All Maggie could see was intense darkness, an impenetrable void. She couldn’t make out anything in her surroundings. Trembling, she tightly clutched the fur of the grey wolf beside her. She tried to control her breathing, and the silence around her was so profound that even the fall of a silver needle could be heard.
She must have been mistaken. How could there be any living creatures in this lifeless place?
However, the clear sounds of movement behind her indicated something was approaching. Maggie regretted not having any self-defense tools, such as the sharp dagger that Marvin had given Grace.
The approaching presence drew closer, just a step away.
Maggie took a deep breath, preparing to retrieve another energy bead, ready for a life-or-death struggle. But then, a soft voice spoke in front of her.
“Maggie… Is that you?”
It was a familiar voice. Maggie’s fear rapidly receded, and a sense of relief and joy flooded her exhausted heart. She tentatively reached out her hand, saying, “Jolie! It’s me! It’s me!”
In the darkness, a warm hand, full of familiarity, touched Maggie’s hand. They recoiled in surprise but then quickly and excitedly reached for each other again. Jolie’s voice was filled with joy and relief, saying, “Maggie, it’s really you. Charlie was right!”
“Where’s Charlie? Are you alone here?”
“They’ve gone deeper into the jungle.”
“What about Aldrich?”
Jolie gripped Maggie’s hand tighter and said with concern, “We’ve lost our connection to him…”
The voice of the grey wolf suddenly joined in, “At least it proves that he doesn’t harbor any resentment against me, which is a good thing.”
“Are you… Marvin?” Jolie asked tentatively.
“Yes, it’s me.” The grey wolf stood up, shaking off the fur. “Maggie, your healing ability is truly remarkable. You’re my savior.”
Maggie paid little attention to the words of gratitude. She was anxious to see Aldrich. “Jolie, please take us to find Aldrich.”
“Sorry, it’s too dark here, and it’s full of mysteries. We can only act after the sun rises.”
“We can only wait?”
“Only wait.”
Jolie’s words left Maggie feeling frustrated. The grey wolf lay back down, saying, “At least Jolie has the whole night to explain everything.”
Jolie began her recounting, “Charlie and I were in the Moonlight Forest, mating. When we were about to change locations, a woman stood deep in the forest, her eyes fixed passionately on Charlie. Charlie noticed her too and stared back at her.”
Maggie asked, “A female lycanthrope looking for a mate?”
“No, it seems more like a volunteer. The girls like Charlie’s stoic type, you know,” Marvin reminded Jolie, “You should control your mate’s eyes.”
Jolie growled a warning to Marvin, “Please don’t tarnish the feelings between me and Charlie.”
“Sorry.”
“Charlie noticed an energy bead on the woman’s neck. It emitted a pure light under the moonlight, quite similar to the energy bead Maggie was looking for. It was approaching the woman, who seemed extremely timid and panicked. We chased her.”
Marvin added, “Charlie is the number one beta in our Blue Moon Pack.”
“I know, but the woman was unbelievably fast. You would have been surprised if you had been there.”
Maggie tried to soothe Jolie’s emotions. “We don’t doubt your words, which is why Charlie notified Aldrich, right?”
Jolie nodded, “Charlie previously confided in me that Aldrich sent out many people to search for the energy bead, but they had no success. Aldrich is getting anxious and inquires about the progress every day. This is a rare opportunity, and Charlie doesn’t want to disappoint Aldrich.”
“Thank you,” Maggie said, giving Jolie a gentle hug.
“Remaining loyal to Aldrich and the lady is our mission.”
Marvin expressed his doubts, “What if it’s a trap? This woman seems very peculiar.”
Jolie shook her head, “Even if it’s a trap, Aldrich will not hesitate to follow. At the very least, she is related to the energy bead.”
Maggie continued to ask, “What happened after Aldrich arrived?”
“We were trapped in this pitch-dark place, severely limiting our vision, just like ordinary people.”
“Then you should leave before noon when the Spring Hunt ends!” Marvin growled.
Jolie cried out, “But when the sunlight came in, this forest remained incredibly dark and cold. That woman was just ten meters away from us, even provocatively rotating her energy bead around her neck.”
Marvin exclaimed, “Can’t you see? This is an obvious trap. You should have turned and left!”
“We immediately pursued her!”
Marvin roared in anger, “Where is your rationality?”
“Do we retreat just because of danger and fear? Marvin, show a little of the Barrett family’s courage!”
Maggie held Jolie and asked the most worrisome question, “But why did you lose contact with Aldrich?”
“That woman was too fast. Aldrich was following closely behind. Charlie and I fell behind, to begin with. At first, Aldrich and Charlie maintained their connection, but it was lost at some point, and they couldn’t reconnect.”
“When was the last time you had a mind link?”
“In the evening.”
Jolie paused before continuing, “Charlie went to check, and he told me not to move. As the night approached, visibility disappeared, and I had to wait until daylight to reunite with him after confirming through the connection.”
Maggie wearily rested her head on Marvin the grey wolf’s back. “What kind of woman is she?”
“Very young, with fair skin, like an elegant aristocrat. She appears lively and playful, and I couldn’t detect any scent on her.”
Marvin suggested, “So, she might not be a lycanthrope…”
Jolie said, “Everything is unknown. We can only wait for the daylight…”
Everything in the Moonlight Forest seemed to stand still. Hidden dangers and unknown life accumulated strength in the dark night, waiting for the long night to pass and dawn to arrive.
In the distant Frost Moon Pack, the grand palace was brightly lit, and in one of its chambers, the sounds of revelry and amorous voices were heard.
Ethan was embracing a sexy, sultry beauty, engrossed in excitement. However, he turned his head to the other side and said, “You, the obedient cub, come here.”
Behind a long table, there was the faint sound of chains clinking. At the end of the chain, there was a delicate, fair ankle connected to the face of Grace, the former mate of the Alpha of The Blue Moon Pack.
Even though subjected to such humiliating treatment, Grace’s expression remained cold, resolute, and elegant. She gracefully lifted her foot, and Ethan issued another command, “Is the cub learning to walk upright now? I’ve never heard of a dog evolving into a human.”
Grace stared coldly at Ethan. He did not hide any part of his body, showcasing it to its full extent. The beauty he held was somewhat dissatisfied and asked, “Can’t we let her go?”
Just then, there was a commotion outside the room. Ethan immediately rose, pushing the beautiful woman aside. Simultaneously, he lifted Grace, shoving her behind the large bed as the bed curtains slid down to conceal it.
As he turned around, the door to the room swung open, and a powerful middle-aged man entered. The naked beauty on the floor gasped as she got up.
“Father,” Ethan immediately saluted.
Alexander Frost Bourne, the Alpha of the Frost Moon Pack, kicked Ethan with a stern expression. “There’s a major situation, and you’re here fooling around!”
Ethan dared not defy his father. He lowered his noble head. “I apologize, Father.”
The beautiful woman hastily left, leaving the room with only Alexander and Ethan, as well as Grace concealed behind the large bed.