CHAPTER 130: YOUNG LILITH II

*~Young Lilith’s POV~*

The moment I stepped inside the cave, the stench hit me first..thick, metallic, rotten. My stomach lurched, and before my eyes could adjust to the shadows, I froze.

Bodies....Witches.

Dead witches sprawled across the cave floor, their lifeless eyes reflecting the torchlight.

A strangled scream tore from my throat as I stumbled back, slamming into my father. "Dad! Dad! Witches! Witches!" My voice cracked, shaking with panic.

But instead of pulling me away, instead of protecting me, he shoved me forward.

Rough hands caught me before I could fall—old wolves, their grips iron-strong. My eyes widened in horror. "Dad! Dad!" I screamed again, but the cave door slammed shut with a finality that crushed the last thread of hope in me.

My wolf stirred inside me, her growl a low vibration of fear and fury. I reached for her, desperate to awaken fully, to fight—but before I could, something sharp pricked through my veins. My chest tightened. My vision blurred. The world tilted sideways, and then—nothing.

Darkness.

When I woke, my body was heavy, weak, as though the life had been drained from my bones. My wrists and ankles burned where thick ropes dug into my skin. I tried to move, but the binds were too tight. Panic flared when I realized the worst part—my wolf was silent. Gone.

"No, no, no..." I whispered, twisting against the chair. But she didn’t answer me.

Blinking through the haze, I turned my head and froze again. I wasn’t alone.

Young wolves like me were tied to chairs, lining the cavern in a grim, silent circle. Some were unconscious, their heads hanging forward, while others shifted restlessly, their eyes wide with fear.

And one of them was crying.

A girl with flaming red hair and striking green eyes sobbed uncontrollably, her screams bouncing against the stone walls. The sound clawed at my nerves. I swallowed hard, trying to calm my own rising panic.

But then one of the older wolves snapped. He stormed across the room, his face twisted with anger, and struck her hard across the cheek. The crack echoed in the cave.

She fell silent instantly, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

My stomach turned. Fear gripped me so tightly it was hard to breathe. Stay calm, Lilith. Stay calm, I whispered to myself, but the words felt hollow.

And then the cave doors opened again.

Two wolves dragged more bodies inside. Not witches this time—wolves. Dead wolves.

The stench hit me before the sight did, and when I saw their mangled, lifeless forms tossed across the floor, my composure shattered.

I screamed inwardly "Dead wolves!"

The sound echoed into the darkness, but no one came to save me.

I was terrified, but I forced myself to grip down on that fear. No time to be scared, Lilith. Time to be smart.

And then—he came back.

My disgusting father.

He entered the cave again, wolves at his side like shadows, and my blood ran cold. I straightened in my chair, biting back the tremor in my lips, and fixed him with the hardest glare I could muster.

He didn’t look at me. Not once.

The group of them circled together, speaking in low voices, their words too hushed to catch. And when they were done, they left. Just like that. My father walked out without a single glance in my direction.

I wanted to scream at him, to rip his name from my throat and demand answers—but I knew if I did, I’d end up like the red-haired girl with blood on her mouth. So I swallowed the scream.

One wolf came forward after they left and began untying us, one by one. Relief flickered inside me, but it didn’t last long. The moment the ropes were gone, I realized how weak we all were—too weak to fight, too weak to even run. My body felt like lead.

I dragged myself toward the redhead, who still sat trembling. Blood stained her lips, her green eyes wide with fear. Kneeling in front of her, I reached out and clasped her hand.

"I want to go home," she whispered, voice breaking. "My mom brought me here. My mom brought me here..." Her whole body shook.

"Shh." I squeezed her hand tighter, forcing calm into my voice. "It’ll be fine. I swear, it’ll be fine."

But the words felt empty even as I said them.

That was when a boy—one of the older wolves—stood up. His voice cut through the heavy silence. "Everyone calm down. We need to find an escape route. Now."

One by one, the unconscious began to stir, weak groans filling the air. Just as a fragile sliver of hope sparked... a sudden flash of light broke open the cave.

A cloaked figure appeared, hood drawn low, steps slow and deliberate. Instantly, our wolves stirred within us, instinctively barking, though none of us were strong enough to shift.

The boy who had spoken earlier squared his shoulders, glaring at the figure. His voice thundered, "Who the fuck are you? Why are you holding us here?"

The figure didn’t flinch. A deep, hollow voice rolled out instead:

"Stretch out your hands. We only need your blood tonight. Tomorrow... the ritual begins."

A chill swept through the cavern.

The boy growled and shifted, fur bursting forth as he transformed into a wolf. For a moment, strength and courage radiated from him. He lunged—

And then three arrows shot out of the darkness.

They pierced straight through him.

His wolf form collapsed mid-stride, crashing to the floor. Blood pooled beneath him as his body flickered back to human. Lifeless.

A collective gasp tore from our throats.

The cloaked figure turned back to us, voice low and merciless.

"Stretch your hands... or that will be your fate."

We obeyed. Instantly. Trembling, each of us held out our hands as the figure moved down the line. A sharp blade sliced skin after skin, blood dripping into a bowl carved with strange markings.

When it reached me, the knife kissed my palm. Pain stung, and my blood flowed. My vision blurred again, strength draining from me like water slipping through cracks.

As darkness swallowed me whole, only one thought burned through my chest:

I curse you, Father.