CHAPTER 192: SHADOWS AND MOONFIRE

Varen

The night air was thick with tension, the kind that crawled up your spine and made your wolf restless. Kiel’s impatience was practically a living thing on that boat — his voice cutting through the night like a blade as he yelled at the sailor to move faster.

I could feel the pressure rolling off him in waves, see the twitch in his jaw, the restless movement of his hands gripping the edge of the boat as though he could physically will it to move faster.

But there was something else there too — desperation.

I’d seen Kiel angry, stubborn, even reckless before. But this... this was different. This was the kind of fear that came from love. From the thought of losing the one thing your heart refused to let go of. Josie. Even her name felt like a storm sitting between us.

"Move faster, damn it!" Kiel shouted again, his voice low but harsh, his eyes blazing with that familiar mix of rage and pain.

I finally reached out, grabbing his arm before he could snap at the sailor again. My grip was firm — it had to be, because Kiel wasn’t one to take kindly to being stopped.

He turned to me with a glare sharp enough to draw blood. "What?"

"We can’t continue this way," I said, forcing my tone to stay even. "There must be another way to get there."

Kiel gave a short, humorless laugh. "What do you suggest, Varen? We can’t fly to the Shadow Pack."

His sarcasm was thick, but I ignored it. I turned to the sailor. "Steer us to the nearest shore."

The sailor hesitated, glancing between us as if seeking permission from the Alpha he feared most. Kiel’s growl answered that hesitation, low and dangerous. Still, the sailor did as I said — because somewhere deep down, even Kiel knew I wasn’t doing this to argue.

When the boat finally scraped against the rocky shore, I was the first to step off. The air was colder here, carrying the faint, metallic scent of the Shadow Pack’s territory not far away.

"I think we can get a horse from here," I said, scanning the dim path ahead.

Kiel scoffed. "A horse? You have to be joking. That’s slower than this damned boat."

"Not when I’m the one riding," I said simply.

He stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had. But I knew one thing for certain — speed meant nothing if you were heading in the wrong direction. And something about the pull of my instincts told me we were rushing straight into a trap.

"Fine," Kiel snapped. "Do whatever you want. You seem to think you know better anyway."

I ignored the sting in his tone and turned to the warriors. "Keep heading to the Shadow Pack. We’ll meet you there."

Then, without waiting for his approval, I moved deeper into the shore. The ground was damp under my boots, the air heavy with the scent of pine and rain-soaked soil. Kiel followed — reluctantly — muttering curses under his breath.

We hadn’t gone far when two grey wolves appeared on the path ahead, their eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. They shifted into human form — two men, both tall, lean, and wearing tattered clothes.

"We need horses," I told them. "We’ll pay."

They exchanged a glance before one of them smiled. It was a thin, deceitful thing. "We can help you," he said smoothly.

Kiel frowned beside me. "This feels wrong."

But before I could respond, the trap was sprung.

The men lunged — one from the front, one from the side — their movements too fast to be human. But they weren’t wolves either. I caught one’s wrist mid-strike, twisting sharply until a sickening crack filled the night. The other managed to slice at Kiel’s arm with a dagger before Kiel snarled and slammed him against a tree with enough force to splinter it.

When it was over, both men were groaning on the ground, their limbs bent in ways they shouldn’t be. I wiped the blood from my knuckles and turned to Kiel.

He was glaring at me, jaw clenched. "We wouldn’t be in this mess if you hadn’t had a brilliant idea, Varen."

I exhaled, forcing myself not to snap back. "I was trying to help."

"Help?" He laughed bitterly. "You mean you still don’t believe me. You think I’m imagining things — that Josie isn’t there. You’re just trying to make me look like a fool."

His words hit harder than I expected. I stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. "No. I don’t think you’re a fool, Kiel. I just think there’s another way to find her. And I have an idea."

He tensed beneath my touch but didn’t push me away. "What idea?"

"Instead of going to the Shadow Pack, we trace you — your bond to her. It’s stronger than any direction or map. If Josie’s really there, your energy will pull us straight to her."

Kiel’s brows drew together. "You think that’ll work?"

I gave him a small smile. "We won’t know until we try."

Before he could respond, a sharp pulse shot through my head — a mindlink. I froze, listening. One of the elders’ voices came through, trembling with panic.

Thorne’s losing consciousness.

My heart skipped. Calm down, I sent back firmly. Do what the seer instructed. I’ll return if—

If he dies, the prophecy dies with him! the voice interrupted, frantic.

I closed the link abruptly, my pulse quickening. When I looked up, Kiel was watching me, worry flickering in his eyes.

"What’s going on?" he asked.

"Thorne’s fading," I said quietly. "They’re trying to keep him alive."

Kiel hesitated, then said, "You should go back."

I shook my head immediately. "I’m not leaving you. Not when Josie might be within reach."

His expression softened for a brief moment before hardening again. "You’re stubborn as hell."

"Takes one to know one," I replied with a faint smirk.

The tension eased between us — just a little.

"Then what now?" he asked finally.

I looked toward the dark stretch of forest ahead, the moon faint behind the drifting clouds. "We shift," I said. "We’ll move faster that way — and if I’m right, the pull between you and Josie will be stronger in your wolf form."

Kiel’s frown deepened. "You want us to shift here?"

"Yes."

He hesitated. "Varen, this could be a wild chase. We could waste hours—"

"Trust me," I interrupted softly. "Just this once."

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. Then, with a frustrated sigh, he nodded. "Fine. Let’s do it."

The shift tore through me like lightning. My bones cracked, fur spilling over skin, the world sharpening into a symphony of scents and sounds. Beside me, Kiel’s wolf — a massive black beast with streaks of silver — emerged, snarling low as if challenging the night itself.

The moment the moon broke through the clouds, something happened.

A pull — sharp and unmistakable — yanked deep in my chest. My paws dug into the soil, my instincts roaring. Without thinking, we ran.

Through the trees. Over streams. Across uneven ground. The air grew colder, heavier. And then — suddenly — the world shifted.

A hut appeared ahead, nestled in the clearing, smoke curling faintly from its chimney.

I stopped abruptly, my heart hammering. Voices drifted from within — feminine, lilting, dangerous. The scent hit me next — not wolves. Witches.

We ducked behind a tree just as the door creaked open. A group of women stepped out, their robes black as the shadows themselves, their hands clutching staffs that pulsed faintly with magic. Their laughter was low and unsettling.

Kiel crouched low beside me, his fur bristling. What now?

I glanced at him. I’ll distract them. You go in.

He growled softly in protest. That’s suicide.

Maybe, I sent back. But it’s our best chance.

Before he could stop me, I prowled around to the other side of the clearing. The witches’ voices grew clearer — chanting something under their breath. My claws dug into the earth as I drew in a breath, then let out a long, guttural howl that tore through the silence.

The reaction was instant.

Every head snapped toward me. The air shimmered, their wands rising as faint glows ignited at their tips — white, violet, and sickly green.

"Catch him!" one of them shrieked.

Perfect.

I howled again — louder, fiercer — before darting away into the forest. My fur brushed against low branches as spells crackled behind me, lighting the trees with bursts of eerie color. Each step drew them farther from the hut.