Alpha's Dark Desires
Chapter 59: Drugged

Chapter 59: Drugged

Kane POV:

The patrols had brought me to the tracks—a wolf’s paw prints pressed into the dirt near the border of the forest. My chest tightened as I stared down at them.

It could only mean two things: either Elena had shifted and crossed out of my pack’s borders, or a rogue had managed to slip in and out undetected.

Neither option felt like anything less than a stab to the heart.

If it was Elena, it meant she’d gone farther than I ever thought possible, right into danger, where rogues or worse could harm her. If it was a rogue...then who’s to say she hadn’t already encountered one?

But if I had to choose between the two, I found myself desperately hoping it was a rogue. That would mean she hadn’t gotten far, that she wasn’t entirely lost to me yet.

The patrols stood silently behind me, waiting for my orders. I knelt down, inhaling deeply to catch a scent, any clue that might tip the scales. But the trail was faint, barely there, like it had already been masked by the earth and trees.

"Keep searching," I ordered, my voice a low growl. "Follow the tracks as far as they go. I want every inch of the border combed."

For the rest of the day, we searched. I led the trackers deeper into the forest and also to the neutral boarder, my wolf on edge, snarling and snapping at the scentless trails. But the farther we went, the colder the trail became. It was as if she’d vanished into thin air.

Again.

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, I was defeated, bitter, and exhausted. My wolf was clawing at my mind, howling with frustration, but even he couldn’t deny we were at a dead end.

"Elena..." her name left my lips in a whisper as I stood on the edge of the forest, staring out into the black expanse of trees. "Where are you?"

The patrols trickled back one by one, reporting nothing of value. No sign of rogues. No sign of Elena. Just the empty, quiet forest mocking me.

When the last of my trackers returned, I dismissed them all, telling them to get some rest and start again in the morning. Meanwhile, I shifted back into my human form and began the long walk back home, each step heavier than the last.

By the time I reached the house, the weight of failure pressed down on me. My mate—my one, irreplaceable mate—was still out there, and I had no idea where to look next.

The house was dark and silent when I stepped inside, just as it had been when I left.

Closing the door behind me, I leaned back against it and exhaled a long, shuddering breath.

Exhaustion clawed at me, but sleep wouldn’t come easy tonight. My wolf was restless, pacing in the back of my mind, snarling at me for stopping the search, for letting her slip through our fingers.

Standing at the door, the moment I stepped inside, her scent hit me—Ashley’s. A low growl rumbled from my chest as my wolf instantly stirred, irritated and agitated. Then, a rustle on the couch caught my attention.

There she was, sprawled out and naked. The sight was anything but appealing.

Ashley shot up, her eyes wide as she locked onto me, startled, and quickly fell into a submissive position, lowering her gaze and folding her hands in front of her. She was completely naked.

"Master," she whispered, her voice dripping with submission.

I clenched my fists so tightly my nails bit into my palms. My wolf growled louder, the sound reverberating in my chest. The sight of her bare body disgusted me to my core. My wolf snarled in my head, furious at her audacity. My mate—my mate—was out there, alone, scared, possibly hurt. And this...this was what I came home to?

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I growled, my voice low and dangerous.

Ashley flinched but didn’t move. Her gaze darting to the floor as she whimpered. I was seconds away from losing control and snapping her neck right then and there. she had the nerve to open her mouth.

"I..." she began, but her words were cut short by a snarl that came from deep within me. My wolf surged forward, eager to rip her throat out, but I held him back—barely

"Get. Out." My voice was sharp, commanding, dripping with venom. "Before I kill you."

She whimpered softly, but instead of leaving, she stretched out her hand, holding the stupid, stupid contract.

Fuck.

She extended it toward me, and my wolf’s anger surged.

My wolf surged forward, clawing to take control, wanting to rip her throat out. In his eyes, this woman was trying to replace our mate—a mate he would never allow anyone to take the place of.

"You need to leave. Now," I barked, my Alpha tone forcing her body to tremble as she scrambled to get up.

Ashley hesitated, her voice shaking but still daring to speak. "You forgot Chapter 3, Clause 5 of the contract, sir."

Her audacity made my blood boil, and my wolf snarled loudly in my head. As she stood there, slowly dressing, taking her time with her bra as if trying to tempt me. I snatched the folder from her hands and flipped through it, my vision tunneling as I searched for the clause she referred to, switching on the light to read the specific clause.

The sudden brightness disrupted the dim, seductive atmosphere she had been trying to create. My eyes skimmed over the words, and my rage only grew as I read.

The words jumped out at me: "The dominant is responsible for providing satisfaction to the submissive if they feel neglected, upon request.

Motherfucker.

She’d cornered me with the one clause I had barely paid attention to when signing the contract—a clause meant to give her a measure of control. It stated that the Dominant was responsible for fulfilling the Submissive’s needs if they felt neglected. She had manipulated this to her advantage, using it to force my hand.

I could barely see straight, anger and disgust clouding my vision. It was my own damn fault for including that clause, thinking it was a way to keep the arrangement balanced. But now? Now it was a weapon she was wielding against me.

Ashley poured herself a glass of wine, and one for me, which she slid across the table. She leaned against the couch, her eyes glinting with triumph as I read the clause again, as if daring me to challenge it.

"For fuck’s sake," I muttered under my breath, my frustration mounting.

I grabbed the glass of wine she had poured and downed it in one go, hoping the alcohol would dull the anger that was threatening to take over completely. But even as I did, I turned back to her and growled, "I said I want out of this fucking contract, not to fuck you."

She didn’t flinch this time, her lips curling into a small, knowing smirk.

That smirk was the last straw.

She opened her mouth to respond, but she didn’t get the chance. My hand shot out, wrapping around her throat as I lifted her off the ground.

Ashley struggled in my grip, her hands clawing at my wrist, but I didn’t care. My wolf was on the brink of taking over, his bloodlust demanding retribution for her audacity. Her hands clawed at my wrist, her eyes wide with fear as I held her there, suspended.

"I fucking told you to leave," I snarled, my voice barely human. "You should have done that when you had the chance."

My wolf was on the brink of taking full control, and I was struggling to hold him back. But then, something strange happened.

Heat.

A burning sensation spreading through my entire body, consuming me.

Ashley slipped from my grasp as I doubled over, clutching my stomach.

"What the fuck did you put in my drink, you stupid bitch?" I growled through gritted teeth.

Ashley stood, her eyes gleaming with victory as she reached behind her back and unhooked her bra, letting it fall to the floor. She didn’t answer me; instead, she slid her panties down her legs and stepped out of them, completely naked now.

My wolf growled in fury and desire, the lines between the two blurring as the fire inside me intensified. She crawled toward me.

"Let me take care of you, sir," she purred, her voice dripping with false innocence as she lowered herself onto the couch, spreading her legs for me.

Fuck.

I could feel the arousal building, the heat driving my body to betray my mind. My wolf was clawing at me, confused, furious, but unable to fight the primal urges overtaking us.

The heat in my body intensified, and my mind screamed in fury and panic. I knew what she had done—she had drugged me with something, something that was forcing my body into heat.

I tried to back away, to fight the primal urge surging through me, but my body wasn’t cooperating. My wolf was confused, torn between rage and the uncontrollable desire that the drug was amplifying.

I stumbled back, gripping the edge of the table for support as I tried to fight it off. "You..." I growled through gritted teeth, "You drugged me."

Ashley just smiled, a triumphant, predatory smile, as she reached out to me.

But even through the haze of heat and arousal, one thought remained clear: Elena.

My mate. My only mate.

Ashley reached for my pants, her hands brushing against my hardened length, and I nearly lost it. The drug was working its dark magic, pushing me closer and closer to the edge.

But then, something snapped inside me—a desperate, last-ditch effort to resist. I shoved her back, putting just enough distance between us to keep her filthy hands off me.

"Stay the fuck away from me," I growled, though my voice lacked the usual force.

But the bitch was persistent. She crawled forward again, her eyes gleaming with triumph as she reached for me.

And just when I thought I wouldn’t be able to hold out any longer, a blur of movement came from the side.

Ashley was yanked away from me and thrown to the side with such force that she skidded across the floor.

I blinked, my vision hazy from the drug, and then I saw her.

Elena.

She stood there, radiating power and dominance, her eyes blazing with fury as she glared at Ashley.

Mate.

My wolf howled in triumph, surging forward with renewed strength.

Mine.

I could only stare, my mind reeling as Elena turned her gaze to me, her presence washing over me like a storm. She was here. She had come back.