Chapter 81 No turning back

Chapter 81 No turning back
Chapter 81: Scarlett’s POV

Aunt Emily's words filled the room with so much tension, no one dared to even breathe, until Bee raised his hand.

My eyes narrowed wondering what he was doing, until he quickly dropped his hand and stepped forward. "May I say something?" he asked.

"Tell me something fucking good boy... what is it?" Aunt Emily hissed on the other side of the phone.

My eyes remained narrowed as I wondered what he was about to do. But he stepped even closer and turned his full attention to me— not even the phone. 

"I still stand on our original plan... someone would have to go in there after the King disappears into the cave. We need to make sure that King Axel is there and then we can send the backup Aunty is trying to imply..."

My pulse skidded and like someone under a drug, I instantly knew what to do to put an end to this.

"That's a good plan but we need it fucking executed now... Like right fucking now. One of you will have to fucking go—" The words were barely out of her mouth when I replied.

"I'll go." I said, my voice firm with determination.

"Hell no!" Aunt Emily instantly screamed. "I am not about to fucking lose both of you to that fetish and crazy obssessed bitch!"

"Aunt Emily you said it yourself, someone has to do it... and I won't let anyone else do it. This was my fault. I was the idiot who put my brother through this..." I said, my eyes moving between all of them in the room with me...

I felt my throat constricting with even more pain as I silently begged them to understand.

This meant my whole life. I could never forgive myself if something were to happen to my brother...

I knew that this was a risk. Maybe a major one at that, but I would rather take it than fold my arms and let others do the work for me.

"Please," I whispered, my voice trembling with my burning emotions. "You all need to let me do this... at least this... Let me be the one to go in there and confirm that my brother is safe and alive..."

They all went silent, watching me like I had grown a second head.

But I was burning with determination. There was no going back.

“Oh fucking goddess! Scarlett, you’re going to be the fucking death of me!" Aunt Emily sighed, finally breaking the silence. “I forbid you to leave the manor until I get there myself.”

My stomach twisted into harder knots. But my vision darkened as I felt my wolf take full charge.

"I'm sorry Aunty," I said, my voice firm again. "But I wasn't asking for permission..." With that I ended the call and the tension in the room became even thicker.

"Scarlett... are you really considering this?" Albert asked, his wise eyes filled with worry.

"My queen, when I suggested this a few days ago, the goal was never to put you out there." Bee also put in. "I mean, if anyone must go... I can?"

My broken heart swelled for a second at his kindness and the comfort he brought... but I shook my head. "This is my responsibility. Not yours Bee."

"But he is also—"

"He is my brother!" I cut in, my voice growing harsh enough for all of them to realise that this was exactly what I wanted. And there was no room for negotiation.

The room became silent once again as they all contemplated on my decision.

But I was already focusing on the maps and the intel we had gathered on Asher for the last couple of days.

He kept visiting the same cave and each time he returned home, he wore a mask of confusion like his fake grief had carried him aimlessly around the forest.

Before now, I would have believed him. Maybe I would have even thought he was just as overwhelmed with the emptiness as I was...

But I knew better now.

He and Willow were tight into this plan of theirs. 

And maybe it even went deeper into a twisted disgusting sexual relationship because on two of those visits, he came home with lipstick stains on his shirt while still acting like he was disoriented.

The bastard!

Upon lying and breaking my trust, he still broke our bond by cheating on me... with a woman as old as Willow?

A bitter smile curved on my lips as I circled the path to the cave. "I'll go tonight."

A deep sigh filled the room and Albert's voice cut through the tension.

"If you are really doing this, then you will need as much protection as you can," he said, shaking his head. "Because there is a huge possibility that Willow is there and with the level of her magic, you will be walking into a trap—"

"A trap which we can alleviate... with some herbs of course..." Fiona put in, immediately getting to work. "Since she broke through our magic barriers, then its safe to say she had grown even stronger..."

Without even facing them, I nodded and continued tracking down the path on the map before me.

"Do whatever you need to make it easier or level out the ground,” I simply said.

“Then I’m coming with you,” Violet's voice instantly cut through my thoughts, reminding me of her presence in the room.

She came closer to take a peek at the maps I was looking at. But I flipped the maps closed and met her gaze with a frown.

"No, Violet. I need you here." I said, "If I don’t come back… someone has to protect Baby Blade... He is the future of our Kingdom... The heir to the Talon Black empire... and you, his mother, you need to stay alive..."

Her eyes turned wet once more as she held my hands. “Don’t talk like that, Scarlett... please... Nothing bad is going to happen to you or this family anymore...”

I squeezed her hands and forced a small smile. "It's the reality of our lives, Violet... We will have to accept."



Hours later, all preparations were made and we were all back on the table with our maps ready. 

Everything was spread before us but my mind was running in a frantic loop. 

I was pumped to get this mission going. I was either to find out if my brother was there... and maybe also find out if it was true that Asher was cheating...

Maybe I was crazy, but a small part of me still hoped that he wasn't.

Despite everything he did, a part of me still wished all of these were just a bad misunderstanding.

A part of my wolf still prayed that this storm would be over and Asher would be vindicated somehow...

That it would be proven that he didn't lie to me... that he meant every one when he said he loved and wanted me...

That this wasn't a game...

The possibilities kept flooding my mind and the only thing keeping me pinned to reality was Albert's voice as he went on with the action plans.

“Remember you are not doing a rescue mission,” he said firmly, tapping the map for emphasis, “If you find the King, drop the tracker and get the hell out of there."

"What if she meets Willow alone in there?" Bee countered.

"We are sticking with the same plan." Albert replied, "If you meet with Willow, don’t try to reason with her, Scarlett. You don’t stay. You don’t even speak. You drop the tracker and get the hell out. Understand?”

I nodded, even though my heart was screaming that I wouldn’t leave without Axel.

If I found him in there, it was going to be hard to simply ignore him there and turn around...

“Your protection is ready," Fiona suddenly said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

She reached into the folds of her bag and pulled out a small crystal charm, glowing faintly in her palm. 

“This will shield you from direct magical influence, but only for a short while. It will not make you invincible, Scarlett. Be careful.”

"Thank you," I whispered as I took the bracelet from her and tied it around my wrist. "How long do I have with it?"

"An hour tops." Fiona replied.

"But you wouldn't even need to be in there for that long, please," Violet chirped. "That woman is the evil incarnate Scarlett... Please avoid her by all means."

I forced a smile on my face. "I will, Violet... Don't worry so much."

Albert handed me the tracker and I just like the charm, it also came like a piece of jewelry. It was a small necklace that could barely be detected.

Once everything was set, I was about to head when Bee released a sigh of his own, gaining my attention.

He was leaning against the far side of the room with his arms folded in defiance. “I don’t like this plan. You shouldn’t be the one following him.... It's too dangerous. We all know it...”

"We have talked about this," I let out in a firm but calm tone. "I am really doing this, Bee. There is no turning back."