The Omega Mated To The Four

he Alpha Bond 143

After leaving the caves, we drove back down to town, the winding roads making our descent slow and careful. The farther we got from the mountain, the more the town came into view, its rustic charm highlighted by the golden hues of the setting sun. The warm glow bathed the stone and wood buildings, making them appear almost ethereal, like something out of an old storybook. Narrow cobblestone streets curved between charming little cafes, family-run bakeries, and souvenir shops selling handcrafted trinkets. The town was quiet but alive, a peaceful contrast to the cold, damp darkness of the caves we had just left behind.

I leaned my head against the window, watching the world outside bir past. Despite the picturesque scene, my mind was elsewhere, still inside the caves, wondering what we had missed. The riddle had led us there, but the tour itself had yielded nothing. No secret tunnels, no hidden symbols-nothing. It left a nagging feeling in my chest, like an unfinished sentence waiting to be completed.

"We should grab some food," Elijah suggested as he pulled the car into a small parking lot near a restaurant.

Austin groaned from the backseat. "I still don't get why we didn't just break off from the tour and explore on our own. That was a waste of time."

Isaiah shrugged, unbuckling his seatbelt. "We didn't know if there was anything obvious we'd find. Better to start with the safe option before doing anything reckless."

I stretched as I stepped out of the car, shaking the stiffness from my limbs. "Well, now we know there's nothing obvious. So we're going back tonight."

Alex frowned, crossing his arms. "We are? What if we get lost?"

I smirked, patting his shoulder as I walked past him. "Then we'll leave a trail of breadcrumbs for you, Alex."

Austin snorted in amusement as we entered the restaurant. The inside was cozy, dimly lit with flickering candles on each table. The scent of freshly baked bread and sizzling meat filled the air, making my stomach growl in response. After placing our orders, we

settled into a booth by the window.

As we ate, the conversation shifted back to our failed mission.

"There were restricted areas," I pointed out. "The tour guide mentioned them, which means there are places we weren't allowed to see. We really didn't get to look around properly."

"That's why tonight matters. We

lit, the aisles narrow and packed with shelves stocked with local food and essentials.

bottle of water.

tossed a bundle of flashlights into the cart. "We'll

our powers. I can light up the whole cave." He flicked his fingers, and

his eyes and swatted at Austin's hand. "We don't want to draw

lighter into the cart anyway, extinguishing the flame with

butter and sugar filled the air, and I couldn't resist grabbing one. The first bite melted in my mouth, sweet and flaky,

silhouette against

1/3

Chapter 137

of this

him in surprise. He wasn't usually the sentimental type. You mean...

nodded, his gaze lingering on the distant mountains. "Yeah. It's beautiful here.

"I'd like that

“Are we seriously romanticizing this

fun. But if

Stormi."

every

before heading back

restless. Something was waiting for us in those caves-I could feel it. The riddle hadn't

reason. My fingers traced the stone fragment we had found in the Whispering