Chapter 410
Chapter 410
67 – Elara
I lay flat on my back, eyes fixed on the ceiling above, while the soft, persistent hum of my wolf’s presence echoed in my mind. My wolf was deeply engaged in a silent dialogue with Ben’s wolf, and I found myself grasping for reasons to keep the conversation alive. It was strange-this connection between our wolves-but I didn’t fully understand how it worked. Just when I thought the exchange had ended, she would nudge me to stall, though she never explained why. I could only suspect they were plotting something behind the scenes. Taking a slow, deliberate breath, I exhaled quietly, frustrated that even our wolves couldn’t leave the whole mate issue alone. Their reasons might be stronger than ours, but why couldn’t we simply be left in peace, allowed the chance to get to know one another without interference?
Still, these thoughts didn’t stop me from imagining him—Ben—especially on the nights he wasn’t curled up on my couch. My hands wandered over my skin, trying to recreate the memory of his touch, though it was never quite the same. Yet, the mere thought of him sent waves of pleasure through me, pushing me to climax faster than ever before. I knew my mind was wired to respond to him; our conversations were never dull or meaningless. Even when he was away with another pack, my body betrayed me, reacting as if he were right beside me.
But why was the rest of me so reluctant to accept the idea of having a mate? That nagging doubt lingered at the back of my mind, refusing to be silenced. Something felt off, though I couldn’t pinpoint what. With that restless thought swirling in my head, I finally drifted into sleep.
The packhouse was already alive with activity when I made my way down to the dining room in the pale light of early dawn. The air buzzed with tension, voices low but urgent.
“What’s going on?” I asked an Omega passing by, my voice sharp with concern.
She hesitated, glancing nervously over her shoulder. “A body was found between the packhouse and the Coven’s camp p>
“And no one thought to tell me?!” I snapped, my voice rising, causing her to recoil slightly.
“I… I’m sorry, Alpha. I just heard… I she stammered, unable to finish her sentence as I pushed past her toward the back doors.
Witches from the Coven were moving past me, their faces drawn and troubled, but there was no panic or fear radiating from them—something my wolf and I would have sensed immediately. I forced my way through the small crowd gathered, determined to see for myself.
“Next time, send for me immediately if something happens on my pack’s land,” I growled as I stepped inside the circle.
Then I froze. It was a child. A pup from my pack-young, no more than ten or twelve years old. I couldn’t see her face clearly, but her shallow, labored breathing told me she was still fighting for her life. That flicker of hope ignited a fierce fire inside me, making my entire body tremble with rage. Whoever had done this had crossed a line.
A Coven healer was already tending to her, but I wanted one of my own as well. There was blood staining her torso, but the air around her crackled with magic, an ominous sign that this was no ordinary injury. They would have to work together if we were going to save her. Brianna and Marietta appeared beside me, their expressions grim.
“We just heard,” Marietta said, her voice steady but worn from battle. “Any idea what happened or who found her p>
“No, I’ve only been here a few minutes. Your healer was already with her when I arrived, and I called for one of my own. I can feel the magic in the air, but I haven’t examined her injuries yet. I thought it best to wait for you. She’s holding on, but I don’t want to make it worse if she’s fighting a spell rather than a physical wound p>
Marietta nodded and stepped forward, resting a reassuring hand on the Coven healer’s shoulder. The two exchanged a silent understanding, and Marietta took over the care.
I hated standing there, helpless and watching, feeling useless as always. I began to pace, restless, until Brianna stopped me with a firm hand on my arm.
“Your nervous energy won’t help her,” she said quietly. “She needs you to be strong —for both of you. Kneel beside her and talk to her. Right now, you’re the only familiar thing she has p>
Taking a deep breath, I lowered myself to the ground on the other side of the girl. Her face was pale, expressionless, drained of life. “Ella,” I whispered softly, willing her to hold on. “You’re strong. I know you have the fight in you p>
I grasped her hand gently, forcing my anger deep down where it couldn’t consume me. “Remember how you fought with Bobby the day you learned those release moves,” I said, trying to lighten the mood with a small laugh. The healer chuckled quietly beside me, and Ella drew a ragged breath.
“What’s wrong with her?” I asked, studying her injuries. The wounds looked minor, nothing that should have caused this kind of reaction.
“There’s definitely some kind of spell work involved,” the Coven healer said. “It seems she ingested something as well. I’ll wait to hear what your healer thinks p>
At that moment, Healer Smith pushed through the crowd. “When and where did you find her?” he asked urgently.
A Coven witch I hadn’t met before stepped forward. “We found her on the path, Alpha. She had this note in her pocket. She’s been like this since we found her thirty minutes ago. Her condition hasn’t changed for better or worse. We sent someone for help immediately p>
The witch handed me a crumpled piece of paper. I unfolded it carefully and read the chilling message:
Your efforts are worthless. Give up now, or more will follow.
A cold shiver ran down my spine. What on earth did that mean? “Our efforts are worthless? Which efforts?” I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “We have a lot going on right now p>
I passed the note to Brianna, who had stepped up beside me. Dıscover more novels at.net
“Most likely, it’s referring to all the efforts you’ve made to protect your pack,” she said grimly. “Please take Ella to the pack hospital and assist however you can, Gene p>
She grabbed my arm firmly. “We need to get to Red Fang as soon as possible. You, Ben, and the Red Fang Alpha-you three need to face this together. This problem requires all of you working as one p>