Chapter 223

Chapter 223

KAEL

Finished

The bear roared, the sound so loud it felt like being hit with physical force. Trees shook. Birds-or whatever passed for birds in this enhanced hellscape-scattered from branches overhead.

Then it charged.

We split instantly, moving in opposite directions to divide its attention. The bear went for me-probably because I was larger, appeared to be the greater threat. It swiped with massive claws and I barely dodged, feeling the wind from the blow that would have taken my head off.

I shifted partially, letting my wolf attributes enhance my speed and strength without fully transforming. Needed the human dexterity for weapons while borrowing wolf capabilities for survival.

The bear was fast. Impossibly fast for something that size. It tracked my movements with precision that suggested intelligence beyond normal animal consciousness. When I feinted left, it didn’t fall for the misdirection. When I tried to create distance, it closed the gap with speed that shouldn’t have been possible.

Jason was attacking from the side, trying to draw its attention, landing hits that would have felled a normal bear but only seemed to irritate this creature. His movements were skilled, practiced, speaking to extensive combat training.

The bear shifted focus to Jason and I saw my opening. Rushed in from the blind side, my knife aimed for the vulnerable spot behind its front leg where major blood vessels-

Jason shouted a warning and I pulled back instinctively, just as the bear’s other paw came around in a sweep that would have caught me mid-strike. The exact warning I would have given. The exact timing.

We regrouped, circling the bear from opposite sides, looking for openings that wouldn’t result in immediate death.

“Ivory taught you that,” I said, not a question. The warning. The timing. The way Jason had read the bear’s body language to predict the counter-attack.

“She did,” Jason confirmed, not taking his eyes off the bear. “Said you taught it to her. Called it the ‘Kael special-reading an opponent’s weight shift to predict their next move before they make it p>

Something in my chest twisted. Not jealousy this time. Something deeper. The realization that Ivory had taken what I’d taught her and was passing it on. Was training someone else using the techniques we’d developed together. Was creating a new partnership using the foundation of the old one,

Preparing Jason to be her partner in ways that cut deeper than any romantic jealousy,

Because this wasn’t about attraction or affection. This was about trust. About shared combat language developed over time. About the kind of partnership that kept you alive when everything was trying to kill

you.

The bear attacked again and this time our coordination was seamless. Jason drew its attention with a strike to its flank while I went for the eyes-soft tissue that even magical enhancement couldn’t fully armor. My

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Chapter 223

blade found purchase and the bear roared in pain and rage, blood streaming from the wound.

Finished

It lashed out wildly now, less strategic, more dangerous in its desperation. We pressed the advantage, working together with synchronization that shouldn’t have been possible between two people who’d barely trained together.

But we’d both trained with Ivory. Both learned from her. Both internalized the same combat philosophy, the same strategic approach, the same techniques refined over years of her analyzing and improving on what I’d originally taught her.

We were fighting as partners through Ivory’s teaching. And it was devastatingly effective.

The bear finally went down after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes. We stood over its dying body, both of us breathing heavily, bloodied but alive.

“That move at the end,” Jason said. “Where you went low while I went high. That was p>

“Something Ivory and I developed during the last Hunt,” I finished, “Eight years ago. We called it the Scissor. High-low simultaneous attack that splits the opponent’s defense p>

“She didn’t tell me the name,” Jason said. “Just taught me the technique. Said it was the most effective way to bring down large enhanced creatures p>

Of course she had. Because Ivory won’t sentimental about combat techniques. Wasn’t precious about where they’d come from or what they’d meant in context. They were just tools to be used, knowledge to be shared, ways to keep people alive.

But I was sentimental about them. Was precious about what we’d created together. And watching Jason execute those techniques, watching him move with the same combat language Ivory and I had developed- it felt like watching our partnership being replicated with someone else in my place.

“We should keep moving,” I said, shoving the emotions down where they wouldn’t interfere with survival. “That noise probably attracted other enhanced creatures. Don’t want to be here when they arrive p>

We continued toward the checkpoint, moving faster now, both of us aware that time was running out. The forest seemed to be growing more hostile with every passing hour, the magical enhancement intensifying rather than stabilizing.

That’s when I saw them.

Two figures in the distance, moving slowly through the trees. One supporting the other. Even from here, I could see they were struggling. Could see that one of them was injured badly enough to require physical

support.

Aria and Ivory.

My mate and… and Ivory. My partner from eight years ago. The woman I’d spent three years with during my curse. The woman who’d trained Jason. The woman who haunted every comparison I made about partnership and trust.

They were clearly in trouble. Aria was barely upright, Ivory supporting most of her weight while also trying to navigate the hostile terrain. They were moving too slowly, would never make the checkpoint in time at that pace.

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Finished

“We should help them,” Jason said immediately, already shifting direction toward them.

“We can’t,” I said, grabbing his arm to stop him. “Helping another team disqualifies both teams. It’s explicitly against the rules. We’d eliminate all four of us from the Hunt p>

“But they’re clearly p>

“I know,” I interrupted, my voice harsher than I’d intended. Harsh because I hated this. Hated watching them struggle and being unable to intervene. Hated that rules and regulations meant I had to stand by while my mate and my… while they faced danger alone. “I know they’re struggling. But the rules are clear. We help them, we all lose p>

Jason looked torn, clearly wanting to argue, clearly wanting to rush to their aid despite the consequences. And I understood because I felt the same pull. Every instinct screaming to go to them, to help, to use my strength and capabilities to make their burden easier.

But I couldn’t. We couldn’t.

We had to watch. Had to trust they’d survive on their own.

Had to accept that in this Hunt, we were opponents rather than allies.

As we stood there, unable to help, unable to look away, Aria stumbled. Her legs gave out and she went down hard, Ivory barely managing to keep her from hitting the ground face-first.

And then I saw them. Emerging from the trees behind Aria and Ivory. A pack of enhanced wolves. Six of them. Maybe more. Moving with that same unnatural coordination we’d seen from the bear.

Moving toward two women, one of whom was already injured and barely conscious.

Moving in for the kill.

“Kael-“Jason started.

“I know,” I said, my hands clenching into fists. “I see them p>

But I couldn’t help. Couldn’t intervene. Couldn’t do anything except watch and hope that Ivory’s capabilities and Aria’s determination would be enough.

Even though I knew-I knew-they might not be.

The wolves closed in.

And I stood frozen, watching the two women I was connected to face death alone.

Unable to help.

Hating every second of it.

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