Chapter 163: Dark Forest’s Betrayal
Chapter 163: Dark Forest’s Betrayal
(Celeste’s POV)
The air around me felt unnervingly still. Not even the faint whisper of the wind disturbed the
deep silence of the Dark Forest. My wolf’s ears twitched, straining to catch even the slightest
sound of life around me. There was nothing.
No insects, no owls, no nocturnal creatures.
It was too quiet.
I glanced behind me again, searching for any sign of Jack. The royal guard’s scent remained
faint but fresh, indicating he’d been there only moments ago. But there was no trace of him
now. My silver–scarred wolf shifted uneasily within me, recoiling from the feeling of being
utterly alone.
“Jack?” I tried through the pack bond, keeping my voice low, cautious. The weight of the forest
pressed heavily against me, suffocating in its unnatural silence.
No answer.
A chill ran down my spine as realization set in. Jack had disappeared.
I spun slowly, scanning my surroundings, but the dense shadows of the trees swallowed all
visibility beyond a few feet. The moon, which should have been my ally, offered little light
through the thick canopy above.
“Stay calm,” I told myself, inhaling sharply to steady my racing heart. Panic would do me no
good here. My wolf bristled, urging me to retreat. But where would I even go?
Before I could come up with a plan, the snap of a twig echoed through the oppressive quiet like a thunderous roar. My body tensed instantly, my eyes darting toward the sound.
From the darkness, three massive wolves emerged.
They stepped out deliberately, their forms shrouded in menace. Each of them radiated raw, dangerous energy. Their muscular frames glistened faintly under the sparse moonlight. Their growls, low and rumbling, vibrated through the ground, reaching me as a primal warning.
Rogue wolves.
My wolf recoiled instinctively, retreating into the farthest corner of my mind. These were the
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Chapter 163: Dark Forest’s Betra…
ones who had taken Marcus.
+ Points
The largest among them shifted smoothly into his human form, his towering figure standing well over six feet. His dark hair fell unkempt to his shoulders, and his amber eyes burned with hostility as they scanned me. A cruel smile twisted his lips as he approached, his movements predatory.
“You’re alone,” he stated, his voice rough, like gravel grinding together.
I straightened my back, pushing the fear threatening to consume me deep inside. “I’m here to make the exchange,” I said firmly, keeping my voice even.
The rogue leader sniffed the air, his golden eyes narrowing. The other two wolves mirrored him, their aggression spiking as they shifted to their human forms.
“She’s lying,” one of them growled, his voice unusually gravelly. “I can smell him. The royal guard was with her.”
Their accusing eyes bored into me, and my heart raced, though I fought to keep my expression neutral.
“He was here,” the leader snarled, his voice dripping with suspicion. His sharp gaze flickered over me. “Where’s your escort?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied evenly, though my muscles tensed under their scrutiny. “I came here alone, just like you demanded.”
The shorter of the two subordinates stepped closer to me, his brown eyes glinting with malice. “She’s trying to trick us,” he hissed. “Her scent is mixed with his. He was here recently.”
“Enough,” the leader snapped, silencing his subordinate with a sharp look. Then, his piercing gaze locked on me.
“Do you think we’re stupid?” he demanded, taking another deliberate step forward. “The royal guard wouldn’t just abandon you. Speak up now, girl, or I’ll tear the truth out of you myself.”
He raised his hand, his claws extending, the sharp tips reflecting the pale moonlight.
My wolf whimpered faintly, urging me to submit, but I gritted my teeth and held my ground. “I’m telling the truth,” I said, my voice steady despite the hammering of my heart. “I came alone to exchange myself for Marcus Blackwood.”
The leader studied me carefully, his intense gaze searching for any hint of deception.
Finally, he let out a low, humorless chuckle. “So naive,” he muttered, shaking his head.
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Chapter 163: Dark Forest’s Betra…
Then, in the next instant, his hand shot out, gripping my arm with bruising strength. I barely had a chance to react before the two subordinates followed his lead, grabbing hold of my other arm.
“Wait-” I started, my voice cut off by a sharp yank that made me stumble.
“Shadow’s been waiting for you,” the leader sneered. “Let’s not keep him.”
They dragged me deeper into the forest, their hold unrelenting. My feet struggled to keep up as they forced me over gnarled roots and uneven ground. Every time I faltered, their rough hands pulled me roughly forward, eliciting soft whimpers of pain from my wolf.
The forest grew darker as we moved farther in, the air heavier and harder to breathe. The looming trees seemed to close in on me, suffocating in their shadowy silence.
I swallowed my fear, my mind racing as I tried to focus on anything that would give me an advantage. But their grip remained iron–tight, leaving me feeling powerless.
After what felt like an eternity, we reached a hidden den tucked into the hillside.
Two more rogues lounged by the entrance, their human forms barely clothed, their bodies
littered with the scars of countless battles. They had the same cruel gleam in their eyes as the ones holding me.
The rogues by the entrance straightened as we approached, their gazes narrowing upon
seeing me.
“That’s it?” one scoffed, his voice laced with disdain. “Just her?”
“Where’s the rest of the exchange?” the other one demanded, his tone annoyed.
“She came alone,” my captor replied, his smirk widening. “Stupid, isn’t she?”
Their laughter grated on my nerves, though I forced myself to keep my expression blank.
Finally, a shadowy figure emerged from the den, his movements calm yet filled with an
undercurrent of restrained power.
I didn’t need anyone to tell me this was Shadow.
Alpha Shadow, the infamous leader of this rogue wolf pack, stepped into the moonlight. His
cold, dark eyes scanned me dismissively before flicking to his subordinates.
“This is her?” he asked, sounding unimpressed.
“She’s the one,” the leader confirmed, shoving me forward into the den. I stumbled, hitting the
hard packed–earth floor.
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Chapter 163: Dark Forest’s Betra…
As I pushed myself up, a familiar scent hit me, making my stomach churn.
From the shadows inside the den crawled a figure, his once–pristine royal attire now torn and filthy. The violet–eyed gaze I had once despised met mine, filled with desperation.
Marcus Blackwood.
He scrambled toward me like a man possessed, his dirtied hands grabbing mine tightly.
“You came!” he cried, his voice cracking with emotion. “You finally came!”
Before I could pull away, Marcus turned to Shadow, his violet eyes wide with hope.
“Alpha Shadow, this is her!” he exclaimed excitedly. “She survived my silver chains, my torture
den–nothing breaks her! She’s exactly what you’re looking for!”
My stomach twisted as his words sank in.
Take her, just let me go!” Marcus begged, his voice growing higher and more pitiful.
Disgust flashed across Shadow’s face as he kicked Marcus aside with enough force to send him sprawling. “Pathetic,” he muttered, glaring down at the royal wolf. “You’re a disgrace to your bloodline.”
Marcus whimpered pathetically, curling into himself on the floor.
Shadow’s dark gaze shifted back to me, now gleaming with interest. “Is it true, then?” he asked, folding his arms. “This fool claims you’re unbreakable. Are you?”
I glanced at Marcus, who watched me with desperate eagerness, and felt bile rise in my
throat.
This entire exchange had been a trap. One Marcus had orchestrated to save his own
miserable life.
I bit my lip hard, my blood pounding in my ears.
My survival depended on one thing now: convincing Shadow that Marcus’s claims were true.
Slowly, I raised my head, meeting Shadow’s gaze with cold determination.
I gave a silent, firm nod.
Shadow’s lips twisted into a cruel smile.
My silver–scarred wolf whimpered, retreating further into me as Shadow’s dark aura pressed down like a weight.
Whatever awaited me here, I had no choice but to face it.
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Chapter 163: Dark Forest’s Betra…
