章 17: Betrayal from within

"Thank you, Jakayla," I said, enfolding her in a warm, appreciative hug. Jasmine stood quietly beside her, her typically cheerful eyes now downcast and filled with sadness.

"Why did the Alpha suddenly ask you to leave?" Jasmine inquired, concern etched across her face. "It's not as if you did anything wrong. He personally brought you back, and now..."

"Jasmine," Jakayla interjected sharply, silencing her.

"Where will you go?" Jakayla asked, her eyes ablaze with curiosity.

"I'm heading back to my old pack. I need to sort a few things out," I replied, my voice tinged with fatigue. My eyes were undoubtedly swollen and red from the hours of crying, and I had a splitting headache.

Matteo and I decided to leave Bloodmoon before midnight, even though his body was still slightly weak from the wolfsbane. I couldn't wait any longer since I discovered that Ravenna is dead. Matteo told me Theo was also dead, and a number of people.

It broke my heart.

'Alright. I wish you the best, Una,' Jakayla smiled, rubbing her hands on mine and making way for her sister to hug me. I kissed Jasmine's forehead gently and stroked her face, faintly smiling at her. She was a strong girl and had managed to keep her tears in check.

"Send my gratitude to your brother and Sabrina too. I'm sure both Damon and Anthony would be happy to know I'm gone." I joked, making a light attempt at brightening the atmosphere, and it worked. Jakayla chuckled a little and Jasmine lips curved into a smile.

"Una, we should get going. It's nearly midnight," Matteo interjected from behind, his hand pressed against his still-wounded and bleeding waist.

Yeah that's right.

Goodbye.

"How'd you find that pack?" Matteo asked once we had crossed the border of Bloodmoon, curiosity laced in his tone. I let out a sigh, determining whether to tell him the truth or not.

"I didn't find it, they found me," I responded after a minute or two. A crescent moon illuminated the night sky, giving us a form of light as we found our way to Nightfang. Matteo could easily find Nightfang, with his high sense of smell and hearing and it was hard to not rush him to move faster.

All of a sudden, crackles were heard behind a tree, and I froze, shuddering at the possibility of it being a rogue. The forest had been eerily quiet, the only sounds being our hushed footsteps and the occasional rustling of leaves. This sudden noise sent chills down my spine, and my heart raced in my chest.

"Get behind me," Matteo said, his voice firm but reassuring, bravely keeping me close. I nodded, my fear momentarily outweighed by the trust I had in him.

Simultaneously, five men came out from behind the trees, all draped in wolf fur. My breath caught in my throat as I recognized the symbols on their clothing – they were from a rogue pack, the ones who had been encroaching on Nightfang territory before I left.

One of the men, a burly figure with a scar across his face, moved forward with predatory intent. He suddenly grabbed me by the hand, his grip like a vice, and before I could react, he smashed my head against a nearby rock. Pain exploded through my skull, and I let out a pained gasp as darkness closed in around me.

"I'm sorry, Una," were the last words I heard from Matteo before I blacked out.

I groaned as consciousness slowly returned. The pounding in my head had diminished to a dull ache, and I was aware of my surroundings. I was no longer in the forest, but the rough texture of a cold, stone floor pressed against my cheek. My wrists and ankles still felt the bite of large chain restraints, and I realized that I was in a confined space.

I groaned as consciousness slowly returned. The pounding in my head had diminished to a dull ache, and I was aware of my surroundings. I was no longer in the forest, but the rough texture of a cold, stone floor pressed against my cheek. My wrists and ankles still felt the bite of restraints, and I realized that I was in a confined space.

The memory of the attack flooded back, and panic surged within me. I had been captured by rogue wolves that had collectively created their own pack. The realization sent a shiver down my spine, and I strained to sit up, ignoring the pain in my head and the stiffness in my limbs.

The dimly lit room was small, with stone walls that seemed to close in on me. There was a faint scent of dampness and decay in the air. I knew I had to find a way out before my captors returned.

As I struggled to free myself from the restraints, the door to my cell creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. It was the man who had grabbed me in the forest, his wolf fur cloak now discarded.

"Well, well, look who's finally awake," he sneered, his eyes glinting with malice.

I glared at the man, defiance outweighing my fear. "What do you want, and where's my companion?" I asked, remembering Matteo for a split second.

The man laughed heartily, as if I had made some sort of joke. Before I could say another word, the door to the cell creaked open once more, and Matteo revealed himself. My jaw dropped to the floor once I remembered what he had told me when my head got smashed; he was clad in the same fur the rogues wore.

"Who is this supposed to be, Matteo?" I asked, my fear growing as I noticed the creepy grin on Matteo's face and the hateful gaze in his eyes. The air was cold, and their stares made it even colder.

"There was no Malefica attack, you fool. I can't believe you trusted me so much," he mocked, a twisted faccade taking over him.

"The Alpha of Nightfang sent some men to look for you, for some reason he didn't reveal," the burly man grunted, stepping forward. "But he promised us a territory, and that's all me and my men care about."