Page 50 of The Alpha's Forced Pregnant Mate

Laura was halfway to the truck when I stopped her. “Why are you driving Saul’s truck?”

“I stole it,” she said simply, and without remorse.

“What? Why?”

Laura rolled her eyes. “Because we need a vehicle and I wasn’t going to risk getting pulled over in a car I borrowed without permission. I, uh, never made it to the hotel. We ended up taking Peter to Danny first and it was so late that Danny told him and me to just stay at his and Naomi’s place. So I took his truck—it was the easiest one to get out of the driveway. Now come on!”

I wanted to argue with her more and ask if she was insane, but I could feel time slipping away. The sun would be rising soon, and if the demons had Whitney then I needed to get her out of there before she was injured or worse. I followed Laura to the truck and hopped in the passenger side. We had a long drive ahead of us, and I knew every minute counted.

I reached for the bond again, and this time I felt a small flicker of emotion from Whitney. Fear and panic. My fists clenched, and I gritted my teeth as I forced myself to take deep breaths. I had to remain calm because I needed all of my focus if I was going to save her.

Laura drove like a madwoman, pushing the truck to its limits as we sped down the highway. I had to admire her determination and focus, even though it terrified me a bit. I was used to being the one behind the wheel, and having no control felt strange. I glanced over at her, studying her face. She seemed calm and determined, and I could see why my mate was friends with her. They were both strong, capable women who wouldn’t back down from a challenge.

As we got closer to the coordinates Laura had found, my nerves grew. I tried to keep my breathing steady, but I couldn’t help but worry about what we would find when we got there. The fear and panic I’d felt earlier had faded, and I had no idea if it was a good or bad thing. I needed to stay positive and believe that I would find my mate alive and well.

The sun was starting to rise over the horizon, casting a golden glow across the landscape. It was a beautiful sight, but I couldn’t appreciate it with my stomach in knots and worry eating at me. I stared out the window, watching the scenery go by in a blur. My mind kept racing, trying to come up with worst-case scenarios, and I had to remind myself over and over again that I couldn’t think like that.

Finally, we made it to the marked location where a long, winding driveway led back into the trees.

“Are you ready?” Laura asked as she put the truck in park and turned to me.

I nodded, reaching for the door handle. “Let’s go.”

We climbed out of the truck, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.

I could do this. I would find my mate, and I would make sure she was safe.

With one last glance at Laura, I started down the driveway, my heart pounding in my chest.

We walked for what felt like ages until we reached an enormous old house that had obviously been abandoned for years. It was overrun with kudzu, and the windows were boarded up. Whitney’s car was parked out front, but otherwise, there were no signs of life.

I’d used Laura’s phone—figuring that no one wanted to hear from me—to send out the information we had to our allies. I didn’t expect any help, but if everything went to hell, at least they’d know where to find our bodies.

As we slid from the truck and crept toward the house, the front door swung open and two figures stepped out. Their identities were so unexpected that it took a minute for my brain to catch up with my eyes and process what I was seeing.

Because on the wraparound porch stood two of my wolves, Rick and Tanner. There was no way they should have been close enough to beat us here, but maybe they were on a delivery run when the warning texts had been sent out.

“Hey,” I asked, straightening from my crouch, “What in the hell are you doing here?”

Rick smirked, his dark hair falling into his eyes. “We came to help you rescue Laura.”

“That’s right,” Tanner added. He was just as tall as Rick but leaner and rangier. “We were on our way back from a delivery when we got your text.”

I shook my head. “How did you get here so quickly?”

“We took a shortcut,” Rick said with a shrug.

I knew something was wrong, but I wasn’t ready to admit it to myself until I felt Laura grabbing my sleeve. She spoke, her voice low enough so only I could hear her. “Julian…I’ve been hunting demons for a long time. They’re possessed. Both of them.”

Possessed. Demons inside my wolves. I’d been such a fool.

“How long?” I yelled, feeling the horror of the truth coming through. The same two wolves I had sent to sedate Naomi were demon-possessed. No wonder they’d tried to kill her. “How long have you tainted my pack?”

“Your pack and Danny’s pack,” Rick laughed. “Longer than you’d believe.”

I stepped forward, my shoulders tense. “I’m here to take what’s mine and leave,” I said loudly, keeping my eyes on them. “Don’t make this any more difficult than it has to be.”

Tanner scoffed. “You’re outnumbered, Julian. We have you surrounded.”

---