Chapter 96
The forest stretched out before us, dark and oppressive, as if it were alive and intent on swallowing us whole. Every rustle, every crack of a branch underfoot, felt like a scream in the silence. Chris walked ahead of me, his steps cautious but deliberate. Marcus’s absence weighed heavily on us, a bitter reminder of how close this hunt had already come to disaster.
Jake’s blood was our only lead now. The faint, coppery tang lingered on the air, guiding us deeper into the trees. Chris knelt briefly to inspect a patch of disturbed leaves, sniffing the air like a wolf on the trail.
“He’s close,” Chris murmured, his voice tight.
I swallowed hard, gripping the dagger Fatima had forced into my hand before I left. “Are you sure it’s not...?” My voice faltered, unwilling to say the word.
Chris glanced back at me, his expression grim but resolute. “I’d know the difference, Luna. He’s alive.”
That was enough for now. I pressed on, forcing myself to focus. Every step brought us closer to answers—or to danger.
The further we ventured, the more oppressive the forest seemed to grow. A faint whisper of sound reached my ears—a low murmur, like distant voices carried on the wind. Chris froze, his head cocked to listen.
“You hear that?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
He nodded, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. “Voices. Two, maybe three.”
The air around us shifted, the stillness breaking. A faint, mocking laugh echoed through the trees, sending a shiver down my spine.
Chris’s gaze darted around, sharp and alert. “We’re being watched.”
A movement to my left caught my eye—a shadow slipping between the trees, too fast and too deliberate to be anything natural.
“Over there,” I whispered, pointing.
Chris nodded, signaling for us to spread out. My heart pounded as we crept toward the source of the sound. The shadows seemed to thicken, pressing in on us. And then, abruptly, the voices stopped.
The silence was deafening, a stillness so complete it felt like the forest itself was holding its breath.
That’s when he stepped out of the shadows.
A man loomed before us, tall and broad, his features obscured by the hood of his cloak. His presence was overwhelming, the air around him seeming to pulse with menace.
“Jona,” Chris breathed, his voice a mix of anger and disbelief.
The man tilted his head, his glowing eyes locking onto Chris with an unsettling intensity. “I see my reputation precedes me.”
Chris moved to step in front of me, but I stopped him, my eyes narrowing at the figure. “Where is Jake?” I demanded, my voice shaking despite my best efforts to sound strong.
Jona chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that made my skin crawl. “Your mate is...occupied,” he said, his tone mocking.
I clenched my fists, stepping forward despite Chris’s warning glance. “If you’ve hurt him—”
“You’ll what?” Jona interrupted, his grin widening. “I’d like to see you try, little Luna.”
Before I could respond, a second figure emerged from the shadows. Andrew. His smug expression made my blood boil.
“Still running after your wolf like a lost pup?” Andrew sneered. “Touching, really.”
Chris growled, his sword flashing as he stepped forward. “You’ve made your last mistake, Andrew.”
Andrew smirked, stepping casually aside. “Oh, I don’t think so.”
Jona moved then, faster than I could have imagined. One moment, he was standing still, and the next, he was on Chris, slamming him into a tree with a sickening crack. I widened my eyes 'what was he?' ,even werewolves were not that fast he had to be something else and his fighting kills were frightening.
“Chris!” I screamed, rushing forward with my dagger.
Jona swatted me aside like I was nothing, the force of his blow sending me sprawling to the ground. I struggled to catch my breath as he loomed over me, his grin predatory. I watched him as blood dripped from my nose. He was strong I knew my powers wouldn't work on him right now ,not until we figured out what he was.
“This is the mighty Luna?” he taunted. “Pathetic.”
Andrew appeared beside him, shaking his head. “We don’t have time for this,” he said, his tone impatient.
Jona snarled but stepped back, his glowing eyes still fixed on me. “Next time, Luna,” he said, his voice dripping with menace. “Next time, I won’t be so merciful.”
And then they were gone, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared.
I scrambled to my feet, my heart racing as I rushed to Chris’s side. He was slumped against the tree, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead.
“Chris,” I said, shaking his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
He groaned, his eyes fluttering open. “I’ve had worse,” he muttered, wincing as he tried to sit up.
I helped him to his feet, my mind racing. “We have to go after them,” I said, my voice shaking.
Chris shook his head, his expression grim. “Not like this. We’ll only get ourselves killed.”
Tears burned in my eyes as I looked at him, frustration and helplessness bubbling up inside me. “They have Jake,” I whispered. “What if they...what if they kill him?”
Chris placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. “We’ll get him back, Priscilla. I promise. But we have to be smart about this. Jona isn’t just some rogue. He’s a monster.”
I nodded reluctantly, my hands trembling as I sheathed my dagger. We turned back toward the pack house, my heart heavy with the weight of our failure. Jona was something else ,his strength was unimaginable, and we had to figure out how to kill him without getting Jake killed. Now that I had seen him, I knew what I had to ,I was strong, and I had to save the father of my babies even if it meant using every bit of my power.
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