Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Larisa’s POV
I froze. Every part of me screamed to run, but my legs felt like they were glued to the ground. The woman stepped closer, her cloak fluttering in the wind, that red insignia of the Red Moon Pack glaring against the fabric. That smug smile? It was still there—taunting me, just waiting.
“How—” I struggled to get the words out, my voice came out hoarse, “How did you find me?”
She tilted her head, those dark curls spilling over her shoulder like a waterfall. “I never lost you.”
My fingers clenched into fists. “You’re one of Killian’s spies.”
“Spy? No.” There was a hint of amusement in her voice. “Let’s just say… I’ve been watching from a distance, waiting for you to do exactly what you just did.”
Every nerve in my body was on high alert. I didn’t recognize her face, but there was something about her stance—confident, relaxed. It felt dangerous.
“Where is Damien?” I demanded, narrowing my eyes. “What did you do to him?”
She let out a light chuckle. “I didn’t do anything to him. Yet. He was always just the distraction. The real prize…” Her eyes flicked to my belly, the curve barely showing through my cloak. “...is you.”
I instinctively took a step back.
She raised a hand, palm up. “Easy there. If I wanted to drag you back to Killian, I would’ve done it by now. Trust me, I’ve had plenty of chances.”
My breath caught in my throat. That meant… she’d been tailing us. For days. Maybe even longer.
“Then what do you want?”
She stepped into the moonlight, and that’s when I noticed something weird about her eyes. They glowed faintly, not the usual golden hue of a werewolf, but silver—like mercury.
“You think this is just about revenge,” she said softly. “Killian wants Damien’s head. You want your freedom. Damien wants you safe. But this…” She gestured around, taking in the trees, the river, the eerie silence. “This is bigger than the three of you.”
I swallowed hard. “Who are you?”
Her smile returned—this time it wasn’t smug, but more like… pitying. “I was once like you. Naive. Hopeful. I thought love could fix broken wolves. That if I just gave enough of myself, things would change. But I learned the hard way.”
“What does that have to do with me?” I snapped, irritation creeping in.
“Everything,” she whispered. “You’re standing at the same edge I once stood on. And trust me, if you fall…” She took another step forward. “You won’t come back.”
My instincts kicked in. She wasn’t here to start a fight—but she was definitely dangerous. Her calmness felt off, like she was speaking in riddles, like she knew more than she should.
I needed to get out of here.
I started to back away slow, trying to keep my cool. “I don’t care what you were. Or what you think you know. I’m not going back.”
“I’m not here to take you back,” she said with a firm tone. “I’m here to warn you.”
That made me pause.
“Warn me?”
She nodded. “There’s another group tracking you. They’re not Red Moon. They’re not under Killian’s command.”
I froze, processing her words.
“What do you mean?”
“They’re rogue,” she said softly. “But not like Damien. These ones don’t follow any rules. They want your pups for reasons you can’t even begin to imagine.”
Chills shot through me.
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?” She stepped closer again, and this time her voice sharpened. “You’ve felt it, haven’t you? The eyes on you that don’t belong to Killian. The traps set in places even Damien didn’t see coming. You think he’s the only one who wants what you’re carrying?”
My mind spun. That crossbow shot in the woods… Damien said it was Killian’s. But what if it wasn’t?
“What do they want with me?” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.
“They want what’s inside you,” she replied, her gaze locked onto my stomach. “The bloodline. The prophecy. You think this is just about Killian and revenge? You think Damien’s the only rogue keeping an eye on you?”
Just then, a twig snapped behind me.
I spun around, but all I could see were trees and shadows. Just like that.
When I turned back… she was gone. Just poof—vanished.
No sound. No trace of her.
My heart was racing, pounding like crazy in my chest. I looked around the woods, straining to hear any movement, maybe a footstep—anything at all. But it was dead quiet.
Had I imagined her?
No way. She was real. Her words still echoed in my mind, like a warning ringing in my ears.
“There’s a second group tracking you.”
I didn’t have time to think about it.
I took off running—faster than before—my legs shaking, breath all tight. The river was close. Damien had said to meet there. I needed him. I needed answers, like, yesterday.
But when I reached the bend, with the river roaring just up ahead, my stomach dropped.
There was blood.
Not a lot, just a few drops. But definitely fresh.
And Damien’s scent was still there, but fading.
I knelt down beside the blood, my heart racing, and spotted something half-buried under the fallen leaves.
A silver chain.
One I recognized immediately.
Damien’s.
And right next to it… was this symbol carved into the bark of a tree.
A spiral. With claw marks all around it.
Not Red Moon.
Not Damien’s.
Something else entirely.
Something I just couldn’t wrap my head around.
Yet.