43. Elisabed

43

Elisabed

The neutral grounds were unrecognizable.

The orderly settlement I remembered had devolved into a scene of utter bedlam. Wolves—both shifted and unshifted—were running in every direction, their faces contorted with terror. Some tried to flee toward the outskirts, while others stood frozen, their eyes wide and wild.

And then there were the feral wolves, teeth bared, snapping and snarling at anything in their paths. They tore into anything they could reach, and screams and growls filled the air.

I pulled Mily closer, trying to shield her. “Stay close,” I said firmly.

She nodded, her small hand tightening around mine.

We weaved our way through the chaos, my eyes scanning the crowd for familiar faces. My heart sank with every step. This proved my worst fear. Someone broke the council pact. The feral wolves must have been the alphas closest to where the bond had broken, the ones who had succumbed to the bloodlust.

The madness had spread far beyond what I imagined possible—beyond the council, beyond their betas. I had no idea how it had affected all these wolves so significantly. This wasn’t what Marshall had warned me about back when he’d told me what would happen if the pact was to break.

It was worse than he’d thought, and that was terrifying.

Then it hit me.

If this madness had been caused by the pact being broken, it must have been my alphas who had done it—and recently. That meant my alphas were alive. They had to be. He must have brought them here, maybe to stand trial and have everyone witness their downfall.

Of course he’d lied. I’d been a fool to believe him.

The realization sent a jolt of urgency through me. I had to find them, but I had to get Mily to safety first. If Raol wanted a spectacle, maybe my parents were here, somewhere, caught in this madness. I had to find them.

“Come on,” I said, pulling Mily toward the small house on the edge of the neutral territory where my parents had stayed at the time of my trial. We ran through the settlement until we reached it, trying to stay out of the chaos and the fights.

I knocked urgently on the door. “It’s us,” I called out. “It’s Elisabed and Mily. Open the door!”

After a brief pause, the door creaked partly open, and my mother’s face appeared in the gap. “Elisabed? Mily!” she exclaimed, opening the door fully and pulling my sister into her arms. Tears streamed down her face as she held her tightly, and my father appeared behind her, his expression grim.

I stepped inside, my legs trembling as the adrenaline began to fade. My father gave me a sharp nod, his jaw tight as he took in my battered appearance.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice low and tense.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “Raol,” I gulped. “He found Mily. He found us both. He—he took us, tortured us...” My voice cracked, but I pushed through. “He said he killed the alphas, but then he went feral. He’s dead now.”

My father’s face turned pale, his jaw clenching. “You killed him?”

“Yes,” I lied, glancing at Mily. She was too young to bear the weight of what she’d done.

My father exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “Raol was lying,” he said. “The alphas were still in the trial room when the madness started. No one knows exactly what happened, but I heard they were alive. If you’re going to find them, you need to go now.”

I nodded, my resolve hardening.

I stepped forward, pulling Mily into a hug. “Stay with them,” I whispered. “I’ll come back for you.”

She nodded, her arms wrapping around me tightly.

“We’ll keep her safe, Elisabed,” my mother said.

I turned to my father. “Thank you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Go,” he said firmly.

As soon as I stepped outside, my wolf came to life. It was time. I could do this. I had to shift to protect my family. If my alphas were lost, only the telepathic bond of our wolves would break through to them.

I took a deep breath and shifted, my wolf surging forward with a desperate need to run. I sprinted toward the building where my trial had been held, hope and fear warring inside me.

I had to find my alphas.

The closer I got, the more the madness intensified. Wolves—feral and wild—ripped into each other, their growls and snarls filling the air. Some bodies lay still, crimson pools spreading beneath them, while others writhed in their final moments. The carnage was unbearable, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.

The main doors to the building had been torn off their hinges, splintered wood littering the entrance. My wolf hesitated for a fraction of a second, instincts screaming at me to turn back and run away from the danger. But then I thought of them—Marshall, Finn, August—and forced myself forward.

It was even worse inside. The once-orderly building was now a battlefield, with bodies strewn across the floor and blood smeared on the walls. My paws slid on the wet floor as I darted inside, searching desperately for their scent.

It didn’t take long to identify Marshall’s. I scented him before I saw him in wolf form, drenched in blood. His jaws were locked around the neck of a dead alpha, also in wolf form. His dark eyes were wild, glowing with a feral intensity.

This wasn’t the Marshall I knew. This wasn’t the alpha who had stood beside me, fought to protect me, comforted me, touched me.

This was something else entirely—something wild and broken.

I took a step forward, my movements slow and deliberate. His growls deepened, his body tensing as his ears flicked toward me. He didn’t turn, his focus still on the body clutched in his jaws, but I could see the warning in his posture.

Marshall , I sent through our bond.

He didn’t respond, but I kept trying. The bond was strong and steady now that I was near him. He had to be able to hear me. He had to.

He growled, low and guttural. It reverberated through the room and made the hairs along my spine stand on end.

It’s me.

I took another step. My wolf crouched low, her posture submissive, her instincts screaming at me to be cautious. Marshall’s body remained rigid, his grip on the limp alpha’s neck unyielding. I moved closer, my paws carefully navigating the blood-soaked floor.

I’m here. Come back to me.

His growl deepened, but I didn’t stop.

When I was close enough, I pressed myself against his side, my fur brushing against his. His body stiffened, a tremor rippling through him as my scent enveloped him. I wondered if the bond wasn’t strong enough to pull him back, and I yanked harder on our connection, pouring love, affection, and comfort into it.

It’s okay. It’s me, I said.

Slowly, he turned his head toward me. His eyes met mine, and my breath hitched.

I held my breath as I waited.

And waited.

But then, his growls softened. His jaws loosened, and the lifeless alpha dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. His head turned toward me, his eyes wild and unfocused but searching.

His nose brushed against my fur as he inhaled deeply. The change was almost imperceptible, but I felt it—the moment he recognized me and began to return to himself.

He whined softly, his massive head lowering to nuzzle against my neck. I pressed closer, letting my scent envelop him, cutting through the chaos and anchoring him.

You’re okay. I’ve got you.

He whined and hesitated before licking my neck. I closed my eyes as a wave of relief crashed over me, but the moment was fleeting. A distant growl echoed through the hall, reminding us of the danger we were in—and that August and Finn were in.

We have to go , I said.

Marshall hesitated, his gaze flickering between me and the carnage around us.

Come on. We have to find the others.

He growled softly and fell into step beside me, his presence steadying and reassuring as we moved through the room. Every step was a reminder of the madness that had consumed the neutral grounds. I knew I would never forget the sights and smells of the absolute chaos surrounding us.

We kept moving through the carnage, searching for my other mates.