Chapter Sixty Six

Chapter Sixty Six
Lucian’s Pov

Alpha Zona’s warriors were already assembled when we arrived at the BloodOrk pack, ready to move. 

Zona and I exchanged pleasantries, his grin wide, just like always. But today, there was a weight in the way he carried himself, a tightness in his shoulders I hadn’t seen in years. 

Even with all the laughter and bravado he threw around, I could see the weight of family grief threaded through him, just like it ran through me.

His father was my mother’s elder brother. He was still grieving the death of his mate, killed by an incurable spell cast by a suspected Dark Wolf, when he learned about my mother’s death. The news hit him like a blade, and without hesitation he set out after the Dark Wolves alone. He never returned.

“Hey, bro… you good? You look tense,” Zona asked, grinning wide. But his shoulders were stiff, and his fingers jittered as he tapped my shoulder.

I exhaled slowly, letting my chest rise and fall.

“Zona… come on, man. We both know this shit. No pretending with each other. This ends today. We’re getting our revenge today.”

He forced a smile, the corners of his mouth curling just enough to look casual. Then he tapped my shoulder again, a little too hard, as if he needed the contact to steady himself.

“For sure. And our parents and the council… they’d be so proud.” His eyes flicked away fast, then back, scanning the warriors.

I shifted my gaze to Iris. She was still in her wolf form, muzzle dipping to the pond as she lapped the water with delicate, graceful movements. The morning light kissed her fur, and when she shook the water from her muzzle, it was like the motion had been slowed, each droplet sparkling in the air. I won’t let the dark wolves take her away… not like they took my family. I won’t stand by and watch history repeat itself. Not again. Not ever.

Zona followed my eyes and let out a low whistle.

“Does she shampoo her fur every day? She looks incredible.”

“Frost is daring you to snap into half for looking at our mate. Be careful.” My jaw tightened.

“So sad you’ve got to share this beauty,” he chuckled, brushing his shoulder lightly against mine.

Frost surged, low snarl rumbling in my chest.

“Come on, Frost… we’re best friends,” A teasing smirk tugging at his lips.

“We need to get going,” we announced together.

I moved toward Iris, who sat by the pond’s edge, the soft ripples of water reflecting the late afternoon light across her face.

“Would you rather stay back? This is my mother’s pack, so you’ll be safe here,” I muttered, immediately regretting my choice of words as she twisted her face.

“I’m going to show you how strong I am,” she mind-linked me and moved to join the warriors.

Shit. Why do I keep making her misunderstand me?

We shifted and sprang toward the GlemClaw, memories of my kidnapping and torture flooding back.

Flashback

“Give me back my son! You asked me to bring him, and you promised to return my son, why is he still with you?” A woman’s voice trembled as her hand gripped my shoulder tightly.

A low slash cut through the air, and her hand began to loosen, followed by a loud thud. I struggled to see through the thick, dark cloth tied over my eyes, my hands bound.

“Let me go! My papa will kill you all!” I screamed for an uncountable amount of time since I was kidnapped. I flickered my nose, trying to catch a scent, but I couldn’t make anything out.

I had only been chasing a butterfly with features I had never seen before. Back in my first cell, I could recognize the scents around me. It was the Shadow Glen pack. But here, there was nothing. No scent at all. It felt wrong; Papa had always said that every creature has a scent.

“Shut the fuck up, you little brat!” a male voice growled, followed by a claw slash across my back.

“Not here,” another voice hissed, and I was lifted off the ground, dangling from someone’s shoulder.

Suddenly, I was slammed to the ground. Claws and fangs tore into my flesh. I had shifted, but my wolf was still so small and powerless. I screamed and begged for help, but none came. I felt my strength fading fast as a hand scooped me up.

End of Flashback

I jolted back to reality, my eyes scanning frantically for Iris. I caught her beside me, her fur tense, muscles rippling and flexing with every bound. I could feel the strain in her limbs, the effort behind each leap and turn, and my chest tightened, pride and concern clashing in equal measure. She was pushing herself hard, refusing to falter, and even in her struggle, a fire burned within her that refused to yield.

“Hi firecracker” I muttered through the link, leaning closer.

“I’m trying to focus here, Mr,” she replied, ears swiveling with that sharp, irritated twitch she got when her mind was spiraling.

“Ouch,” I teased, nudging her shoulder with mine as we ran. “I’m losing focus with you by my side.”

“Well, guess I have to protect myself then,” she shot back, before spranging forward.

I pushed harder to keep her in sight, but Alpha Zona of Bloodork Pack slipped in beside me like he’d been waiting for the perfect moment to annoy me.

“Hey, lover boy,” he mind-linked, a playful tilt to his head.

“This is why the Moon Goddess hasn’t given you a mate yet,” I shot back.

“Careful! You’ll hurt my feelings. Here I am trying to boost morale, and you’re attacking my character,” he retorted, a teasing smirk in his voice as he wagged his tail.

We slowed our pace as we neared the mountain, waiting for the right moment to spring into the grove.

Zona’s playful tail wag vanished, his ears flattening as his muzzle drew into a hard line, a dark shadow sliding over his features.

Our paws moved carefully, avoiding every crunch from the dead leaves and scattered twigs. The wind stirred the trees, but the ground remained still, almost as if the earth itself was holding its breath.

Then the dead leaves around Zona and me began to stir, pulling together from every corner and rising into little spirals before falling again. The witch appeared, clouds swirling around her and hiding her face almost completely, her skin glowing a faint green. Her eyes swept over the warriors before stopping. I turned to see what had caught her attention, but before I could, she withdrew her gaze. She floated above the drifting mist, moving toward the bamboo grove as we followed behind slowly.

I turned and looked at Iris, she had moved to Daruis and it hurt that I wasn’t the one she chose to stay beside. I decided not to let that redirect my focus. I’m here to kill the dark wolves that took my family. I have to make sure that my mate doesn’t go through what my mother did.

I looked at her again, and I could see the same soft features as my mother, even though she acts tough. The more I try to focus, the more I want to lean closer to her.

“I can see the bond between you too, why haven’t you marked her” an unfamiliar link entered my mind and for a moment I froze then I realized it was the witch

“What?” I snapped through the mind-link, fury rising.

“There’s something about her I can’t reach,” she growled, ragged and rough,

“Mark her… or let her hair grow out.”