The tension in the room was suffocating as Alpha Mateo examined the photographs and documents scattered across the mahogany desk. His keen eyes studied each piece of evidence with methodical precision before he finally broke the heavy silence.
"From the beginning, I knew something was wrong about Mariyah being taken," Mateo stated, his tone measured but carrying an underlying edge of steel. He raised his gaze to meet both Alpha Parker and Alpha Alonzo directly. "She was never their real target."
Alpha Alonzo felt his jaw clench involuntarily. "Then who was?" The question came out rougher than intended, disbelief threading through every word. "Nothing like this has ever occurred within Academy grounds. Those savage rogues never had the courage to come within miles of our territory. What possessed them to climb that waterfall and snatch Mariyah right under our noses, in front of dozens of Alphas?"
The weight of the situation pressed down on his shoulders like a physical burden.
