CHAPTER 65

CHAPTER 65
MARISSA'S POV

Uncle Damien stood before us with an evil smirk, his presence sending a chill down my spine. Raul stood protectively in front of me, but I needed more than protection—I needed answers. I stepped forward, ready to challenge him with the questions that had been burning inside me for so long.



"Why did you do that to my mother? Why did you betray us and kill her?" I demanded, my voice trembling with anger and pain.



Damien snickered, a sinister gleam in his eyes. "Your mother was weak, Marissa. She couldn't see the bigger picture. Power requires sacrifices, and I was ready to make sacrifices if she hadn't gotten in my way.”


"Something about this doesn't feel right, Marissa. I smell something weird around Damien; he reeks of something strong," Chari let out.



"What does he reek of?" I asked, but she didn’t reply. I was about to ask again when her voice boomed in my head.



"He reeks of black magic, Marissa. Be careful around him," she warned.



I nodded, blocking Chari from my mind and turning back to Uncle Damien, his face still holding that smug smirk. Before I could respond, he vanished into thin air and shadows began to move around us. Figures emerged from the darkness, and in an instant, they were upon us, taking down our men.



Realization hit me like a punch to the gut—this was all part of Damien's plan. We had been tricked. The supposed information about the warehouse is being heavily guarded was a ruse to lure us into a trap.




"Raul, it's a trap!" I shouted, but it was too late. Chaos erupted around us.




Raul reacted swiftly, pushing me behind him as he fought off the attackers. I could hear Chari's voice in my head, filled with frustration. "I told you something was wrong!"



"I'm sorry, Chari," I thought back, my heart pounding. "I should have listened.”



The warehouse was filled with the sounds of battle—grunts, shouts, the clash of claws and metals. I focused on defending myself, my eyes constantly darting around, searching for Damien. He was the key I needed to uncover the truth.




"Marissa, stay close!" Raul shouted, his voice cutting through the noise.



I nodded, trying to stay near him as we fought our way through the fray. Despite the chaos, my mind kept returning to what Uncle Damien had said. What power had made Damien betrayed us? How powerful did he want to become that it drove him to killing his close friend?



I fought off the attackers with renewed vigor, Chari lending me her strength. One by one, we took them down, but they just kept coming. I was gaining the upper hand when Damien reappeared, striking me with a force that matched my own. He was strong, but I couldn't let him win.



He snickered at me, his eyes glinting with malice. "Still seeking answers, Marissa? Some things are better left unknown."




"Not for me," I spat back, slashing at him with my weapon. "I need to know why."



He dodged my strike, laughing. "Revenge, my dear niece. Pure and simple revenge. Your mother took something from me, and I took something from her. I took her life."



"What could she have possibly taken from you that justified murder?" I demanded, feeling tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.



I lunged at him and he dodged my strikes, his laughter echoing around us. "My rightful place to lead. She stopped all my plans. At first, I didn't intend to kill her. I wanted you, because you possess a power no werewolf has ever had. But she got in my way, and that cost her life."




"You're insane," I said, shaking my head. "And you'll pay for what you did.”



Damien lunged at me, and I barely managed to block his attack. The force of it sent me stumbling back. Tears trickled down my face as he pointed his weapon at me, ready to slash me. Chari's voice boomed in my head.



"We can't let him win. He has to pay for all the pain he's caused us."



I wiped the tears away aggressively and felt a surge of power. With quick speed, I slashed his legs, making him fall to the ground. He stared at me in disbelief as I punched him continuously, blood pouring from his nose.



Despite his injuries, he snickered, refusing to look weak. "If you think getting rid of me will bring justice for your mother, you're wrong. What you know is far from the truth. I orchestrated the plan, but I wasn't the one who executed it. There are more powerful people onto you," He said, laughing hysterically.



"Who are they?" I demanded, but he didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out a tiny bottle and drank the liquid inside before I could stop him. Within seconds, he vanished before my eyes.



Frustration gnawed at me as I stared at the spot where he had stood. I yelled out in frustration, knowing now that I was far from the truth.



"That liquid he took is a potion made by a witch. It helps one vanish. I've heard of it before," Chari said.


"Great," I muttered, kicking at the ground. "Just great."



I felt Raul's presence behind me, his hand on my shoulder. "Marissa, are you okay?"



I turned to face him, my eyes filled with tears of frustration. "He got away, Raul. He was right here, and he got away.”



"We'll find him," Raul said firmly. "This isn't over."



I nodded, taking a deep breath to calm myself. "He mentioned more powerful people are coming for us. We need to be ready."



"We will be," Raul assured me. "But for now, let's regroup and figure out our next move.”



Raul helped me up, his strong grip steadying me. As I turned, I noticed that all of Damien's men were defeated, some injured, some dead. Our own men were in a similar state. I sighed heavily, the weight of the battle settling on my shoulders.




"Secure those who are still alive," Raul ordered his men. "We're taking them back for questioning. We need to find out where Damien vanished and who these powerful people he mentioned are.”



I watched as our remaining soldiers began to tie up the surviving enemies. The scene was grim, but it was a necessary step. Information was our key to figuring out our next move.


Raul turned to me, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright, Marissa?" He asked again.



I nodded, though I felt far from okay. "I'll be fine. We need to get answers, Raul. We can't let this end here."



He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "We won't. We'll get to the bottom of this.”


As we gathered our forces and prepared to head back, I felt a mix of exhaustion and determination. The fight had taken its toll, but it also fueled my resolve.



Damien's taunts about more powerful enemies coming for me echoed in my mind continuously. I needed to be ready for whatever lay ahead.