The King (Alpha Trilogy #3)

Chapter 57

Ivy

'Stay in the house, my love. We're coming back.' I hear Ren's frantic voice in my head and I immediately go rigid.

"Ren is coming back. I think something's wrong." I tell my friends, panicking slightly.

Before Lia or Blake can even say anything, Cade and Vince storm inside and take a protective stance in front of us, shielding us from the door and window.

"What's going on?" Lia questions suspiciously.

"They found Alex. – Leo says as he gets up from his seat and goes to the front door – They're bringing him in."

Alex?!

They found him?

I'm on pins and needles as I wait for my Ren and Thea to come back, nearly bursting in anticipation. I catch Hunter and Leo walk outside, but I'm stopped from following them by none other than Skye.

"Trust me, it's better if you don't see this." She grabs my shoulder gently, keeping me in place. I frown questioningly at the worried look on her face, but don't bother asking.

'Ren, is everything alright?' I reach out to my man through the mind link, pacing around the kitchen anxiously.

'I don't want you see this, my love. It's not a pretty sight.' He replies softly. I can feel how upset he is through the bond and it's making me even more nervous.

'Is it that bad?'

'Yes, so please stay inside, my queen.'

'Okay.'

What the hell happened? Why is he so distraught? How can I help?

I'm so lost in my thoughts that I barely hear Leo storm back inside. He takes one look at us then stomps to Lia and drags her outside.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Blake shouts, following after the two of them. What just happened?

─ ● ─

Third person POV

Lorenzo sprints through the territory with Alex on his back and Thea by his side, heading straight to the clinic.

They need to fix Alex if they want to find out what happened. They need him alive.

Thea helps place Alex on the bed in the clinic then mind links someone, most likely her mate, before quickly gathering medicine and some supplies.

It's only few moments before Leo comes to the clinic, dragging panting Lia behind him.

"Jesus, you're fast." She pants, leaning her hands on her knees as she tries to catch her breath.

"Lia, can you help him?" Thea questions seriously, gesturing at Alex's mauled body. Lorenzo quickly leaves the room and goes behind the building to shift back into his human form.

"Holy fuck, is he even alive?!" Lia gasps, rushing to Alex's bed, quickly examining him. "This is bad. This is really, really bad." She mutters, taking in the severed skin on Alex's arms, legs and torso. His whole face is marred with cuts and bruises, and one side of it is charred beyond salvation. On his torso there are countless cuts, deep enough to reveal his organs. There are pieces of skin dangling from various places on his body, some of them so thick that the bones are visible. Most of them broken.