Page 96 of The Alpha's Seer

Cox?

Calix?

I’ve found them.

What? Where?my Beta demands, but I shake my head.

Tell Lexie. There is dark magic here. I can hear the women, but the cries are coming from inside a mountain.

There’s a brief silence, then Cox responds,I’ll tell her. Can you tell me where you are?

I have to. I tell him my exact location but instruct him to warn the warriors that dark magic is dangerous, so they must stay back until I say otherwise.

Cox doesn’t question me further, only telling me he will let me know when he is with Lexie.

What if Lexie doesn’t know what it is?my wolf hums, still pacing.We need to get inside.

I gaze at the mountain again. It rises to the top of the trees and then slopes back down, too high to see the top. I search for an entrance again, circling it until I shake my head in puzzlement.

There is no way into this thing.

That you can see,my wolf scoffs.

I grit my teeth.

Blair?I try hopelessly to mind-link my girl.

I wait painfully for a response, but none comes. What if the magic is preventing her from mind-linking? But then, why is the magic not preventing the sounds of the women crying?

My wolf says it could be a trap, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s right.

I’m with Lexie,Cox announces.We’re coming.

Only you two. Tell the others to stay back. I don’t want to draw attention to this place.

You got it, Alpha.

I wait for what feels like hours, but Cox is fast. When he and Lexie approach, I’m relieved they do it silently and stealthily. They come to stand on either side of me, staring at the mountain.

“Can you hear it?” I demand, staring at them in turn.

“The crying?” Lexie responds softly, rubbing her throat with her fingers. “Yes.”

Cox frowns. “What is that? Where is it coming from?”

Lexie steps forward, her fingers touching the rock lightly. She rips her hand back like she’s been burned, before muttering something under her breath and reaching for it again.

“Shit,” she mumbles, twisting her hand this way and that, her features etched with concentration. “Damn.”

She drops her hand and peers up at the rock. “You’re right, Calix, this is dark magic.”

“Is Blair in there?” I rasp louder than I intend to.

“I don’t know, but this is a protection spell. It won’t allow us in, so it must be keeping a secret.”

“Mountains don’t keep secrets,” Cox remarks. “If they’re in there, Lexie, we need to get inside.”

I nod my agreement, my voice broken. “My mother, my mate, and countless women need us.”