Alpha Xander's Undoing Chasing my Unknown Mate Back novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Chapter 85

*Xander*

We left the Academy without so much of a glance back.

Well, I did.

I never liked the place, but now I despised it.

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The path behind the greenhouse was narrow and uneven with roots snaking across the trail, but it got us into the trees faster than the road. Better to be swallowed by pines than watched by unwanted eyes.

Azrien pressed at the back of my mind, so restless that it made me restless. He wanted speed, but the others wouldn’t be able to keep up. Plus, I forced steady strides because speed without eyes is waste.

Durnham knew what he was doing. So did the Venatorum. Running into either unprepared would be a grave mistake.

We underestimated the bastard.

Dhara walked at the front because whether Azrien wanted to admit it or not, she was better with the outdoors regarding instincts. Matt walked beside her for safety, and Mona and I waled behind.

None of us had to assign places. Packs fall into shape on instinct.

The first sign of live was easy to miss. Moss grazed where a heel had twisted wrong. Dhara crouched, touched it, and said simply, “Human.”

“No sign of the Venatorum then?” Mona asked.

“Maybe,” Dhara said. “Or maybe that’s what they want us to think.”

Matt tapped my arm and angled us north-northwest before the path bent south.

“The quarry’s that way, but we don’t want the open field. The ridge gives us cover. Deer runs there, so the only people we might encounter are human hunters.”

I nodded because he was right. My mind wasn’t focused, and I needed it to be.

The deer path showed itself in a pale ribbon through the brush, climbing in an easy S.

Matt looked worried-perplexed, like he knew something I didn’t.

I knew he cared for Rory. I always did. At one point, he cared a bit too much and pissed me the hell off. I didn’t know if he still felt that way. But I could tell he was troubled about something. He was my best friend for over a decade, after all. I knew the guy better than himself.

“You look worried,” I said without beating around the bush. “You think he’s underground already? Or across the state or something?”

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Chapter 85

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“Not right away,” Matt said. “Moving a captive takes breaks. He’ll use places we wouldn’t look, and that’s exactly what I’m trying to figure out. Where would we not look?”

“Like liars,” Mona muttered.

I registered the urge to roll my eyes.

“Maybe he’ll know we’ll go to the non-evident places first, which gives him time to move her around by sending us on a goose chase,” Matt pointed out.

“Maybe.” I rubbed a hand over my face, feeling the evident graze of a growing scruff I had no intention of shaving. “So many fucking possibilities.”

“Still no scent of her? No connection?” Mona asked.

It physically pained me to respond. “Nothing.”

Silence again.

Mona shoved dried meat at me without looking. “Eat. Being stubborn isn’t useful.”

“I’m fine,” I said, which meant the opposite. She shoved a canteen at me until I took it. Dhara pretended not

to see.

We pressed on until there was a rope shaped like an X directly in front of us, evidently placed there to keep intrudes away.

It bugged me.

“Cut it,” I said, taking out one of my knives.

“Leave it,” Dhara replied. “Cutting leaves a mark. Pretend we never saw it.”

Mona scowled. “Wisdom. I hate it.”

I let Matt guide my knife back into the sheathe. He didn’t gloat. That helped.

“Hey, Xander?” Matt asked.

“Yeah?”

“You don’t have to forgive me on this path,” he said quietly. “Just don’t walk like you’re trying to get away from

me.”

“I’m not trying to get away,” I said.

“I know. You’re trying to get to her.”

It stung because it was true. I didn’t argue.

The ridge rose under us, air thinning of leaf-smell.

Chapter 85

“This is it,” Mona said. “We either make it out or die trying.”

“Does your wit follow you everywhere?” Dhara asked in a bored tone.

“Yup,” Mona replied, popping the P and pushing her glasses up on her nose.

I ignored them both. “Does Vallin’s map show us where exactly he hid those extra weapons?”

She titled her head as she examined it, her mouth twisting with thought.

“I think its just outside the ridge.”

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“Great,” I grunted. “Just don’t provide us with the weapons until we leave the deep, scary gully place where we’ll probably need them,” I drawled.

Mona snorted. “See, Xander has wit too.”

We followed the path. We came across two more set of X ropes, which were starting to get concerning. Twice I caught myself striding too far ahead and forced myself back when I started getting anxious. Azrien growled against my ribs. I gave him sight instead of speed.

By afternoon the path narrowed between two hills. Water trickled through the stones, giving somewhat of a relaxing sound if I wasn’t so pissed at everything.

What stood out were the unique scratches scored on the rocks every now and then. Could be human markings, but Matt suspected that it was the Academy, which meant Durnham might’ve come through here, which was probably why Vallin sent us this way.

“Academy cuffs,” Mona whispered.

I stepped past before anyone could stop me. The channel opened to a tower of rock sloping toward a cave. A long O.

“You think she’s in there?” Mona asked, evident fear in her voice, but I didn’t wrong her.

“Maybe,” I said, stepping off without hesitation.

“Wait!” Matt held onto my hand. “This isn’t on Vallin’s map. Maybe it’s a trap.”

“Trap or not, I’m not letting the possibility of her being in there stop me. If you guys want to wait out here, I completely understand and wont judge you. She’s my mate.”

“She’s my best friend,” Mona said, almost defensively.

“And I have taken quite a liking to the girl,” Dhara added in her usual monotone.

I huffed. “Besides, I still don’t trust Vallin. His map could be the trap. So, I’m going in.”

Mona dragged her backpack tighter. Dhara retied her boots, neat and quick and Matt slung the rope over his shoulder without a word. I pressed my hand flat above the rock, breathed once, and turned toward the cave.

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Chapter 85

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Finally, I let the part of me that had been trying to run all day move in the only direction that mattered.

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