The Alpha King’s Virgin by Charmeleon (Raine & Amari)

Chapter 42

AMARIS

Hunters! On my territory? We haven’t had this problem for years and now, with me coming here to the

mine – a coincidence? I think not.

I singled out the loudmouth, crashing into him, sending the rifle flying. Rage pinned him down with his giant paws, his saliva dripping onto the man’s face, showing him our deadly canines as he snarled at

him.

Fear. Such a sweet perfume. And he reeked of it. His eyes bugged out as he heard the screams of his less fortunate comrades. Oh yes, I was going to keep this one, and he will tell me everything.

I returned to human form, smashed my fist in his face until he lost consciousness.

“Tie him up!” I shouted to my guards who rushed to grab him. “Gather their weapons, destroy them and dispose of their bodies.”

‘Something’s wrong. Rage alerted me. I sniffed the air. Raine? ‘She’s not at the car.”

I ran down the mountain side at full speed.

“Where is she? Where is Queen Raine?” I was losing my mind! When I came back to the SUVs no one was there. Except the body of Thaddeus lying next to the vehicle. My guards were running around like mor ons. I grabbed one of them by the throat and slammed him against the back of the car.

“What the f uck is going on? Where. Is. She.” There could be more hunters around. If they caught her…I didn’t want to think what they would do to her.

Five of my guards couldn’t protect my mate! Am I surrounded by incompetence?

“The queen ran after you, your Majesty. We tried to catch her, but…”

I snapped his neck and let his lifeless body sink to the ground.

1/4

Emergency calls onlyMu

Chapter 42

Once again, I tried to link her. Nothing. She had vanished into the thin mountain air. Rage took over and we leapt over the SUV, sniffing, following her scent up the winding road that led to the higher ledges. Only faint remnants of her sweet scent remained and then disappeared in the wind. Rage lifted his head to howl out his anger and fear. Someone took her.

‘Gather every wolf that works here.’ I sent the link out to my guards. ‘We will search the entire site of the

mine.’ I have to find her, even if I have to tear everything apart.

‘You should have left her at the castle Amaris!’ Rage didn’t need to hurl accusations at me, I was already tearing myself apart over it. But I wanted her with me! I was a fool to think I could keep her safe.

A few trucks loaded with ore passed by us. I listened to the hum of the crushers down in the quarry, straining my werewolf hearing for any sound of her. There was none.

“Your Majesty, we have failed you.” The four remaining guards bowed down before me, waiting for my punishment. I didn’t have time for that. Raine needed to be found.

“I will deal with the lot of you later. Join the others and search every inch of this place.” I told them while changing into the spare clothing my bodyguard held out for me. They hurried away, thankful for the reprieve.

The mine workers stood waiting for me in the clearing. They were wolves of different packs, but they sure didn’t look like sl aves to me.

“Who is in charge here?” I scanned over their heads. “Step up!”

A large, heavily muscled man stepped forward. “Your Majesty, Brynn of the Black Mountain pack. This is my unit.” He was a Delta wolf while the rest were lower in rank, some Omegas under them. “These humans came here pretending to do business. Said they were here to meet the owner, Amaris Black to purchase shares in the mine.” He held up his massive hands. “I swear I didn’t think anything strange about it.”

He was lying. His heart rate stayed steady, I had to give it to him, he was good. But there was that little tell. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and they weren’t wrong, his pupils dilated the slightest bit and he looked to his left for a split second. I did business with the humans but never face to

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face. They knew I was coming here.

“Where are the rest of your workers?”

“Down there in the quarry and some are still down in the tunnels. But we stopped the work when we heard the rifle fire. Came running up but by then you’d already handled the situation.”

“Handled the situation… My queen is missing! You let humans onto the property without consulting me first. Let them roam free to do whatever they wanted.” I gripped him by the throat, “I should crush your windpipe!” But I didn’t. Instead I shoved him away. “Take me down into the tunnels.”

Deep down into the mine we went, three of us, myself, Brynn, and my personal bodyguard. Vaguely aware of my surroundings I used all my senses trying to sense my mate. But all I got was the dank stench of wet rock and rotting earth. Raine was gone as if she existed in a dream.

“Where do you keep the sl aves, Brynn?” I had to test what Thaddeus had told me. Before his head

I

exploded. To say I felt sorry for his demise was an understatement. He had potential and that was now wasted.

“What?! What sl aves?” He was such a bad actor.

I

I snapped. In an instant I had him down on the rocky ground. The water flowing down the tunnel was shallow, but deep enough to drown a man in if held down.

“Don’t f uck with me!” I pushed with my full weight on his chest. He was strong, but I was filled with righteous anger and anxiety for my mate. He clawed at my arms, managing to gouge deep cuts into my arms. I felt nothing.

My bodyguard stood back, ready to attack if the man got the upper hand which he would not.

Brynn spluttered and spat out water when I lifted him up. “They’re not here.”

‘Your Majesty, we found something. A guard spoke through the link.

I dropped Brynn into the murky water and turned to my bodyguard. “Don’t let him out of your sight.” I

Emergency calls only MO

Chapter 42

said as I ran back the way we came.

065% 12:25

-5

Outside the sun nearly blinded me and I had to blink a few times to adjust. The guard called down from a ledge and I sprinted towards him. He held Raine’s shoe in one hand and offered it to me.

“She must have watched us from here. There’s no sign of a struggle, your Worship. Whoever it was that took her, completely surprised her. See here,” he pointed to a blood smear on a piece of rock that jutted out. I didn’t need to smell it to know it was hers, there were a few strands of hair clinging to the rock.

Rage snarled and clawed at me to let him out. But where do I begin to search? There was no other trace of her. She was just gone.