Claiming Emerald: Four Alphas At Her Feet
Chapter 73: Missing Something???

Chapter 73: Missing Something???

"Don’t move!"

Lucien’s voice cut through the air like a whip as he dove forward, tackling the rogue standing over Pierce’s lifeless corpse.

"Lucien!" Emerald called after him, but it was already too late.

The assassin snarled, twisting like a feral animal, but Lucien had already wrenched the dagger from his grip and flung it aside. It clattered loudly against the dungeon wall, echoing through the stone corridor.

The rogue bucked beneath him, claws flashing and teeth snapping, but Lucien slammed him down again with brutal force, hard enough to make the floor shudder.

Emerald dropped to her knees beside Pierce, her hands trembling as she pressed her fingers to his throat, then to his wrist, searching... hoping for anything at all.

"No pulse," she announced grimly, breath catching in her throat.

His eyes were wide open, glassy and vacant. His chest wasn’t rising or falling.

She swallowed hard. "He’s gone."

Lucien hauled the rogue upright and shoved him viciously against the wall. "You just killed our only link," he growled in anger. "Do you even understand what you’ve done?"

The rogue only growled in reply, frothing slightly at the mouth, his face twisted with seething hatred.

Lucien pulled wolfsbane-laced shackles from the belt of a nearby guard and snapped them around the rogue’s wrists and ankles. He locked the bindings tight against the iron pillar in the centre of the cell.

The rogue thrashed, snarling and biting, but the wolfsbane-laced metal dulled his strength quickly, rendering his resistance pitiful.

Lucien stepped back, chest heaving. "You’re not going anywhere," he said in a low voice. "And you’re not dying until we get the truth. You’ll stay right here until we know exactly who sent you," he growled. "And you’d better hope we’re feeling merciful when that time comes."

He turned to Emerald, his expression softening only slightly as he took her arm gently and led her toward the exit. The flickering torchlight cast long, wavering shadows on the walls behind them.

"Pierce was our lead," Lucien said quietly, barely holding back his anger. "Whoever’s orchestrating this... this game, they’re smart. Smart enough not to leave loose ends."

Emerald exhaled shakily, her eyes still haunted by the image of Pierce’s lifeless form. "And rogues don’t give up information easily," she murmured. "He might not talk at all."

"Eggzackly," Lucien said, nodding grimly. "Or someone will make sure he doesn’t get the chance to talk."

They exited the dungeon and locked the heavy steel door behind them with a resounding clang. Two guards straightened, standing at immediate alert.

Lucien turned to them sharply. "No one gets in or out. No visitors, no exceptions. Not even kitchen staff. Understand?"

"Yes, Alpha."

"If anything goes wrong, not just you two, but your entire family will be held accountable. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear, Alpha."

With that, Emerald and Lucien left.

As they ascended the long stone stairs back to the upper halls, Emerald rubbed her temple, her mind blurring as she tried to piece names, theories, and connections together. "It’s like we’re missing something obvious," she muttered.

Lucien glanced sideways at her. "Like what?"

"I don’t know," she said, in frustration. "Uhm... During the attack... the elders, where were they?"

Lucien frowned, brows knitting. "Standard protocol. The guards would’ve taken them to the underground shelter. It’s sealed and heavily warded."

"All of them?"

He paused mid-step. "Well... we were trying to save our own heads. We haven’t done a full count yet."

Emerald’s eyes narrowed, the pressure behind them pounding. "We need to... tonight. Before someone else vanishes."

"I’ll check it personally," Lucien promised. "But Emerald, it’s past midnight. You need rest."

She didn’t argue. For once, exhaustion had caught up with her fast, like a boulder rolling downhill. Her muscles ached, her thoughts felt foggy, clouded with faces, names, clues... all leading to nothing useful.

Lucien placed a steadying hand on her back. "Just a few hours. We’ll look at everything fresh in the morning, okay?"

She nodded. "Fine."

—

Back in her room, Emerald peeled off her blood-smeared jacket and headed straight for the shower. She turned the water cold... freezing, even, and let it crash down on her. It snapped her awake just enough to get through her routine.

When she emerged, towel-drying her hair, she pulled on a clean set of leggings and a sweater. Her limbs still felt leaden.

Then came a soft knock.

She opened the door to find Talia carrying a small tray.

"Alpha Lucien said to bring you dinner," the maid said gently, avoiding her eyes.

Emerald nodded and stepped aside. "Thanks. You okay?"

Talia placed the tray on the nearby table and offered a half-shrug. "Yes. I mean... no. I don’t know. I hid when they came. Under the kitchen stairs."

Emerald sat slowly at the table. "Smart move."

"I could hear them tearing through the halls... growling, breaking things. Screaming." Talia’s voice trembled. "It was terrifying. I really thought it was the end."

Emerald took a slow sip of water, the glass cool in her hands. "You’re safe now."

Talia lingered a moment, eyes flicking nervously to the closed balcony doors. "Do you... Do you think you’ll be able to stop them?"

"I don’t know," Emerald admitted truthfully. "But if you ever feel unsafe, come to me. Don’t wait. Day or night. No matter the time."

Talia’s eyes flicked up to hers, vulnerable. "You’re... you’re the nicest person I’ve met in a long time."

Emerald blinked. "Thanks?"

The girl smiled faintly. "It’s just a pity."

Emerald’s brow furrowed. "Pity?"

Talia looked away. "That you got caught in our war."

Emerald frowned deeper. "You mean the pack wars?"

The maid didn’t answer.

Something about the way she stood there suddenly felt... off. Not entirely wrong, just like a note played slightly out of tune.

"You’ve been a huge help," Emerald said, eyes studying her carefully. "Thanks for everything."

Talia lingered again. "Do you think you’ll get anything out of the rogue who stabbed Pierce?"

"We’ll try," Emerald replied in a guarded voice.

Talia gave her a slow, eerie smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Then I hope you sleep well tonight."

Emerald blinked as the girl turned and left, the door clicking softly behind her.

"...That wasn’t weird at all," she muttered under her breath.

Viola stirred in her mind. "Is it just me or..."

Emerald didn’t need to hear the rest. She was already grabbing her phone.

She typed a message to Lucien, hands suddenly shaky.

Emerald: It’s not one of the elders.

’Send’.

She was in the middle of typing the second message when she heard a soft thud from the balcony.

Her head snapped toward the sound, instincts kicking in, but by then it was already too late.

A dark figure came in through the window, lunging straight at her. She reached for her dagger, but a sharp blow slammed into her temple.

Her vision went white.

Then... Darkness.