Chapter 280

Olivia

“I’ll do it,” I whispered, feeling a tear roll down my cheek. “The diamond in exchange for Aurora.”

The witch smirked. “Good girl,” she said, extending the diamond toward me.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I reached out for the shining diamond in the witch’s hand. But before my fingers grazed it, I paused, looking up at her warily. “You’ll keep your promise,” I said. “I won’t let you take Aurora before she’s three years old.”

The witch’s eyes gleamed in the dim blue light cast from the flashlight, but much to my surprise, she nodded. “Of course. Three years. No more, no less.”

It pained me to make this agreement. But my wolf, when her voice had broken through the spell for a few moments, had been right; we could remedy this within that time frame. I was sure of it. And right now, all that mattered was saving my kids, my friends, my pack, and Nathan.

I needed to become the Ancient Wolf. I needed that power to do all of those things. Nathan would be furious with me, but it had to be done. Hopefully, he would understand that.

With one last reach, I took the diamond from the witch’s hand. She let it go willingly and without any resistance.

The cold, hard edges of the diamond felt biting against my skin, an abrupt contrast to the stifling humidity of the cave. The witch’s gleaming eyes watched my reaction intently, the smirk on her face never waning.

“Such a good girl,” she purred, her voice dripping with sarcasm and venom.

I wanted to hurl a sharp retort, to throw the diamond back in her face, but something within it beckoned me. A force, a pull so powerful, my resistance was melting away.

As soon as I gripped the final artifact in my hand, my vision began to blur and the cave seemed to spiral around me. The witch’s cackling voice faded into the background, replaced by a familiar, comforting presence.

Jade. My wolf.

I was in a dense, verdant forest, a place untouched by time. The world around me vibrated with life, and at the center of it all was her, my wolf, her golden fur bathed in an otherworldly glow. Her bright blue eyes locked onto mine, filled with an understanding, a longing.

“You did it,” she said, her voice echoing in my mind, clear as day. “The spell is lifted.”

“But at what cost?” I asked. “I sold my daughter to a witch in exchange for this.”

My wolf was silent for some time. I slowly made my way over to her and plopped down on the grass beside her. As I rested my head against her fur, she was steady and warm. During a moment in which I should have felt whole again for the first time in over a decade, I just felt empty and cold.

“We’ll handle it,” she finally said after a little while, her bright blue eyes meeting mine. “We always do.”

I couldn’t help but scoff. “Do we, though?” I asked. “Or is it more that we just hop around from one predicament to another until everything is gone? God, I feel naive and stupid.”

“You’re neither of those things.” My wolf shook her head. “You’ve got the blood of the Ancient Wolf in your veins. Someday, you’ll realize just how much wisdom you can hold. Your pack needs you; they need their Ancient Wolf. They need that balance, otherwise they’ll fall into chaos.”

“But there had to be a different way,” I said quietly. “How is it wise to hand my daughter over to a witch?”

My wolf was silent again for some time. When she finally spoke again, her voice was calm and gentle. “Don’t worry. The witch will be stopped.”

“I hope so.”

The vision began to fade, but before it disappeared entirely, my wolf offered one last sentiment.

“Unleash me. Let’s be whole again.”

The damp, oppressive air of the cave greeted me as I regained consciousness. The witch was gone, replaced by nothingness where she had once stood. I was alone again. And I was still trapped.

Panic began to well up inside of me when I realized that the exit was still blocked by debris from the cave-in.

“No, no, no,” I murmured, scrambling to my feet. Despair threatened to consume me, but the connection with my wolf was still fresh, still raw. I needed her now more than ever.

“Shift,” my wolf’s voice echoed in my ears. For the first time in over a decade, her voice was strong and powerful, her presence was steadfast and absolute. I had my other half back, and I knew what to do.

Gritting my teeth, I let the transformation take hold. Bones shifted, restructured. Muscles stretched and grew. Golden fur sprouted across my skin, and the world transformed. The cave, once dark and murky, was now awash with heightened colors and scents.

For the first time in far too long, I felt powerful. Truly powerful. Being like this… it felt right. I couldn’t believe that I had spent so many years with my wolf being absent, and now she was back… all thanks to a few little artifacts.

Even though I hadn’t shifted in over a decade, my wolf’s instincts kicked in immediately. The blockage at the cave’s exit loomed, but now, I felt the strength to overcome it.

With powerful limbs and razor-sharp claws, I began to dig, to burrow through the obstruction. Each swipe of my paw sent rocks and debris scattering, and with every passing moment, the opening grew larger.

Beyond the physical barrier, however, a maze of tunnels and passages awaited me—the remnants of the old mines. The earthy scent of minerals mixed with the dank smell of mold, dampening my senses somewhat.

But among the overwhelming plethora of scents, there was one that stood out—the fresh air from the outside world, and something else. Something sweeter. Grapefruit salt. Nathan.

My mate.

Focusing on his scent, I began to navigate the labyrinth of mines to find my way back to the surface. I imagined Nathan and my friends waiting for me there, elated to see my transformation. I couldn’t wait to reveal my wolf to them and end all of this for good.

The journey felt endless, every turn leading to another tunnel, but my wolf’s heightened senses kept me on track. An innate sense of direction guided me through the dark, winding passages. The smell of the outside grew stronger, a beacon drawing me closer to freedom.

Finally, after what felt like hours, a sliver of moonlight appeared ahead. My pace quickened, and soon I burst forth from the confines of the mines, the blue moonlight almost blinding after the oppressive darkness of the mines.

But the sight that met me halted any feelings of relief. Just ahead, on the edge of the forest clearing, Alvin and his men held Nathan and my friends captive.

Their hands were held behind their backs, faces etched with a mixture of fear and defiance. Alvin’s triumphant sneer told me he had been waiting for this moment.

And behind all of it, I could see the town in the distance… an orange hue pierced the night sky. The sounds of screams and cries reached my ears. My town was on fire, and my children were still down there.

Whipping his head around, Nathan gave me a wide-eyed stare. “Olivia! You made it… Run!”

But I didn’t run. I couldn’t leave my friends. Instead, I shifted back and ran to my friends’ sides. In an instant, Alvin’s men closed around me, blocking my way. I felt a deep growl rumble in my throat as I began to shift again, preparing to fight.

“Alvin!” I called out, my throat clenching around itself. “What have you…”

Alvin chuckled. “Hello, Olivia. Looks like you won the race after all.”