Promised To The Alpha Twins
Chapter 44

Ethan’s Point of View

One week later

With each passing day, my patience seemed to diminish. We couldn’t find any witnesses who had seen Sussan that night. Our first step was to head to the nearest bus terminals, speaking with security to gain access to the cameras.

After three agonizing days, two out of the four bus terminals had searched through their footage.

It was reasonable to assume that Sussan had taken a bus to the airport and then flown from there. When my patience ran out, Liam contacted the nearest city’s airport. Our jurisdiction covered that city, meaning we had the authority to demand cooperation from our people. Alpha Axel was determined to help us locate Sussan, although his reasons differed from ours. He was still dissatisfied with his daughter’s companions, but I didn’t care about that. I couldn’t risk hurting Sussan or else Alpha Axel would have been rotting in the dungeons already. I knew, without asking, that Liam felt the same way.

We went as far as tracking her bank statements, but the most recent purchases were made here in the city, a week before she left. The cellphone Alysson had given her was intact, lying on the bed, missed calls and text messages flashing on the screen. It seemed that Sussan had been a clever little mind, going so far as to get rid of her cellphones and withdraw money from her bank account.

If she hadn’t left, I might have found it amusing to see how far she could go. Naturally, Alysson was distressed when she heard what her friend had done.

She had been in denial for days, claiming that she must have been kidnapped. While k********g was still a possibility, it was highly unlikely.

As much as it hurt to be apart from my partner, I understood why she had chosen to leave. And as her partner, I couldn’t let her slip away. If she rejected us afterward for bringing her back, so be it, but we had to try.

Our next step was to search for Sussan throughout the country in case bus terminals and the airport proved futile. We wanted to keep her identity private, avoiding her being pursued by all the werewolves in the country. Most days, I spent my time with Chloe. Despite the numerous times we had slept together, I never knew the true depth of her obsession. With the putrid smell of the dungeon wafting behind my frontal lobe, I became familiar with her intermittent screams and sobs. Torturing Chloe had been pointless, it was expending energy to obtain information she didn’t have. Chloe broke within the first hour, just as Liam and I predicted. Her face resembled Sussan’s when I had hurt her. Eyes closed from swelling, dark and purple skin. Her jaw might have been broken, but I didn’t care enough to stop.

“She had been planning to leave all this time,” Chloe spat, her eyes bright and wild despite the sob that escaped her bloodied lips. “She couldn’t wait to get away from the two of you.

I managed to control the rage that made me want to take Chloe’s life, and I refused to entertain the idea. Instead of taking her life, I let her rot. Her death would be agonizingly slow because Sussan had been afraid of her all along.

“Guys, we have a problem,” Jacob growled through the mental link, interrupting the time Liam and I spent with Chloe. An uneven sigh escaped his lips, one of relief when Liam and I were called. They would give her enough food to keep her alive, but that’s as far as our generosity went.

“What’s happening?” Liam’s panic mirrored my own.

“Alpha Thomas and his men are here,” Michael growled; his usual carefree tone was replaced by one of displeasure. “He stopped at the borders but insists on seeing you.”

“He says you keep canceling a meeting with him,” Jacob continued. “He’s insisting on being seen.”

“Tell him that if he wants an audience, he’ll have to wait,” I replied, tired of Alpha Thomas’s inflated sense of importance. “Bring him to our office, keep an eye on him and his men at all times.”

“Understood, Alpha,” Jacob said, ending the mental link.

“He’s waiting for us,” Liam nodded in agreement.

“We take our time, show him that he can’t come to our land and demand our attention.”

Liam and I spent some time visiting bus terminals, watching the footage in case Sussan appeared. Without success and extremely irritable, we returned to the city. Jacob and Michael had been helpful, bringing Alpha Thomas to our office outside the pack house. Our office inside the house was personal, reserved for those we trusted. We wouldn’t allow anyone into the house where we resided.

Alpha Thomas was taken to another building, on the other side of the city. The building itself was meant to deceive the eyes. Large and imposing, an office building in the center of a picturesque town. The building was located in the busiest part of the city, where citizens strolled along streets lined with shops and restaurants. Gardeners tended to the flowers that bloomed in large clusters along the sidewalks, while others trimmed the grass. It was here that we had meetings with other Alphas, showcasing our position and the size of our pack.

About three good hours later, we arrived at our office. This particular office was meant to accommodate many and featured a round table with several chairs. A fully stocked bar ran along the wall. The bar tempted others to get comfortable, but they were quickly reminded of the territory they resided in. Alpha Thomas sat in one of the empty chairs, his face etched with irritation from having to wait. Thomas’s men lined up against the wall, their silent eyes observing their Alpha. Jacob and Michael were nowhere to be seen, a smart move on their part. Alpha Thomas would know how little importance he held, as he couldn’t secure an audience with either the Alphas or the Betas. Jacob and Michael met us outside, both casting irritated glances at the office inside.

Jacob and Michael had the same imposing build, an advantage of being two of our best warriors. Jacob’s hair was the color of sand, reaching his shoulders in gentle waves. Michael’s hair was gingerbread-colored, parted on one side of his head.

“Do you want us to join, Alpha?” Jacob asked, to which I nodded.

The four of us entered the building, heading down the hallway to the left. A set of double doors led into the spacious office. Alpha Thomas stood up as we entered the room, the irritation fading from his face. Alpha Thomas was slightly taller than Liam and me, but his build was much smaller than ours. With thick dark hair that reached his shoulders, Alpha Thomas didn’t resemble a rogue despite the nature in which he earned his title. His suit was dark, but the blue of his eyes stood out alarmingly.

“Alpha Liam and Alpha Ethan, a pleasure to finally meet you,” Alpha Thomas approached the two of us, extending a hand. I ignored his remorseful tone and the way he had emphasized the word ‘finally,’ accepting his hand.

“We had other matters to attend to,” Liam informed him, walking towards the bar to pour himself a drink. I observed a flash of irritation in Alpha Thomas’s eyes as he looked at my brother. Liam moved as if he had all the time in the world, taking his time to choose and pour his drink.

“Is there anything I can assist you with?” Alpha Thomas asked, his eyes darting towards me.

I took a seat at the furthest table from Thomas. Leaning back in the chair, I inspected the man in front of me. Once a rogue, now an Alpha. Thomas had built his own pack of rogues, using strength and charisma to secure his place. It was said that his pack was quite loyal and civilized, nothing like the rogues you see today. Alpha Thomas had been insisting on renegotiating our territory, a meeting that Liam and I hadn’t expected.

“It is unnecessary,” I shrugged, my eyes bored and my tone flat. Once Liam finished, he sat down beside me. Jacob and Michael leaned against the wall, joining the men we had sent to guard Alpha Thomas.

A knock sounded at the door, and I signaled one of our men to open it. Alpha Axel stood in the doorway, sending a new wave of murderous rage through our veins. “One of my men told me about Alpha Thomas’s arrival,” Alpha Axel said. He nodded once towards Thomas, then turned his attention to Liam and me. “I feel entitled to be here, considering that my territory is nearby.”

The last thing I wanted was to deal with another exasperating Alpha, but he was right. Alpha Axel entered and took a seat at the table.

“Now, let’s get to the point,” Alpha Thomas gave Liam and me a snake-like smile, looking much like the rogue he used to be. “My numbers are growing as more rogues come to join my pack. As we all know, there is a large amount of unclaimed land just south of your pack.”

“And what would you ask of us?” Liam spoke first, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Thomas with amusement. “Should we let you and your entire pack cross our lands into this territory? That would be quite a risk.”

“I would never suggest such things unless it’s a last resort,” Alpha Thomas maintained his courteous tone, but his eyes were firm and determined.

“Speak plainly then,” I said, showing my impatience. I didn’t have time for carefully crafted words, as locating Sussan was more important than a disgruntled Alpha.

“We ask that…” The shrill ring of a phone cut through, and my head bowed as I felt my pocket vibrating. Disregarding Alpha Thomas’s words entirely, I pressed the phone against my ear. Airport security was on the other line, and their words caught the attention of the other Alphas in the room.

“The girl you’re looking for, I think we’ve found her.”