Alpha Nocturne's Contracted Mate

Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell

Chapter 164 You Owe Me Big Time

The three of them made their way down the never-ending, twisting corridors with the Royal Guards

following closely behind.

“Don’t you get sick of tweedle-dum ad tweedle-dee following you all the time?” Lexi murmured as she

glanced over her shoulder at the two stoic guards with expressionless faces.

Title of the document

“I guess I haven’t had long enough to get sick of it yet,” Ann answered with a shrug.

She was sure it would probably be irritating at some point, but for now, at least she had someone to

ask if she got lost in the maze of corridors that the Enclave was turning out to be.

After descending the third set of stairs that seemed to twist in upon itself, she was almost positive that if

she tried to find her way back she would most likely get lost. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to

tell Adam how to get here. “Bartholomew, I wanted Adam to meet us wherever you’re taking us.” She

said a little hesitantly as she pulled her phone out and began flicking through to the message center.

“Yes, yes. Absolutely fine.” He answered waving his hand dismissively as he plodded resolutely

onwards.

“Okay, well it would help if I knew exactly where we were going. You haven’t told us where it is that

everything is being held…” Ann said, trailing off at the end.

She was well aware that even in places as secure as the Enclave, the walls sometimes had ears. Who

knew who was listening at any given time? It wasn’t worth the risk of speaking it out loud until they

were safely inside.

Bartholomew stopped short in the middle of the corridor and turned to look at them with a thoughtful

expression.

“Hmm. You’re quite right. Actually, he may have difficulty finding it now you’ve mentioned it.” He said as

he rubbed his chin.

Lexi glanced at Ann with a raised eyebrow as he gestured to one of the guards behind them.

“You there, will you go and fetch the Queen’s Consort, please? It quite escaped my mind that this is a

restricted part of the Enclave that he may have difficulty accessing without an escort.”

The guard frowned slightly, but with a curt nod, turned and began to make his way back down the

corridor. “Almost there now, your highness,” Bartholomew announced impassively as they descended

another set of stairs and turned a corner into a corridor with a large, solid metal door at the end.

“Looks pretty ominous.” Lexi quipped as she wrinkled her nose in disgust, “Stinks as well.”

Bartholomew turned to look at her curiously for a little while before humming to himself.

“Interesting that you should say that because as far as our wolves are concerned, they can’t smell

anything around these… creatures.” He commented slowly as he turned to smile softly at Ann, “It

seems you were right to bring your friend here. She has already yielded a little information before she’s

even entered the room, making headway where we could not.”

Lexi snorted softly.

“You sound surprised old man, although it would be nice if you didn’t sound so gleeful about my

discomfort,” Lexi grumbled,

“The scent itself isn’t a ma*s*sive thing. All it does is prove that whatever this is, it’s undetectable to

wolves making ambush far easier for the creatures concerned. If their target is wolves that is.” She

continued carefully, trying not to breathe in through her nose as much as possible, although it had little

effect.

Yet with trying to utilize that method to avoid her obvious physical reaction, instead of smelling it, she

could now taste the stench and it seemed to stick in her throat.

“Although, I can’t guarantee that I’m not going to gag when the full stench hits me inside. If it’s this bad

out here, I dread to think what it smells like when that monstrosity of a door is opened.” She grimaced

with a scowl, her hands doing little to hide the foul expression that had settled over her face.

“You owe me big time for this Ann.” She hissed.

Bartholomew chuckled as they reached the door and before they could open it themselves, it swung

open, revealing a startled-looking Commander Greyson on the other side who had clearly not been

expecting the trio and one Royal guard on the other side so soon.

Lexi’s eyes widened slightly before she covered her mouth and nose and desperately tried not to gag

on the wave of putrid fragrance that washed over her.

“Oh, you’re here already. I was just going to make my way up to your study to see if everything was

okay. Is she okay?” Commander Greyson asked with a frown as he took in Lexi’s now bloodshot eyes

as tears began to trickle down the side of her face whilst she dry heaved and gagged silently behind

them.

“Apparently these strange beasts do indeed have a scent!” Bartholomew answered cheerfully as

Greyson stepped back to allow them to enter.

“You don’t need to sound so cheerful about it. Believe me, you furballs should count yourself lucky that

you can’t smell it.” Lexi snapped between breaths.

“Greyson, this is Lexi. She is our Queen’s longtime friend and resident expert on…well…you’ll find out

soon enough.” Bartholomew continued jovially, ushering them inside.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Greyson said as he offered his hand and then hesitantly withdrew it when he

caught the furious scowl that Lexi was directing his way.

“There is not a chance in hell that I am removing my hands from my face. We can do all the social

niceties later, fur bag …unless you want me to vomit all over your shiny little uniform that is.” She

hissed in irritation.

She hated to appear weak or incapable in any capacity, especially in front of people that made her feel

nervous and now she was going to be surrounded by them.

Ann rubbed her arm consolingly as they made their way further into the room and stopped short as she

laid eyes for the first time on the creature that lay motionless on the slab before her.

She turned to Lexi in a mix of horror and shock and saw the same emotions mirrored in Lexi’s eyes as

she cast her gaze over the corpse in front of them.

“What the f“k is that?!” Ann breathed in trepidation as she fully grasped just how otherworldly this thing

was.