CHAPTER 188: CHAPTER 188

[SAMANTHA’s Point of View]

“How are you going to do that? Do you know how to read these scripts?” Dominic asked, as desperation was hinted at in his voice. “Do you know how to open the Wolf Tomb?”

We waited for him to answer, but the old man seemed to turn into a statue and then leaned on the wooden staff he was holding. He closed his eyes, and not a minute passed before Dominic Killian and I heard the old man snoring.

“Are you f*cking kidding me?!” Killian’s eyes widened with disbelief and rage. “Is he—is he sleeping while he’s standing?!”

Dominic sighed helplessly as he shook his head and dropped his face into the palm of his hand. “Just as I expected.”

“What do you mean?!” I asked my husband, confused. “What is happening here, Dominic?”

“It’s his habit.” Dominic suppressed a smile on his face as he rested his hands on his hips and then kicked a small rubble on the cemented floor. "He tends to sleep anywhere, regardless of the situation, when he gets really tired. And with his old age, talking like that probably exhausted him easily.”

“So you are saying, after telling us all that he is here to help, he’s still useless?!” Killian grumbled, dragging sharply his long fingers through his dark, unruly hair.

“I guess we can’t rely on him that much,” Dominic said as he grabbed the scroll from the floor and then started studying it. “But you should be thankful to him; I don’t have the urge to kill you anymore.”

Killian’s shoulders relaxed at what Dominic had said, and then, frustratingly, he sighed as he looked at me, concerned at the fear that showed on my face. "Yeah, I guess my urge to kill you has also disappeared." We just need to focus on what should be done. I have no idea how much time is left for us until Olivia is here, but fine. I will let you look at whatever is inside that Wolf Tomb.”

“Look?” Dominic’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean, look? We are taking whatever—”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” I stepped again between them as I sensed another argument was brewing between the two. “We have no idea what is inside the Tomb yet, but Killian was right. We can look, Dominic. Then we can return it to make Olivia believe that the object has not been tampered with. Besides, she is not allowed to get in her or any of her darklings. So she can only rely on Killian to get whatever is inside the Tomb. That way, Killian doesn’t have to worry that Olivia would threaten the MoonStone Pack or Brianne. We still have the advantage of knowing what is inside before Olivia does.”

“Will that work?” Killian asked, not certain of the plan I had made. “I am not sure if Olivia will find out if you came here first before them.”

“You should supposed to know. Aren’t you and her darklings, like, connected? I know it because of how calculated all your moves are.” Dominic commented, giving Killian a suspicious look. “It makes me even wonder if they already know you are here with us.”

“No. I am different from them.” Killian answered, ignoring the disdain evident in Dominic’s tone. I found out that I am not connected to any of them—that I am not part of the network. It’s like I had a trace of darkness within me, telling me I was part of them, but not completely. If Olivia had complete control over me, I wouldn’t be able to get inside this building either.”

“Killian is right. If he could get inside this mausoleum, then Olivia would be able to as well. But it seemed Olivia had to threaten Killian to get whatever was inside the Tomb, knowing she couldn’t. She terrorizes Killian to destroy the MoonStone Pack and Brianne so she can manipulate his every move to make him do everything she wants.”

The MoonStone Alpha hated that fact and sighed as he averted his eyes from Dominic. After hearing everything I said, Dominic’s expression softened, and then he faced me and Killian, looking calmer.

“I understand. But just as I said, I am doing this for my family—for you, Samantha. And I am not negotiating unless it gives us an advantage in the situation. If it’s something that we can take back after we find out what it is, then we can make the deal. But if it’s something we need to take with us, then I won’t hesitate to fight you to the death if it means it would save Samantha and the kids.”

Dominic’s eyes glowed with seriousness as he declared his willingness to kill Killian if necessary, a statement that left me feeling uneasy. Dominic was right. We were prepared to set the world on fire if it meant Devon and Diana would stay safe and alive.

“Okay,” Killian let out a heavy sigh and then looked at the old man who was still snoozing in front of us. “Do any of you want to wake up that old man so we can figure out how to open the d*mn thing?”

Dominic looked as if he was hesitating to do it. He must have had a memory of waking the guy up and getting a good beating after doing it. “I am not sure we still need his help. I have a feeling Samantha has to do with it. To make this scroll reveal what it wants to say.”

“What do you mean?” Killian frowned, looking very impatient already. “The old guy just said he knows how to open the tomb!”

“Look...” Dominic showed the scroll to us as he opened it. I moved closer to Dominic’s right side, while Killian remained cautious on his left side, as the three of us studied the patterns in the scroll.

“It looks familiar—”

“Exactly.” My husband answered. This print is the same pattern that was engraved on the door of the Ancient Library, my love.” His eyes softened as he turned to me, a little smile on his face. “If this print has the same pattern, it will reveal to us what this scroll means, like you opened that library door.”

“You mean I have to cut myself and bleed on it?” I asked, biting my lower lip hard.

My husband’s eyes darkened at the thought, but he nodded as he murmured, “Yes. I’m sorry, but I guess this is the only way, love.”

Killian’s face went pale, not liking the idea, and yet he knew there was no other way. “I hate it when you and the kids have to cut yourselves just to open or reveal these c*rsed things. I’m really sorry, Sam.”

“It’s not a problem. I can heal in a minute anyway.” I smiled nervously as I breathed through my teeth and then looked for something sharp in the basement. I found a sharp, pointed stone and, without a warning, stabbed my hand with it.

Domonic and Killian were shocked at what I did, and all the blood in my husband’s face drained. He murmured breathlessly; his eyes were full of dread as he watched that hole in the middle of my palm. “Goddess, love. At least give me time to get ready before you do that.”

“There is no time,” I grimaced as I curled my wounded hand into a fist, squeezing the blood to drip on the scroll. “What are you doing?! Spread open the d*mn thing!”

Dominic and Killian perplexedly spread the scroll in front of me as I squeezed my blood out and dripped it on the paper.

My eyes widened. My husband was right. My blood glowed as the patterns in the scroll illuminated gold, revealing the lines and symbols that were identical to the doors of the ancient library. Killian couldn’t look anymore. The gilded brightness in front of him blinded his purple glowing eyes so much that he had to step back. He repeatedly exclaimed that the light burned his eyes.

Dominic and I watched how it manifested into something like a golden orb of light until it took on a solid shape—like a cube. A key.

Dominic was about to snatch the thing as it floated in midair in front of us, but there was a faster hand that grabbed the cube away from me and my mate.

“WHAT THE—”

“I can take it from here.”

I glared at the old guy who held the cube and started walking towards the stairs. Dominic was swift and blocked the way, not letting Lord Markis take the cube from us. Dominic snarled, “Give it back to us!”

“You can’t open the Tomb without my help, young Alpha,” Lord Markis grinned as he tossed the cube in his hand like it was a toy. “I know the password to open it. Do you?”

“How the f*ck are we all sure that you are not trying to deceive us?!” Killian growled. “We don’t trust you, old man!”

“What? Like how you deceived them?” Lord Markis retorted to Killian. “I know what you are, young man. If only I didn’t know that you are close to the Luna of my Alpha, I would have already killed you on sight.”

Killian grimaced and swallowed hard at what the old man said. Lord Markis raised both of his brows and then asked. “So? What are you three waiting for there? Are you coming to watch me open the Tomb, or do you have other plans?”

Dominic held my hand and then stared at me as if asking me to have faith in the old former Beta. Since we had no choice, all three of us followed him straight to the Tomb as the old man murmured something to the tomb after he inserted the cube into the slot that had the same shape as it, followed by mechanical sounds as the whole building quaked. Dominic’s arms wrapped around me, making sure I won’t fall on the floor.

Then the tomb opened, making all our eyes widen in disbelief.