Chapter 14 Deal Sealed!
Chapter 14 Deal Sealed!
Xavier
We were close to my pack’s territory now—the Phantom Reapers.
The cold air bit through my cloak, sharp and bitter, but my body didn’t feel it. My mind was too full. Still echoing with the sound of her voice. Her anger. Her disbelief.
Serena.
Our conversation replayed in my head like a broken loop. The way she looked at me—like I was something poisonous. Like I’d gutted her without a blade.
But I told her the truth.
Brutal. Honest. Necessary.
She deserved that, didn’t she?
And yet...
My wolf growled low inside me, restless, unhappy.
She’s ours, he snapped. You hurt her.
“She needed to hear it,” I muttered aloud, fists clenched.
You scared her. She thinks we’ll use her like the rest.
I ignored him and headed for her tent. I needed to check on her. Maybe explain. Not that I owed her anything—but something tugged at me. A thread I couldn’t cut.
And that damn scent…
Raspberries.
It was stuck in my nose, in my chest. It reminded me of things I’d buried long ago—softness, home, warmth.
Things I didn’t deserve.
But he didn’t care. My wolf had already picked her.
Mate.
“Stop it,” I snapped.
But my heart slammed once when I pulled back her tent flap.
Empty.
No bag. No cloak. No food.
Gone.
“She left…” I breathed, stunned.
A low growl spilled out of my throat. I was moving before I could think, my legs carrying me past the healer’s tent, through the silent camp, into the woods.
She had no chance out there. Not alone. Not with them watching.
And then—I heard it.
A scream.
Serena.
I ran.
Faster than I thought possible. My boots slammed the ground, my lungs filled with smoke and pine. The forest blurred past.
And then—I saw them.
Three wolves in black armor. Moonstone. Royal trackers.
They had her cornered. One already lunged.
I shifted mid-air, claws out, and slammed into him like a storm. He flew into a tree with a crunch. Dead.
“Stay back!” I growled, standing over Serena.
The other two hesitated, then tried to flank me.
Wrong move.
I moved like a shadow.
Ripped one’s throat. The other tried to flee.
I grabbed him by the back and snapped his neck.
Silence.
The blood dripped from my hands, steaming on the frost.
I turned slowly.
She was on the ground, hands trembling, eyes wide with terror. Her lips parted like she couldn’t breathe.
“Why did you leave?” My voice was sharp, dangerous. “Didn’t I tell you? You’re only safe under my protection.”
Her lips trembled. “I—I was scared.”
“You should’ve been,” I hissed, stepping closer. “They would’ve killed you. And the child.”
She flinched, clutching her stomach. “I didn’t think they’d find me so fast…”
“They always do. Especially when there’s a royal bounty on your head.”
Her eyes met mine—wet, scared, full of questions. “You… saved me.”
I knelt slowly, my hand brushing her cheek. “Of course I did.”
“But why?” she whispered.
My fingers twitched. “Because I need you alive.”
“And the baby.”
“Yes,” I said flatly. “And the baby.”
She swallowed hard, still breathing fast. “Okay,” she whispered. “I agree. Let’s go with the deal.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Now you’re talking.”
I helped her to her feet. She leaned on me without thinking. Her cloak was torn. Her skin was cold. Her fear clung to her like a second skin.
But her scent…
Raspberries.
Sweet and sharp.
My wolf rumbled low, pleased.
She’s safe. She’s here. Ours.
“Let’s get our revenge,” I murmured, letting a small smirk tug at my mouth.
Her eyes flicked to me. “On who?”
I looked toward the direction the trackers came from. “Marcus. The council. The ones who cursed your fate and turned you into a target.”
She swallowed. “You think I can help?”
“You’re more than help,” I said darkly. “You’re the spark they fear. The truth they buried. You are their reckoning.”
Her eyes widened.
She didn’t believe me yet.
But she would.
\--
We reached the Phantom Reapers’ Pack just after sunrise.
Unlike most packs tucked in ancient woods or crumbling castles, ours was different—modern, minimal, built for function, not tradition.
Steel and dark glass buildings rose behind the trees, camouflaged by smart tech shielding. The compound wasn’t large, but every part of it was wired. Drones patrolled the skies silently. Facial scanners greeted us at the gates. Motion sensors flickered green as I passed.
The guards wore matte-black tactical gear, not animal skins. No one bowed—they saluted. Quick, clipped. Reapers weren’t about honor and titles.
They were about survival.
Serena walked beside me, hugging her arms close, her eyes flicking from the guards to the tall walls. “This… doesn’t look like a normal pack.”
“It’s not,” I said with a smirk, making her eyes burged out.