If there was one thing Naya trusted, it was the certainty that people could always turn their backs on her. The West Wood Pack was no place for the weak or for strangers. When she came face to face with the assassin, she instantly sensed that this person knew the territory too well to be an outsider.
A cold dagger pressed against her throat as she was slowly dragged to the side, away from the carriage. The servant and the guard who had been with her earlier were nowhere to be seen. Had the assassin killed them, too? Or were they all working together?
A rough grip on her arm yanked her attention back. With a rope tied around her hands, she let the assassin lead her to the falls. The sound of water crashing against the rocks below drowned out every other noise, creating a curtain of isolation around them.
The assassin dragged Naya until they reached the cliff's edge, the wind harsh and cold. Naya glanced down, seeing the massive rocks below, jagged and unforgiving, waiting like silent predators.
She turned to the assassin who stood six steps away from her. The assassin's face was covered, hiding their identity, but Naya sensed it was a woman.
Steeling herself, Naya asked, “What do you want?”
Did the assassin want her to jump to her death? Was that why she had brought her here?
Yet, she was stunned when the assassin spoke.
“You were born out of misfortune. A mistake,” she said.
Naya froze. A chill ran down her spine as she stared into the assassin’s eyes, which held nothing but hatred.
“Luna died because of you,” the assassin said.
Confusion filled Naya, but then she saw a flicker of emotion in the assassin’s eyes, and an image flashed in her mind.
“It’s you,” Naya uttered, eyes widening with realization. “You’re that servant from before.”
The maid whose name was Poppy – the one who had nearly killed her with poisoned food.
When Naya was first captured and locked at the border by Alpha Prince Kael, a female servant named Poppy had brought her food. Back then, Naya had been tormented to the point of collapse. The maid had entered the room and told her to eat. But after eating, her stomach churned and her head spun. When she woke up, the pain was gone, but so was her memory of that night.
Now, it all came back to her. She knew the food was poisoned back then. But Poppy… Didn’t she return to heal Naya that time?
Why was she targeting Naya like this now? What did she mean by Luna dying because of Naya?
“I should have done this a long time ago,” Poppy said through gritted teeth. “It was a mistake to let you go. I let my emotions get the best of me and gave you a chance. You should’ve taken it and left the pack, but you didn’t… It truly was a mistake. I should’ve given you that lethal poison back then!”
As she growled, she pushed the dagger closer to Naya, forcing her to step back, closer to the cliff – closer to death.
Cold sweat trickled down Naya’s back. “What does your Luna’s death have to do with me?” she asked.
Poppy was stunned, then anger flashed in her eyes. “Don’t play dumb! I know Sana Azalea spoke to you before she died. You knew! You knew how Luna died! And it was because of you. You and Alpha Prince Kael…”
Naya watched as Poppy’s face twisted, fresh tears threatening to spill from her cold, anger-filled eyes.
“Are you saying our bond is cursed?” Naya asked, her curiosity and anxiety growing.
Poppy’s eyes turned colder. “It’s not only cursed, it’s destined to bring catastrophe to the world.”
Suddenly, she lunged forward, prepared to push Naya over the edge. But Naya dodged, swiftly rolling to the side. She brushed herself against thorny bushes, rubbing her tied hands until the rope fell off.
When Poppy returned, they engaged in physical combat. Each punch, jab, and kick were matched, their agility and strength evenly balanced.
Naya didn’t know this pack’s history and had no desire to know more. Yet, fate seemed determined to pull her back to this place. She began to think it might be connected to her bond with Alpha Prince Kael.
She was certain now: Poppy wanted to stop the mateship rite between her and Kael.
When Poppy’s hand struck her stomach, Naya felt her head spin. Gritting her teeth, she took a sharp breath and kicked Poppy back, sending her sprawling to the ground with a loud thud.
Catching her breath, Naya looked at Poppy and said coldly, “You can’t stop our union.”
Anger seeped into Poppy’s eyes. “I can and I will!” She roared and charged, launching herself into another fierce fight with Naya.
Naya braced herself, her muscles coiling like a spring. Poppy’s fist flew toward her, but Naya sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as the punch missed her by mere inches. She countered with a swift jab to Poppy’s ribs, the impact reverberating through her knuckles.
Poppy barely flinched, her determination fueling her strength. She swung again, this time connecting with Naya’s shoulder. Pain radiated from the impact, but Naya gritted her teeth, refusing to show weakness. She retaliated with a kick aimed at Poppy’s midsection, forcing her back a step.
The two women circled each other, their breaths heavy, eyes locked in a deadly dance. Poppy lunged, aiming a punch at Naya’s jaw. Naya ducked, feeling the force of the blow whiz past her ear, and came up with an uppercut that caught Poppy under the chin.
Poppy stumbled back, but quickly regained her footing, her eyes blazing with fury. She launched a barrage of punches and kicks, each one met with equal force by Naya. They moved with a brutal grace, each attack and defense a testament to their skill and training.
Naya could feel her energy waning, her muscles screaming for relief, but she couldn’t afford to slow down. Poppy was relentless, her strikes becoming more vicious. Naya blocked a high kick, feeling the impact jar her arm, and used the momentum to spin and deliver a backhand strike across Poppy’s face.
Blood trickled from a cut on Poppy’s lip, but she only seemed more enraged.
“If you die right now,” Poppy panted as she wiped the blood off her lip, her voice filled with malice, “there will be no more deaths in this pack.”
Naya froze for a split second, the words sinking in and making her confused. But Poppy seized the opportunity as she lunged forward, her movements swift and deadly, pulling out a small knife and driving it towards Naya’s stomach.
Naya twisted just in time, feeling the blade scrape her skin, sending a sharp, burning pain through her body.
She staggered back, clutching her stomach. Warm blood seeped through her fingers, staining them crimson. The metallic scent filled her nostrils, making her wince.
Seeing the blood on her hand, Naya cursed under her breath, the pain almost overwhelming. Poppy truly intended to end her.
If Naya’s guess was right, this was the same person who had been chasing her, the same woman who shot her in the leg and also ended Sana Azalea.
Just like Naya, Poppy had her mission, a dark and deadly purpose.
Naya understood the severity of one's pledge – how important it was to complete a task.
Judging by the determined, almost fanatical look in Poppy’s eyes, Naya knew she wouldn’t stop until she succeeded. She was here to kill Naya once and for all.
As Poppy advanced, Naya kept stepping back, her feet slipping on the damp, moss-covered rocks, until she felt the cold, moist air of the precipice behind her. She glanced down, seeing the jagged rocks below, the roaring stream ready to crush her if she fell. More blood poured from her wound, making her dizzy, her vision blurring.
Poppy approached, her expression hard and cold. “I’m sorry, but I am doing this for the pack,” she said, her voice unwavering.
With a flicker of guilt in her eyes, a single tear rolled down Poppy's cheek as she pushed Naya toward the edge.
Just then, a black shadow appeared, a blur of fur and fangs, clamping its jaws around Poppy’s hand.
A guttural scream pierced the air, raw and filled with agony.
Lying on the ground, through her hazy vision, Naya saw a large black wolf attacking Poppy, its teeth sinking into her flesh. Brutally, the wolf bit and clawed, blood spraying from the wounds.
Poppy’s screams were swallowed by the roar of the waterfall, but the sight alone was enough to send chills down Naya's spine.
Naya's head spun, her heart racing. The strong, coppery smell of blood mingled with the fresh scent of pine and the earthy aroma of wet soil.
Another terrifying scream cut through the air, then it was silent. A complete stillness that made Naya think she had crossed into another realm.
Her lips parted slightly as she felt a gust of icy wind brush against her skin, raising goosebumps. Another wolf, different from the first, emerged from the shadows. She heard the sounds of fighting – snarls and growls, the clash of powerful bodies.
Her eyes fluttering, Naya tried to see, but could only make out the shapes of two black wolves, large and imposing – one with deep forest green eyes, the other with transparent ocean-blue eyes. They fought fiercely, their movements a deadly dance.
As Naya's strength waned, she felt the cold wind wrap around her like a shroud.
The last thing she sensed was the harsh wind and icy water hitting her body before a pair of strong arms caught her. Then, everything went black.