We followed the signal through the dense forest near the vampire kingdom. The eerie silence of the woods, broken only by the rustling of leaves underfoot, heightened the tension in the air. Suddenly, the signal flickered and then disappeared completely.
“What’s going on?” I frowned, glancing at Jasper.
His expression darkened as he tapped the tablet screen, trying to revive the lost signal.
“She might have entered a magical zone-an area where all technology and external energies become useless.”
I exhaled sharply, scanning the surroundings. “Then how do we track her now?”
Jasper’s jaw tightened. “That’s exactly why Damon has remained hidden for so long.” He turned to me, his crimson eyes filled with steely determination. “But I’ll figure it out-I have to.”
I could sense the weight of his words. Jasper knew as well as I did that Damon wasn’t just in hiding-he was planning something. He would definitely be desperate enough to reclaim a throne that had never rightfully been his.
Suddenly, a mindlink from Ethan cut through my thoughts, and I was surprised that he could connect with me even though I was deep in the vampire kingdom.
‘Alpha!’ His voice carried urgency, laced with relief.
‘Yes, Ethan,’ I responded immediately.
‘Thank the goddess, Alpha! I wasn’t sure if this would work, but I needed to get this crucial information to you as soon as possible.’ His words came in rushed, his breathing uneven. ‘We’ve been tracking Alpha Albert, and he just entered a forest near the vampire kingdom.’
I stiffened at his revelation. So, Albert was here too. That explained how Ethan was able to connect with me-his proximity must have overlapped with the range of our mindlink.
‘I’m already in the area,’ I informed him. ‘Send me your exact location.’
A moment later, Ethan shared his coordinates through the link, and my wolf, Lyon, immediately picked up the signal. His presence stirred in my mind, his deep growl vibrating through my consciousness.
‘Let’s go and get the traitor,’ Lyon howled, the thrill of the hunt coursing through us.
Without wasting another second, I turned to Jasper. “We have a lead. Let’s move.”
Jasper met my gaze, his eyes flashing with determination. “Then what are we waiting for?”
With a silent nod, we sprinted into the darkness, our inhuman speed slicing through the still night air. The scent of treachery thickened with every step, a bitter taste lingering in my throat. We halted when we spotted Ethan, standing with one of his most trusted warriors from the Moonglow pack. Both of them immediately bowed upon seeing me.
‘Where is he?’ I asked still through the mindlink.
“He went inside that cave,’ Ethan responded, his gaze fixed on the dark, gaping entrance ahead.
A cold breeze whispered from within, carrying an eerie silence that unsettled me. The cave seemed abandoned, yet instinct warned me otherwise.
‘And I saw a witch enter right after Alpha Albert,’ Ethan added grimly.
Cassandra.
I exchanged a knowing glance with Jasper and gestured toward the cave’s entrance. He gave a sharp nod, understanding without words.
“Let’s go and catch them all,” Jasper said in a low, determined voice, stepping forward from our concealed position.
I caught his arm before he could move. “Wait.” My eyes scanned the surroundings. “This place looks abandoned, but something feels off. If this is truly a magical zone, there could be traps-or worse, invisible guards.”
Jasper hesitated before nodding. “Then what do you suggest?”
“I have the ability to blend into shadows,” I told him. My shadow was a demon, and though he had left me, I still carried some of the powers. “I’ll go first, using the shadows of the trees and bushes to hide my presence. Once I confirm the path is clear, I’ll signal you.”
Jasper and Ethan exchanged glances before nodding.
“Be careful,” Jasper murmured.
Without another word, I sank into the darkness, letting it swallow me whole as I advanced toward the cave.
As I stepped closer to the cave, I sensed something strange. My suspicions were true. Demonic guards stood watch at the entrance, hidden well enough to be undetectable by the naked eye. But I could see their movements in the air-disturbances in the atmosphere, faint ripples betraying their presence. I knew what I had to do.
Without hesitation, I let Lyon take over. As soon as the demonic guards spotted him, they shifted to their physical forms, preparing to attack. But Lyon was faster. In an instant, he tore through them with a brutal force, ripping them apart with ease. The sound of flesh being shredded filled the air, a reminder of the raw power he wielded. Once the last of them was dealt with, I sent a mindlink to Ethan, letting him know we were sticking to the plan. I would move ahead inside the cave.
A hesitant, but obedient, ‘Okay,’ came from him in reply.
I returned to my human form and cautiously stepped into the cave. The darkness seemed endless, swallowing everything around me. My every step echoed in the hollow emptiness, a constant reminder of how alone I felt. But as I walked deeper into the cave, a mocking voice suddenly cut through the silence.
“I expected you to come here, but I didn’t expect you to be so late!”
The cave lit up abruptly, casting eerie shadows against the walls. And there he was-Damon-standing before me with that smug smirk as if he’d been waiting for me all along.