Chapter 159

Chapter 159
Third Person POV

Samuel's dwelling was located in a hidden valley on the Blackmane Pack border, far from the pack center, surrounded by dense forest. Moonlight filtered through leaves, casting mottled shadows that made the entire valley appear sinister and silent.

Mira had traveled through the forest all night, her clothes torn by thorns, face covered in wounds, utterly disheveled. When she finally saw Samuel's crude wooden cabin, she nearly collapsed. She staggered forward, pounding hard on the door.

"Samuel! Samuel! Open up!" Her voice was hoarse and desperate.

A chair crashed inside, and moments later the door was yanked open. Samuel stood in the doorway, clutching a dagger, warily sizing up the visitor. When he recognized Mira, his face instantly turned ashen.

"Why are you here?" Samuel lowered his voice, quickly scanning the surroundings to confirm no one had followed, then dragged Mira inside.

Mira started to speak but swayed from extreme exhaustion and emotional collapse.

Samuel steadied her, pressing her into a chair, then quickly closed the door and pulled the curtains. He lit a dim oil lamp, the room shrouded in flickering light and shadow.

"Speak. What the hell happened?" Samuel's tone was severe, eyes flashing with fear and anger.

Mira took a deep breath and briefly recounted everything—how she'd coated the ritual vessel with Shadow Moon toxin, how she'd been certain the plan would succeed, how she'd fled the night of the ritual, and how she'd discovered the plan had failed, been issued a warrant, been expelled by her parents.

As she spoke, Samuel's face grew increasingly ugly. When she finished, he stepped back several paces, voice icy. "You're insane. You actually targeted the Alpha's heir? Used Shadow Moon toxin? Mira, do you know what this means? This isn't just murder, it's desecration of all wolf tradition!"

"I don't need your lecture!" Mira jumped up, voice shrill. "What I need is help! Samuel, we both hate Seraphina, both want to make her pay. Now I'm in trouble, you can't just stand by!"

"Same side?" Samuel sneered, mockery in his eyes. "Mira, we were never on the same side. I wanted benefits, you just wanted to destroy her. Our purposes were different from the start."

"Cut the crap!" Mira stepped forward, her gaze dangerous. "The kidnapping of Seraphina—you're the one who found those people. If I tell Lucian about this, what do you think will happen to you?"

Samuel's body stiffened, face turning deathly pale. Though that kidnapping failed, if Lucian learned he'd been involved, he'd not only be expelled but possibly executed.

"You're threatening me?" Samuel's voice was low and angry.

"I'm just stating facts," Mira said calmly, though her heart pounded like a drum. "Samuel, we're truly on the same side now. I need a place to hide, you need me to keep your secret. This is win-win, isn't it?"

They faced off, the air thick with tension. The oil lamp's flame flickered unsteadily, casting distorted shadows on the walls.

Finally, Samuel slumped back into his chair, hands clutching his head. "Damn. Damn Seraphina, damn Lucian, damn everything."

He looked up, eyes full of exhaustion and despair. "You can stay here temporarily. But let me be clear—if the hunting party shows up, I'll hand you over without hesitation. I won't destroy myself for you."

"Deal," Mira said, a bitter smile curving her lips. "But Samuel, you'd better pray they don't find this place. Because if I'm caught, I guarantee I'll drag you down with me. We're in the same boat now."

Samuel didn't answer, just stood and took out some dried food and water to hand to Mira. "Eat something, then go to the attic to rest. There's a small room there that can't be seen from outside. Don't come out during the day, and don't make any noise."

Mira took the food and wolfed it down. Hunger and exhaustion made her forget about appearances. After eating, she followed Samuel up the narrow attic stairs.

The attic was tiny, barely fitting a mattress and a small box. The window was covered tightly with heavy curtains, the air thick with mildew and dust.

"This is it," Samuel said, obvious reluctance in his tone. "Remember what I said—no noise during the day."

Mira nodded and collapsed onto the mattress. Physical exhaustion overcame everything, and she quickly fell into uneasy sleep.

Samuel stood at the attic door, looking at Mira's exhausted sleeping face, complex emotions flashing in his eyes. He knew sheltering Mira was a dangerous decision, but he had no choice—Mira held his secret, and he couldn't risk it being exposed.

He quietly closed the attic door, went downstairs back to his room. Moonlight filtered through curtain gaps, casting cold spots of light on the floor.

Samuel sat on the edge of his bed, hands clenched into fists. He hated Seraphina—hated that she'd rejected him, hated that she'd chosen Lucian. But he hated himself more—hated his weakness, hated being manipulated by Mira, hated being trapped in this inescapable quagmire.

"If the hunting party really shows up," he whispered to the darkness, "what should I do?"

No one answered. Only the night wind rustling through leaves, as if mocking his predicament.

Before dawn on the fifth day, mist still lingering, a five-member elite warrior hunting squad reached the Blackmane Pack border. Leading them was Garrett, the pack's foremost tracker.

"According to intelligence, Mira fled southeast after leaving the Wilson family," Garrett told his team members, his finger tracing a line on the map. "The most likely hiding place is this valley area."

His finger stopped at a spot on the map marked "Border Hermit Zone."

"Why there?" a young warrior asked.

"Because Samuel lives there," another warrior sneered. "That marginalized coward. If Mira needs someone to harbor her, Samuel's most likely."

Garrett nodded. "Moreover, our informant reports that three days ago someone saw a wolf-shaped figure appear near Samuel's dwelling. Though we can't confirm it was Mira, it's worth investigating."

"Leave now?" the young warrior asked eagerly.

"Not yet," Garrett stopped him. "If we rush in directly, Mira might flee or resist. We need to be more careful."

He unfolded a terrain map, pointing to the area around the valley. "This valley has only two exits. We'll split into two groups—one approaches from the front, the other circles to the rear to block the escape route. Once we've completely surrounded the area, we move simultaneously."

"When do we act?"

"Tonight," Garrett said, cold light flashing in his eyes. "Full moon night—the Moon Goddess will illuminate our path. Nighttime action reduces the chance of Mira detecting us."

The team members nodded, beginning to check equipment—silver chains, tracking powder, signal flares, and special weapons for subduing wolves.

"Remember," Garrett finally emphasized, "the Alpha's order is to capture alive. Mira must be brought back for trial. If she resists, necessary force is permitted."

In Samuel's cabin attic, Mira was trapped in uneasy sleep. Suddenly, a faint sound woke her. She snapped her eyes open, holding her breath to listen carefully.

Footsteps. More than one person, deliberately lightening their movements, clearly approaching.

Mira's heart raced. She carefully crawled to the window, peering through the heavy curtain's gap. In the moonlight, she saw several figures silently approaching the cabin.

"Damn," she cursed under her breath, immediately realizing the hunting party had come.

She quickly pulled on her jacket, grabbed her pack, and tiptoed downstairs. Samuel's door was tightly closed—she didn't know if he'd detected the danger.

Just as she hesitated whether to wake Samuel, the cabin door suddenly burst open.

"Don't move!" Garrett's voice was especially loud in the night. "By order of Blackmane Pack's Alpha, Mira Wilson, you're under arrest!"

Mira's body froze. Several warriors quickly rushed in, surrounding her. Moonlight streaming through the open door illuminated her deathly pale face.

Samuel's door was also opened, two warriors dragging him out, his face full of fear and anger.

"I didn't know anything!" Samuel shouted. "She came here on her own! I didn't harbor her!"

"Shut up," Garrett said coldly. "Whether you harbored her, the Alpha will judge. Now, you're both coming with us."

Mira looked at Samuel's terrified face and suddenly laughed. The laughter was shrill and desperate, especially piercing in the night.

"Samuel, looks like we really are on the same side," she said mockingly. "Caught together, tried together, punished together. What a perfect ending."

"You crazy bitch!" Samuel roared. "It's all because of you! I'm in this mess because of you!"

"Stop pretending," Mira sneered. "You think you're so innocent? The kidnapping of Seraphina—you think you can hide that forever?"

Samuel's face instantly turned deathly pale.

Garrett keenly caught this information, his gaze growing colder. "Kidnapping? Looks like we've caught not just one fish, but two."

He waved to the warriors. "Take them both. Let the Alpha judge all their crimes."

Warriors stepped forward, locking Mira and Samuel's wrists with special silver chains. These chains were specifically designed to restrict wolf abilities—once worn, they couldn't shift.

"Let's go," Garrett said, satisfaction in his tone. "Your judgment day has come."

Mira was led out of the cabin, moonlight falling on her face, making her appear especially pale and disheveled. She glanced back at Samuel, seeing the fear and despair in his eyes, a strange pleasure rising in her heart.

"At least," she thought, "I'm not bearing this alone."

The group moved forward through the night toward Blackmane Pack. Mira knew what awaited her would be trial and punishment. But strangely, her heart felt a kind of relief.

The days of fleeing were over. Whatever the outcome, at least she no longer had to hide, no longer had to live in fear.

Moonlight illuminated the path ahead, lighting her road to the end.

Behind her, Samuel was escorted by two warriors, his face full of despair and regret. If time could reverse, he would never have participated in that kidnapping, never sheltered Mira, never fallen into this quagmire.

But time doesn't reverse. He could only move forward, toward the judgment awaiting him.

Garrett walked at the front of the group, signal flare in hand. When they emerged from the valley, he lit it—a silver light shot into the night sky, especially striking in the moonlight.

This was the signal of success.

In the distance, at Blackmane Pack's watchtower, the guard on duty saw the light and immediately rang the alarm bell. The bell echoed through the night sky, announcing the capture of the fugitives.