Chapter 153: Where are we going?

Chapter 153: Where are we going?
Cassandra

I had seen the battle, powerless to do anything. I knew I was in Joaquin's hands, but for a moment I believed we would win - that my half-brother would realize he had no future, that all was lost. And I underestimated him.

All he ever wanted was Silver Claws, to be the great master of the pack, to rule them all. He had a disease that had been triggered by him, allies that were as unlikely as they were treacherous, and still he had lost. The explosion Olivia had set off had been brutal, and Cedric and I had narrowly escaped. But I could not just leave him behind. So I pursued him - and was eventually captured by my half-brother.

"Keep moving! Hold the prisoners!" Joaquin ordered the few warriors he still had. We ran and fled like cowards.
Olivia, Orlando, Christopher, and Samuel's speeches had shaken the core of the pack. To make matters worse, even the boy I had once saved from human hunters had turned against him. Joaquin hadn't lost everything, but he was still clinging to power, trying to survive in his own disgusting way.
"Move, damn it!" he howled, shoving Cedric. My mate had some burns and wouldn't take his eyes off me. We were trapped, but we were together. My concern, however, was for Dylan. He had stayed behind and I was sure the flames hadn't reached him. Joaquin, on the other hand, was completely disfigured. We never had the intention he would suffer like this. But, the goddess helped me, he deserved that, and more.
"Let her go! Take me instead, but let her go!" I pleaded, only to receive a brutal blow from my brother. I howled against my gag—I would do anything not to see Cedric suffer.
"And lose my biggest advantage? Are you insane?" Joaquin scoffed. "Do you think those wolves who swore allegiance to us would give me what I need for you? You’re sorely mistaken. The only thing they care about is Christopher, that damn fool, and his pathetic mate." he spat.
His voice rang out through a clearing in the forest, and when the moonlight hit his face, I saw with horror that his burns hadn’t healed. Maybe the fire had been too strong, or maybe he was too weak. Even the other wolves were looking at him with fear.
"Where are we going, Alpha?" one of the young warriors asked hesitantly. I knew most of them were likely regretting their decision to follow him. What kind of future could they possibly have under a deranged Alpha? But my brother appeared just as lost. I watched him pace back and forth as if he expected the trees to provide him with an answer. We were always on the move, and I knew he feared that my brother would appear at any moment. Chris had to be planning something—I was certain of it. And deep down, I was terrified of what might happen.
"We’ll find support," Joaquin finally replied, though I doubted the others believed him. He had no other choice to be honest. I tried to get closer to Cedric. Seeing him so beaten, his clothes burned, broke my heart. He kept begging them to take him and let me go.
"Hold on, my love. We’ll get out of this. My brother won’t abandon us," I whispered when the guards changed shifts and Joaquin walked away.
"That’s exactly what he’s counting on—that Christopher will come. And then what? What happens next?"
"He won’t be able to handle both of them," I said, but I knew what Cedric meant. Someone would have to be sacrificed—and he was determined that it would be him. "No! Absolutely not! Don't you dare to think about that!" I exclaimed, terrified.
"It has to be this way. You’ll stay with Dylan. He has to be safe..."
"No, no, no! I won’t allow it! I won’t accept it!" I cried, and my outburst caught the guards' attention. They had been waiting for any excuse to act.
"You stupid Alpha! You should have sided with us when you had the chance!" one of the warriors spat, punching Cedric. Another turned to me, eyeing me like I was nothing more than an object.
"So, the Silver Claws bitch has another mate? You’re nothing but a filthy whore!" he sneered, stepping closer. Cedric shouted in desperation—I could hear the anguish in his voice. I leaned against a tree and kicked the man hard between the legs. He let out a shriek of pain.
"You little bitch!!" he lunged at me, but others intervened, and that was when I realized Cedric had been right.
"We can’t touch her! We can’t harm her! She’s our only bargaining chip—the only guarantee we have to get out of this alive!"
"And then what?" I ventured, making them turn to me in surprise. Had no woman ever dared to speak back to them? Or had they been beaten down so much that no one had ever told them the truth? "What will happen next? Do you think the other wolves don’t know exactly who you are? Do you think they’ll forgive you so easily? Do you honestly believe Joaquin will take back the pack? Silver Claws is lost. Even if my brother handed it over, it’s worth nothing now," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. They stared at me, as if weighing my words when suddenly Joaquin’s voice rang out.
"She’s worthless! She doesn’t know anything! She has no idea what she’s talking about! She’s always been a spoiled brat, protected by my father and brother. Don't listen to a whore!" he spat with contempt. "I promised you a great future, and that’s exactly what we’ll have!" But I knew his words were empty. Luckily, the other will find out soon. Joaquin surely had gone to talk to the humans and came back with empty hands.
For a long while, we trudged forward as the night deepened, and I wondered where we were headed. Joaquin kept watching me, silent, and Cedric and I exchanged glances. He had been beaten enough—his swollen eyes showed it—and my concern only grew. I was about to drift off to sleep when I overheard a conversation.
"The Alphas wiped out several human settlements, capturing the more troublesome hunters."
"We don’t have enough support."
"We have nothing. Where are we even going?" I glanced at Cedric and saw that he had heard it too.
"We will wait" he whispered.
"Where are we going, Alpha?" another warrior dared to ask. But even my half-brother no longer seemed to have a clear plan.
"Just as I had told that bastard of a brother of mine, Joaquin was going to strike where it would hurt the most. Forward. To the city," he finally ordered.