~TOBIAS~

George hesitated, glancing at Tobias, who stood stiffly, his fists clenched at his sides. The Alpha raised an eyebrow, his patience wearing thin.

“Freya’s gone,” George said finally, his voice low. “The rogue leader took her.”

The Alpha frowned. “Freya? They took her?” He shook his head, frustration flickering across his features. “Damn it. She’s just a nobody kid. Why would they target her?”

George’s jaw tightened, and he stepped closer, his voice dropping to barely a whisper. “Alpha… there’s something else.”

“What?” the Alpha demanded, his gaze narrowing.

George cast a cautious glance around, ensuring no one else could overhear. “Freya… during her shift,” he began, his words slow and deliberate, “she turned into a white wolf.”

The Alpha froze, his breath hitching for a fraction of a second. “A white wolf?” he repeated, his voice barely above a murmur.

George nodded. “Pure white, Alpha. And her eyes—they were lilac. Translucent. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The Alpha’s expression darkened, the weight of George’s words sinking in. White wolves were rare, their existence whispered about in tales of extraordinary lineage and untold power. If Freya truly was a white wolf, her abduction wasn’t a random act. The rogues had known exactly what they were doing.

The Alpha’s gaze flicked to Tobias, who stood nearby, his body tense and his eyes fixed on the border where Freya had disappeared. Something about the warrior’s rigid posture caught his attention. “Tobias,” the Alpha said sharply, drawing his attention. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Tobias’s jaw worked silently for a moment before he finally spoke, his voice thick with emotion. “She’s my mate.”

The Alpha’s eyes widened briefly, shock flashing across his face. “Your mate?”

Tobias nodded once, his eyes blazing with fury and determination. “I didn’t know until tonight. But she’s mine. And now she’s gone.”

The Alpha exhaled heavily, the gravity of the situation settling over him. Freya wasn’t just an orphan girl on the fringes of the pack. She was a white wolf, Tobias’s mate, and now she was in the hands of rogues who clearly knew her value.

“George,” the Alpha said quietly, “no one else can know about this. Not yet.”

George nodded solemnly. “Understood, Alpha.”

The Alpha turned to Tobias. “We’ll get her back,” he said firmly. “But we need to act carefully. If word gets out about her being a white wolf, it could draw attention we can’t afford.

Tobias trudged back toward the packhouse, his body sore and his mind a whirlwind of fury and despair. His mate—his mate—was gone. Freya’s terrified screams still echoed in his ears, the sight of her being dragged away replaying in his mind on an endless loop. Every instinct demanded he tear through the forest after her, but the Alpha’s command to wait and strategize had chained him to the packhouse. For now.

Beside him, George walked silently, glancing at Tobias every few moments as though trying to gauge his mood. He didn’t need to. Tobias’s clenched fists and murderous expression told him everything he needed to know.

As they approached the packhouse gates, a familiar figure stepped into their path. Helena. Her long, dark hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail, and her confident smirk faltered as her gaze landed on Tobias’s bloodied form. She was not part of the border patrol so was not aware what had happened yet.

“Tobias,” she called, her tone sharp with concern. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

Tobias didn’t answer. He kept walking, his focus locked on the packhouse doors, but Helena stepped in front of him, forcing him to stop.

“Tobias,” she repeated, her voice softening. “What’s going on? You can talk to me.”

George cleared his throat, sensing the tension brewing between them. “Helena, now’s not a good time.”

Helena ignored him, her sharp eyes fixed on Tobias. “You’re avoiding me!” she said, her tone accusatory. “You come back looking like this? You owe me an explanation.”

Tobias’s jaw tightened, his teeth grinding audibly. He didn’t have the energy to deal with her right now, but Helena wasn’t the type to back down easily.

“Helena,” George said, stepping forward, “Tobias isn’t—”

“Don’t,” she snapped, cutting him off. “This isn’t about you, George. Tobias and I have things to discuss.”

George sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He’s off the market, Helena. Let it go.”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Off the market? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Tobias finally snapped, his voice exploding in the quiet evening. “It means I’m not interested, Helena! I’ve never been interested in being anyone’s mate, least of all a chosen one. But now, I don’t need to be because I already have a fated mate!”

Helena froze, her mouth opening and closing as though struggling to find words. The tension between them was palpable, and George shifted uncomfortably, ready to intervene if necessary.

“A mate?” she said finally, her voice a mixture of disbelief and venom. “Who?”

“That’s none of your business,” Tobias growled, stepping past her. “And for the record, this conversation is over.”

He didn’t wait for a response. He stormed into the packhouse, his steps echoing in the hallway as he made his way to the meeting room. Behind him, Helena stood frozen, her face a mask of fury and betrayal.

George lingered for a moment, watching her carefully. “Helena,” he said gently, “don’t push this. You’re only going to make it worse for yourself.”

She turned on him, her eyes blazing. “Don’t you dare lecture me, George. If Tobias has a mate, I’ll find out who she is. And when I do, we’ll see how long she stays in the picture.”

George frowned, concern flickering in his expression. “Helena, don’t.”

But she was already walking away, her posture rigid and her mind clearly set. George sighed heavily before following Tobias into the meeting room, bracing himself for the discussion ahead.

—–

Tobias was already seated at the long oak table, his head in his hands, when George and the Alpha entered the room. The Alpha sat at the head of the table, his expression as grim as the mood hanging over them.

“We need a plan,” Tobias said immediately, his voice rough. “Every second we waste is a second she’s in danger.”

“And every second we rush in without thinking is a second we risk losing her forever,” the Alpha countered. His voice was calm but firm, the weight of leadership evident in every word. “We don’t know where they’ve taken her, Tobias. Charging into rogue territory blindly will only get you killed.”

Tobias growled low in his throat, his wolf pacing restlessly beneath the surface. “She’s my mate. I can’t just sit here.”

“I understand that,” the Alpha said, his tone softening. “But Freya’s safety is the priority. If we act recklessly, we may never get her back.”

Tobias glared at the table, his hands clenched into fists. He hated that the Alpha was right, but the logic didn’t make it any easier to bear. Every instinct screamed at him to run after her, to tear through anyone who stood in his way. But he couldn’t do it alone, and he couldn’t risk her life by being careless.

The Alpha leaned forward, his gaze intense. “George and I will coordinate with the border patrol and interrogate the rogues we captured. In the meantime, you need to rest and heal. When the time comes, I’ll need you at full strength.”

Tobias didn’t respond, his silence heavy with frustration and anger. George placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“We’ll get her back,” George said quietly. “I promise.”

Tobias exhaled slowly, his shoulders slumping slightly. He nodded once, though the tension in his body remained.

As the meeting ended, Tobias stayed behind, staring at the empty table. His mind was filled with images of Freya—her frightened eyes, her trembling body, the way she had looked at him just before the rogue took her.

“I’ll find you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. “No matter what it takes.”

In the shadows of the hallway, Helena lingered, her sharp ears catching Tobias’s words although she’d missed the rest of the meeting. Her fists clenched at her sides, jealousy and fury boiling within her. She didn’t know who this new mate of his was, but one thing was certain: she wasn’t going to let her take Tobias without a fight.

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