Chapter 20: Broken and Betrayal
Melissa’s POV
The healing wards of the sanctuary were softly glowing when I woke up. My body throbbed with pain, but it wasn’t just physical. I was troubled by the recollection of the stolen flower, the mocking laughter of Damon, and the defeated expression in Kane’s eyes. Fear gripped my heart, and I held my gut.
“My baby,” I said, my voice shaking.
The healer, a sweet elderly wolf named Edith, laid a hand on my arm. “The child is still holding on, Melissa,” she remarked gently. “However, the curse gets worse every hour.”
Her words pierced me like a knife. I blinked back tears as I nodded. At the door, Kane emerged, his face carved with wrath and fatigue.
“How are you feeling?” he inquired in a rough yet worried tone.
I made myself sit up and declared, “I’ll make it.” “But if we don’t stop Damon, we won’t.”
Kane sat next to me and touched my hand. “We’ll make this right,” he stated forcefully. “We must.”
Despite my want to believe him, I was plagued by doubt. “Kane, we lost the blossom. I was powerless to stop him. What if?
Kane grabbed my hand and interrupted, saying, “Stop.” “You didn’t fail. No one could have fought as hard as you did. This is not the end of it.
Despite my sad heart, I nodded. Once a haven of safety, the sanctuary now felt like a prison. Rumours of our defeat appeared to reverberate around every corner.
The burden of what we had lost grew heavier as the hours went by. I overheard the pack members having brief discussions. Uncertainty and fear were growing like wildfire.
Someone muttered, “We trusted her to protect us.”
Another said, in a tone that lacked conviction, “She’s doing her best.”
Even though their remarks hurt, I was unable to let them divert my attention. Saving my child has to be my top priority.
Unease pervaded the atmosphere during a heated discussion later that evening in the sanctuary’s main hall. Standing in the middle, Kane and I spoke to the pack.
With a firm voice, Kane declared, “We cannot afford to give up.” “We still have each other, even though Damon may have the flower. When we work together, we can
“Companions?” A voice cut in. “When there is a traitor among us, how can we trust each other?”
There was silence in the room. As I looked around me, trying to find the source of the accusation, my heart raced.
Then Jared, a young wolf with a defiant yet pallid face, moved forward. His voice trembled as he confessed, “It was me.”
The hall reverberated with gasps. Beside me, Kane stiffened, his gaze tightening.
“What did you do?” With a low, menacing voice, Kane commanded.
Jared admitted, “I told Damon where you’d be.” He put my family in danger. I had no other option!
“No option?” My voice shook with rage as I spoke. “You deceived us. My child was betrayed by you!
“I apologize!” Jared collapsed to his knees in tears. “I didn’t anticipate him going this far. Please pardon me.
Chaos ensued in the room. While some begged for mercy, others insisted that Jared be punished. My chest constricted with anger and betrayal, I turned to face Kane.
We don’t have time for this,” I gritted my teeth and replied. “With each argument we lose, Damon gets one step closer to completing the ritual.”
Kane’s jaw tightened as he nodded. There was no space for debate in his tone when he stated, “We’ll deal with him later.”
After the meeting was over, Kane and I withdrew to a private area to discuss our next course of action.
Spreading a chart over the table, Kane declared, “We must enter Damon’s stronghold.” “This is a secret passage, but it’s heavily guarded.” He indicated a slender path that led into the mountains.
“It’s dangerous,” I remarked while looking at the map. “But we have no other option.”
Kane’s steady stare locked on mine. “Are you certain you can handle this?”
“I must be,” I answered, my voice hardened with resolve. “For our kid.”
We mapped out every aspect of our plan while working late into the night. There was disagreement among the group; some wanted to join us, while others urged against taking any further chances.
Emily, a powerful warrior who had been with us from the beginning, stated, “Melissa, you’re not alone in this.” “We’ll battle you.”
Although her remarks gave me optimism, I knew that Kane and I would bear the brunt of the responsibility in the end.
A strange image seized me as I lay down to slumber, fatigue tugging at me.
My surroundings dimmed and gave way to a chilly, gloomy room. Damon was standing in the middle, holding the brilliant flower when I looked at him. Power echoed in his voice as he shouted an incantation.
I saw the essence of my child fragile and fluttering like a candle in the wind-at the centre of a circle of dark energy that swirled around him.
“No!” I screamed, but the emptiness drowned out my voice.
With his eyes fixed on mine as though he could see me through the vision, Damon turned. With a sly grin on his lips, he continued, “Melissa, it’s too late.” “I shall possess the goddess’ power.”
I was out of breath after the vision broke. In a moment, Kane was behind me, supporting me with his hands.
“What is it?” he inquired, his expression displaying worry.
I trembled as I whispered, “I saw him.” “He’s carrying out the custom. Our kid We’re running out of time, Kane.
Kane’s eyes were burning with resolve as his jaw tensed. Then, he added, “We move now.”
I took his hand and nodded. “We’ll prevent him. We must.
However, the impact of Damon’s remarks continued to weigh on me as we got ready to depart. Was it too late already?
As Kane and I ventured out into the night, the chill air stinging our skin, the sanctuary appeared to hold its breath. The chances were against us, and the road ahead was perilous. However, there was no going back. I could still hear Damon’s voice, a terrifying reminder of what was at risk.
My determination increased with every step. I would do whatever it took to save my child. But I had a question in the back of my mind: what if Damon was correct? But what if it was too late already?