Chapter 55 – The Leap of Faith
The tension in Rowan’s shoulders never seemed to ease anymore, even within the sanctuary of his own office. He sat behind his desk, fingers steepled, eyes scanning the reports littered across the surface but absorbing none of them. His wolf prowled just beneath his skin, restless and on edge. Tomorrow was the full moon—and still, Giselle was missing.
A sharp knock pulled his attention to the door just as Beta Kalen’s voice echoed across their mind link. ‘Alpha, the witch—she’s here. She made it to the border but was nearly attacked. Luther got there in time to stop them. They’re on their way to you now.’
Rowan shot to his feet, his voice low and sharp through the link. ‘Let them through without question. And alert Charlie—I want her here for this.’
Almost instantly, another wave of mind links burst through from the Elders. Rowan’s jaw clenched at the irritation rolling off their messages. ‘You dare to bring a witch onto pack lands during a time of unrest?’ Elder Malric's voice spat in his head. ‘This will not stand. We demand she be escorted off immediately.’
Rowan cut off the connection without responding, sinking back into his chair with a growl. The Elders would get their answer soon enough.
The door swung open moments later. Luther stepped in first, his icy demeanor more pronounced than usual, followed by Charlie, then Beta Kalen, and finally—the witch. Rowan’s gaze snapped to her, taking in her tangled auburn curls, mud-streaked cloak, and sharp green eyes that sparkled like moss-covered stone.
“Rowan,” she said without preamble, voice smooth with a hint of urgency, “there isn’t time to waste.” She glanced to Charlie and offered a nod. “You must be the sister I’ve heard about. I’m Avella.”
Charlie nodded warily. “You’re the one helping my brother?”
“Helping us all,” Avella replied. “And I’ve found something.”
That pulled Rowan forward in his chair. “Talk.”
Avella didn’t bother sitting. She turned to the small table in the corner, setting down a leather satchel and pulling out a vial of shimmering dust. “Another spell was cast today. A powerful one. I felt it ripple through the edges of your territory. I tracked the energy surge immediately.”
She looked between them all, her voice unwavering. “It led me back to that cliff—the one you’ve visited, Rowan. The same one where Giselle’s trail vanished as if it was never there.”
His blood turned to ice. “What did you find?”
“There’s a cloaking spell over that place,” she said. “A damn good one. It hides more than just terrain. It bends light, scent, even instinct. But when the new spell was cast, it weakened for a breath. I saw... just enough.”
Kalen stepped forward. “What do you mean ‘just enough’?”
“A shimmer, a break in the veil,” she replied. “There’s something behind that cliff. A barrier. And beyond that? I felt your mate, Alpha. She’s close. Has been this whole time.”
Rowan stood so fast the chair nearly toppled over behind him. “How do I get through?”
“You jump.”
He blinked at her. “What?”
Avella nodded solemnly. “It’s a leap of faith—literally. The cliff is enchanted to turn intruders away unless they commit fully. You must jump with intent, belief, and bond guiding you. Anything less and the magic will keep you out.”
Silence followed. Then Rowan muttered, “I’d leap off a thousand cliffs if it meant getting her back to me.”
Charlie stepped closer. “Rowan—are you sure?” She turned to eye Avella warily. “What if it is a trick and you fall to your death?”
He turned to her, eyes fierce. “I’ve never been more sure of anything. If Giselle’s on the other side, I’m going through, no matter what happens to me.”
A loud knock came from downstairs, followed by raised voices. Rowan’s expression darkened.
“I think your guests are here,” Luther murmured.
They made their way downstairs swiftly, and sure enough, Elder Malric and Elder Torrin were standing at the front entrance of the packhouse, both bristling with anger.
Elder Malric sneered the moment he saw them. “I warned you not to let witches step foot on packlands.”
“And I said nothing in return,” Rowan replied evenly. “We’re escorting her off the territory at this very moment.” His voice dropped, steel laced beneath calm. “Unless you’d like to argue in front of the entire pack about this.”
Elder Malric’s nostrils flared. Elder Torrin placed a hand on the other Elder’s arm to restrain him, but Malric hissed, “Don’t think we haven’t noticed how much you’ve let slide lately, Alpha. There are consequences for—”
Without another word, Rowan turned on his heel, Avella and the others following close behind him. “Then tally them up, Elder Malric. And pray you don’t end up paying for mine.”
He didn’t look back. Let them seethe.
The forest swallowed them quickly, cool and damp in the moonlight. Rowan’s heart beat in rhythm with the approaching tide—his wolf pressed against his skin with growing urgency.
Each step toward that cliff was one closer to the truth. One closer to her.
Tomorrow would bring the full moon.
And Rowan was done waiting.
The forest was quiet—too quiet. The kind that made Rowan’s instincts scream. Each crunch of leaf beneath his boots felt unnaturally loud, echoing through the trees like a warning. The air was dense, heavy with magic that seemed to hum just beneath the surface, brushing against his skin like a phantom touch.
Beside him, Kalen kept pace, tense and alert, while Avella led them with unerring focus. Her hand hovered over the pouch at her hip, fingers twitching with every shift in energy. The deeper they went, the colder it grew, though the temperature hadn't changed. It was the same chill Rowan felt the first time he stood at the edge of the cliff—where Giselle’s scent had vanished into nothing.
They broke through the final thicket of trees, the cliff rising before them in jagged silence. Rowan paused, his eyes scanning the familiar clearing. No scent. No footprints. Not a trace of her.
And yet...
“There,” Avella whispered, pointing toward the air just beyond the cliff’s edge. “Do you see it?”
A shimmer. A pulse of light, soft as a heartbeat. Faint—but hers. Rowan’s wolf surged forward in recognition.
“She’s there,” he breathed.
And this time, he wasn’t leaving without her.
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