Chapter 46

Julianne's POV

"So how do we go back to the realm? Through the portal right?" I asked not knowing the answer to the question already.

It is just that the thought of swimming in that mysterious portal nauseates the hell out of me.

Loretta shot me a look, and I could not help but burst into a fit of laughter.

"What? Can't I ask a question?" I asked walking behind her.

"I don't know if there is another route you know we can take to the realm other than the portal we have been transporting ourselves with," she answered, stretching her hands out as soon as we got to the pack's territory.

As I stumbled out of the swirling storm, my head spun. The air was thick with magic, and I felt nauseous from the energy; it was the reason why I didn't go through it; it made me feel sick and lightheaded. I leaned against a tree, trying to steady myself.

“Loretta, where are we? Are you sure we are in the right realm?” I asked, my voice shaky.

“I think we’re near the witch's lair; this is the house they brought you into,” she replied, looking around anxiously. “This is where they kept you before.”

I shuddered at the memory of being trapped, fear gripping my heart. “We have to find Jeremy,” I said urgently. “He might be in the same place where they kept me.”

We hurried to the room where I had been kept during my kidnapping. As we stepped inside, dread washed over me. The shadows felt darker, and I could still sense the remnants of the magic that had held me captive.

“Jeremy!” I called out, hoping for an answer.

But there was only silence.

"Stop yelling, or else the witch is going to hear you and get you before we are even half of our task," Loretta whispered. "Let's check the room where you were kept when you got kidnapped." She suggested moving towards a hallway.

I hurried after her, and we soon got to the room; I pushed open the door immediately, and my heart sank.

“He’s not here,” I whispered, panic rising within me. “What if they’ve moved him to another room, knowing fully well I will come for him and that this room would be my first stop?”

Loretta’s expression changed. “Wait,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “I can sense him. He’s close. I can feel our bond.”

“Really?” I felt a flicker of hope. “You can find him? Please do so on time.”

“Yes,” she said, closing her eyes for a moment. “If he’s in pain, I’ll know where to look. Just give me a second.”

I watched as she concentrated, her face tense with effort. The bond between them was powerful, and I could see it reflected in her eyes.

“I can sense him,” she finally said, her voice steady. “But he’s in a different part of the lair, and… it feels like he’s in trouble.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, fear creeping in again. “Is he okay? Did they hurt him?”

“No,” she replied softly, her brows furrowing. “I think he’s being tortured. I can feel his heart beating slowly, I can feel his pains, We have to hurry.”

My stomach churned at the thought. “We can’t waste any time!” I urged, and we dashed through the dark corridors of the lair. The air felt heavy, and every creak of the floorboards made me jump.

As we ran, I thought about Jeremy—his laughter, his kindness, the way he made me feel safe. I couldn’t let anything happen to him. He was my friend, and I felt a deep connection to him, even if it was overshadowed by fear.

“Here!” Loretta stopped suddenly, pointing to a door at the end of a long hallway. “This is it. He’s in there.”

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. “Are you ready?” I asked, glancing at her.

She nodded, determination shining in her eyes. “Let’s do this.”

We pushed open the door, and the sight that greeted us made my stomach drop. Jeremy was tied to a chair in the center of the room, bruised and battered. He looked up, his eyes wide with fear and pain.

“Julianne! Julianne!” he gasped, relief flooding his voice.

But that didn't last long, When he saw me standing there with Loretta by my side, anger burned in his eyes.

“Loretta!” he shouted, his voice sharp. “I knew I was right back there in the room when I confronted you; I knew something was wrong, and you were hiding something! I can’t believe we are into this, Julianne!” disappointment coursed through his tone as he stared at me. "You supported her and hid everything from me." He continued heatedly.

"I can't believe you both can do this, turn into friends suddenly to keep your secret; you brought this upon me; just look what these psycho manic guys did to me? Look how I bled because of your madness." He spat out

I felt a knot in my stomach. I wanted to explain, to tell him that I was here to help, but the words wouldn’t come out. Instead, I stood frozen, caught between my fear and the need to defend Loretta.

“Jeremy, listen!” Loretta said her tone firm. “Do you want to keep insulting me, or do you want to be free? We need to focus and you ranting about us keeping these secrets and how wicked I am is so annoying.”

As she spoke, I heard footsteps echoing down the corridor, growing closer. My heart raced. I glanced at Loretta, who immediately turned invisible, just like she had before. I quickly found a dark corner and pressed myself against the wall, hoping to stay hidden.

The door swung open, and in walked Nyx, a powerful witch with a commanding presence. “I can smell you, I can feel you so strongly in this room,” she said, her voice smooth and confident. “The scent is so strong. Let me let you on a secret; you can't hide forever; I am going to find you, thanks to your strength and power.”

I held my breath, trying to stay as still as possible. My heart thudded in my chest as I watched Nyx scan the room. I could feel the tension rising, and my stomach twisted in fear.

“Where are you hiding? Come out at once my dear little Julianne, I can feel the thumping of your heart against the rib of your chest, I can feel how scared you are, just come and let all this be over at once, come out of your hiding place and let us spare each other the time and energy .” Nyx asked, her eyes narrowing as she stepped further into the room. I felt a wave of panic wash over me. She was getting closer to my hiding place.

There was a wall nearby; I tiptoed to it quietly when she was busy strong st Jeremy; she turned as if sensing my movement but didn't find me in the wall; I just moved out.

"That was so close," I muttered under my breath.

Suddenly, she spotted Jeremy. “Ah, the little hero,” she said, a sly smile creeping onto her face. “But where is your friend? Where did she go to? Tell me where she is hiding and save her the torture that is to come after absconding from me.”

“Leave her alone!” Jeremy shouted, stepping in front of her, his voice filled with defiance. “You won’t get away with this! I promise you, you won't get away with want you have done to me; you won't get away with it,” Jeremy said through gritted teeth.

Nyx laughed softly, clearly amused. “You think you can protect her? You’re in no position to challenge me. She is the one that we want, and I am going to get her in front of you; just watch me and see.” she smirked and turned, her eyes fixed on the direction where I was hiding.

She walked around the perimeter and was lost in her tracks, and then she turned her gaze toward me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. Before I could think twice, she was in my front already.

“There you are!” she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement. In a flash, she lunged for me, grabbing my wrists and pulling me out of my hiding spot.

“Got you! What did I tell you? That I am going to get her without you doing me anything.” she said triumphantly, her grip tight. I struggled against her hold, panic rising inside me.