Page 46 of Alpha's Claim
Elle sobbed quietly, her shoulders shaking with fear and regret. But Colt didn’t care. All that mattered now was finding Briar—finding his mate—and bringing her home.
He turned to Bryce, his expression hard as iron. “Take Elle back to the ranch on horseback. Make sure she’s locked up where she can’t hurt anyone else. I’ll take the ATV. I need every man on patrol. We have to find her.”
Bryce nodded, his gaze sharp and focused. “I’m on it, brother.”
Without another word, Colt mounted the ATV, gunning the engine as it roared to life. Colt threw the vehicle into gear, the tires kicking up dirt and leaves as he sped away from the clearing. The road back to the ranch blurred beneath him, and every second felt like a lifetime.
His mind raced, replaying everything Elle had said. Briar’s coven had her. They’d come for her, and she’d fought them—fought them alone. His wolf snarled in frustration, clawing at his insides, demanding action. He had to find her. But where the hell had they taken her?
Colt gritted his teeth, slamming his palm against the steering wheel in frustration. The coven could’ve taken Briar anywhere—to one of their sacred places or to some hidden location they’d set up to avoid detection. Without a lead, without a clue, he was running blind.
When the ranch finally came into view on the horizon, Colt’s heart pounded with renewed urgency. He didn’t have time to waste—not when every second Briar was gone could mean the difference between life and death.
He skidded into the driveway, tires screeching as the ATV came to an abrupt halt. Colt threw open the door and jumped out, his boots hitting the ground with purpose.
The ranch hands milling around the barn straightened at the sight of him, their faces sharpening with recognition. They sensed his urgency, and their instincts kicked in immediately—alert, ready, waiting for orders.
“Get Bryce on the radio,” Colt barked, striding toward the porch. “I need everyone assembled. Now.”
One of the men nodded and sprinted off toward the radio room without hesitation. Colt’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, frustration gnawing at him like a wild animal. They had the manpower, the resources. But without a direction—without knowing where Briar was—they were flying blind.
He ascended the porch steps two at a time, his boots thudding heavily against the wood. Etta met him at the door, her sharp eyes full of concern.
“Did you find her?” she asked, her voice laced with worry.
Colt shook his head, his jaw tight. “Not yet. But we know who has her. Her coven came for her.”
Etta’s expression darkened. “And Elle?”
“Bryce is bringing her in,” Colt replied, his voice a low growl. “Nichols can deal with her.”
Etta’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she nodded. “Good. What’s the plan?”
Colt exhaled slowly, trying to steady the fury simmering just beneath his skin. “We mobilize,” he said, his voice rough. “I need every able body ready to move. We search every road, every backtrail. I don’t care where we have to go—we’re not stopping until we find her.”
Etta rested a hand on Colt’s arm, her touch grounding him. “We’ll find her, Colt. And we’ll bring her home.”
Colt gave a curt nod, his heart heavy with determination. “Damn right we will.”
Briar was out there somewhere—alone, in danger—and Colt would move heaven and earth to bring her back. And when he did, there would be hell to pay for anyone who had dared lay a hand on her.
Chapter
Eighteen
BRIAR
Briar floated in a hazy realm of darkness, her body weightless and numb, but slowly, the veil began to lift. Sensation returned in fragments—a sharp ache in her wrists, the rough texture of bark against her back, the smell of damp earth and pine. Her mind stirred sluggishly as awareness seeped in, and she realized with a jolt where she was.
The forest chapel.
Her eyes snapped open, and she fought down the surge of panic as it tried to overwhelm her. The canopy of ancient trees stretched high above her, their branches twisted and woven together to form a natural ceiling. Rays of dim light filtered through the leaves, casting shifting patterns on the ground below. This was a place she knew well—too well. It was sacred ground to her coven, used for rituals that bound magic and souls together.
Her heart pounded as she scanned her surroundings, her breath shallow. She was bound to a tree—the largest willow in the clearing, where they conducted ceremonies. Thick ropes bit into her body which had been tightly bound to the tree. Luckily, they had bound her arms in front of her. The rough bark scratched her skin through the thin fabric of the gown shewore, the ropes both around her body and those around her wrists were tight enough that her fingers tingled from lack of circulation.
Briar gritted her teeth, shifting slightly to test the ropes. They must have thought she would remain unconscious for longer, but the discomfort made it impossible to stay out for long. She could still feel the sluggish hum of magic beneath her skin—faint and buried, but not completely gone. They had taken off the iron restraints, replacing them with enchanted ropes that dulled her powers but didn’t block them entirely.
A flicker of hope ignited in her chest.If I can just loosen these ropes…