Chapter 77 The Rescue
Xander
Elda performed a locator spell.
At first, we had thought that little connection between Vanessa and I hours ago led us nowhere since it was such a brief moment, but fortunately for us, it was which helped us get to where we are now.
The closer we get, the more I feel it - a subtle vibration along the bond - before even hearing the faint hum in the air. A spark, thin and fragile, ignites beneath my skin. Vanessa is alive and close.
My chest seizes with relief, but it’s sharp and fleeting as pain like no other threads through the pulse like a jagged shard. I stop dead so abruptly that Max who's been sprinting beside me, nearly crashes into my back.
“What's wrong?” he growls into the link.
I turn slowly, scanning the trees, the shadows between trunks stretching like fingers in the fading light.
We're well in the middle of nowhere - to the naked eyes maybe, but it could've been shrouded by dark magic to make the place unapproachable.
My senses are sharpened, and every nerve is screaming for me to move, but I remain where I am.
“She’s somewhere around here,” I say, my voice is a growl, and almost a whisper at the same time.
Max freezes instantly, his fur bristling along his spine. “You’re sure?” he asks, lifting up his snout to sniff the air.
“Yes.” The bond pulses again, harder this time. And it’s not just her presence I feel, but also something else: pain, fear, and exhaustion.
My chest twists in a cruel vice, and my wolf snarls beneath the surface of my skin, rippling against my control but I hold onto it.
Not now, I admonish. Losing control right now would only make matters worse.
“I don't smell anything, though," he says and I turn to bare my teeth at him.
"The bond, Max," I growl.
"Oh, right. Sorry." he says, bobbing his head in understanding.
I ignore him for a moment and close my eyes, letting the faint thread of Vanessa's energy guide me, letting the bond speak where words fail. It’s weak and a little fragile, but still very much alive. My heart hammers rapidly in my chest as I try to concentrate on which part of the forest has me leaning the most.
East. She's on the east side.
The direction has just become a little more clear.
My body moves before I can even think, muscles responding to the bond, to the need, to the raw, urgent ache in my chest.
Max and I break into a run, all the while, my heart hammers against my ribcage at the prospect of having my mate in my arms once again, to never let go.
Branches snap beneath our paws, snapping underfoot like brittle bones. The forest thins quickly, the shadows growing long as the sun dips below the horizon. My wolf prowls forward, my senses tingling at every rustle of leaves, every flicker of movement. I feel Vanessa’s presence like a candle flame in a storm, flickering weakly, but unmistakably hers.
That's when I see it.
An old stone structure, half-hidden by vines and moss. Its walls are crumbling, jagged edges of forgotten time. It could be abandoned… or it could be waiting. The hairs on my neck rise, and my instincts scream for caution.
Max growls softly. “Well, that’s not suspicious at all."
“She’s inside,” I say, stepping forward. My pulse slams in my ears. The bond pulses stronger as we near the building.
My paws crunch over roots and broken stones as I reach the front door. My heart hammers violently, echoing the rhythm of the bond. I stop for a fraction of a second, listening, tasting the air which is thick with bitter, old magic.
We shift back into our human forms, and without a minute's hesitation, I kick the door open.
Wood splinters violently under the force, dust exploding into the air like ash in sunlight. The sound echoes through the empty halls, a reverberating drum announcing the arrival of my fury.
“Vanessa!” I roar, but only silence answers me.
No movements can be seen, no sound is heard, only the faint hum of the dark magic that permeates this place.
Max sniffs sharply. His movements are precise, calculated, then he growls, low and steady. “Basement.”
I follow without question, descending the narrow stone staircase two at a time. Every step is a pulse of tension. The smell of decay and ancient enchantments fills my nostrils. Shadows cling to the walls, twisting and flickering.
A sweet lavender scent attacks my nostrils suddenly when I round the final corner, and there she is.
My blood freezes.
Vanessa.
She's slumped against the cold stone wall of a barred cell. Her ginger-red hair hangs in damp strands across her face, her shoulders shaking with exhaustion. She lifts her head slowly, eyes widening at the sound of footsteps.
"What the fuck do they want again?" she mutters, every word falling from her lips with great effort.
My wolf snarls at her state, on the brink of insanity, and I try to soothe him...and my aching heart.
"Vanessa," I whisper, low and soft, but loud enough for her to hear because her head jerks up immediately as she recognizes my voice.
"Xander?" she croaks, her blue eyes widening in disbelief.
The single word, raw and trembling, cuts through every layer of tension. For a moment, time fractures. My chest tightens with a mix of relief, fury, and helplessness crushing me.
The bruises etched across her skin, the dark tendrils binding her wrists, the weakness in her stance, it’s all wrong.
I don’t hesitate and grab the cell door, ripping it off its hinges.
I barely hear Vanessa's cries to be careful. I understand her fears, everything here seems to have been laced with magic one way or the other, but luckily for us, Elda has reinforced us with enough protection against them - for a while at least, which is why we need to move fast.
The metal screeches as it tears free, clanging against the floor. Vanessa stares, disbelief flickering across her eyes.
“You actually found me," she says, lips trembling with relief.
“Of course I did,” I say, dropping to my knees beside her. I examine the tendrils, the intricate runes of dark magic etched into their surface. They pulse faintly, like a heartbeat, a warning.
Even in the state she is, I can't resist crushing my lips to hers, tasting and drowning in the feel of her against me, but it only strokes the fire burning within me for her. I kiss her like she's my last breath, until there's no air left for me to breathe, and she responds just as fervently. The crescent sigil on my chest pulses with the rhythmic beating of our hearts.
"Um, how do we get her out of those?" Max asks, eyes scanning the tendrils.
I almost forgot he's still here with all that rage burning inside of me earlier. I pull back from Vanessa, a tingling sensation on my lips.
I get back into motion and run my hands over the dark tendrils, trying to grab a hold of them, and surprisingly, I'm able to hold them. Then yanking with all my strength, I pull.
They resist at first, thrumming with malicious energy. Vanessa gasps sharply, her body stiffening beside me.
“Wait—!” she cries.
But it’s too late. At my final tug, something inside her snaps.
A spark ignites beneath her skin, growing, expanding, a golden heat spreading through her veins. The shackles flare like dark energy recoiling against the surge.
Light explodes outward, shattering the darkness in a blinding bloom. The sound of metal tearing, stone groaning, and magic thrumming fills the room.
Max staggers back, as the room is bathed in golden brilliance. I freeze, eyes wide in shock, and my wolf coiling beneath the surface of my skin.
Vanessa stares down at her hands, unbound, free. The shadows have disappeared without a trace, like they were never there. She trembles, and for a moment, the exhaustion and pain etched into her features are replaced with awe as she looks up at me.
“I…did that,” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the fading hum of her magic. "After so many... tries..."
The golden glow softens, fading to a gentle shimmer, leaving the room in a stunned, hushed silence.
I kiss her forehead, and gently pull her into my arms, pressing her to me. Her warmth seeps into my body, grounding me, holding me steady amidst the lingering tension.
“You’re safe now,” I murmur, my voice rough and laced with emotion. Her head presses against my shoulder, the smallest shiver of relief running through her.
Somewhere deeper in the fortress, hidden beyond the walls of our senses, movement stirs. Something - or someone - is running, silent and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey.
I tighten my hold on Vanessa, and my instincts flare. The bond hums, pulsing faintly beneath my skin. She’s trembling against me, but the power she released lingers, faint embers that refuse to be snuffed out.
"Fuck. Do you know how much I've been trying to do that? To get out of those things?" she whines, a light note to her voice.
A ghost of a smile appears on my lips and I press her tighter against me.
Her hands equally brush against my chest, as if reassuring herself that I'm really here with her. I feel absolutely the same way. The weight of her exhaustion presses down on me further. She’s spent, but she’s alive, and that's the only thing that matters right now.
I scan the room, noting every shadow, every corner, every movement. The air is thick with the residue of dark magic, the lingering scent of power that has been twisted and corrupted. My wolf prowls again, instincts taut as he urges me to shift and get our mate out of there as soon as possible.
Just then, Max also pads closer, silent and alert. "It's only a matter of time before they discover our presence. We need to move. Now.”
I nod, glancing down at Vanessa. “Can you stand?”
She nods weakly, leaning on me for support. Her steps are unsteady, but the bond of trust between us strengthens with each heartbeat.
I know this is still only the beginning. We’ve breached the prison, shattered the chains, but the danger is far from being over. There’s a predator in this fortress, moving, waiting, calculating.
I tighten my jaw. Whatever waits, whatever is running in the dark, it won’t get to her. Not again, and not as long I’m breathing.
I carry Vanessa bridal style looping her hands around my neck and step over the broken chains, guiding us toward the staircase. Her golden magic flickers faintly, still warm, still alive. It’s a promise, a warning, a weapon still waiting to be unleashed.
The corridors outside are silent, save for the faint echoes of our steps and the whispering of magic in the walls. My senses flare, every instinct screaming for vigilance. I know the enemy is near. I feel the trace of movement, deliberate and calculated, but we’re faster, stronger and united than any dark forces.
Max heads out first, scanning our surroundings for any suspicious activities. Then he signals for us once we're in the clear.
And as we emerge into the night air, the forest embracing us once again, I know this is only the beginning. We may have been able to get out of here unscathed, yes, but the battle for her, for us, has just begun.
A sickening crunch echoes in the silence and all three of us snap our heads to the source...but nothing appears.
Then it happens again, and this time, a shadow moves, it's movements blurry but unmistakable.
Finally, it emerges. Dressed in full dark-cloak gears are three figures, all standing in a straight line, and arms crossed like a practiced choreographed stance.
The one in the middle steps forward and lowers the hood. The faint light of the moon slitting through the trees illuminates the features and I'm a little stunned at the person who appears.
Lyra?
She had been to my pack a few times with Alpha Diego and had seemed to be someone he trusted.
Renewed anger forges in my senses but I tamper it down.
What the fuck does his most trusted envoy want with my mate?
My eyes scan the other two and I can almost bet my throne the one on the left is Melissa. Her form giving her away instantly.
I growl in frustration. We should've left sooner.
"Now, isn't it considered rude for guests to leave without saying goodbye?" Lyra drawls with an evil glint in her green eyes...