Chapter 389 389
Sabine POV
All we can do now is pray she takes the bait.
That seeing Fabrice at the gates instead of Aurélie will work.
Clémence knows how important Fabrice is to the family how fiercely protective he is of the children. She understands the Garnier and Roux family dynamics well enough for it to play in our favour.
Leaving Frédéric behind nearly broke Aurélie, but he was safe.
Surrounded by guards.
Maurice, Aurélie, and I are the only ones positioned away from the main gate.
Fabrice and Lucas stand there instead, backed not only by the royal warriors but by every fighter under the alliance banner.
If they chose to strike, Clémence wouldn’t stand a chance.
We stay crouched in our hiding spot, unmoving, waiting for Aurélie’s signal waiting for her to summon the Black Mist warriors to her side.
There aren’t many from what we can sense.
Either most refused to fight for her…
Or at least that’s what we’re hoping.
Maurice moves first.
Staying low, he vaults the fence and drops a guard in seconds.
Once he signals, Aurélie and I follow, slipping out of the treeline and jumping over after him.
We move swiftly toward the alpha house, Aurélie leading us.
Two more guards fall beneath Maurice’s hands at the front entrance.
It’s too easy.
Even with Clémence’s attention focused on the gate, she doesn’t have nearly enough warriors to win this.
So what is she really planning?
Quietly, carefully, we creep down the hallway, listening.
Then
A muffled sound.
All three of us freeze.
It comes from behind a closed door.
Maurice slowly pushes it open.
My heart slams as I glance behind us, expecting an ambush.
But there’s no one there.
No threat.
Just
“Oh my god… Caroline.”
I rush past Maurice and Aurélie.
On the floor of what must be the alpha office lies Caroline, bound and gagged, the muffled noise coming from her struggling breaths.
I drop beside her, tugging desperately at the ropes wrapped around her wrists and ankles—
And jerk my hands back with a sharp gasp as a burning pain sears my skin.
“Bee?” Maurice is instantly beside me, inspecting my fingers.
“It burns,” I whisper. “What is it?”
“Wolfsbane,” he growls. “It’s lethal to us.”
He rips the ropes away from Caroline in one swift motion.
“Sab…”
Her voice is hoarse and broken as soon as the gag is removed.
“Caroline, are you okay?” I pull her into my arms, holding her close as she struggles for breath.
The wolfsbane has burned the skin around her mouth, wrists, and ankles.
Blood seeps from the wounds.
“I can’t breathe,” she coughs weakly, clutching at me.
“It’s the wolfsbane,” Aurélie says softly, kneeling beside us and rubbing slow circles on Caroline’s back. “It will pass. Just breathe slowly.”
Then Aurélie’s voice hardens.
“Caroline… where are my children? Where is Damien?”
Her eyes squeeze shut as if bracing herself for the worst.
“She’s taken them to the cave,” Caroline answers shakily. “You should never have opened it. It’s evil.”
Fear fills her gaze as she looks at Aurélie.
I don’t know why.
I can’t explain it.
But something deep inside me urges me to try Gilles again.
One last time.
I step aside, pulling out my phone and dialing his number.
Once again, it goes straight to voicemail.
“Gilles…” I breathe.
I don’t even know if he’s seeing my missed calls.
I don’t know where he is.
“I need you. Please. It’s important.”
I end the call just as Maurice strides past me.
“Stay here,” he orders sharply.
“You can’t be serious,” I snap, shock and fear surging through me.
The protective edge in my voice surprises even me.
He can’t go alone.
“Stay here!” he repeats over his shoulder as he bolts down the hallway and out the front door.