Free Web NovelChapter 27: Hit Where It Hurts
Silence swept through the courtyard of BloodVeil as the last of the warriors marched out of the gates, their heavy footsteps fading into the fog. freewёbnoνel.com
Up on the private overlook, Rhea stood frozen, watching the shadows swallow the vanguard. The scent of impending rain hung thick in the air.
She waited until the valley was entirely empty before pulling a dark woolen cloak over her shoulders, tossing the hood up to obscure her silver hair. Her heart hammered against her ribs frantically. Her fingers trembled slightly as she tucked the silver blade securely into her side.
"Are you certain about this, Rhea?" River’s voice echoed within her mind, the wolf’s instincts sharp and cautious. "You are walking right into the viper’s den."
Rhea let out a sharp breath that misted in the night air. "I have never been more certain of anything in my life," she whispered.
Before River could plant another seed of doubt, she leaped down from the stone ledge, disappearing into the darkness.
Within minutes, she crossed the border, the familiar pine and earth scent of Ironfang hitting her nose. It used to smell like home. Now, it smelled like a graveyard.
Hiding within the deep shadows of the ancient oaks, her silver eyes narrowed as she scanned the perimeter. Two guards posted at the western gate. That was all.
"He emptied his packhouse for his foolish war?" River shook her head.
Moving like a ghost, Rhea slipped around the side of the stone building. Her steps were completely silent as she slid through a side servant’s entrance. Beams of pale moonlight cut through the high windows, catching the edge of her cloak as she navigated the quiet, carpeted halls.
Finally, she reached the master wing and stopped.
"Let’s go get the bitch," River snarled, her phantom fangs baring in excitement. "I’ve wanted Kat to pay for so long. Oh, the sound of her bones snapping will give me so much pleasure."
Rhea paused in the dark hallway, taking a slow breath. She shook her head. "That would give you a moment of joy, River, but a physical fight will barely hurt her. She expects a blade. I want to strike her where she cannot heal. I want to take the one thing that will break them both."
"What are you—?"
Before River could finish, Rhea was already moving, her chest heaving as adrenaline flooded her veins. She drew the silver knife, its polished metal glinting in the dark. She reached the heavy nursery door, took a deep breath, and softly twisted the brass handle.
She stepped inside, but on her second stride, her boot pressed into a soft plush toy. It let out a sharp, high-pitched squeal.
Rhea instantly lunged into a crouch, but she wasn’t fast enough.
"Who is there?" a female voice demanded from the corner of the room. A nanny guard.
Rhea froze, keeping her back to the woman. Her chest rose and fell in ragged patterns as she tracked the woman’s shadow stretching across the floor, coming closer. The moment the guard’s hand reached out, Rhea whirled with supernatural speed. She brought the hilt of her knife down hard against the woman’s temple. The guard crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Breathing heavily, Rhea turned toward the bed and froze.
There in the bed, Kaleb and Kat’s son, lay sleeping peacefully beneath the thick furs.
River went strangely, terribly quiet inside her head as Rhea lifted the knife and froze. Then her hand lowered slowly as she stepped closer, her hand trembling as she gently stroked the child’s soft hair instead. She swallowed hard, a sudden, fierce burn stinging the backs of her eyes.
"Eli would be sleeping just like this if they hadn’t—" River whispered, her feral voice suddenly cracking with an agonizing, heavy sorrow.
A lone tear slipped down Rhea’s cheek. Her heart ached so violently she could barely breathe. In one swift movement, she scooped the sleeping child into her arms, wrapping her cloak around him to shield his scent.
The boy stirred, his eyelids fluttering open slightly in the dim light. He sniffed her neck, catching the fading trace of a familiar family scent. "Mama," he mumbled sleepily, burying his face into her shoulder and wrapping a small arm tightly around her neck before drifting back off. freewebnovёl.ƈom
Rhea’s throat tightened. Her mind raced at a frantic pace as she sprinted out of the packhouse, flying through the woods and across the border.
Half an hour later, Rhea was pacing the floor of her bedchamber in the BloodVeil fortress. She looked down at the child, who was now tucked safely into her bed, snoring softly.
"This was the right thing to do," River said, sensing the heavy wave of guilt radiating through their bond.
"He is just an innocent pup, River," Rhea murmured, her fingers curling into fists. "He has nothing to do with Kaleb and Kat’s sins." She paused. "But if Kaleb knows where the child is, he’ll come. And when he comes, he’ll tell me what happened to Eli."
River growled in agreement. "They stole our pup’s future. This is the absolute least they deserve. We aren’t going to hurt him the way they hurt Eli. We are just rewriting the terms of their surrender."
Before Rhea could answer, the heavy oak door swung open. A BloodVeil maid stepped inside carrying fresh linens, but stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened into saucers as she stared at the toddler on the bed.
"What is—? Did you kidnap—?" the maid gasped, dropping the sheets.
Rhea rushed forward, intercepting the woman and clamping both of her hands over the maid’s trembling fingers. The electric tension in Rhea’s aura was suffocating.
"I need you to hide him."
"Have you completely lost your mind?" the maid shot back.
"Please. I need you to guard him with your life," Rhea pleaded, her silver eyes burning with desperate intensity. "Please."
The maid looked at the innocent boy, then let out a slow sigh, shaking her head. "Do you know what Adam will do?"
"I will tell him the moment he walks through those gates. I promise you, the heat will fall on me alone," Rhea urged.
The woman hesitated, then nodded grimly. She stepped past Rhea, gently lifting the sleeping boy into her arms, and slipped out the back service door.
—
Hours later, the moon had reached its peak.
Rhea paced the stone courtyard of BloodVeil, her boots clicking restlessly against the cobblestones. The anticipation was a physical weight crushing her lungs.
"Calm down, Rhea, or you are going to drill a hole straight through the rock," River chided softly in her head.
Just then, the massive iron gates groaned open. A loud, deafening roar echoed through the canyon as the victorious BloodVeil warriors marched back into the courtyard. The air instantly erupted into ferocious cheers and howls.
The enforcers surged forward, lifting Adam onto their broad shoulders, singing the ancient victory songs of the pack, their weapons stained with Ironfang blood.
When they finally set him down, a massive, triumphant smile lit up Adam’s rugged face. He looked alive, dangerous, his amber eyes flashing with the thrill of the hunt. He caught sight of Rhea standing by the archway and strode over to her in three massive steps.
Without a word, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her clear off the ground, spinning her around in the center of the cheering crowd. His body was boiling hot, radiating a fierce, intoxicating Alpha energy that made her inner wolf want to submit.
But Rhea remained completely rigid in his arms.
Adam slowly set her down, his hands lingering on her waist as he leaned in close, his deep baritone vibrating against her skin. "Remind me never to stand on the opposite side of one of your battle plans," he rumbled. "We completely broke them at the pass. We won this war because of you."
Rhea’s face remained a grave, unreadable mask.
The smile slowly faded from Adam’s lips. His brows furrowed as his gaze sharpened on her face. His nostrils flared once. He stepped closer, his massive frame completely cutting her off from the celebrating crowd.
"What is wrong?" he asked, his voice dropping into a low, protective growl.
Rhea looked up, her silver eyes locked onto his. "There is something you need to know."
