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We head through the cave and outside, my gaze sweeping over the wooden expanse that borders our sanctuary. The dark woods hold secrets, and I know that if it could talk, it would tell me what I need to know.
“Where could they be?” I muse aloud, the worry evident in my voice.
Willow, determined and steadfast, places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll find them, Rock. We won’t leave a stone unturned.”
At that moment, we hear footsteps behind us. We turn around hastily, ready for a fight, if necessary, but it is only Leo. The urgency in his voice cuts through the night air, disrupting our search. He is breathless, and his words spill out in a rush.
“I saw them…” he pauses to breathe in. “The bears took Elena first, and then Cal.”
Fury ignites within me, a fierce flame fueled by the protective instinct of those under my care. “Which way did they go?” I demand, my voice low and steely.
Leo points towards the woods, his finger shaking in the direction he is pointing. “There, Rock. I… I tried to follow, but I lost sight of them.”
I place my hand on Leo’s shoulder. “It’s good you didn’t. Because then, I wouldn’t know where they were headed.”
I surge forward but Willow shouts after me, her voice forcing me to stop.
“Wait! You can’t go alone,” she reminds me.
“No,” I shake my head. “I have to go alone.”
“That’s what they want,” she tells me. “Why else would they kidnap Cal and Elena?”
“I know that’s what they are expecting,” I nod. “But I’ll surprise them. I’ll be like the wind. They won’t even know I’m there. I’ll destroy them from the inside.”
“Let us come,” Willow tells me. “We can help.”
“No,” I repeat. “You have to stay in the village and make sure that everyone is alright. Set up defenses. Better ones, this time. We can’t allow this to happen again. Hide the little ones. And have everyone prepare for another fight, if it comes to that. We were lucky this time.”
“We were,” she nods. “We thought we were ready.”
“We should learn from our mistakes,” I remind her. “So, stay here and be my eyes, Willow. Reassure everyone that it will be alright. In the meantime, I’m going to get Cal and Elena back.”
She doesn’t fight me on it this time. “Alright,” she nods. “Just… be careful. We all need you to come back. All three of you.”
I smile, feeling the shift in the village would be noticeable to everyone. When I get Elena and Cal back, life will be differentfor the three of us. She will be welcome in this village and appreciated for her bravery. Pride swells inside of me again and I can’t wait to have her in my arms and shower her with kisses.
I turn around, venturing into the woods, deeper and deeper. My every instinct is to find Cal and Elena. I use my sense of smell, finding them easily. I would be able to find Elena from the other end of the world, if I had to.
I know that I have to find them before it’s too late. The worst thing is that I don’t even know what the other bear shifters want with them. Why the two of them? Why are they so special?
My jaw clenches and my steps quicken, the pursuit of answers and the safety of my loved ones propelling me forward. My scent is concealed, but I bend down every once in a while, smearing myself with mud and dirt, just to be on the safe side. I move stealthily, each step calculated to minimize sound as I approach the enemy bear shifter camp. The silhouettes of their tents emerge against the night, and I know I’m there.
Hiding in the underbrush, I observe the camp. My senses honed, I scan for any signs of movement or activity that might reveal the whereabouts of Cal or Elena. The night air carries the hushed murmurs of the enemies, so I can’t hear what they’re saying. But their voices are an unsettling undercurrent in the woods I know and love. They need to go. They need to be taught a lesson they will never forget.
As I crouch concealed by the leaves and bushes, I count the tents, gauging the potential threats within the encampment. The flickering glow of a campfire is illuminating the central area, just like I remember it. My approach needs to be methodical and strategic, because a single wrong move could mean either Cal’s or Elena’s death.
Now, the only trick is finding out where they are keeping the prisoners.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Elena
In a dimly lit cell that smells of mold, minutes feel like hours. I have no idea how much time has passed. I have stopped crying a while ago, deciding to save my strength instead. My eyes have adjusted to the darkness, and all I can do is wait.
After what seems like an eternity, I hear voices and footsteps. I jump to my feet, not even sure what it is I’m expecting to see. Hope, maybe? But in what form?
Then, hope arrives in a beacon of light. Two large, bulky men are dragging Cal along, as the clatter of chains echoes through the confined space. His movements are sluggish. He is barely walking. They are actually dragging him here. I gasp at the sight, wondering what they must have done to him. Rage boils inside of me, but I can’t do anything. If I could, I wouldn’t be here in the first place, and neither would he. Helplessness and rage intertwine in me, creating a debilitating fusion of emotions that render me completely frozen, unable to speak or move.
