Chapter 337 Foiling a Kidnapping

Chapter 337 Foiling a Kidnapping
Gavin's POV

The tall Black man ahead of me was completely unfamiliar. I had never seen him before, but the muffled sounds coming from her told me everything I needed to know. I didn't care if she was a hunter—we might kill them in battle, but kidnapping and whatever he planned to do with her crossed a line no decent supernatural would step over.

"Stop right there!" I commanded, my voice carrying the authority I'd learned from watching my brother lead our pack. The werewolves around me immediately tensed, ready for a fight.

The figure froze at the edge of the forest, muscles visibly tensing under his dark skin. I signaled to my men, and they moved with practiced efficiency, blocking all potential escape routes. I had to give the guy credit—he didn't try to run.

As I approached, one of the rogues among my team squinted in recognition. "Axel? What the fuck are you doing, man?"

The man—Axel—shifted slightly, adjusting his grip on the woman while maintaining his casual demeanor. "Hey Otto. Just taking a walk in the woods. We should grab a beer sometime."

The rogue's expression hardened. "Who's the girl?"

That's when I saw it—a flash of orange hair and heard another muffled scream.

"Evelyn?" I called out, moving closer.

The girl responded with a definite scream of confirmation, thrashing harder against her captor. I could see now that her legs were bound with rope, and I assumed her arms were similarly restrained.

Anger flared hot in my chest. A low growl escaped my throat before I could stop it. "Put. Her. Down."

Axel's posture changed, becoming more aggressive as he gripped Evelyn tighter. "Mine," he snarled, his eyes flashing with possessive fury.

The declaration shocked me. Was he claiming Evelyn as his mate? I knew instantly that couldn't be right. Evelyn's struggles made it abundantly clear this wasn't a willing pairing. Whatever Axel thought he was feeling, it wasn't a true mate bond.

Otto stepped forward, his voice firm. "You're rogue-born, Axel. You don't get a fated mate. Let the girl go."

"My wolf chose her," Axel insisted, his tone desperate. "She just needs time to get to know me... to love me."

I kept my voice level, trying to reach the rational part of him. "Kidnapping her isn't the way to make that happen. All you're doing is pushing your intended mate further away."

A flash of doubt crossed his face. I pressed my advantage.

"Her sister is back at the staging area worrying about why her sister hasn't returned from the battle," I said, watching his reaction carefully. I was certain Eliza must be frantic by now. Siblings naturally worried about each other—I knew that from experience.

"I need her," Axel mumbled, his grip on Evelyn loosening slightly. "I need to make her love me."

"She has family who are worried about her," I continued, maintaining eye contact. "One of her cousins is currently at the pack's hospital."

I didn't mention that the cousin in question was Eleanor, or that she was fighting for her life after taking a stake meant for Sebastian. That would only complicate matters.

"Axel."

We all turned at the sound of the new voice. Queen Karina stood a few feet behind me, her petite frame somehow filling the clearing with authority.

"Otto contacted me through our mental link," she explained briefly, then addressed Axel directly. "Put the witch down."

Her tone left no room for argument, yet Axel still hesitated.

"You can't get the woman you want by stealing her," Karina continued, her voice softening slightly. "You need to court her properly."

"Queen Karina," Axel pleaded, desperation clear in his voice. "Don't make me give her up."

"I've never felt like this before," he continued, his voice cracking with emotion. "I love her."

Karina's expression was understanding but firm. "I know this feels overwhelming, Axel. But if you take one step away from here with her still on your shoulder, I will give you a direct command you cannot refuse."

She moved closer, her voice dropping to a gentle but unyielding tone. "This isn't the way to win someone's heart. All you're doing is making yourself the villain in her story."

Axel looked around, seeming to finally grasp the reality of his situation. I counted at least fifteen wolves surrounding him now, all ready to attack at Karina's command. After a long moment, he sighed in defeat.

With surprising gentleness, he lowered Evelyn from his shoulder, carefully setting her on her feet in front of him. He knelt down and untied the ropes binding her wrists and ankles. Evelyn immediately yanked the gag from her mouth.

Axel stood back up, towering over her petite frame, his expression a mixture of longing and hope. Despite everything, I felt a pang of sympathy for him. The desperation of wanting someone who doesn't want you back was something I understood all too well.

Evelyn stepped back, her face flushed with anger. "I will never love you. I will never be your mate, and I never want to see you again, Axel."

Then she did something that made even me wince in sympathy. She drove her foot directly into Axel's groin with surprising force.

As Axel doubled over in pain, Evelyn ran to stand behind Karina, using the queen as a shield. Two of the rogue wolves stepped forward to help Axel back to his feet as he cupped his injured parts, face contorted in agony.

"That looked painful," I thought to myself, resisting the urge to cross my legs in solidarity.

Karina gave Axel a moment to recover before speaking. "She has rejected you, Axel. You need to move on." Her voice became more official. "Join the search parties looking for injured allies. Report to the Celeste pack office by Tuesday morning. You are forbidden from contacting Evelyn between now and then."

Axel let out a small whimper that made me feel even more sympathy for him. He truly believed he loved her, I realized. The pain of rejection was just as real for rogues as it was for pack wolves.

After Karina left with Evelyn, we continued deeper into the forest. We found a few hunters still alive and dealt with them quickly. Axel remained silent throughout, following orders mechanically.

When we were nearing the front of the search party, I deliberately slowed my pace to walk beside him. He looked majestic but broken, like a wounded predator.

"You need to give her space," I said quietly. "You scared her."

Axel glanced at me, then away. "I've never loved anyone like this before. I just want a chance."

"Kidnapping is never the answer," I replied. "Stay away for a while. Send gifts. Visit but don't touch or talk about mates. Get to know her as a person. Humans—and witches—need to take things slow."

"Do you think there's any chance she'll change her mind about me?" he asked after a long silence.

I couldn't help but smile. "It's more likely than your insane plan working."

God, I hoped he wouldn't come up with something even crazier.

"I'll try it," Axel finally agreed. "Thanks, man."

"You're a good guy for a pack wolf," he added with a hint of his former confidence.

I hope Evelyn doesn't end up hating me for this. But I couldn't watch another wolf suffer like that, even if his methods had been completely wrong.