Declan steps forward to block his view of her. “Yet you want to make a deal?” he states.
“Who hasn’t made a deal with a centuries old individual of questionable moral standards and motives?” he asks, quirking an eyebrow.
The entire pack, with the exception of Salena and Logan, raises their hands.
“Well, then.” Penn chuckles, looking back at me. “Kai, do we have a deal?”
Without hesitation, I step forward and shake his hand. “Deal.”
“Good. Get in the car,” Penn orders coldly and devoid of any emotion. “We will take you to the creature who helped Ashwiyaa through the gate. If youdon’t find her, you will remain trapped in the fae realm. I have no way to get you back.”
The weight of his words hangs in the air, heavy and oppressive, like a veil that threatens to suffocate us all. My heart skips a beat, the reality of the situation sinking in with brutal clarity. The warning is clear: this isn’t a rescue mission with guarantees. It’s a gamble—with everything on the line.
“You said nothing about being trapped!” Salena’s voice cuts through the tension, sharp and filled with fury. She storms forward, her eyes blazing with anger, and without hesitation, she shoves Penn in the chest. The force of her push is fueled by desperation and fear, emotions that have been simmering just beneath the surface this whole time, now boiling over in the face of Penn’s callous indifference.
Penn barely budges, but the shock of her outburst registers in his eyes for the briefest of moments. Before he can respond, Logan is already in motion, wrapping Salena in his arms and pulling her away from Penn. Salena struggles against him, but Logan holds her tight, murmuring something soothing in her ear.
“Let go of me!” Salena snaps, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear, but Logan doesn’t release her. Instead, he tightens his hold, pressing his lips to the top of her head.
“Salena, stop,” Logan whispers, his voice steady, but there’s an edge to it, a quiet plea that only someone who knows him well could hear.
I walk over to my sister and step between her and Penn, blocking her view of him. “I’ll be fine.”
Salena’s eyes meet mine, and I can instantly see the fear reflected in them. “You better,” she chokes out. “I can’t lose you.”
Logan releases her, and she immediately throws her arms around me, holding on tight.
Penn, ever the composed one, straightens his jacket, his expression neutral once again, as if nothing happened.
“You mean something to her, all of you do, so I won’t take offense at your behavior,” he rumbles, a ripple of scales forming over the exposed skin on his neck.
Salena growls and Mercy snorts, coming to stand beside her. “How nice of you.”
Penn stares at Mercy for a long moment as if he only just realized she was here. Mercy glares back at him and crosses her arms in defiance.
“And you are?” he asks.
Mercy scoffs and looks to the side. “None of your damn business.”
I look around at the faces illuminated by the setting sun. This is more than a pack; it’s family. The connection we share is palpable, a web of loyalty, trust, and love that binds us together more tightly than any blood ties ever could. But there’s someone missing, and I will do everything in my power to bring her back.
Penn looks like he’s going to say something, but we don’t have time for this. I stroll past him toward the SUV. “Let’s go.”
I don’t wait to see if he follows as I climb into the backseat.
Chapter fourteen
Ashwiyaa
“Oh, so you want to battle?”
Eight days earlier.
I crouch low behind a fallen tree, the rough bark pressing against my back as I scan the dense forest. The shadows between the trees seem to shift and writhe, as if alive with the same evil presence that has been pursuing my every step since I first set foot in this cursed place. My fingers tighten around the hilt of my dagger, the blade a small comfort in the face of the unknown threat that stalks me. I close my eyes for a moment, forcing myself to focus, to block out the pounding of my heart and the rush of adrenaline that threatens to cloud my judgment.
The forest is thick with the sounds of life—leaves rustling, branches creaking, the distant calls of night creatures—but underneath it all, there’s something else. A subtle, almost imperceptible movement in the underbrush, a whisper of breath that isn’t my own. I tune in, straining to separate the ordinary from the unnatural, searching for the telltale sign that will give away the one hunting me. But this dead forest is skilled at deception, hiding its secrets in plain sight.
Ever since I crossed into the Outlands, I’ve felt the weight of that presence, lurking just out of sight, its gaze heavy on my back. Knowing I’m being hunted gnaws at me, the pressure coiling tighter with every second that ticks by. I know it’s only a matter of time before whatever it is makes its move.
