Free Web NovelChapter 42: Chapter 42 Voice from Below
Bella’s POV
When we finally reached our destination, my first priority was checking if Hugo had sent any updates about Leah’s condition.
Derek pulled out his phone and scanned through the messages. His expression remained neutral as he relayed the information.
"Hugo administered another dose of wolfsbane when the previous one started wearing off. She’s resting now."
The mention of multiple doses sent a chill down my spine. How much wolfsbane could one person tolerate before it became dangerous? Only thirty minutes had passed, but every second felt precious when we didn’t know how much time we had left.
The mountain stretched before us with caves scattered across its face like dark wounds. Too many possibilities, and we couldn’t afford to search them all individually.
We began our ascent up the rocky terrain. Derek moved with the fluid grace of someone born for this kind of challenge, while I struggled with each step. My lungs burned as I fought for breath in the thin mountain air.
"Need to rest?" Derek offered, extending a water bottle in my direction.
I shook my head with more determination than my body felt. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
"We can’t waste time," I managed between gasps, though my trembling legs threatened to betray my words.
Derek studied my face for a moment, then proposed a solution that made tactical sense.
"I’ll scout ahead and start checking the caves. By the time you reach the summit, you can cover the ones I haven’t gotten to yet. How does that sound?"
His suggestion was logical. With his enhanced speed and strength, he could cover ground that would take me twice as long to traverse.
"Go," I agreed, waving him forward. "I’ll catch up as soon as I can."
The moment I gave him permission, he took off like a shot. Even knowing what he was capable of, his speed still caught me off guard. The years had only made him more powerful, more formidable.
Within heartbeats, he vanished into the landscape ahead.
I continued my climb alone, pausing periodically to hydrate and maintain my pace. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I pushed through the burning in my muscles.
Twenty grueling minutes later, I finally crested the summit. My knees hit the ground as I gasped for air, hands braced against my thighs.
Derek emerged from behind a stand of towering pines, his expression urgent.
"Did you find anything in the caves?" I called out, still fighting to regulate my breathing.
"I covered most of the accessible areas, but there’s one that demands our attention," he replied, his tone carrying an edge that made me straighten up.
"I came back because we need to investigate it together."
The intensity in his voice told me he’d discovered something significant, possibly dangerous.
"What makes this cave different? Why didn’t you just check it yourself?" I fired questions at him rapidly.
His hesitation would have cost us valuable time if he’d simply explored it alone.
"That’s exactly the issue," he explained as we moved toward the location. "There’s something you need to witness firsthand. I couldn’t gain entry, and that’s what raised my suspicions."
The cave wasn’t far from my climbing route. Derek guided me to the spot and gestured toward what appeared to be more of an underground passage than a traditional cave.
The entrance was completely obstructed. A massive boulder blocked what looked like a tunnel leading deep into the mountain’s core.
"This might not be what we’re looking for," I said, studying the sealed opening.
Derek motioned for me to step back, then positioned himself against the enormous stone. Even with its substantial weight and solid composition, he managed to force it aside through sheer strength.
As soon as the passage cleared, I moved forward eagerly, only to stop short. Another barrier waited behind the first, leaving just a narrow gap between the stones. freeweɓnovel.cøm
This wasn’t a regular cave system at all. It was designed to conceal whatever lay beneath, with multiple layers of obstruction.
"This might be a dead end," I muttered, frustration creeping into my voice.
Then a sound drifted up from the depths that made my blood freeze.
"Please, help me." The voice was weak, desperate, filled with exhaustion.
Both Derek and I tensed at the same moment, his enhanced hearing picking up nuances I couldn’t detect.
We immediately activated our phone flashlights, trying to penetrate the darkness beyond the stone barrier.
"Who’s down there?" I called into the opening.
"Someone’s really there?" came the fragile response.
The voice that answered was elderly, weathered by time and suffering. Just as the children had described in their dreams.
"We’re here to help," I responded. "You’ve been reaching out to our children in their sleep, haven’t you?"
I held my breath, waiting for confirmation while my pulse hammered against my ribs.
At least the warriors seemed to be successfully intercepting any children who might have been drawn here.
"I don’t understand," the man replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I’ve been trapped for so long, calling for anyone who might hear me. But I never intended to reach children. Why would I want them in this terrible place? How could they possibly help someone like me?"
His confusion seemed genuine, which only deepened the mystery.
"Tell us how you ended up trapped," I pressed, watching Derek attempt to shift the remaining barriers.
Unlike the first boulder, these refused to move despite his considerable effort.
"The story is long and painful," the elderly voice continued, wavering with fatigue. "But I was deceived, lured here against my will. I’m a man of faith, devoted only to the Moon Goddess. I’ve lived righteously. I don’t understand why someone wanted me eliminated."
His words sent my thoughts spiraling. Was this connected to the sickness plaguing our pack? Were pure souls being systematically targeted?
The children’s suffering suddenly made terrible sense.
But our immediate concern was extraction. His voice grew weaker with each word, and I realized the children had been responding to his distress calls.
"These won’t budge," Derek whispered, ensuring the trapped man couldn’t hear his frustration.
"Maybe someone needs to go inside to assist from that end," he suggested quietly.
The implication hit me immediately.
"You think that’s why the children were being summoned? Because they’re small enough to fit through that opening?"
Derek’s worried expression confirmed my fears as precious time continued slipping away.
