chapter 80: a predators patience

The fortress stirred before dawn. The air was thick with the scent of cold iron and damp stone, the quiet hum of soldiers beginning their morning rounds echoing through the corridors. The watch outside Elias's door had not changed—the Alpha's orders had ensured that. But beyond the visible security, beyond the layers of protection the Alpha had wrapped around him, danger still lurked in the shadows.

And Elias knew it.

He sat at the edge of his bed, staring at the wooden floor. Sleep had eluded him, but that wasn't new. He had spent too many years surviving on vigilance alone. A single moment of carelessness, a single miscalculation, and he would be nothing more than a forgotten corpse buried beneath the weight of history.

They weren't done with him.

The people who had killed the others—the ones who had tried to erase him before he could even find his place—were still watching. Still waiting.

But so was he.

A soft knock at the door shattered the stillness.

Elias didn't move. He didn't need to. The guards stationed outside were under strict orders—no one was to enter without the Alpha's approval.

Yet the knock came again.

Lighter this time. A deliberate choice.

A test.

Elias rose slowly, feet silent against the cold floor as he approached the door. He kept his movements sluggish, weak, playing the role as perfectly as he always did. Then, with a steadying breath, he cracked the door open just enough to see.

A young soldier stood on the other side, hands clasped behind his back.

Elias recognized him. One of the Alpha's men—low-ranked, barely noticeable. The kind of soldier who blended into the background, ignored by most.

Elias knew better than to ignore anyone.

The soldier's face was unreadable. "Forgive the intrusion," he murmured. "The Alpha has requested your presence."

Elias's pulse quickened. So soon? He had expected the Alpha to observe him from afar a little longer before making his next move.

He lowered his gaze, feigning hesitation. "The Alpha… wants to see me?"

The soldier nodded. "Immediately."

Elias hesitated for just the right amount of time before nodding and stepping back, allowing the door to open fully. The guards outside barely acknowledged him as he stepped into the hall, flanked on either side by the escort.

But as he walked, something itched at the back of his mind.

The Alpha had ordered increased security. Every entrance and exit to his room was monitored. But this soldier hadn't spoken to any of the guards before knocking.

And the Alpha…

The Alpha never summoned people like this.

Elias didn't speak as he was led down the corridor. He didn't tense. Didn't react. But every instinct screamed at him.

Something was wrong.

---

The Wrong Path

The fortress was large. Its halls twisted and stretched, built not for beauty but for function—solid, towering walls meant to keep enemies out, or perhaps to keep something inside.

Elias knew these halls well enough to know they weren't heading toward the Alpha's chambers.

And that meant one thing.

This wasn't the Alpha's order.

His heartbeat remained steady. His posture didn't shift. But his mind sharpened.

The soldier leading him was skilled—his footsteps careful, his demeanor unshaken. This wasn't a desperate move. It was controlled. Thought-out.

Someone had planned this.

And they had no idea they were leading the wrong kind of prey.

The corridor turned sharply, and Elias recognized where they were heading now. Not to the Alpha's quarters. Not even toward the main halls.

They were taking him toward the lower levels.

The part of the fortress that no one came back from.

A trap.

Elias's fingers twitched at his sides, but he kept his breathing slow. He had no weapons. No way to fight—not without revealing himself completely.

Then don't fight.

He let his steps slow slightly, just enough to give the illusion of uncertainty. The soldier glanced back, and Elias let the fear show on his face, wide eyes darting toward the unfamiliar hallway.

"I… this isn't the way," he whispered.

The soldier didn't hesitate. "The Alpha's schedule changed. He is waiting for you below."

A perfect lie. Smooth, practiced.

Elias swallowed, nodding weakly. He made sure his hands trembled just a little. Just enough to make them think he was afraid.

Because if they thought he was afraid—

They wouldn't see him coming.

---

The Alpha's Realization

Elsewhere in the fortress, the Alpha sat in his study, absently turning a dagger between his fingers. The room was empty except for his childhood friend, who leaned against the far wall, arms crossed.

"You haven't touched your reports," his friend remarked, tone light but knowing.

The Alpha didn't look up. "There are more important things."

"Like the Omega?"

Silence.

Then, finally, the Alpha set the dagger down, exhaling sharply. "Someone tried to kill him."

The smirk his friend usually wore faded. "You're certain?"

"I know the pattern. Whoever is behind this has always waited. But this time, they acted too quickly." His fingers curled into a fist. "They see him as a threat."

His friend studied him for a moment before speaking. "Then that means one of two things."

The Alpha glanced up, waiting.

"Either they know something about him that we don't." A pause. "Or he's more dangerous than even you realize."

Before the Alpha could respond, there was a knock at the door. A different soldier this time, face pale, breath uneven.

"My Lord," he stammered, bowing low. "The Omega—he was taken from his room."

The dagger was in the Alpha's hand before he even realized he had reached for it.

"By whose order?" he demanded.

The soldier swallowed hard. "That's just it, my Lord. No such order was given."

The Alpha was already moving, his chair scraping back as he rose. His friend pushed off the wall, expression grim.

"They're trying to erase him," the Alpha murmured. "Before I can figure out why."

He grabbed his coat, striding toward the door.

But deep in his chest, a different realization clawed its way to the surface.

Why am I moving so quickly?

Why does the thought of losing him make my blood burn?

He didn't have an answer.

But right now, it didn't matter.

Because if they took Elias into the depths of the fortress—

They wouldn't be bringing him back.

---

A Dangerous Game

Elias knew exactly how long it would take before they reached the lower chambers. He had calculated every second, measured every breath.

And just as they neared the final turn, he made his move.

Not violently. Not rashly.

Just enough.

Just enough to ensure that when the Alpha finally found him…

He wouldn't be a helpless victim waiting to be saved.

He would be a survivor.

And the Alpha would have no choice but to wonder—

What exactly have I let into my fortress?