Chapter 316
[ 1,390 words ]
~Samantha~
Purple found us first.
We were maybe two miles into the forest, following Lila’s directions to where the first Silver Claw survivor was supposedly hiding, when Purple came crashing through the underbrush.
Barking. Covered in burrs and scratches.
“That’s the twins’ wolf.” Dominic shifted immediately. “Why are they not with him? Or could they be close by?”
Purple ran straight to me. Grabbed my sleeve with his teeth. Pulled.
“He wants us to follow him.” I looked at Dominic. “The twins are in trouble.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he wouldn’t leave them unless they sent him for help!” I was already running after Purple. “Come on!”
Dominic and Killian ran behind me. Lila hesitated, then followed.
Purple led us back the way we came. Moving fast. Not stopping to check if we were keeping up.
My heart was hammering with fear.
“There!” Killian pointed ahead.
“DIANA! DEVON!” I screamed their names.
Diana’s head whipped around. “MOM!”
I reached them in seconds. Dropped to my knees. Grabbed both twins. Pulled them against me so hard they squeaked.
“Are you hurt? What happened? Why are you out here?” The questions came out in a rush.
“We’re okay.” Diana’s voice was muffled against my shoulder.
I pulled back to look at them. Blood on Diana’s face. Dirt on Devon’s hands and knees.
“Why were you even out here?!” Dominic had caught up. His voice was all Alpha rage. “You were supposed to be in your room! With Gamma watching you!”
“We snuck out.” Devon’s voice went small. “We wanted to find you.”
“You WHAT?!”
“Dominic, not now.” I kept my arms around the twins. “They’re safe. That’s what matters.”
“That’s what matters?! They disobeyed direct orders! Snuck out of the manor! Got attacked by shadow wolves! And you’re saying it doesn’t matter?!”
“I’m saying yelling at them won’t change what happened!” I stood up. Kept the twins behind me. “They made a mistake. They’re scared. They’re exhausted. Save the lecture for later.”
“There won’t be a later if they keep pulling stunts like this!” Dominic’s control was slipping. “They could’ve died! Both of them! Because they didn’t listen!”
“We had something important to tell you!” Diana stepped out from behind me. “About Lila!”
Everything stopped.
“What about Lila?” Killian asked.
“We saw her.” Devon moved beside his sister. “In the forest. Talking to a man.”
“What man?” I looked between them. “What did you see?”
The twins explained. Took turns. Finishing each other’s sentences. About following our scent. Finding a clearing. Hiding behind trees. Watching Lila meet with someone dressed in black.
About the deal. The relic. Lila’s sister. Black Moon’s threat.
With every word, Dominic’s anger grew.
When they finished, he turned to Lila.
“I give you exactly five seconds to explain before I lock you up.”
Lila had gone pale. “I can explain.”
“You’ve been working with Black Moon this entire time. You’ve been playing us. Leading us exactly where he wants us.”
“No! It’s not like that!” Lila’s hands were shaking. “I was trying to..”
“To what? To trade the relic for your sister? To hand over the one thing that can destroy the shadow array?” Dominic took a step toward her. “How much did he pay you? What did he promise you?”
“He has my sister!” Lila’s voice broke. “He’s had her for eight years! She was ten when they took her! Ten years old and they’ve been torturing her ever since!”
“So you thought selling us out was the answer?”
“I thought making a deal was the answer! I thought if I played along, gathered information, I could find where they’re keeping her and rescue her myself!” Lila was crying now. “But the man tonight said they’d kill her if I didn’t hand over the relic. Said I had three days or she dies.”
“And you believed him?” Dominic’s voice was hard. “You believed Black Moon would actually release her?”
“I don’t know what I believe anymore!” Lila wiped her face. “I’ve been looking for her for eight years! Every lead goes nowhere! Every source lies! This was the first real location I’ve gotten!”
“A location you got by agreeing to betray us.” Dominic looked at me. “You still want to trust her? Still think she’s on our side?”
I looked at Lila. At the tears. At the desperation. At the Silver Claw markings visible on her neck.
“I think she’s desperate. There’s a difference between being a traitor and being desperate.”
“Desperation leads to betrayal!”
“Not always.” Killian moved beside Lila. “Sometimes desperation leads to bad choices that people regret.”
“Oh here we go.” Dominic rounded on him. “Of course you defend her. Of course you take her side.”
“I’m not taking sides. I’m pointing out that she refused the deal. The twins heard her refuse.”
“She also admitted to having a deal in the first place!”
“Because Black Moon threatened her sister! What would you do if someone had Devon and Diana hostage?!” Killian’s voice rose. “Would you make a deal? Would you at least listen to what they wanted?”
“I wouldn’t agree to betray my allies!”
“You don’t know that! You can’t know that until you’re actually in that position!”
“I know I wouldn’t lie to the people helping me! I know I wouldn’t lead them on a mission while secretly working with their enemy!”
“I wasn’t working with him!” Lila shouted. “I was buying time! Gathering information! Trying to find my sister while also helping you stop Black Moon!”
“You can’t do both!” Dominic shouted back. “You can’t serve two masters! Eventually you have to choose!”
“I did choose! I refused the deal! The twins heard me refuse!”
“After you admitted to having the relic! After you confirmed it exists! You gave Black Moon exactly what he needed to know!” Dominic was right in her face now. “You think he’ll just let you walk away? You think there won’t be consequences for refusing?”
“I know there will be! I know he’ll come after me! That’s why I need your help!” Lila grabbed his arm. “Please. Help me rescue my sister before Black Moon kills her. Then I’ll give you the relic. I’ll help you destroy the array. I’ll do whatever you want. Just help me save her first.”
“No.” Dominic pulled his arm free. “We’re done helping you. You’re under arrest for conspiracy and attempted betrayal.”
“Dominic, that’s such a rash decision.” I objected.
“She stays under guard until we figure out what to do with her.” Dominic gestured to Gamma. “Take her back to the manor. Lock her in the cells. No visitors.”
“Wait!” Lila struggled as Gamma moved toward her. “You can’t! My sister will die!”
“Your sister might already be dead. Probably is dead. Black Moon doesn’t keep hostages alive for eight years.” Dominic’s voice was cold. “You’ve been chasing a ghost. And nearly got us all killed doing it.”
“She’s not dead! I’d know if she was dead! The bond is still here.”
“What bond? You’re not mates. You’re not pack. You’re just sisters. There’s no magical bond that tells you she’s alive.” Dominic nodded to Gamma. “Take her.”
Gamma grabbed Lila’s arms. Started pulling her toward the manor.
“Sam!” Lila twisted to look at me. “Sam, please! You have to believe me! I wasn’t trying to betray you! I was trying to save my sister!”
I stood frozen. Watching her being dragged away. Watching her cry and beg and struggle.
“Mom?” Diana tugged on my sleeve. “Is Lila bad?”
“I don’t know, baby.” My voice came out quiet. “I honestly don’t know.”
Dominic turned to the rest of us. “Everyone back to the manor. The mission is cancelled. We’re regrouping.”
“We can’t cancel.” Killian stepped forward. “We still need the relics. We still need to destroy the shadow array.”
“We’re not following Lila’s plan anymore. It’s already compromised.”
“Then we make a new plan. But we can’t just give up.”
“I’m not giving up. I’m being smart especially since Black Moon knows she is with us. They will come for the relic.” Dominic looked at me.
I looked at him. At Killian. At Lila being dragged away by Gamma.
At the twins watching everything with wide, scared eyes.
“I need a minute.” I walked away from all of them. Put some distance between me and the group.
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