Free Web NovelChapter 194: Chapter 194
Riley’s POV
"Release her, Berlin."
The instant that raw voice said those words, the force holding my body dropped completely.
My knees almost gave out right there, and I staggered back a step as my balance broke. I forced myself to stay upright, tightening my stance and catching myself before I hit the ground. My chest was rising fast, my breathing uneven as I tried to steady it.
"What the hell is going on?" I said under my breath as I turned quickly.
That was when I saw her.
A woman stood a few steps away from me, her posture relaxed like she had complete control over everything happening here. There was a heavy smirk on her face, the kind that made it clear she was enjoying this. She looked dangerous without even trying, and the way she watched me made it obvious she knew exactly what she had done.
It didn’t take much thinking to realize she was the one who held me in place.
Berlin.
What kind of name is Berlin? ƒгeewёbnovel.com
My eyes narrowed slightly as I looked at her.
"Wtf was that?" I asked, my voice sharp, not even trying to hide the irritation.
She didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she just kept looking at me like she was studying me, like she was trying to understand something.
Then I looked past her.
There was a man standing near what looked like a carriage a short distance away. He had been still before, but the moment I noticed him, he started walking toward us.
He wasn’t in a rush.
His steps were slow and steady, like he had all the time in the world.
Something about that made my guard go up even more.
He stopped right in front of me, close enough that I could see the slight smirk forming on his face.
Then he looked at the woman.
"Our lord does have an eye for pretty things," he said casually.
My brows pulled together immediately.
"What?" I said, my tone direct. "Who the hell are you people?"
He looked back at me, that smirk still there like my question amused him. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"Feisty," he said. "He would love that."
I frowned harder.
"I’m not joking," I said. "Answer the damn question."
Before he could respond, Berlin moved.
She stepped forward quickly and grabbed me, pulling me toward her without giving me a chance to react properly. My body tensed instantly, my hands coming up to push against her, but she leaned in close before I could break free.
"Take us to your masters," she whispered near my ear.
My jaw tightened immediately.
"Or should I say your mates," she added quietly.
That made my stomach twist.
"Or perhaps..." she paused slightly, her grip tightening just enough to make it clear she wasn’t playing, "...the Alpha King."
That was enough.
I shoved her off me with force, pushing her back a step as anger hit me fully.
"Find your way there yourself," I snapped. "If you can cause this much chaos just by walking in here, I’m sure you don’t need my help."
Her smirk dropped slightly.
"I don’t give a fuck about whatever you’re here for," I continued, my voice firm and heated. "I have something important to look for, and I’m not wasting my time on you and stop making people scamper with your entrance"
I didn’t wait for a reply.
I turned immediately, ready to walk away and continue searching for Anna.
But I barely got a step in before I felt movement behind me fast.
She swung her arm toward me like she was about to hit me again with that same force.
But this time, something different happened.
My body reacted before my mind did.
I turned slightly, my hand coming up instinctively, and something pushed out from me without me even thinking about it.
A strong force collided between us, stopping her attack completely.
It hit hard enough to create space between us, like something solid had formed in the air.
Everything paused for a second.
Even I froze.
Because I knew I didn’t plan that.
I didn’t even know how I did it.
Berlin lowered her hand slowly, her brows lifting slightly as she looked at me differently now with interest.
"You’re a witch?" she asked.
I stared at her, my heart still beating fast from the sudden shift.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about," I said, even though I knew that sounded weak.
She tilted her head slightly.
"That wasn’t random," she said. "You blocked my magic."
"I didn’t do anything," I replied.
The man behind her let out a low chuckle.
"That’s the funny part," he said. "You clearly did."
I clenched my jaw slightly, my mind racing as I tried to understand what just happened.
"I said I’m not helping you," I repeated, trying to regain control of the situation.
Berlin took a small step closer.
"You don’t get to decide that," she said calmly.
"Yes, I do," I replied immediately. "I’m not going anywhere with you because I have something more important I’m looking for."
Her expression stayed the same, but I could tell something had shifted.
"You’re not in a position to refuse us," she said.
"I just did," I shot back.
The man laughed again, clearly entertained.
"She’s bold," he said. "I like that."
"Good for you," I replied without even looking at him.
Berlin’s eyes stayed locked on mine.
"You don’t understand what you’re dealing with," she said.
"And you don’t understand that I don’t care," I replied.
Her lips curved slightly again, but this time it didn’t feel playful.
"You should care," she said.
"Why?" I asked. "Because you said so?"
"Because it would make things easier for you," she answered.
"I’m not interested in easy if it involves people like you," I said.
That made her pause for a second.
Then she took another step forward, closing the distance again.
"You’re wasting time," she said.
"I told you, I have something important to do," I replied.
"And that matters more than your safety?" she asked.
"I can handle myself," I said.
She glanced briefly at the space between us where my magic had stopped hers.
"You don’t even know how to use that properly," she said.
"Yet it still worked," I replied.
The man laughed again behind her."She’s got a point," he said.
Berlin ignored him.
"You got lucky," she said to me.
"Or maybe I’m better than you think," I replied.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
That hit something in her I know.
"Careful," she said. "Confidence like that gets people hurt."
"Then try me again," I said.
There was a pause.
The tension between us was building, and I could feel it clearly.
She looked at me like she was deciding something.
Then her hand lifted slightly again.
I didn’t wait.
I raised mine too, my body already reacting, already ready to push back whatever she tried next.
Because now I knew something for sure.
I wasn’t completely helpless.
And if she wanted to test that again, I wasn’t backing down.
"You’re really going to fight me?" she asked.
"If you don’t leave me the fuck alone, then yes," I said.
The man shifted slightly, watching both of us with interest as her focus stayed on me.
"We’re wasting time," he said. "Our lord won’t like delays."
