Chapter 31 - Reckless Pursuit

  A howl tore through the night, raw and grieving, shaking the silence of the forest. It was a cry of sorrow, of loss, of defiance. It was a vow of revenge.

  Athena stood at the edge of the ravine, head lifted to the sky as the last echoes of her voice faded. Her breath was heavy, her body taut with rage. The moment the silence crept back in, she took off again, paws tearing through the undergrowth, the sharp scent of Kael's blood guiding her like a beacon.

  Nova remained a distant echo in her mind, restless, uncertain. But Athena refused to listen. He was out there, and she wasn't going to waste another second standing still.

  The trail told a brutal story. He had fought. Hard. The trees bore claw marks, deep grooves carved into their bark where he had lashed out. The ground was disturbed, patches of torn-up earth where bodies had struggled and rolled. Blood splattered the leaves, staining them black under the moonlight. It wasn't just Kael's.

  The scent was still fresh. It sent a surge of possessive rage through her veins. He was hers. And whoever had taken him had made a mistake that they wouldn't live long enough to regret.

  The trail was erratic, and the deeper she ran, the more violent the story became.

  Branches snapped, a streak of blood smeared along a broken limb. Further down, the undergrowth had been torn apart, leaves crushed beneath heavy bodies. A scuffle. More than one opponent. And then—Kael's tracks stopped.

  Athena skidded to a halt, her heart hammering as she inhaled sharply.

  No.

  She spun, circling the area, nostrils flaring. The scent was faint, but unmistakable. Humans. Were they Shadowmarks?

  A snarl built in her throat, deep and guttural.

  A bolt of fury shot through her, but Nova's thoughts broke through the haze. Athena, calm down.

  Athena growled lowly, pacing, her claws scraping against the dirt. Nova was right, but she couldn't just stop. Every second wasted meant Kael was slipping further away.

  Then think, not react, Nova urged. This was planned. They had to have lured him here. They were waiting.

  Athena huffed, ears flicking forward as she studied the signs. The way the tracks curved, the placement of the fight, the erratic patterns—it wasn't just an ambush. It was a hunt.

  And Kael had been the prey.

  Their stench of the humans wove between the scent of the other wolves. Athena stiffened, her fur bristling. Wolves and humans working together? Betrayal. Traitors! The very thought sent a fresh wave of fury crashing through her.

  Nova's voice pushed into her mind, hesitant but firm. We have to be smart about this. If they took him, there will be more of them ahead.

  Athena clenched her jaw. She knew Nova was right, but patience had never been her strong suit. The more time they wasted, the colder his trail would become. She couldn't afford to let that happen.

  She followed the trail with renewed determination, slipping through the trees like a shadow. The moon guided her, casting silvered light upon the leaves, illuminating the faintest disturbances in the terrain. They had moved fast, but Athena was faster.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  The trail led her toward a ravine. She slowed, ears pricked, every nerve alight. The scent was stronger here, mixed with the distinct metallic smell of weapons.

  A new scent caught her attention—smoke.

  She moved carefully, pressing low to the ground, her paws silent against the earth. And then she saw it.

  She turned sharply, tracking it toward a narrow valley nestled beneath a tangle of trees. The scent of humans thickened, mixed with sweat and fire.

  A camp.

  Athena moved in a slow, predatory circle, keeping to the shadows as she approached. Her paws made no sound against the damp earth. She crept up a low ridge, just enough to peer down into the clearing below.

  And there he was.

  Kael knelt in the dirt, his hands bound behind him, his shirt torn at the shoulder where blood had dried against his skin. His breathing was measured, controlled, but his muscles were relaxed, his entire body sagged unnaturally.

  His head was lowered, and she could tell something was wrong.

  She scanned the camp. Four humans. Three wolves. The traitors stood alongside the men, their eyes sharp, their bodies relaxed. They weren't concerned. They thought they had already won.

  Athena's lips curled.

  A man stepped forward, his presence radiating authority. He was different from the others—his clothes too clean, his posture too composed. He wasn't just some hired thug.

  "Secure him properly this time," the man ordered. "He should be unconscious, not waiting for an opportunity to kill us."

  One of the men chuckled darkly. "You think he could take all of us? He is already sedated."

  A low snarl answered him. Not from Kael.

  From one of the wolves.

  Athena stilled, her breath catching.

  The traitor wolves weren't just working with them. They were protecting the humans.

  Her claws dug into the earth.

  What kind of wolves betray their own kind? Nova's voice was a whisper in the back of her mind, filled with disgust.

  Athena didn't have an answer. She only knew one thing: these wolves were already dead. They just didn't know it yet.

  One of the humans knelt in front of Kael, gripping his chin and forcing his head up. Kael's eyes were unfocused, but there was still an air of defiance in them.

  "You're gonna make us rich," the man said. "What makes you so special?"

  Kael didn't answer.

  The man tightened his fist and slammed it into Kael's gut. Kael doubled over, a sharp grunt escaping him, but he didn't break. His muscles tensed, his breathing labored, yet his golden eyes lifted and locked on his captors as if asking for more.

  Athena had seen enough.

  She moved before Nova could reason with her, launching herself off the ridge in a blur of motion.

  Nova's voice flickered in her mind, urging caution. Athena, wait—!

  But there was no waiting.

  Like lightning, she sprang from the shadows, teeth bared, aiming for the nearest target.

  The first human didn't even have time to shout before her jaws clamped around his arm. He screamed, twisting violently, but Athena wrenched him backward, slamming him against a tree with a sickening crunch.

  Chaos erupted.

  The other men scrambled, shouts ringing through the night. The wolves turned sharply, eyes widening in shock before baring their own teeth.

  "Athena," Nova gasped. Untie him!

  Athena lunged toward Kael, her claws digging into the dirt as she rushed past another wolf. She felt teeth snap near her hind leg, but she was faster.

  She reached Kael in seconds, snarling, snapping at his bindings.

  His voice was rough, gritted with pain but strong. "Took you long enough."

  Athena bit at the rope, but between snapping back at the other wolves, and trying to not hurt Kael, she was too slow.

  The one in dark clothing, who had given orders—was already moving.

  Their eyes locked.

  And for the first time, Athena felt something cold slither down her spine.

  He wasn't surprised.

  He had been waiting for this.

  A slow, predatory smile curled his lips, and in one smooth motion, he reached into his coat and pulled out a weapon—one that gleamed silver.

  Before she could react, he raised it, aimed it at Kael, and fired