chapter 52: Aiden’s POV

The tension in the air thickened and so did the foul scent from the broken bottle. Anger rose within me, raging anger and I curled my: fists as my claws threatened to come out. let me at her! Spyro growled trying to force shift and I didn't know how long I would keep him at bay for. He had been waiting for this and this was the perfect situation.

"Start talking!" I snapped at the quivering brunette before me as her hand latched on the door handle,

"Start fucking talking before I lose my fucking mind!" My anger agitated gravely as she tried to morph an innocent facial expression.

"I don't know what you are talking about." She denied, her eyes dancing in fear as she opened the door, "I have no idea what you speak off." I gritted taking slow but menacing steps towards her, betraying me was one thing but lying to me like I was some foolish toddler was another, "Don't fucking test me laya." And at my last words she bolted out the door immediately and that was when it all snapped. A loud growl vibrated throughout the castle as spyro force shifted taking control from me, he growled louder as he dropped on all fours, breathing fury as he sprinted through the door chasing the beta who had already shifted. She was making her way for the borders and the guards on patrol just stared in awe. Lights in the castle switched and noise started as Spyro's growl must have caused everyone to wake. He doubled his speed and jumped in front of her blocking her way, "Back down!" He growled at her,

"Back down now, mutt!" He bared his teeth snarling as he used his Alpha tone. She looked like she was about to surrender as she whimpered stepping back when she suddenly reached out striking him across the face, she ran in the opposite direction Spyro saw red and he chased after her doubling his speed, jumping on her immediately and biting across her neck. She fell to the ground instantly as the blood flowed. She shifted into her human state due to the pain from his attack and he stepped away from her. By this time most pack members were out now giving us confused looks. The warriors on patrol ran up to us, "Take her to the dungeons now! And find her something to wear." He barked orders at them and they looked at him like he was crazy,

"Did I stutter?" They swung into action immediately and he trotted away from them with a grunt. where are you off to? I asked him ask he steered away from the castle grounds, shouldn't we go and question her immediately?

"I need to go for a run and cool off! He said gravely as he leapt into the forest, immediately we get Gabby and Hera back, we are marking them, no excuses! He said and I nodded at him as I wanted the same thing too. If we had marked them before this happened, finding them would have been easier. My heart tore at the disloyalty of the Beta and I questioned myself as to why she did this. She had a mate so what did she want? It pained me that all her loyalty and affirming words were all a facade. Even brutal actions towards her own mother. The rest of the run was silent and he took us running through the forest guided only by the moon light till we got to a very familiar spot. He stopped there and I felt the sadness weigh in him as it did in me. This was exactly where we had found her on that fateful night. I missed her terribly, He said letting out a soft groan, When we get her back, we are never letting her out of our sight! He pronounced staring at the exact spot where she had shifted that night like she was right there, as if her presence could be felt. He ran away from the spot and continued through the trees and up the hills. Soon, he was at the top of the highest hill and from here you could overlook the whole kingdom. It was a full moon tonight, the yellowish globe shining brightly and I found its light mocking as the light in our lives was gone presently. I made a mental note to bring Nyx here when get her back. Soft wind blew gently as the moon continued the glow. Spyro sat on his tail placing his fore legs before him and he stared into the night observing in silence. He raised his head up to the moon, a silent plea to the moon goddess and then he howled, a loud sad howl vibrated from him travelling through the forest and the flutter of frightened birds could be heard. It was the howl of a sad lone Alpha who was nothing without his mate. I gazed at Laya with utter contempt and disgust as my mom held her head back by her hair. Her bloodied face still had the devilish smirk on it and her eyes glınted with misery. She knew where Gabby was but all manner of torture and threats didn't move her to speak. She proved stubborn and I had made it my will to cause her pain more than she could bear. At first she denied not knowing how the bottle of the potion used to mask Gabby's scent was with her. She outrightly denied knowing what the bottle contained but Xerxes had it confirmed. She was the traitor and she knew where my mate was.

"Leave us." I said gruffly signally and my mother and other high rankers in the torture room. They obeyed my command and walked out but Willow walked out after landing another slap across Laya's face.

"Are you finally going to do the torture yourself, your highness?" She spat out blood and I glared at her. That was what she wanted, for me to touch her, get violent with her cause it gets her off.

"I won't give you what you want Laya." I gritted walking towards her as I undid the top buttons of my white shirt, "Where is my mate?" I saw her eyes follow my movements with lust, her eyes darkened at she licked her lips. It made my insides turn, I only wanted Gabby to look at me like that. "I am not telling you where your little slut of a mate is!" She gritted andI rolled my sleeves, "She's gone for good, if I can't have you, she wo-" I grabbed her face in my hand squeezing with so much force, she winced, "Where the fuck is my mate?"

"Kill me instead!" She said, her voice was muffled as she stared at me, "Even if you threaten me with the death of my own mother I am not going to budge!"

My hand left her face and wrapped around her throat squeezing it as the anger in me surged,

"Yes..." She moaned causing me to grimace in disgust, "Squeeze a little harder." This was exactly why I didn't want to touch her, she would turn it around. She would turn it to this, she would get turned on by the fact that I am violent. I backed away from her and her face fell at the loss of my touch. I needed answers from her, I was desperate,

"Tell me where she Is or I will kill that mate of yours!"

She looked at me wide eyed before bursting into full grown laughter. She wiggled her restrained hands and threw her head backwards still laughing from what I said, "What is funny?"

"You think that pathetic bastard was actually my mate." As the words spilled out of her mouth,I realized how much she betrayed and deceived us. I appeared before her in a flash and dug a silver knife into her hand. She hissed in pain.

"Where the fuck is she?" I asked her, "My patience is running thin Laya."

"Maybe if you let me hit, I will tell you where your slut is." She smirked through the pain and I wondered how she still managed to be sexual about this situation, "Don't you want to feel how wet i am for you?" I could sense it, the smell of her arousal was strong and i felt my skin crawl. I plunged the knife deeper and she yelled out. I went deeper and deeper, her blood splattered all over staining my white shirt and I felt droplets on my face.

"I will tallk." She gasped as I plunged another silver knife into her lap and I could see her skin sear and her face contorted in pain.

"Start talking or I will make it worse for you!" I barked at her.

"We arranged me a fake mate as distraction and then planned that he will take her at the ball." Her words were rushed as she writhed against the chair in pain. I furrowed my brows at her words, "What do you mean by We? Who are you working with dammit?! And tell me where she is?!"

"He took her to the human world!" She said letting out another painful yell, "Please stop...i am begging you..."

"Why?" I withdrew the knife on her lap and her face flushed with relief, "I thought you liked pain?" I stabbed it back in again, "You wanted me to be violent with you right?"

"It's too much."

"Where is my Gabby?" I drawled out and instantly the name fell from her lips this time causing my heart to stop.

"Alpha Titan." She breathed out again before falling limp on the chair. Her head rolled back as her breathing stilled. She wasn't dead, she must passed out. I backed away fromn her in shock, Alpha Titan! The name rang in my head again and I almost punched myself, I had been so clueless. Her unease, her fidgeting that night, I should have known that something was wrong and now he had her, I remembered the sick smile he had on his face as he gazed at her and an unsettling feeling curled in me and I could tell that she was definitely not in good hands. I needed to get to her fast.