Free Web NovelChapter 60: Chapter 60
Caden’s POV
Gunnar was about to growl and I knew that sound too well because it meant the control he had been holding on to was about to break, so I moved without thinking and grabbed him hard before he could even take a step forward.
I pushed him down and we both tumbled to the ground, rolling across the grass while the beasts around us growled louder, their eyes fixed on us like we were their prey.
I locked my arm around his neck and held him there even though he struggled because I knew I had to stop him no matter what happened to me.
"No," I said through my teeth as I tightened my grip. "You are not fighting today."
He tried to shove me off but I did not let go because the memory of our mother’s warning hit me so strongly that it felt like she was standing right there beside me again.
I could still hear her voice from years ago when we were still teenagers and had no idea how dangerous the world would become. She had looked at me and Cane with serious eyes and told us something we never forgot.
["Never let him engage in any form of violence even if you are facing death. Stop Gunnar from fighting even if your enemies are right in front of you. If he ever loses control and joins a fight, you will face the worst threat that exists."]
At that time, I did not understand what she meant, but I knew she was afraid, and that alone was enough for us.
From that day, Cane and I made a promise that Gunnar would never be in a situation where he’s forced to fight unless there was no other choice, and we had kept that promise all these years.
And now, everything was about to break.
Gunnar struggled under me, his body shaking with rage. His eyes glowed dangerously and his breathing was rough, and I knew he could throw me off easily if he wanted to, but I held on with everything I had because I would rather die than let him lose control. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Then suddenly, something strange happened.
The Tithers stopped moving.
At first, I thought I was imagining it because the growling changed into confused sounds, and then into something worse.
One of them screamed. It was a painful sound, and then another screamed, and another. Their bodies started shaking violently as if something invisible was attacking them.
One of the beasts collapsed.
Then another.
And another.
They fell to the ground one by one, their large bodies hitting the earth with loud thuds. Some shifted back to their human form as they struggled to breathe, their eyes wide with fear.
I slowly loosened my grip on Gunnar because I did not understand what was happening.
"What is going on?" I whispered.
More of them dropped dead.
It was like death was moving through their army without anyone touching them. I saw Laden’s face change from confidence to pure horror. He started shouting orders immediately, his voice filled with panic.
"Form ranks! Spread out! Find the attacker!"
But his men kept falling.
Some tried to run. Some clawed at their throats. Some looked around like they were losing their minds.
Within minutes, half of them were already down.
Gunnar suddenly kicked me away and stood up. I did not stop him this time because I could feel that his rage had been replaced with confusion. He looked around carefully, trying to find the source of what was happening.
I stood up beside him, my heart still racing.
"Do you see anything?" I asked through our mindlink.
"No," he replied, his voice calmer now but still tense.
Laden realized he had lost control of the situation and shouted again, "Retreat!"
His remaining men did not even hesitate. They ran.
Some shifted back to their human form because fear had taken over them completely. They disappeared into the forest quickly, leaving the bodies of their fallen behind.
Silence fell over the clearing.
I let out a long breath and ran my hand through my hair, trying to calm my mind because the danger had passed but the confusion was worse.
"Who did this?" I asked out loud.
Then I heard footsteps.
I turned immediately, ready to fight again if needed.
Someone walked toward us from the trees.
It was Cane.
Relief hit me so hard that my shoulders relaxed instantly. He looked calm as always, but I could see the urgency in his eyes. Behind him, Daphne stepped out, her expression serious. And then finally, I saw Riley.
She was holding the strangest weapon I had ever seen.
My eyes stayed on her as she walked closer, and I did not even try to hide it. She looked confident, her hair tied back, her clothes simple but practical, and the weapon in her hands looked both advanced and dangerous.
It was long but not bulky, shaped like a sleek rifle, but there were no visible bullets or chambers. The surface looked metallic and dark, with glowing lines that pulsed softly.
The front of the weapon had multiple small openings arranged in a circle, and there was a small digital screen near the grip. The entire thing looked silent, powerful, and unlike anything I had seen before.
She stopped in front of me and smirked.
"You’re welcome, even if you don’t want to say thanks," she said.
I blinked.
"What is that thing?" I asked, pointing at the weapon.
She followed my gaze and then looked back at me with a proud expression.
"Well, let’s just say it is something Riley Grayson, CEO, invented when she was still the ruthless female boss in Crescent Hollow," she said casually.
Before I could ask more, she walked past me and rushed toward Bane, who was still lying on the ground. I watched her kneel beside him and check his pulse with surprising gentleness.
I felt Gunnar tense beside me.
I immediately mindlinked him. "{Calm down.}"
He did not reply, but his body slowly relaxed.
I reached into my pocket and handed him a small vial, he understood immediately and he drank the medicine quickly. Within seconds, I could feel the tension in his body fade.
Cane finally spoke.
"We need to leave now," he said. "Sebastian will figure out where we are soon."
At the mention of that name, my jaw tightened.
"We should move," I agreed.
Daphne helped Riley lift Bane, and this time Cane carried him.
As we started moving toward the border, I walked beside Riley.
"That weapon," I said quietly. "Explain it"
She looked at me, and for the first time, I saw something serious in her eyes.
"It is called the Null Pulse," she said. "It sends out silent waves that shut down the nervous system. It works on both humans and any creature of any form. It does not kill immediately, but if the exposure is strong enough, the body fails."
I stopped walking for a second."You created this?"
"Yes," she replied simply. "I built it to protect myself when I had enemies everywhere."
I stared at her, realizing again that she was far more dangerous and complicated than I had thought.
"You saved us," I said.
She smiled slightly."Of course I did and I would need a favour for it in the future."
Something hard spread in my chest "And what favour would that be?"
"You, Cane And Gunnar are going to be the favors"
