My Alpha’s Betrayal: Burning In The Flames Of His Vengeance by Moonlight Muse

37. Down Dark Tunnels YILEYNA. My heart crumbled, even when he had placed a tender kiss on my forehead before taking my hand and leading me towards Hunter, Ihad been unable to think of 'anything else but what he had said.

I never knew what I wanted, but when he told me we were not meant to be, I wanted to shout andask why? Somehow we could work, right? A part of me told me he was right, that the kingdom would never accept a traitor as their king, but was he a traitor? No: He had been misguided and manipulated, just like many...

Sure, it did not make everything he had done go away, but even people like Nikolai Levin were allowed to walk amongst us, despitetheir sins.

Why not someone who was on the path to redemption? Fighting alongside me, ready to face his father andkill him for all he has done.

1 It was clear Theon loved his Pack, his family, and his people, but it was his father who had manipulated him.

I understood Theon wouldn't be able to simply forgive himself, but that in itself showed he was worthy of forgiveness.

We continued travelling, and we remained silent as we got closer and closer to the castle, that now came into view.

It wasn’t exactly how I had pictured it.

The entrances were simply gaping tunnels with barred gates.

Naga soldiers guarded the entrances, and although I could see the black stone structure of the ominous fortress, it was half built underground.

The green lights from the windows cast an eerie light on the land around it.

Dried cracked earth spread around for miles, and the closer we got to the castle of the Naga Emperor, the dryer and darker it allfelt.

These lands were screaming for water…

If it continued like this, no life would be able to survive living here.

Was their fear of Sirens so strong that they had blocked off all sources of water? It just felt wrong “Theland is dying." I whispered quietly, as we continued silently.

I had made a heavy fog fall over the area, however, we were sure they would be on high alertregardless, but even some coverage was better than none.

I had felt them cutting into the trees to help those we had trapped, but it would takethem time because I had made sure the trees held.

We paused when we heard a shout in snake-tongue, before a group of Nagas came out from the castle.

The middle one reeked of power and dominance.

His tail was the exact colour of a python and his muscular body looked almost human in colour, save for the scales on his neck and shoulders.

His black hair was braided from the top, the rest tied back in a ponytail.

He was different.

I could feel it, and when he tilted his head, baring his teeth in a cruel sneer,his eyes glinting, Hunter closed his eyes, exhaling "We're going to split up." He breathed.

“What?” I hissed.

“That’s Xenara Khasorin, the third prince of the empire.

We've met before and he's fucking lethal." Hunter explained quietly, frowning deeply.

“Why am I not fucking surprised?” Theon murmured.

"You two carry on, tonight it's just him and ..." I knew splitting up wasn’t a good idea, but ifHunter was saying to do so...

"The cave of treasures that belongs to the Emperor is rumoured to be down south from here, it’s beyond the castle and I’m sure it will be guarded heavily.

Theon may need to be the decoy, whilst Yileyna goes in and grabs the pearl.

I don't know how fast you'll find it, it's said to contain many things, but I pray that thepearl calls to you.

Plus, since we mentioned the pearl to the Naga, they may have hidden it, I just hope that isn’t the case.

If we end up splitting, we meet by the dead oak tree we saw a while back,but we try not to-he's found us! Run!" Hunter growled lowly.

His eyes blazed as he stared far ahead.

didn't wait for an answer, grabbing my wrist

isn't the Naga killing Alpha in our midst!” The deep, dark voice, that reminded me of a stormy

was

If Hunter died…

so did Charlene…

was a death I wanted, and the very

Stay safe, Hunter.

don't know how long we had carried on, the sounds of the fight behindus had long vanished as

that was in the

“Alright…

may have

you’re going

in and get the pearl, I’ll join you the moment I’m done with

chances there may be some more inside." He murmured, turning and looking

and blood covering him, he still

I signal, alright?" I know he said we

but.

met and I wasn't able to

but the words refused to leave

love you, I

my

nodded, our eyes meeting and that intense pull between us made my

and just when he was about to turn, I grabbed hold of his shoulder, yanking him around andgripping his

pressing

only took him a fraction of a second before

whimper

heart was thundering and his grip on my hips was firm, pressing me

fuck, he felt so

a shaky gasp and looked into his glowing gold

turned and slipped down the slope, not waiting for an

the first

his lips lingered on mine, and I slowly licked

my mind,

I saw the

that they

I’d be careful.

I scanned the darkness.

didn’t seem to be any life

the tunnel, which was long and circular, almost like the

cold and dark, and the sounds from outside

could only hear

to try to sense

I placed my hands on the floor and closed my

several other Nagas

in the ground

whispering coolness of something deep beneath me called to me, the sound of the ocean

skipped a beat when I realised what it

I stood up, knowing I still needed to tread carefully as I hurried down, letting

path became darker until even I was unable to see, it was strange, almost as if there

the walls to help guide me as I continued, feeling the circular wall become tighter, and the sense of being suffocated

other insects crawling over my hands, and the

the entrance became wider and I was in a

trying to feel for

odd that no one had

sense life but none was anywhere near, so I kept going, blindly I could feel

on allfours, crawling through the tunnel that was

and I shuddered when I felt something

not to see exactly what

kept going, bit

paused when I saw a faint ray of light up