Chapter 71: Going After Her.
Luca stood at the edge, staring into the forest where Bella had disappeared. His hand still tingled where he’d touched her, the memory of her trembling against him sharp in his mind.
The stranger’s words, Moonblood. Awaken. One shall guard, one shall betray, one shall bleed, kept looping in his head, making his chest tight. He clenched his fists, trying to shake it off.
Behind him, Killian paced, his boots kicking up dirt. "We can’t just stand here," he snapped, his voice loud in the stillness. "That creep’s prophecy is messing with my head. We need to move."
Cassian, leaning against a tree, didn’t look up from the knife he was flipping in his hand. "Move where, Killian? Straight into Maren’s trap? You saw what happened. That guy wasn’t supposed to show up. We sealed the clearing before the ritual started."
"Sealed, my ass," Killian shot back. "He waltzed right in, dropped a prophecy, and touched her. Touched her. We screwed up, Cassian."
Luca turned, his jaw tight. "Enough. Fighting won’t help Bella. We did the pact. She’s stronger now. But she’s still in danger, and we’re wasting time."
Rafe sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes half-closed, like he was listening to something no one else could hear.
"The pact worked," he said quietly. "I felt it. Her wolf stirred. But the stranger... he wasn’t just a messenger. He’s part of this. Part of her."
Killian stopped pacing and glared at Rafe. "What’s that supposed to mean? You’re always talking in riddles. Spit it out."
Rafe opened his eyes, his gaze steady. "The prophecy isn’t just words. It’s a warning. One of us guards her. One betrays her. One bleeds for her. We’re tied to her now, deeper than we planned. The old wolf’s blessing comes with a price."
Luca’s stomach twisted. "What price?"
Rafe shrugged, but his expression was grim. "I don’t know yet. But the pact binds us to her fate. Whatever happens to her... we’ll feel it."
Cassian threw his hands up. "Great. So we’re stuck with some ancient curse, and Bella’s out there with demons probably sniffing her out already. Fantastic plan, guys."
Killian shook his head. "This wasn’t what I signed up for."
"Shut up, Killian," Luca said, his voice low but sharp. "You were all in that night. Don’t start whining now."
Killian rounded on him. "I’m not whining. I’m pissed. We did this to help her, and now we’re standing around while Maren’s got her claws aimed at Bella’s throat. We need to go after her. Now."
"And do what?" Cassian asked, pushing off the tree. "Storm the forest and get ourselves caught? Maren’s watching. You know she’s got eyes everywhere. We go in half-cocked, we’re no good to Bella. Or ourselves."
Luca nodded. "Cassian’s right. We can’t just charge in. The forest is Maren’s territory. She’s got demons, traps, maybe worse. We need a plan."
Killian snorted. "A plan? Luca, she’s alone out there. You felt the pact. You know what it did to us. She’s not ready for what’s coming."
Luca’s chest tightened. He could still feel her, Bella’s pulse, her fear, her strength, humming through the bond. "I know," he said quietly. "But we can’t help her if we’re dead."
Rafe stood, brushing dirt off his pants. "The bond’s strong. She’s not alone, not really. We’re with her, even from here. But Killian’s right about one thing... we need to move. The longer we wait, the more time Maren has to tighten her grip."
Cassian crossed his arms. "So what’s the play? Sneak into the forest, find Bella, and hope Maren doesn’t catch us? Or do we sit here and wait for her to come back in three days?"
"No waiting," Luca said firmly. "We go in. Tonight. Under cover of dark. But we do it smart."
Killian raised an eyebrow. "Smart how?"
Luca glanced at Rafe. "You know the forest better than any of us. Old paths, hidden routes. Can you get us in without tipping Maren off?"
Rafe nodded slowly. "There’s a way. Old smuggler’s trails, from before Maren’s time. They’re not watched as closely. But they’re not safe either. The forest... it’s alive. It’ll test us."
"Test us how?" Cassian asked, his tone skeptical.
Rafe’s eyes darkened. "It senses the pact. It’ll want to know if we’re worthy of her."
Killian laughed, short and bitter. "Worthy? I’m not here for a fairy tale, Rafe. I just want Bella alive."
"Then stop talking and listen," Luca snapped. "Rafe, map the route. Cassian, you take care of anything we need to survive three days. Killian, you’re with me. We’ll scout the forest’s edge, see if Maren’s got patrols."
Cassian raised a hand. "Hold up. What about the prophecy? That guy said one of us betrays her. You all heard it. We’re acting like we’re a team, but what if one of us..." He trailed off, his eyes flicking between them.
The air grew heavy. Luca’s gut churned. He wanted to shut the idea down, but the stranger’s words wouldn’t leave him. One shall betray her.
Killian’s face darkened. "You saying one of us is a traitor? Speak plainly, Cassian."
"I’m saying we don’t know what the pact did to us," Cassian shot back. "We’re tied to her now, but what if it’s messing with our heads? What if one of us isn’t as loyal as we think?"
Rafe’s voice was quiet but firm. "The pact doesn’t work like that. It binds us to her, not against her. If one of us betrays her, it’s not the pact’s doing. It’s our own choice."
Luca’s hands clenched. "No one’s betraying her. We made a vow. All of us."
Killian stepped closer, his eyes blazing. "You sure about that, Luca? You’re the one who was all in, forehead-to-forehead with her that night. Maybe you’re too close to see straight."
Luca’s temper flared. He stepped into Killian’s space, their chests nearly touching. "Say that again."
Killian didn’t back down. "You heard me. You’re acting like her knight, but what if you’re the one who screws this up? You’re not thinking clearly."
Cassian grabbed Killian’s shoulder, pulling him back. "Enough. We’re not doing this."
Luca’s pulse pounded, but he stepped back, forcing himself to breathe. "We’re all in this. No one’s turning on her. Or each other."
Rafe watched them, his expression unreadable. "The prophecy’s a warning, not a guarantee. We choose what happens next."
Before anyone could respond, a low growl rumbled from the trees. The air turned cold, and Luca’s skin prickled. He spun toward the sound, his wolf stirring under his skin.
"What the hell was that?" Killian muttered, his dagger already in hand.
Cassian’s eyes scanned the darkness. "One of Maren’s. Has to be."
Rafe tilted his head, listening. "That’s not a demon. It’s something else... older."
Luca’s heart raced. "Maren’s enforcer?"
Rafe shook his head. "No. This is... different. It’s not hers. It’s tied to the pact."
The growl came again, closer now. The trees rustled, and a figure stepped into the clearing. Not the stranger from that night, but another man.
"Who are you?" Luca demanded, stepping forward.
The man’s lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "You called the old wolf. Did you think he wouldn’t answer?"
Killian gripped his dagger tighter. "We didn’t call you."
"You spilled blood," the man said, his voice low and rough. "You woke the pact. Now it demands payment."
Cassian’s knife stopped flipping. "Payment? We already gave blood."
The man’s smile widened. "Blood opens the door. Loyalty keeps it shut. One of you isn’t what you seem."
Luca’s stomach dropped. "What do you want?"
The man’s eyes locked on him. "The pact binds you to her, but it also binds you to each other. One weak link, and it all falls apart. Prove your loyalty, or the forest takes you all."
Killian stepped forward, his voice hot. "Prove it how? Stop talking in riddles."
The man raised a hand, and the air shimmered. Shadows moved in the trees, circling the clearing. Luca’s wolf growled, itching to break free.
"You’ll face the trial," the man said. "In the forest. Find her, protect her, or lose her. And yourselves."
Cassian’s voice was steady, but his eyes were sharp. "And if we don’t?"
The man’s smile vanished. "Then the prophecy begins with your failure."
Luca’s pulse hammered. He could feel Bella through the bond, somewhere deep in the forest.
"We’re not failing her," he said, his voice hard. "We go in. Tonight."
The man nodded, like he’d expected nothing less. "Then prepare. The forest is waiting."
He stepped back, melting into the shadows. The air stilled, but the tension didn’t break.
Killian cursed under his breath. "I hate this cryptic bullshit."
Cassian sheathed his knife. "He’s not wrong, though. The pact changed us. I can feel her, even now. Can you?"
Luca nodded, his chest tight. "Yeah. She’s out there. Scared, but fighting."
Rafe’s voice was soft. "The trial’s real. The forest will test us. Not just our strength—our trust."
Killian snorted. "Trust? After that guy just said one of us might stab Bella in the back?"
Luca turned to him, his eyes hard. "No one’s betraying her. We’re in this together. You got a problem with that, say it now."
Killian held his gaze, then looked away. "I’m in. For her."
Cassian nodded. "Me too."
Rafe’s eyes met Luca’s. "We all are. But the forest will find our cracks. We need to be ready."
Luca took a deep breath, the bond pulling at him. Bella was out there, alone. But they’d made a vow, and he’d die before he broke it.
"Get ready," he said. "We move at dusk."