Chapter 100
Chapter 100
The tunnel felt like a trap The deeper we went, the more the cold stone seemed to push against us. Dust and grit
covered every surface.
Then we hit the massive boulders blocking the passage from floor to ceiling. They hadn’t just collapsed; they had been dropped there.
Asher cursed, his voice echoing in my mind. “ They buried it on purpose. ”
I stared at the mountain of rubble, a slow burn starting deep in my marrow. “ She went through here. ”
It took us three days to clear the path. Three long, agonizing days. My warriors worked in shifts, hauling out agged stones piece by piece while I refused to sleep. By the time we finally broke through, my hands were raw and
leeding.
But we made it.
The tunnel finally opened up near a freezing river at the base of the mountains. I stood on the muddy bank, the sound of rushing snowmelt filling my ears.
I searched for her scent. I searched until my lungs burned.
Nothing. No trail. No Emily.
It was like she had stepped off the edge of the world. Asher let out a frustrated snarl that vibrated through my whole body. I slammed my fist into the stone wall beside / me, the rock cracking under the force.
‘ Fuck! ”
Blake didn’t move. He didn’t offer any empty words. There was nothing left to say.
Hours later, we walked back into the pack house, filthy and drained. Liam and Marcus were in the living room, vith my mother, Meredyth.
Liam looked up, his face grim. “ Anything? ”
I didn’t even look at him. I just shook my head.
r
Marcus leaned back, tapping a finger on a mountain ridge on the map. “ The river flows toward the peaks. ”
I stared at the paper. Beyond those mountains was a wasteland of cliffs and abandoned caves. “ No packs live here, ” I muttered. “ No villages. It’s a graveyard. ”
“ Maybe that’s why they chose it, ” Marcus said.
Liam crossed his arms over his chest. “ I’m telling you, Nathan – her sister and that ex – boyfriend had a hand in
his. ”
5:03 pm
“ You remember how that guy acted when Emily first got here? ” Liam pushed. “ You almost tore his head off. ”
I remembered. The memory of his obsession made my stomach turn. I still wanted to end him, but I was flying
blind.
“ I have no proof, ” I growled, dragging a hand through my messy hair. “ And her sister is pregnant. I can’t toss her
nto a cell and hope for the best without evidence. ”
Marcus frowned, his eyes fixed on me. “ Still … how did you not feel it, Nathan? The exact moment she was
aken? ”
The question felt like a lead weight. He was right. I should have known. I should have felt the bond snap or
scream.
“ She’s your mate, ” Marcus said, his voice dropping. “ That connection doesn’t just go dark. Not unless someone ised magic. ”
Liam looked up, his eyes turning sharp.
“ And who do we know who plays with the old arts? ” he asked.
I didn’t have to think. My pulse began to hammer against my neck. “ The witch. ”
“ And the Priestess, ” Marcus added, his voice hard. “ She knows how to mess with a person’s head. ”
I stood up so fast my chair slammed into the floor. “ Then we’re done playing nice. ”
We moved toward the witch’s cabin. Marcus stepped carefully beside me, standing alongside Liam in front of her
home.
“ Maybe we should knock first, ” he muttered.
I didn’t even slow down. “ Why? We’re not here for tea. ”
I shoved the door so hard it cracked against the inner wall. The cabin looked empty at first glance. Then the voices became clearer – a man’s wet, weak groan and the witch’s low murmuring as she tried to quiet him.
Liam didn’t need an order; he vanished back outside to cut off the rear exit. Marcus stayed on my heels as 1
noved toward the back room.
I kicked the door off its hinges.
Marcus blinked. “ What the hell? ”
A man lay on a narrow bed, his skin a sickly, pale gray. Sweat soaked his hair, and dark blood was already weeping through the heavy bandages wrapped around his chest.
Every breath he took sounded like a struggle against a dull blade.
The witch sat beside him, holding a cup to his cracked lips. “ It’s alright, ” she whispered, her voice
: 03 pm
uncharacteristically soft. “ Just a little more. ”
The way she touched him – gentle, desperate, like he was the only thing keeping her anchored to the world – made
ne stop.
“ Who is this? ” I demanded.
The witch didn’t flinch. She slowly Hifted her gaze, her eyes hard. “ My beloved. ”
I stepped closer, my brow furrowing. “ How did he get here? We searched every car that crossed the border. ”
A faint, bitter smile touched her lips. “ Wolves are blind when magic wants them to be. ”
The pieces clicked together in my head. “ You’ve been hiding things from us for a long time. You could have hidden the rogues taking Emily just as easily. ”
Her expression went dark. “ I didn’t take your mate. ”
Liam appeared behind her so fast. He grabbed the sick man by the throat and hauled him upward. The man’s head olled back, a weak choke escaping his lips. Liam’s claws slid out, the sharp points biting into the man’s skin.
The witch’s calm shattered. “ No! ”
Pure terror washed over her face. “ Don’t touch him! ”
“ Then start talking, ” I growled.
She looked at Marcus, searching for some shred of mercy, but he just shook his head and stepped back. “ You’re on your own, sorry, ” Marcus said.
The witch looked at the dying man, her shoulders slumping. “ It was a deal, life for life, ” she whispered.
Liam’s claws pressed deeper. “ What deal? ”
Tears tracked through the dust on her cheeks. “ The Rogue King pkomised me a piece of Emily’s power. ”
The room went cold. I felt Asher surge forward, my skin itching to shift. “ You sold her? ” roared.
“ It wasn’t like that! ”
“ Then explain it before I tear this house down around you! ”
The man on the bed started coughing violently, blood staining his chin. The witch lunged for him, her hands haking as she wiped his mouth. I stared at the blood on the bandages. It was too dark. Too thick.
“ You could have asked Emily for help. She has healing powers, ” I said.
The witch looked broken. “ Because healing magic isn’t enough for a curse. ” She touched the wound on his chest. ‘ He was cut by the same blade that wounded the Rogue King. ”
Marcus froze. He stepped into the light, his eyes wide. He grabbed the man’s jaw, turning his face toward the torchlight.
: 03 pm
93
Goddess Marcus breathed.
“ What? ” I snapped.
Marcus swallowed hard, his face turning ashen. “ Nathan … this is Alpha Titus. ”
The name shocked me. Even Liam’s grip loosened. Titus was a legend — the Alpha who had nearly ended the Rogue ing years ago. We all thought he was dead.
The witch let out a tired, jagged laugh. “ Clearly not. ”
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Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.