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Chapter 26

The forest that lay between the pack and the dark stronghold was ancient—older than memory, older even than the war between light and darkness. It was said to be cursed, a place where the moon refused to shine and the trees whispered secrets in a forgotten tongue. Few had entered it. Fewer still had returned.

The journey began before dawn, the rescue team moving in silence, each footfall careful, each breath measured. The air was colder here, heavy and damp like it had soaked in death and never let it go. A fog rolled along the forest floor, thick enough to swallow boots to the shin, and the trees rose like skeletal giants above them, gnarled and twisted.

Loco took the lead, his senses sharp despite his lingering wounds. Nancy was at his side, her bow always at the ready. Baron followed close behind, his presence a wall of authority and rage. Gina and Rayna moved like shadows, flanking the group and scouting ahead when needed. Steve brought up the rear, his sword strapped to his back, eyes watchful and quiet.

They had traveled for hours before the forest began to change.

The trees, once scattered, pressed in tighter. The air grew dense with magic—dark, sticky, and suffocating. Whispers followed them. Voices with no source, murmuring nonsense that still somehow cut deep. Bavanda’s name echoed through the leaves, soft and taunting.

“She’s waiting…”
“Too late…”
“She’s already ours…”

Gina cursed under her breath. “This place is alive.”

Rayna spun suddenly, blade drawn. “Something just touched me.”

“There’s nothing there,” Nancy murmured, but her hand tightened on her weapon.

They pressed on, the forest seeming to shift behind them, reshaping their path. Birds did not sing here. Insects made no sound. Only the groan of the wind through twisted branches and the occasional rustle of unseen movement accompanied them.

Then came the illusions.

Shapes moved in the mist—shadows that looked like lost pack members. Children. Loved ones. For a brief, terrifying moment, Loco swore he saw Bavanda standing beneath a tree, reaching for him.

He froze.

“Loco,” Nancy hissed. “Don’t.”

He blinked—and the image vanished.

“It’s the forest,” she warned. “It’s trying to break us.”

Steve muttered, “It’s working.”

It was Rayna who spotted the first sign—a trail of blackened earth, like something had burned through the roots, leaving behind only ash. “We’re close,” she said. “This kind of corruption only happens near the stronghold.”

From there, the land became worse. The trees thinned, giving way to jagged rocks and dead soil. The fog cleared, revealing the horizon—and the fortress.

It rose from the earth like a wound, a massive structure of black stone and jagged spires, its walls glowing faintly with dark energy. Shadows clung to it like armor. A twisted forest of dead trees surrounded it like skeletal sentries.

They stopped at the final ridge, looking down at the beast of a stronghold.

“No wonder no one found it,” Steve muttered. “The forest hides it like it’s protecting it.”

Baron stared ahead, unmoving. “That’s where they took my daughter.”

Gina drew her blade. “Then let’s go get her.”

Rayna cracked her knuckles. “With pleasure.”

Avynna stepped up beside them. Her voice was calm, but her eyes burned with resolve. “We move in three teams. Loco, Nancy, you’re going in first. Stealth and precision. Find Bavanda.”

She turned to her mate. “Baron, you lead the main force. Keep the shadows distracted.”

He gave a silent nod.

“Rayna, Gina,” she continued, “You’re with me. We’ll provide backup and sweep for any ambushes.”

Everyone nodded, their expressions solemn.

Loco took one last look at the fortress. A storm brewed in his chest—not of fear, but of determination. He would not fail.

Not this time.

With blades drawn and hearts steady, they descended the final hill and stepped into the mouth of darkness.

The sky was unnaturally dark, as if the stars themselves had fled in fear of what lay ahead. Jagged cliffs loomed like broken teeth around the ancient fortress, its black stone walls pulsing with a sickening, crimson light. The air was thick, tainted with the scent of blood, decay, and something older—something twisted and vile.

The rescue team had arrived at the stronghold under the veil of night. From the tree line, they stared at the monolithic tower of black stone, its very structure humming with the same dark magic that had taken Bavanda. Loco’s fists clenched at his sides, his breathing measured but strained.

“This is it,” Nancy murmured beside him. Her face was pale, eyes hardened. “No more hiding.”

Loco nodded. “We get her back. No matter what.”

Avynna stood with Baron at the rear of the group, her hand brushing his. There were no more words to say. Everything was in motion now.

As planned, Loco and Nancy broke away first, leading a stealth team of skilled warriors to infiltrate the inner halls of the fortress. Moving like shadows, they cut through small patrols, the sound of their blades little more than whispers in the dark. Every heartbeat brought them closer to Bavanda.

Outside, Baron, Gina, Rayna, and Steve prepared the rest of the fighters for a direct assault.

“We go hard,” Baron growled to the troops. “We don’t give them time to regroup.”

He met eyes with his sisters, their armor gleaming beneath the torchlight. Gina’s blade rested on her shoulder casually, but her eyes burned with fire. Rayna flexed her knuckles, cracking them in rhythm.

“Let’s give these bastards a reminder of who we are,” Rayna said, smirking.

With a war cry, they surged forward.

Shadow warriors poured from the fortress like living nightmares—creatures shaped by magic and blood, howling with unnatural rage. The ground shook as the two forces collided.

Baron fought like a storm unleashed, every strike of his blade echoing with fury and desperation. He carved through enemies with brutal efficiency, a whirlwind of steel and wrath. His wolf surged beneath his skin, clawing for release.

Gina and Rayna were a deadly duo. They fought in perfect sync—where one struck high, the other struck low. Their movements were a dance of destruction, every enemy that approached them falling within seconds.

Steve led a flanking team, rallying warriors with his steady presence. Though older than most, his strength hadn’t waned. His sword never stopped moving, blood and ash staining his armor. “Hold the line!” he bellowed. “Don’t let them break through!”

But deep inside the fortress, in the highest chamber, darkness reigned supreme.

Bavanda lay at the center of an ancient ritual circle, her body shackled in chains of obsidian and etched silver. Black smoke coiled around her limbs like serpents. Her eyes were open, but hollow—pools of black where light used to dwell.

Theresa stood above her, chanting in a language that made the stone walls tremble. Her smile was sharp and cold.

“Your friends have arrived,” she said mockingly. “How noble of them… how stupid.”

Bavanda trembled. Inside her, the power surged—too vast, too vicious. It roared for release, a tidal wave threatening to drown her. She could barely remember her own name.

Whispers swirled in her ears.

“You were never meant to be theirs.”

“Let go.”

“Feel how strong you are.”

But somewhere, buried beneath the chaos and pain, was a voice. Not the whispers. Not Theresa’s poison.

A voice… soft and steady.

“You don’t have to say anything. Just knowing you’re here is enough.”

Loco.

The chamber door exploded inward in a shower of stone. Loco stood in the doorway, bloodied, breathing hard—but his eyes locked on her instantly.

“Bavanda,” he whispered.

Theresa hissed. “You’re too late.”

Bavanda’s head turned. Slowly. But her expression was unreadable. Her eyes were void. Her face blank.

“Bavanda,” Loco repeated, stepping closer. “It’s me.”

She stood, the chains falling away as dark energy surged around her. Her form shimmered with unnatural power, shadows licking at her skin like fire. Her aura pulsed—too dark to be Bavanda, and yet…

Theresa grinned. “Kill him.”

Bavanda’s fingers twitched. Her body moved forward.

“Fight it,” Loco said, his voice cracking. “You’re still in there. I know you are.”

She launched at him. He didn’t raise his blade.

She slammed him against the wall, her hand around his throat, darkness writhing along her arm. Her strength was monstrous. His breath came in gasps.

“I won’t fight you,” he wheezed. “I promised… I’d bring you back.”

Her hand trembled. The darkness hissed. Kill. Him.

But her grip faltered.

Images flashed before her eyes—her brother’s laughter. Her mother’s warmth. Her father’s stern smile. Loco’s hand in hers. His confession. His eyes when he said she wasn’t alone.

Her hand dropped.

“Loco…” she whispered.

Then Theresa’s voice thundered in the room. “Enough!”

She raised both arms and began a final incantation. The ritual circle blazed to life, and Bavanda screamed as the energy hit her.

Her back arched. Her body shook. Shadows erupted from her mouth and eyes as the magic tried to remake her.

“BAVANDA!” Loco screamed, reaching for her.

But she was convulsing, her body suspended midair as the dark spell completed. A shockwave burst through the chamber, throwing Loco across the room.

She collapsed to the ground. Her hair, now streaked with silver. Her eyes—closed.

The room fell silent, save for Loco’s ragged breaths.

He crawled toward her, gathering her in his arms.

“Please…” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. “Don’t leave me…”

Please….

Hey Guys please check my other stories: The Lycan and His healer mate, His Purchased Wife, 365 Days in Dmitry Cage, The fatal Lycan and his mysterious mate, Xiol's Treasured Mate, The luna and the lycan, Flash Marriage: President's Seduction, In Adonis world, Alpha's little Vampire Mate on R.a.d.i.s.h.

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Betrayed by My Ex, Claimed by His father on Goodnovel