Maggie looked at the mother wolves. She saw Jolie in her finest attire, standing with Charlie, eagerly watching Maggie. There were Elizabeth and Thomas, sending Maggie trusting and encouraging smiles. She even caught a glimpse of Marvin, who, in a flash, transformed into a wolf and disappeared into the forest.
“Where’s Grace?” Maggie received the torch, lowering her voice to ask Aldrich.
Aldrich kissed her forehead, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers once more. He reassured her, “Trust me, everything will be fine.”
“In Selene’s guidance, let the Spring Hunt festivities begin!” The crowd started chanting in unison. Maggie took a deep breath and gazed deeply at Aldrich. “How long will it take for you to find me?”
Aldrich promised her, “I will be the first to find you.”
With the bonfire casting a bright glow behind them, Aldrich held the torch high and walked into the darkness. Surrounding Maggie were numerous wolf-shifted werewolves eager to enter the forest quickly for the celebration. The mother wolves formed a line behind Maggie, following at a more moderate pace, and the torch in her hand became the only source of light.
However, as soon as she stepped into the Moonlit Forest, the torch immediately went out, and her vision turned pitch black.
Her eyes did not grant her the night vision of a werewolf, and she could only hear the screams of the girls fleeing in all directions. There were threats lurking everywhere, and the growls of the werewolves were close by. She had to escape!
Maggie could feel the three Energy Beads concealed in her clothing. These were her only means of self-defense. She chose a direction and ran forward, clueless about the right path.
Suddenly, a figure dashed out with such speed that Maggie couldn’t react in time and had her wrist grasped.
“Let go of me!” The stranger’s touch put Maggie on high alert. But then, a somewhat familiar voice spoke, “Maggie, it’s me!”
“Grace!”
“Keep your voice down. We don’t want to attract other wolves.”
Maggie was overwhelmed with emotion. “When did you get in here?”
“That’s not important right now. I’m here to take you to safety.”
Grace took Maggie’s hand and ran deeper into the dense woods. The surroundings grew darker, and the sounds of insects and birds faded away. Maggie gasped for breath. “Aldrich won’t be able to find me!”
“In that case, he’s useless!” Grace pulled Maggie along. “Listen, Maggie, we can’t stop. It seems you’ve attracted some wolves.”
“How is that possible?” Maggie struggled through the discomfort in her body, trying to keep up with Grace’s pace. “Aldrich said I have his scent on me, and other wolves wouldn’t choose me as their prey.”
“He also said those are just ordinary wolves.”
“What’s the situation now?”
“Of course, it’s for you. It’s either the aggressive wolves looking for pleasure, or those hoping to mate with you for dominance. Maggie, you’re quite a catch!”
“That Aldrich is such a big liar!”
A dark shadow swiftly passed over them, and Grace hurriedly stopped Maggie. She assumed a defensive posture and whispered, “Maggie, stand behind me.”
In the moonlight, the dark figure was fully revealed. It was a massive black wolf, its eyes gleaming with a sinister green light. Its claws reached forward, knocking down a swath of low vegetation.
“Have you forgotten how miserably you failed under my command?” The black wolf sneered, “The traitor, Grace.”
The wolf’s voice was deep and it filled Maggie with a sense of disgust. She was certain she had heard that voice somewhere before.
Grace quickly clarified Maggie’s doubts, staring coldly at the black wolf. “Ethan? What brings you to the Spring Hunt?”
This black wolf was Ethan!
This realization heightened Maggie’s panic. She remembered Ethan manipulating Grace to assassinate her. At that time, Grace had lost all reason, her energy had surged to the point where even Charlie couldn’t match her. It was terrifying.
“Don’t worry, Maggie,” Grace said as she felt Maggie’s trembling hand clutching her dress.
Ethan emitted a cold laugh. “You should be worried, my cub.”
“Shut up! Don’t let me hear that word from your mouth again!” Grace snapped.
“What, have you already forgotten how you used to fawn over me like a dog at my side?” Ethan taunted. “You’re a traitor, Grace. You betrayed Aldrich, and you did bad things with me. You’ve betrayed everyone, even me.”
“It’s all because of you!”
“Foolish! It’s because you’re too competitive, too greedy, Grace. How can you stand here in the moonlight? You even betrayed Selene!”
“No!”
“You’re completely useless. I saw you sneak into the Moonlit Forest early. You broke Selene’s rules. A traitor like you is only fit to survive in the darkness with me.”
“No, get away!”
Enraged, Grace quickly shifted into a wolf and charged at Ethan’s black wolf form. Her movements were rapid, and Maggie was left holding Grace’s dress.
The wind whipped Maggie’s long hair across her face, and she stumbled backward, hearing the sounds of heavy impacts, shattering objects, and the swift insertion and extraction of wolf claws. Maggie grasped a vine to steady herself and looked ahead. Grace was pinned down by Ethan. His claws dug fiercely into her chest.
“Grace!” Maggie was shocked by the shocking scene before her. Without hesitation, she reached into her clothing to search for the Energy Beads. She couldn’t bear to watch Grace being humiliated in front of her.
Grace unleashed a tremendous surge of power. She did everything in her power to display her wolf claws, striking at Ethan. Ethan was forced to lean back, and his claws were pulled from Grace’s chest, staining their fur with fresh blood.
“No, Maggie, don’t use it!” Grace roared. “It’s Ethan. You don’t know how dangerous he is! He has the power to manipulate!”
Ethan bared his teeth. “Use what? What abilities could Maggie have left? Seductive abilities, fertility abilities, what else do you have to show me?”
“No, Maggie! Run!”
“Shut up! I hate disobedient dogs!”
Ethan pounced on Grace, inflicting severe injuries on her. He then turned his gaze towards Maggie and taunted, “What other surprises do you have?”
Maggie’s hands trembled as she moved away from the location of the Energy Bead. She had a vague suspicion that she couldn’t let Ethan know about her powerful abilities. He was a ruthless and unpredictable wolf, and falling into his hands would undoubtedly have dire consequences.
“Run, Maggie, run!”
Grace signaled Maggie to escape, but Ethan paid no attention, saying, “I care more about marking you now than marking Maggie and causing Aldrich pain. I want you to become a complete waste of a wolf!”
“Ethan Frost Bourne, if you dare to do this, I will never forgive you!”
However, Grace was no match for Ethan. He had her pinned beneath him, and she had no room for resistance. Ethan taunted her, “I want to do this, and nothing will stop me!”
Maggie’s feet were firmly planted in place, and she felt Grace’s pain. None of this should be happening. If Selene were here, such an outrageous incident would never have occurred.
She slowly retrieved an Energy Bead, recited an incantation, and a brilliant light enveloped her.
Ethan’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “Maggie, you truly are surprising. Last time, it was this light that disrupted my control over you.”
An alarm went off in Grace’s mind. They had been tricked into forcing Maggie to use the Energy Bead. That was Ethan’s true goal all along.