Dane's POV.
"Astrid didn't run away by herself... she wasn't alone!" I shouted, my fist clenching as the realisation hit me. My insides were raging with anger as I fixed my glare on the dress in front of me.
"What do you mean, Alpha Dane? What do you mean by 'she didn't run away'? She's not in the mansion, so she must have fled, just like always!" Beta Ivar scoffed, trying to clear the air. He didn't realise that Astrid wasn't like that.
She had hugged me before the fight, so I was certain she had become comfortable staying close to me.
"She didn't leave... The Rogues took her. The fight was just a distraction to stop me from finding out!" My fist tightened even more, my teeth clenching as I wished for one thing: to grab them and make them pay. They shouldn't have messed with me; they shouldn't have laid their hands on my mate.
"What will you do this time, Alpha?" Ivar asked, bowing his head and waiting for a response.
I paused for a split second, briefly thinking about my next move. At this point, there was only one thing to do: go get her myself.
"Alpha?" Ivar called out, seeing that I had kept silent for a long while.
Just then, I made a decision. I finally made my choice: to get her back.
"Get out of my way. I'm going to find her myself!" I declared. Just as I was about to move and exit the room, Beta Ivar stood in my path, blocking my way.
"What are you doing? I said, get out of my way!" I demanded again, but Ivar wasn't willing to move. It was as though he had been possessed and wouldn't listen to me, wouldn't listen to his Alpha.
"I'm sorry, Alpha Dane, but you need to stay back. Besides, you were injured during the fight, and you are bleeding." He pointed out, making me realise it was true.
I was actually bleeding, and I had forgotten about it because I kept thinking about where Astrid had gone.
"I'm an Alpha; it'll heal soon!" I stated clearly, hoping it would make him leave my sight. But Ivar was too stubborn to listen to me or anyone.
"You can't do this, Alpha Dane! It's risky. Besides, you don't love her. She isn't worth it, going after the Rogues!" he advised, and at this point, he was getting on my nerves.
With echoing thudding steps, I walked over to him, glaring into his eyes. A smirk formed on my lips.
"Get out of my way. I won't say it again!" I commanded, the smirk on my lips twitching into a frown.
"But..." he started to say, but without hesitation, I placed my hand on him, pushed him to the side, and walked over to the door.
Just as I was about to open the door, Ivar's voice halted me in my tracks.
"Why won't you just leave her? Just let her be, Alpha Dane!" Ivar begged. "She's obviously a trap to lure you to their den!"
"Let her go?" I scoffed, turning my head halfway as I stood by the door. "I can't let her go, Ivar, not when she's in the wrong place!"
"I might not love her, but I can't watch them hurt her. She is my pawn! Just mine! No one is allowed to use her to get what they want except me!" With a sense of finality in my tone, I slammed the door and walked out of the room.
I headed straight for my car, my mind fixed on just one thing: getting Astrid back to my mansion and teaching everyone who had laid their filthy fingers on her a lesson.
They weren't going to get away with this; they weren't going to know what hit them. I was going to make them pay.
As I kept thinking about what punishment was best for them, I got closer to my car. Without thinking twice, I opened the door and climbed in.
"You shouldn't have done this... Rogue King!" My grip around the steering wheel tightened, and I couldn't help but clench my teeth in anger.
My eyes were fixed on the road ahead as I started the engine. The headlights turned on, and soon, I was ready to move. I was ready to drive out of the mansion and get to my mate.
The second I stepped on the accelerator, ready to speed off, Beta Ivar appeared, running and halting right in front of the car.
I slammed on the brakes hard to avoid hitting him.
"What the fuck!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening in disbelief. I couldn't believe that Ivar had almost gotten himself killed.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Get out of the way!" I commanded from inside the car, but Beta Ivar shook his head.
"Don't do this. It's the wrong move!" he insisted, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes in frustration.
"Fine!" he said. "If you won't listen to me, then I'm coming with you. You never know who might be after you, Alpha Dane!" Beta Ivar insisted, making me scoff.
"Not a chance, Ivar! Get out of the way!"
"Never! It's either I go with you, or you run over me before leaving!" he declared, a look of determination etched on his face.
He was something else when he was determined. He wasn't going to back down, and it made me extremely furious.
"You want me to run over you? Fine! But just know you asked for it!" I started the engine again, glaring at him with a frown on my face.
He didn't move an inch. He didn't flinch to show that he was scared. Beta Ivar stood still.
I immediately stepped on the accelerator again, my grip around the wheel tightening. Instantly, I charged towards him, driving at full speed, ready to run over him, ready to kill him if it meant getting Astrid back.
"Die, Ivar!”