CHAPTER 189: CHAPTER 189

[SAMANTHA’s Point of View]

“What the f*ck is that...”

I leaned closer to get a good look at the thing lying in the middle of the tomb.

It wasn’t a body. I had expected to see my mother’s body here so that I could bring her back to the family graveyard where she and my dad are buried. My heart broke into a thousand pieces as I looked away and buried my face in my husband’s chest. Dominic knew the pain and disappointment I suffered as I stopped the sobs from emerging from my throat. I felt his hard, calloused hands on the back of my head as he caressed my hair.

He knew my heart very well.

[I’m sorry, love.] He whispered to me through our mate bond.

“What is that thing?”

Killian tilted his head to the side in curiosity and then stepped closer to the tomb. But Lord Markis stopped him as he blocked Killian from getting anywhere near the sarcophagus with a grave look on his face.

“I heard your deal, creature.” Lord Markis gave Killian a grave look. Despite his age, his glare still looked lethal. Dominic and I could tell that the old man was still dangerous if provoked. “Step aside and let the Silver Crescent Alpha and his Luna take a first look inside.”

Pissed, Killian moved aside but glared back at the old man. He gestured for us to get to the tomb first as he waited behind us with his arms folded on his chest, looking tense and impatient.

I understood how scared Killian was if we ever had to take the thing away from this place. It was his pack and Brianne that were in danger in the hands of Olivia and the darklings. I could sense that he was ready to attack once Dominic chose to take the thing with us.

Which made me nervous and scared that one of them wouldn’t be able to get out of this place alive.

When Dominic and I looked down, we hesitated to take the thing from the middle of the tomb, scared that something terrible might happen or it might trigger something that would bury us alive in this building, just like what happened when we were in the Ancient Library. As soon as Dominic saw the anxiety flash on my face, he was the one to reach for the thing and then gave it to me.

“You worked hard for this, love. You should be the one to open this.”

“I thought—”

“I know... I know you are expecting to see your Mom’s body here, my love. And I’m sorry,” Dominic whispered to me, full of sadness in his eyes, as he kissed me on the top of my head and then held me against him. “We will find her, love. We will find the body of your Mom and bring her back.”

That promise Dominic made brought warmth to my chest, making me realize more how I needed him beside me, especially in times like this. I gazed into his solemn eyes, and then I felt his hand hold mine as he slowly lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of it.

I was about to get the scroll from the Tomb, but Killian stopped me as he grabbed my hand before my fingers touched it.

“They’re here...” Killian snarled so softly I barely heard him. Dominic shot Killian a deadly glare, as if threatening the MoonStone Alpha to let go of my hand, but Killian refused, continuing, his voice nervous and worried, “We have to leave or we will all die here!”

“Are you f*cking insane?! We haven’t opened that g*dd*mned scroll yet—”

Killian’s eyes remained fixed on my face, as if pleading with me that we needed to leave or we would all die—the MoonStone pack would be annihilated, and worst of all, Olivia would certainly kill Brianne for Killian’s treachery.

“Please, Samantha...”

I looked at Lord Markis, who was just staring at the three of us. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Cold sweat ran down Killian’s face as he refused to let go of my hand and kept on ignoring Dominic’s threats.

He was scared. I felt it as his fingers trembled against my skin.

I lowered my eyes and then bit my lip hard, hating that we had to let go of this chance for Killian, but I never wanted to be the reason he would lose everything. I never wanted to be that kind of monster to the man who helped me when no one did.

Dominic’s eyes widened in disbelief as I looked at him and turned away from the Wolf Tomb. “Killian is right. We can’t risk it. Although Olivia cannot enter the mausoleum, I am confident that she will surround this location with her shadow werewolves, leaving us no opportunity to escape. I don’t want any of us to die in here, Dominic. I want to go back to our kids. We can’t die and leave them in a situation like this. They need us both. We have to protect them, and that means we have to stay alive no matter what. For them.”

The expression on my husband’s face softened as he heard me plead, realizing that we indeed needed to secure our safety first. I continued. "What is the point of all this effort if we are both going to die in here anyway?"

He gave Killian a cold look, but all the tension on his shoulders was no longer there. “I understand.” Dominic sighed heavily. “So what are we going to do now? Just leave this thing here?”

The three of us looked at Lord Markis, hoping he would give us some advice, but the old man just raised both of his brows and then shrugged his shoulders. “I am just here to solve the problem with the lock, young Alpha.”

Killian scoffed, looking so pissed as he murmured something, like cursing the old man under his breath.

“Okay,” I said nervously, not sure if what I was thinking would work, but we didn’t have enough time anymore to discuss any other plans. “So this is what we’re going to do. We are going to leave the scroll here. Olivia can’t get inside without Killian’s help, so Killian, please pretend that you just arrived and were searching for the key but were unable to find it. Now that we have the key and know how to open the Tomb, we still have the advantage against them. Killian, we will keep the key, if that is okay with you?”

“I’m sorry, Killian, but we can’t trust you with it.” Dominic closed the lid of the tomb, automatically closing it as he took away the cube key. Mechanical sounds followed, and the tomb was sealed shut again.

Lord Markis sighed, which made my brows furrow. I knew how frustrating it was, but he knew we had no choice.

“You have to lie to Olivia for the sake of everyone you love, Killian. Do you think you can hide things from her? Can she read your mind or invade your thoughts in any way? Do you think she’ll know if you lie to her?” I asked anxiously as I felt my heartbeat growing hard and fast against my chest, knowing that anytime, the shadow werewolves would be coming, and we wouldn’t be able to stop them this time if they ever caught us all here.

“I’ll handle this,” Killian patted me on the shoulder, and I saw how my husband’s eyes darkened once again as he glared at Killian’s hand, slightly squeezing me there. “Just make sure you find a way to get out of this place, Sam.”

I nodded, worried for his safety as well. “Stay safe, Killian. Brianne is still waiting for you in the Pack Manor. She still has faith that you will come back for her. You have to be careful; make sure Olivia won’t find out that you are not completely under her control.”

Killian smiled solemnly at me, and I was surprised when he pulled me into a tight embrace. I was scared Dominic would send the MoonStone Alpha flying against the wall, but he let Killian embrace me as I saw that soft, sympathetic look on his face while he looked at us.

“You be careful as well. Thank you for all your understanding, Sam.” Killian pushed gently away from me and then gave me that grave look on his face again. “Now go. While she isn’t here yet. I can’t let her detect your presence here.”

“How about you, old man?” Killian asked when he turned to Lord Markis. “Are you going with them?

“Don’t ask me, young Alpha. I am the guardian of this place. I am not leaving it,” the old man said as I noticed how he started to look transparent against the background. “Without me, you are never going to open the Tomb, even with the key.”

He was right. I remembered he murmured words to the key before it worked to open the sarcophagus.

“Good luck, Killian.” I embraced my friend for the last time before I took my husband’s hand, who was ready to lead me out of this place. “Please don’t die.”

“I won’t. I’m hard to kill and you know that,” Killian smirked, but I knew there was fear in him.

Dominic gave the MoonStone Alpha one final nod of goodbye before he pulled me to him and went straight to the exit of the mausoleum.

We need a new plan to make this all work.