He stood in front of the bodies, heaving angrily. He had no remorse as he watched the blood pool on the floor. The only thing going through his mind now was getting to everyone else. He needed to find Hunter and Jin.
As the last witch quit breathing, the door behind Chasen was torn down, the magic having died with them. He turned to see Winston and Ander run up and look over the dead bodies.
Damn, Chasen, you don’t mess around.Winston wagged his tail as he panted happily, glad to see he was okay.
No time to celebrate. We have to find the others.Chasen turned and proceeded to the next door. The faster they eliminated the enemy, the better. He just hoped they weren’t getting more tangled in a dangerous web.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Hunter walked down a long corridor, a crimson runner covering the wooden floor. The walls had pictures of witches of the past, an occasional wall-mounted candle hanging between them. He lifted his nose, trying to smell something … anything but the burning incense. But it was no use. The strong smell was heavy throughout the entire upstairs floor, dulling their senses. Caden trotted up to Hunter’s side, feeling uncomfortable about the situation.
At the end of the hall, the corridor ended in a fork, branching left and right. Hunter looked in both directions, his wolf trying once again to smell the air in vain. He looked down each hall as he debated which direction to take.
We aren’t splitting up, so that better not even be a thought in your head,Caden said as his wolf looked up at his alpha. He promised Lita and Asher he would look out for their son, and that was exactly what he was going to do. He was worried about Sam, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it at the moment. For now, he would protect their alpha.
Honestly, the thought did cross Hunter’s mind, but he was afraid of what would happen to Caden if there was trouble andhe was on his own. They would be stronger together, and he had to keep his pack safe.
Caden, look!Hunter tilted his head toward the end of the hall on their right. At the very end, a light flickered in the darkness of another room, beckoning them to come that way.
As if a trap couldn’t get more obvious.Caden snorted and shook his head.
We already know this whole place is a trap, yet we’re still here.Hunter looked down at his father’s old beta. There was no turning back now. They were here to finish things, and they were in way too deep.
Where are the witches that were supposed to be our backup?Caden turned his head back and growled.
Hunter looked backward. He was right. The witches never followed them inside. He was under the impression that a couple of witches would be with each group just in case, and yet his were not with them. He wondered if the other witches had stayed with their groups. If not, why? Were they waiting to see if they were needed? It seemed more like someone had told them not to enter the manor. No matter. They would take care of whoever was in their way, even without their aid.
Stay alert,Hunter growled to his pack as they quietly began to make their way toward the light. He knew it was a trap. They knew he knew it was a trap. What were they planning?
Jin made it to the bottom of the stairs, with Sam staying protectively at her side, since the others had run off without them. She peered into the dimly lit room. The basement was cold, the floors and the walls both made of stone. A small light bulb flickered against the wall, lighting up parts of theunderground space. The floor had old blood stains splattered in certain areas, and black mold grew from the dampness. Jin’s stomach turned as she looked around, sensing the place’s dark intent. Whatever had happened down here had left an ominous feeling in the air.
She looked up, trying to locate the pack of wolves. She walked toward the end of the room where there was another door that had been broken down, Sam’s fur brushing against her as he stayed close. At this moment, they only had each other. The rest of their group had blindly run off into who knows what.
Loud whimpers soon echoed off the stone walls. Jin licked her bottom lip and looked down at Sam. He had his ears up, twitching back and forth as he listened to the painful cries. They didn’t know what they were walking into, but they had to help. Another loud yelp echoed through the space, and Jin squeezed her fists and looked ahead in determination. Whatever was happening, it was up to her and Sam now. She hurried to the doorway and looked inside.
Her mouth fell open as her breath caught in her throat. Wolves were sprawled across the floor, whimpering in pain, while two witches glowered at the one wolf left standing. Tony stood between his pack and the witches on shaky legs. One of the witches raised her hand, ready to land another blow on the wolf.
“Enough!” Jin yelled as she ran in front of Tony, with Sam at her side. He snarled at the witches, but their focus was on Jin, whom they seemed quite curious about.
One of the witches tilted her head, looking at her. “Well, whose side are you on, demon?”
Jin’s eyes widened. “Wait, what?” Jin shot a confused glance at Sam, then back at the two witches.
“You can drop the act already,” the other witch said in minor annoyance. “You’re in the way, so if you could stand aside.”
Jin narrowed her gaze on the witches. “How long has it been since you sold your souls to the demons, or more specifically, Leoric?”
The witch to the left let a cruel smile raise over her lips. “I’d say it was the day Meryl told the demons where the dhampir lived.”
Jin gasped, raising a hand up over her mouth. “What?” she whispered.
The other witch chuckled. “And since when does a demon work with werewolves?”
“You’re the ones responsible for … so the reason our parents are dead now is because …” Jin felt a fire light inside of her. Her parents’ location was also disclosed, because it was so close to Freja’s. They’d both lost their parents because of them. Jin looked down at her hands, and something warm splattered over them.
She looked at the sticky liquid, and her eyes shot up in shock. The two witches slumped onto the floor, the life fading from their eyes. Blood trickled from their mouths and from the stakes that were lodged into their chests.
“I figured as much.” Freja hopped in front of Jin and stared at the two lumps on the floor. She turned to fully face Jin. “It’s okay. I figured Meryl was the one behind disclosing our location.” She reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder. “They aren’t worth you soiling yourself over.”
