The Alpha's Stolen Luna - Chapter 178: Chapter 178

: Lucas
Fuck.
This was bad. This was really bad. If she was with Mason, she could very well already be dead. He had no reason to keep her alive and if he thought he had no way of getting to either Sutton or me, well… Hannah’s death would suffice as temporary vengeance.
I looked out the windshield to see Prince Raphe already speaking with someone in an airfield uniform. I didn’t waste anymore time and jumped out of the SUV.
“… blockaded the tarmac, preventing the transport van from getting to the plane,” the man was explaining as I joined them.
“The whole airport was supposed to be locked down during the handoff,” I stated. “How did they get on the property?”
“They cut the fence on the west side of the field,” he stated. “Came in on off-road vehicles. Only two slipped back through though. The other two were caught by our security. But they fought hard. Ended up getting away on foot.”
“Which group was Mason a part of?” the prince asked.
The man rubbed the back of is neck. “The first,” he said shamefully. “He was the first to run once he was free of his chains. He left the rest to the fight. They were vicious. Killed one my new recruits.” He shook is head sadly. “Young kid, too. Just turned twenty.”
“How many injured?” I asked.
“Six went to the hospital,” he said. “Most of the Council guards. They’ll survive but definitely needed more medical attention than we could give. Anyone else with minor injuries is already out looking.”
“Show me where they got out,” Prince Raphe ordered.
We were taken out to a poorly lit section of fence a few hundred yards away from the main complex. Two four-wheelers were off to the side. One flipped on its side. Looking at the downed fence, it was surprisingly thorough for such a rushed job. But that wasn’t what I was focused on.
The scent of blood was everywhere. Rhonen immediately pushed to take over. I let my feet move where he wanted but I didn’t let him shift yet. I stepped through the whole in the fence. I could smell the bodies mingled with the odor from the vehicles they were using, Mason’s was included. Both were giving me a direction to follow.
“They seem to be headed to the service highway a couple miles away,” Prince Raphe said from behind me. “There two groups already up ahead.”
I envied his connection with his people. Even as a prince, he held a controlling tether to everyone the country, with the exception of his father. But his ability to connect with his people seemed so much more intuitive than I was used to.
“You don’t sense Mason nearby?” I asked, wondering how he hadn’t already figured out where to go.
“Unfortunately, it seems Alpha Anders severed Mason’s ties to the pack,” Prince Raphe stated. “He’s rogue even to me now.”
I was surprised by the statement. Not because I didn’t believe Anders capable of turning his own Beta rogue so easily. That was no shock. But as long as Mason was still tied to Anders and the Dawn Stalkers, he would be bound to Anders commands. Even while he was in my custody in Ironpaw lands. A command would ensure he didn’t give away any secrets or plans that Anders didn’t want me finding out.
“You seem bothered by that information,” Prince Raphe commented as we progressed further through the woods.
“More suspicious than bothered,” I replied.
“Why is that?”
I stooped down next to a bush. A scent I would never forget lingering on a patch of blood splatter on the leaves.
“Mason’s wounded,” I stated.
The prince came up next to me and examined the same spot I had.
“Impressive,” he said. “I confess I don’t know Mason’s scent well enough to pick him out of the mix.”
“Sutton was covered in that scent the day she staggered up to my family’s farm,” I stated, getting up to keep following the trail.
My unexpected companion didn’t skip a beat, easily keeping up with my quick strides. I could here other groups in the distance. We must not be far from the highway.
“I saw the photos,” Prince Raphe admitted. “After I heard that Sutton could be my niece, I felt compelled to learn about what was going on with this whole summit interrogation.”
I kept walking, focusing on the path ahead. I didn’t know what he wanted me to say. There was nothing to say. Sutton was my mate. Those pictures said everything he needed to know.
“I also heard she didn’t have a wolf when you found her…”
“If Alpha Anders turned Mason rogue, I doubt he didn’t have any idea this escape was going to happen,” I said, changing the subject. “Or he had some other plan in mind. Cutting his ties mean it’s almost guaranteed Mason would turn on him entirely, by force or not.”
“Perhaps Alpha Anders isn’t as involved as you believe,” Prince Raphe said casually. “It wouldn’t be the first time an unrestricted Beta had overstepped his authority behind his Alpha’s back.”
“Or Alpha Anders didn’t expect him to live long enough for me to get the chance to question him,” I responded.
We hear shouting from up ahead and the lights from the flashlights were brighter. I could even hear the sounds of yips and barks from those who must have shifted to search. I picked up my pace and emerged from the trees. A group of six were congregating at the edge of the road and seemed to be expecting us.
“It’s no use, Your Highness,” one of the men stated. “The four-wheelers were dumped just across the highway. They had to have been picked up by someone.”
“Hannah…” I hissed. “We need to change tactics. Our search radius just got a lot bigger.”
“I’ve already got the border’s closed,” Prince Raphe stated. “We can have someone here to pick us up in minutes. We’ll head to the transportation office to monitor traffic around this area. We’ll pinpoint their movements in no time.”
“It’s more of a plan than I’ve got,” I said with frustration.
I took a step away from the group. Needing some space to reorganize my thoughts. I pulled out my phone to send Max an update and nearly dropped it when I felt a pain shoot through my chest. As I caught my breath, I immediately felt something missing. That one connection that was always strong. Always present. Now, there was nothing.
“Sutton…”