Chapter 107

Chapter 107
"Stronger than expected," Luna Harvey replied, a hint of pride colouring her tone. "He's bonded remarkably well with Shadow. The toy seems to provide comfort when human connection feels too overwhelming."
The pendant warmed against Ioannis's skin as she absorbed this news. "And physically? The healers mentioned chemical suppression of his wolf..."
"Still present but fading," Luna Harvey confirmed, her elegant hands gesturing toward the eastern mountains visible through the windows. "Our specialists believe the compound was designed for regular administration. Without continued dosing, his wolf nature is slowly reasserting itself."
Hope bloomed in Ioannis's chest at this confirmation. If the suppression wasn't permanent, these children could potentially recover their true nature once rescued. The pendant pulsed once, as if affirming her thoughts.
"The search teams are ready," Nickolas said, joining them with Federico close behind. His storm-grey eyes met Ioannis's with understanding that flowed through their bond. "The forward team will depart in fifteen minutes."
Ioannis nodded, reaching for the pack she'd prepared containing the purple and green wolves. "Has there been any update on the tracks?"
"Fresh signs discovered at first light," Federico reported, consulting his tablet. "Approximately three miles northeast of the original location. They appear to be moving along a ridge line that parallels Falcon Creek."
"Smart," Luna Harvey observed. "The creek provides water while the ridge offers visibility. This Ellie continues to demonstrate remarkable tactical awareness."
Pride swelled in Ioannis's chest for a girl she'd never met. To maintain such strategic thinking after years of captivity, while protecting a younger child, is an extraordinary feat of resilience and intelligence.
"The transport with Lucas and Sera will follow at a safe distance," Nickolas continued, his hand finding the small of Ioannis's back in a supportive gesture that sent warmth flowing through their bond. "Close enough to reach quickly if needed, far enough to avoid triggering any trauma response."
Ioannis touched the pendant at her throat, drawing strength from its solid presence. "I'm ready."
The journey to the eastern ridge took less than an hour in Storm Striders' specialised mountain vehicles. Ioannis watched the landscape change from her position in the lead transport, noting how the forest thickened as they climbed higher into the mountains. The pendant maintained its gentle warmth against her skin, neither warning nor urgent, simply present as they approached the area where the children's tracks had last been spotted.
Emma, who had insisted on joining the forward team, pointed toward a narrow game trail that branched away from the main path. "The latest tracks followed that route. Small footprints, two sets. One approximately size six, the other barely size three."
Ioannis's heart clenched at the image this conjured, a thirteen-year-old girl leading a tiny eight-year-old boy through this wild terrain. The pendant cooled slightly against her skin, a subtle reminder to maintain her composure as she prepared to face children who had endured unimaginable trauma. Through their bond, she felt Nickolas's supportive presence, his tactical mind already calculating approach vectors that would minimise potential fear responses.
"We'll proceed on foot from here," Emma said, her usually playful demeanour replaced by focused professionalism. "The tracking team reports they've maintained perimeter positions since dawn without any sighting, but the children are definitely in this area."
Luna Harvey joined them as they prepared to disembark, her elegant features composed despite the tension Ioannis could see in her shoulders. "Remember, these children have been conditioned to fear adults. Approach slowly, speak softly, and make no sudden movements."
Ioannis nodded, securing the pack containing the plush wolves across her back. The pendant warmed against her skin as she stepped from the transport into the crisp mountain air, pine scent filling her lungs with each breath.
"The second transport with Lucas will hold position at the designated coordinates," Nickolas confirmed, his storm-grey eyes meeting Ioannis's with understanding that flowed through their bond. "Close enough to reach quickly if needed."
Emma led the way down the narrow game trail, moving with the fluid grace that marked Storm Striders wolves in their home territory. Four other female trackers spread out in a loose formation, their movements carefully non-threatening despite their focused attention to the surrounding forest. Ioannis followed, her senses alert for any sign of the missing children.
The forest thickened as they advanced along the ridge line, ancient pines casting dappled sunlight on the needle-covered ground. Small wildlife sounds resumed after their passage: birds calling, insects buzzing, and the occasional rustle of small mammals in the underbrush. Ioannis found herself cataloguing these sounds, wondering how they might seem to children who perhaps had never experienced a natural forest before.
"Fresh tracks," Emma whispered after nearly twenty minutes of silent progress, kneeling to examine disturbed soil beside a massive fallen log. "Small footprints, heading northeast. Recently, within the last hour."
Ioannis's heart quickened, the pendant warming against her skin. "How far ahead do you think they are?"
Emma studied the tracks with a professional assessment. "Less than a mile, judging by soil compression. They're moving more slowly now. Probably tired."
The thought of exhausted children pushing themselves beyond endurance made Ioannis's chest tighten with concern. The pendant pulsed once against her skin, urging her forward as Emma resumed their careful advance through the forest.
They crossed a small stream, its clear water bubbling over smooth stones. Emma paused on the opposite bank, examining the muddy shore with growing excitement.
"They crossed here," she confirmed, pointing to barely visible depressions in the soft earth. "And recently. The water hasn't fully reclaimed these impressions."