[SAMANTHA’s Point of View]
“How long are we going to stay here?”
I was frowning while looking outside the window. It was already dark, and the whole forest was filled with the nocturnal sounds—from soft noises and gentle rustling of branches and leaves to the snarling and screaming of wild beasts in the heart of the pitch-dark woodlands.
“I have to go back and see Devon and Diana, Killian. I can’t stay here any longer and just hide like a coward. If they want me dead, then let them fight me. I can fight back. I am not the weak wolf you used to know before. I know how to protect myself now.” I said to him with a grave look on my face.
Killian was still sitting on the bench and didn’t even leave or move from it, scared that I might run away straight to my enemies. He knew me so well. He knew I would do anything just to get to my kids, even if it meant I had to risk my life just to know they were safe.
He frowned back at me, but there was anxiety etched on his face as he leaned his back against the edge of the table and then sighed heavily. “You know I can’t let you go away from here, Sam. It’s too dangerous. Once Olivia and her minions find you, they will kill you on sight. I would never let that happen.”
“I told you I can fight—”
“Yes, I believe you can fight, Sam.” he looked unhappy with my stubborn reply, “But you barely survived the last time you were pinned down by fifteen wolf-men during that time you were spying on Olivia. If Dominic didn’t come for you—”
I was baffled that he knew about it as well. “How did you know that, Killian?! What else do you know about what is going on here in Silver Crescent?”
He shrugged his shoulder and then smirked, “Well, my intel inside is excellent, so I guess I know a lot more than you do. I must tell you, Silver Crescent is no longer a safe place for you and the twins. I want to go inside and get them myself, but it would be impossible for me to enter the gates again. After they found out you were missing, they had tripled the guards on the gates and had been searching for you all over the forest.”
I almost jumped out of bed with panic in my eyes when I heard gentle knocks on the door. Killian was on full alert as well, but I saw how his shoulders relaxed as soon as he stood from his seat.
“Who is it?” I hissed at him with wide eyes. I crouched in a fighting position with his jacket still hanging around my shoulders, and then ground my teeth in anticipation of any attack.
“Relax,” he chuckled as he walked to the door and then winked at me. “She’s here.”
“She who?” I snarled at him, scared of who he was referring to.
My heart almost exploded when Killian reached for the knob and slowly opened the door. His face changed from serious to soft, though, when he saw the person outside, and my body relaxed when he smiled so widely at our strange visitor.
I caught that sweet scent, and I swear I knew that smell somewhere...
“She’s been wanting to see you, Sam. She’s really worried.”
Killian pulled the door wide open as he welcomed his visitor, and I couldn’t believe who I was seeing.
It was the witch from Moonstone Pack.
It was Brianne.
Her long, dark, wavy hair cascaded down her back as she walked inside with a shy smile on her face. Those cold, arrogant eyes she had shown me before were replaced with softness and elegance I never thought I would see on her. Killian must have changed so much about this girl, and I could tell he took very good care of her since I left the Moonstone.
And Killian’s eyes. They were wide and bright as he stared at her beauty.
He was in love with her, and I was happy for them.
“It’s Brianne. She insisted on going here and meeting you, Sam.” Killian explained as he led her inside the cabin with a gentleness I had never seen in him before. “She needs to know if you are safe.”
My brows raised at what I heard: “I never thought she’d be concerned like this about me.”
“Well, you are a direct descendant of the Royal Family.” It was Brianne who answered this time with shyness in her eyes. She couldn’t look straight at me. How would I be able to trust a person who couldn’t look me in the eyes?
“I am here to give you a warning.” As she lowered the hood of her black jacket, Brianne’s softness gave way to an adamant look. “This is something far more complicated than you can imagine, Miss Samantha. Both the death of your mother and the mother of the Silver Crescent Alpha were connected to your real identity.”
“I already suspected Lena’s death is connected with my mother’s death, Brianne. I just need to know who did this to her and make them pay.”
“The path will never be easy for you.” She replied with worry in her voice. “I saw in my vision more powerful enemies surrounding you and the people you care about. You can’t face these forces alone. Not when there are always people who would corner you and your mate to the edge of your despair. Alpha Dominic is already losing it, Miss Samantha. You two should work together to defeat this common enemy you have. And stop this brewing war and the imminent destruction of Silver Crescent from the hands of the Black Claw pack.
“I have to go and get my twins,” I said to Brianne with a dread-filled face. “I need to prove my innocence to people and take my twins back!”
“I can help.” Brianne took a step forward toward me but then stopped when she saw the fear on my face. I wasn’t yet recovered from the torture that happened to me in that dungeon, and being close to other people makes me feel as if they want to hurt me. Like what Olivia did to me. This made Killian even more upset when he saw my reaction.
“We can perform a ritual. This will help you learn new skills to use against your enemies and save your twins.” Brianne’s voice turned soft as she tried to convince me. “I can improve the abilities you already have.”
“Why are you helping me? Why are you doing this?” I asked Brianne, and couldn’t help the suspicion in my voice. The last time we saw each other, she was resentful of me. And my instinct told me I couldn’t trust anyone anymore.
“You can trust her, Sam.” Killian’s eyes were pleading as he looked at me. “She’s concerned about you and the kids. I told her everything. She wants to help.”
I stared at Brianne for a minute, studying the look on her face. All I saw was genuine kindness and worry as she tried to smile at me.
With a pale face and weakened knees, I looked down and curled my fists on my knees.
“Fine. Let’s do this.” I snarled in low, desperate voice.