After I Torched Alive, My Alpha Went crazy novel Chapter 204

I leaned closer to Carlos, lowering my voice to a whisper. "I smelled Merhold," I said. Carlos's expression didn't change, but his body tensed. "Are you sure?"

Carlos thought for a moment, his gaze sharp as he scanned the room. "Maybe he's managed to hide somewhere in the Alpha Palace by this time," he said calmly, his mind already working through the possibilities.

The moment I nodded, my wolf, Tina, stirred uneasily within me. "He was with those reporters," I continued. "Or at least he's been in contact with them. His scent is too distinct to mistake."

Carlos's jaw tightened as he thought it over. "If that's true, he could already be hiding somewhere in the Alpha Palace," he said, his tone calm but serious.

Tina stirred again, urging me to focus. I closed my eyes, trying to extend my senses, to find any trace of Merhold nearby. But before I could find anything, a voice cut through the silence.

"Hey, baby. Looking for me?" My eyes snapped open, and my heart skipped a beat. The voice was smooth and laced with amusement, but there was an edge to it—a cold, cruel undertone that made my blood run cold.

I spun around to face him, and there he was. Merhold.

He stepped out of the shadows, his posture relaxed, his smile almost playful. But his sharp, calculating eyes were anything but kind.

I opened my mouth to scream, but before I could make a sound, he was in front of me. His movements were impossibly fast, his presence overwhelming.

He raised a finger to his lips, his smirk widening. "Please," he said softly. "Be quiet."

Carlos moved instantly, stepping in front of me and shielding me with his body. His calm demeanor didn't waver as he faced Merhold.

"If you're so eager to attend my wedding to Grace," Carlos said, his tone smooth and cutting, "you should let the Alpha King know. I'm sure he'd arrange a grand reception just for you."

Merhold chuckled, shaking his head as he glanced down at the uniform he wore—a palace attendant's outfit, perfectly tailored and unassuming.

"How else would I watch the fun?" he said, brushing invisible dust from his sleeve. His voice was light, almost conversational, but the menace in his words was impossible to miss.

Tina growled within me, her instincts screaming to attack, but I held her back. Merhold was dangerous, and recklessness would only make things worse.

He took a step back, "After all, the best games take time to play. And this one is going to be so much fun."

The silence he left behind was deafening. I released a shaky breath. "Are you okay?" Carlos asked, turning to me with concern in his eyes.

I nodded, though the truth was far more complicated. "He's not done," I said quietly. "He's planning something, and whatever it is, it's going to be big."

Carlos's jaw moved, determination hardening his features. "Then we'll be ready," he said firmly. "Whatever it is, we'll stop him."

I wanted to believe him. I needed to believe him. But Merhold's words remained in my mind, his mocking tone ringing like a warning.

Tina growled in my mind, a low, rumbling sound of frustration and anger. He had come, and I had no idea how to stop him again from affecting me in my life.

Every step he took felt like a reminder of how much power he still held, that he was here, intruding into a part of my world I thought I was safe in.