Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 88: The Locket.

Chapter 88: The Locket.

"Where is his sister now?"

"Good morning, Sorayah. The Beta Lord asked you to get ready as it’s time to depart from here," came Liam’s voice through outside the tent pulling Sorayah out of the whirlpool of thoughts she had been drowning in.

"I’ll get ready," she replied softly, her voice low and heavy with unspoken emotions. A sigh escaped her lips. Despite everything, she couldn’t bring herself to be angry with Liam. Deep down, she understood the weight of their current situation. She didn’t want to assume he hadn’t followed her to save her just because he viewed her as a lowly maid. That thought alone would only feed the bitterness she was trying so hard to suppress.

In fact, she was grateful that he hadn’t followed her. If he had, how would she have been able to communicate with Rhys and Anaya? His absence had given her a small sliver of control amidst the chaos.

Her gaze then shifted downward to her still-flat stomach. Gently, she placed a trembling hand over it, caressing the life growing within.

She still couldn’t believe she was pregnant but then the doctor already confirmed it and even her could feel the light pulse of the baby in her womb as she placed two fingers on her hand to feel her pulse.

"You’re my first fruit," she whispered, voice cracking with sorrow. "But... I’ll have to remove you. Your father is one of my enemies. I hope you can forgive me."

Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled silently down her cheeks. The ache in her chest intensified, but she forced herself to gather the shards of her composure. Wiping her face with the sleeve of her robe, she turned and made her way toward the bathhouse. She had a long journey ahead and no time to fall apart.

~•~

Meanwhile, in the ruins of the Fallen Pack....

Rhys and Anaya had remained awake throughout the night, their bodies tense and their eyes heavy with exhaustion. They had spent the long hours monitoring the wandering skeletons. The chilling sounds of bones crunching through flesh and the sounds of slurping of blood filled the air sending waves of dread and terror down their spines. Yet they knew better than to make a sound. One wrong move could spell their end.

"Should we go now?" Anaya whispered, her voice barely audible. It was a breath against the stillness of the morning...soft and urgent, meant only for Rhys.

"They’re no longer close to the well," she added. "I think this is our best chance to make a move."

Rhys turned to her, his brow furrowed with concern. "Are you sure you’re ready?" he asked, his voice hushed but firm. The worry in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Yes, I’m sure," Anaya responded, offering him a brave smile. Her lips curved upward, but her eyes betrayed her as fear shimmered in them like moonlight on water. "You’re with me, after all. I can do this."

Rhys held her gaze for a moment longer before nodding solemnly. "If things get complicated, I want you to stay behind me. No heroics. Don’t do anything reckless, understand?"

"Okay, I won’t," she promised, and this time her smile reached her eyes...just a little.

Without another word, Rhys reached for her hand, gripping it tightly. Together, they prepared to ascend from the darkness.

Swoosh.

The old wooden lid atop the well creaked and groaned as Rhys pushed it aside, the sound sharp in the deathly quiet. With one strong shove, he tossed it to the ground. The morning air greeted them like a cold slap as they emerged from the depths, hand in hand.

But almost instantly, the snarls and growls of the undead pierced the silence. The skeletons had noticed.

Their hollow growls echoed through the air, their razor-sharp teeth bared in hunger, while elongated fingernails stretched towards Anaya and Rhys.

"Let’s do this!" Rhys voiced out while Anaya nodded her head in approval.

Rhys and Anaya fought with every ounce of strength they had, slashing at the skeletons with theyr weapons. Limbs were severed, but they grew back...regenerating with unnatural speed.

"Rhys, bring out the locket!" Anaya cried, her voice tight with panic and terror as she backed against him, fending off a lunging skeleton.

"Not yet!" Rhys shouted back, his eyes darting around. He grabbed her arm and used the edge of the well like a step, hoisting himself up. "Hold on!"

Anaya clung tightly to him as he climbed, pulling them both up over the side of the wall. Just as they were about to reach safety, a skeleton lashed out...its elongated limb slicing across Anaya’s neck. The cut wasn’t deep, but it drew blood. Still, they managed to scramble over the fence.

But they weren’t safe.

Climbing the wall only exposed them to more danger. From the rooftops and alleyways beyond, more skeletal creatures turned their glowing eye sockets toward them and let out low, menacing growls before giving chase.

"Why won’t you bring out the locket?" Anaya demanded, panting as she fought off a skeleton that lunged toward her.

"I need to find a safe place first," Rhys replied, still gripping her hand as he slashed through another creature. "If the locket fails, we’ll need somewhere to hide!"

Together, they ran toward the city gates. A strange energy pulsed through the air as they neared....a swirling, otherworldly force that shimmered like a veil. Just a few meters beyond, they could see the palace.

But they were surrounded.

The skeletons closed in. Their snarls grew louder. Their limbs elongated, twitching unnaturally.

"Bring it out now, Rhys!" Anaya screamed, her eyes wide with horror as she saw one of the creatures raise its jagged limb toward him.

But it was too late.

The skeletal hand drove straight through Rhys’s torso. His body stiffened as the sharp bone tore through flesh and muscle, emerging from the other side, slick with blood. The creature lifted him off the ground like a trophy, red rivulets pouring down to stain the earth beneath him.

"Rhys!!" Anaya shrieked, frozen in shock and grief.

Even as blood gushed from his mouth, Rhys found the strength to move. With trembling fingers, he tossed the jade pendant to her. "Please... live, Anaya..." he whispered, his voice fading into unconsciousness.