Mated to Two Bad Boy Alphas (Lia zane Blake) novel Chapter 276

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Chapter 276 – Mother and Daughter

–LIA’S POV–

The forest stretched on endlessly, shadows clinging to every tree as though the night itself wanted us to get lost.

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Our small group moved together, steps stealthy, but every sense sharpened. Zane stayed close to me, his hand brushing mine every now and then, a silent reminder that I wasn’t alone. That no matter what, I’d never be.

Sapphire walked ahead, her head tilted slightly, eyes distant. She had that look again—like she was listening to something none of us could hear.

The Hounds followed behind her, Ajax and Warner sticking very close, their stances protective, while Sheila and Aaron followed

behind and scanned the trees. Derek and a few other wolves from our pack stayed on the other side, all of them focused and quick, eyes black in their wolf forms.

Emerald was with us too, lingering at the back, her healer’s bag slung across her shoulder.

“We’re close,” Sapphire murmured, her voice soft but certain. “The air reeks of Lunar magic. Can’t believe this hasn’t drawn witches to it yet.”

“How close?” Zane asked. His voice was low and calm, but I

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Chapter 276 – Mother and Daughter

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could feel the tension beneath it. Or maybe I was projecting my own onto everything around me.

Sapphire didn’t answer straight away.

She took a few more steps, weaving between two thick oaks, then stopped. Her hand lifted, pointing towards a rocky surface half–hidden by the undergrowth. “There.”

My breath caught.

The mouth of a cave gaped before us, dark and unwelcoming, like it was waiting to swallow us whole.

Everyone went quiet. The silence stretched, only broken by the faint rustle of leaves around us.

Zane touched my arm. “Are you ready?”

I swallowed, nodding even though I wasn’t sure I was. “Yes.”

Zane gestured to his wolves and Hounds, and we cautiously stepped inside.

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The air shifted instantly—cold, damp, and carrying the smell of stone. Shadows clung to the walls, stretching long and jagged with the dim light we carried. My heartbeat thundered as we walked deeper, the sound echoing in the silence.

And then I froze.

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Chapter 276 – Mother and Daughter

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“This is it,” I whispered, my voice trembling. My eyes locked on the exact spot I’d seen in my vision—the smooth curve of the stone, the way the shadows cut across the floor. Mom had been right there, chained, broken, terrified.

I could smell her still. But she was gone now. I had no idea where the shadows had taken her.

My chest tightened painfully. I stepped forward, reaching out, almost expecting to feel

nothing. No w

44 trace of her presence. But there was

Sapphire’s voice snapped me out of the grief I felt. “She’s deeper inside,” she said quickly, almost urgent. Her eyes flashed with something fierce. “I can feel her through the magic. But the signal is weakening with every second.”

“What does that mean?” Zane asked in alarm.

“It means she’s dying,” Sapphire said bluntly. “If we don’t reach her soon, it will be too late.”

The words hit me like an explosion.

I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. My legs wanted to give out, but Zane’s hand found mine, grounding me.

“Come on, Lia. We’ll find her,” he said firmly, his eyes steady on mine. “I swear it.”

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Chapter 276 – Mother and Daughter

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I nodded, taking a large gulp of the humid air. We had no time

to waste.

“Let’s go,” I said.

I hurried forward, Zane and Sapphire flanking me, my heart thundering in my chest. My legs trembled with every step, but I couldn’t stop. This was about her. I couldn’t fail. It wasn’t an option.

The deeper we

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went, the colder it got. The rock got wetter and the air damper, and shadows crawled over the walls like magic vines.

At first I thought it was a trick of the torches, but then one uncurled and slashed at Ajax. He swore, ducked, and the thing re–formed like smoke.

“They’re alive,” Aaron said, voice low.

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“Guardians,” Sapphire muttered. “She’s further in. Keep close.”

Zane squeezed my fingers once, then went rigid. His grip turned to ice. His eyes were open but far away, like he was looking through me. For a heartbeat he wasn’t here at all.

“Zane?” I tugged his arm. “Look at me.”

He didn’t. His breath hitched, and I knew what was going on. He

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Chapter 276 – Mother and Daughter

was stuck in the void all over again.

The shadows hissed, leaning in like they could smell fear.

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“Move!” Warner crashed through one of them, claws slashing through nothing.

Sheila moved past me to cover our front.

Derek attacked one, his teeth tearing it apart, only for it to form again.

Sapphire stood in the centre of the passage, palms up, face set. “I can feel her,” she said. “The cloaking’s thin. But my connection to her is shaking. We need to find her. I’m casting the spell.”

As she began to chant under her breath, everything started to

shake.

The shadows drew towards her, laughing and hissing, refusing to let her drop the cloak.

We surrounded her, but there were too many of them, and they came from all sides.

Sapphire cursed out loud, falling to her knees. “They’re spilling into my mouth. Keep them back!” she shouted.

We tried to fight them—all of us. The Hounds. The wolves. Me.

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But they were unyielding, loyal servants of the Moon Goddess, refusing to let the cloak drop.

Sapphire cried out, desperation reflected in her gaze as she glanced at me.

She couldn’t do it.

It was clear.

She couldn’t do it in time.

My fists clenched, and my patience snapped, eyes blazing purple.

A growl rumbled inside my chest, and a heat started to fill my body, starting at my heart and spreading everywhere else.

My hair shimmered silver, then my skin, and my feet lifted off the ground.

It was like the Blood Moon all over again.

And this time too, it was my whole world hanging in the balance.

“Everyone—cover your eyes!” I shouted.

Ajax glanced back. “What are you doing?”

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“Do it now!” I growled.

They all obeyed on instinct.

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I let the heat in my chest flare, pulling at whatever the Moon Goddess herself had blessed me with, and pushed as hard as I could.

Light flooded out of me in a blinding wave. The cave screamed. Shadows burned white and blew apart like sand in wind.

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I screamed at the top of my voice, letting it all spill out until the darkness stopped moving.

When I dropped the light, spots danced across my vision.

Something wet oozed out of my nose, and I fell to my knees, my head spinning.

Zane grabbed me by the waist, talking, whispering, probably reassuring me.

But I couldn’t hear.

“Mom?” I kept repeating, even as my own voice sounded distant.

The tunnel was empty except for us, steam lifting off the rock.

“Here,” Sapphire said, crawling to the side. She flung a pinch of powdered silver, whispered something sharp, and the air

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Chapter 276 – Mother and Daughter

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changed and shimmered. A woman slid out of nowhere and hit the floor.

Mom.

She was pale and choking.

Emerald was on her in a heartbeat, counting compressions, breath to breath. “Come on,” she murmured. Sapphire pressed glowing fingers to Mom’s throat and heart, threading magic through each push.

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I crawled forward, Zane helping me, and fell onto Mom’s feet.

“Please,” se.”

Zane kneeled by her shoulder, ready to bite as a last resort.

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But then Mom jerked, coughed hard, and drew in a sharp breath. Her eyes opened, wet and wild. Zane exhaled, and I broke into a sob, meeting her gaze.

“Lia,” she choked out, trembling all over.

“Mom,” I sobbed, pulling her face against my chest. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”