Chapter 24: A Cross to Bear

Chapter 24: A Cross to Bear
Ivy’s POV

The night after I left Mira in the dungeon, I didn’t sleep.
Not even a little.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Mira’s broken face, heard the crack in her voice when she spoke of her mother, her little brother.
How could I sleep knowing they were still out there, imprisoned by Hadley’s cruelty?

No.
I couldn’t waste another second.

By the time the first pale light of dawn crept over the treetops, I had already made my decision.
And I knew exactly who I needed.

I found Dorian near the eastern clearing, sharpening his sword as the morning drills were just beginning.
He looked up the second, he sensed me, his sharp gray eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"What do you want?" he asked, wiping the blade clean.

Straight to the point.
Typical Dorian.

I glanced around, making sure no one was within earshot, and motioned for him to follow me.
He hesitated, but curiosity, or maybe duty, overpowered whatever annoyance he felt.
He trailed after me into the cover of the trees.

When we were safely out of sight, I turned to face him.

"I need your help," I said without wasting time.

His brow lifted, arms crossing over his broad chest.
"With what?"

I exhaled slowly.
"I’m going after Mira’s family. They've been kidnapped"

Dorian’s eyes flashed dangerously.
"For what reason? Mira tried to kill you. More than once."

"I know," I said quietly, "but she’s not the real enemy."

I explained everything, Hadley’s threats, the kidnapping, the impossible choice Mira had been forced into.
I watched Dorian’s face closely as I spoke, but he didn’t interrupt once.

When I finished, he cursed under his breath and shook his head.

"You should tell the Alpha," he said immediately.
"Lucien would never allow something like this to happen in his territory. He needs to know."

I hesitated, my stomach twisting.

"I can’t," I said finally.

Dorian frowned.
"Why the hell not?"

"Because he already has too much on his plate," I said, my voice firm despite the storm in my chest.
"He’s dealing with unrest in the pack. Spies. Threats from neighboring Alphas. If I bring this to him now, it’ll only divide his attention more, and he can't afford that."

Dorian stared at me like I had grown another head.

"So you’re just going to take this on yourself?" he asked incredulously.

"This is my cross to bear," I said.
"I started this. Mira is only suffering because of me. If I don't fix it, no one will."

For a long moment, Dorian didn’t say anything.
The only sound between us was the faint rustle of the wind through the trees.

Finally, he sighed heavily and raked a hand through his hair.

"You’re insane," he muttered.

"Probably," I agreed with a small smile.

He studied me a moment longer, like he was weighing his options.

Then, to my relief, he nodded once.

"I’ll help you. But if this goes south, if anyone so much as breathes wrong, I’m hauling your ass back to the Alpha."

"Deal," I said, feeling a surge of gratitude I didn’t have time to put into words.

Dorian glanced over his shoulder toward the main house.

"Where are they keeping Mira’s family?" he asked.

"Somewhere in Ravan Hollow" I said.
"Hadley moves them around, so we’ll need to track them."

He smirked darkly, unsheathing a knife from his belt and tossing it lightly in the air.

"Good thing tracking’s my specialty."

For the first time in what felt like forever, a spark of hope lit inside my chest.

We had no guarantee we’d succeed.
Hell, we had no real plan yet.

But I had Dorian.
And I had something even stronger than fear driving me now

Purpose.

We were going to save Mira’s family.

No matter what it cost me.
........

The place was called Raven's Hollow.
A crumbling, abandoned estate deep in the forest, where even the bravest wolves didn’t tread anymore.
The land itself smelled of decay, of broken promises and forgotten blood.
Perfect for someone like Hadley to hide captives she never wanted found.

Dorian and I crouched behind a wall of thick undergrowth, surveying the scene.
Through the broken windows of the manor, I caught glimpses of figures moving inside, three, maybe four other wolves.
And Hadley.
I could feel her presence like a splinter under my skin.

"They’re armed," Dorian murmured beside me, his eyes narrowing.
"Silver blades. These bastards are serious."

I nodded grimly, heart pounding.
Mira’s family was in there.
I couldn’t afford to fail.

Dorian adjusted the daggers strapped to his belt and gave me a side glance.

"You ready for this?" he asked, voice low.

I tightened the grip on my own dagger, feeling the familiar hum of adrenaline begin to take over the fear.

"I was born ready," I said.

We moved like shadows.

Dorian slipped around to the back of the house, circling to cut off any escape routes.
I waited for his signal, a faint whistle through the trees, before creeping toward the front door.

The old wood creaked under my hand as I pushed it open.

Inside, the air was thick with the stench of wolves and damp rot.
A single weak lightbulb swung from the ceiling, casting the hallways in shifting shadows.

I stepped lightly, muffling my footsteps as best I could.
From a cracked door ahead, I heard voices.

"You think she’ll really stay quiet?" one of the guards muttered.

Hadley’s voice answered, cold and sharp.

"She’ll stay quiet if she knows what's good for her. Ivy’s days are numbered either way."

The rage inside me boiled.
Before I could think better of it, I kicked the door open with a crash.

Hadley spun around, her eyes widening in surprise just before Dorian burst through the back, tackling one of her guards to the ground.

Chaos erupted.

A wolf lunged at me, blade flashing toward my side.
I ducked, driving my dagger upward into his thigh.
He howled in pain and collapsed.

Another one charged, but Dorian was already there, snapping his arm with a brutal twist and sending his weapon flying across the room.

Hadley backed away, her hand reaching for a hidden blade tucked in her boot.

"You should have stayed in your place, girl," she snarled.

I met her gaze steadily, heart hammering in my ears.

"Haven't you heard? I am someone who never knows her place," I said, and launched at her.

We collided hard, her blade grazing my arm as I slammed into her with every ounce of strength I had.
She was strong, stronger than I expected, but desperation made me faster.

She slashed at me again, but Dorian was there, grabbing her wrist and twisting it until the blade clattered to the floor.

Together, we pinned her down.

Hadley thrashed and cursed, spitting venom, but Dorian pressed his knee into her back, keeping her firmly in place.

"Enough," he growled.

Panting, I looked around.

The other guards lay unconscious or moaning in pain, and in the corner of the room, behind a locked cage, I spotted them
Mira’s mother and little brother.

Their faces were pale, thin with fear and hunger, but alive.

"Get the keys," I ordered Hadley.

She glared at me with pure hatred but said nothing.

Dorian grabbed them from her belt and tossed them to me.

Hands trembling, I unlocked the cage and pulled the door open.
Mira’s mother stumbled into my arms, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.

"You're safe now," I whispered fiercely.
"I promise."

I handed the boy to Dorian, who handled him with surprising gentleness for a man built like a stone wall.

We bound Hadley’s wrists behind her back with silver cuffs and forced her to her feet as we led her and Mira’s family out of that cursed hollow.