CHAPTER 115: CHAPTER 115: RUNNING THROUGH THE WOODS

The night was dark, and the forest stretched wide and endless, but the sound of paws thundering against the ground filled the silence. Two massive black wolves darted forward at a frightening speed.

Their fur rippled like shadows, their grey eyes burning bright, and they were followed by their loyal warriors. Together they ran in one straight line, cutting through the woods without pause.

The branches snapped under their weight, the wind howled in their ears, and still, Aeron did not slow down. His heart was heavy, his mind sharp. He had not looked back once since leaving the Midnight Pack. He only pushed forward, his paws striking the earth harder and faster, carrying them all further away.

But even in the rush, he noticed something. His brother was silent. Normally, Luca would say something, at least a word or two, but now he ran with his head low, his eyes clouded, and his breath heavy. The silence worried Aeron more than the danger they had left behind.

Through the mind link, Aeron sent his voice, low and steady. "Are you all right to come? I did not even ask you what happened back there. I know I should have, but there was no time. We had to leave that place immediately."

For a moment, there was no answer. The pounding of paws and the rushing wind filled the space between them. Then, finally, Luka’s voice came back through the link.

"I am all right. Nothing happened."

But his voice carried no strength, only the weight of something unsaid. Aeron felt it, but he did not press further. His jaw tightened, his steps grew faster, but he kept his silence. He trusted his brother, and if Luca wanted to hide his pain for now, he would not break him open.

Behind his calm words, Luca was drowning in his own thoughts. His mind drifted away from the forest, away from the running, and back into the darkness of his memories. The dream he had seen after losing consciousness haunted him again; only now every detail was sharp, clear, and undeniable.

Then he remembered her. Selene.

He remembered the moment, the power, and the helplessness that crushed him. The way her magic wrapped around his body like invisible chains, stripping him of strength, stealing his will. He had not been able to fight, not even lift a finger, while she slipped away before his eyes.

And now, with the memories returning fully, there was no more doubt. The girl was Selene. She had been the one. She had used magic on him, forced him into unconsciousness, and made him weak when he should have chased her.

Pain knifed through his chest as the realization deepened. She had used something like him on, so he would not give her a chase. Did she despise him that much that she could not even bear a second with them?

The bond in his blood screamed with the truth of it. The emotions he had buried for so long—the hate, the anger, the betrayal—all came rushing back. But tangled in that storm were other feelings, feelings he did not want but could not deny. Closeness, longing, the desperate ache of someone tied to his soul.

He should have hated her for what she had done, but he found himself incapable of hating her now. When he found her past, he found her childhood. He knew there must be something that had forced her. He was willing to believe her.

But the point is she despised them so much that she would rather hide all her life than face them. Then how the hell would he make her realize his longing?

The forest roared around him, but inside, Luca felt only the quiet tearing of his own chest. His paws kept moving, carrying him forward, but his thoughts were trapped in the past.

Luka’s chest felt tight as another thought pressed on him. He knew well what that meant. To use magic against her mate would leave a backlash on her soul.

The thought of it made his heart grow heavy with worry. What had happened to her after he lost consciousness? Did she escape safely? Or had something worse happened to her? The questions spun inside his head, each one twisting his chest with more anxiety.

He wanted to speak, to tell Aeron everything that burned inside him, but when he looked at his brother’s back—strong and unyielding even in his wolf form—he stopped himself. Aeron was already carrying too much. His silence spoke of his own pain, and Luca did not want to add to it.

In truth, he knew. Aeron had seen her too, before she slipped away. Aeron had realized the same truth as him—that she was Selene, because he had mind-linked him.

They both carried the same wound, the same sadness, and the same unspoken despair. To bring it up now would only make the weight heavier.

So they stayed silent, their paws striking the earth in the same rhythm, their breaths echoing in the still night air. Both brothers knew the thoughts running inside the other’s mind.

Both knew the sorrow behind the other’s eyes. But they did not speak of it. They chose instead to hold their pain close, protecting each other from more grief.

Yet, inside, they made a silent vow. They would find her. No matter how far, no matter how long it would take, they would bring her back. They would not let her slip away again.

As the wind rushed past their fur and the trees blurred around them, their hearts screamed the same words—we will get her back.

Strangely, in the middle of their torment, there was also a flicker of relief. For the past year, they had lived in darkness, unable to even confirm if she was alive or dead. Now, finally, they had a sign, a trace, a truth to hold onto. She was alive. She had been there. That was enough to ignite hope inside them, hope that had almost died.

But another matter pressed on their minds. Kael.

For nearly a year, Kael had been gone, hardly returning to the pack, roaming far and wide in search of her. His absence had left them weaker, but they never called him back because they believed his search was their only chance.

Now things had changed. Now they had a clue, and Kael had to return. He had to come back to them, to stand with them, to know that their mate had finally shown herself again.

The two brothers ran faster, their warriors close behind, the sound of paws thundering through the woods. They did not speak, but their hearts were united, their thoughts the same—find her, bring Kael and Lucian back, and never let her go again.