance between us.
He stopped right in front of me. And then, in a low, almost relieved voice, he muttered, "Finally."
Before I could react, the world around me spun into darkness.