BloodMoon: Captivated by the Forbidden Lycan Alpha
Chapter 100: AWESOME RITA VS THE COLBATS

Chapter 100: AWESOME RITA VS THE COLBATS

{"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."}

Rita led the way through Sagstone Mountain, her steps sure despite the uneven, jagged path. The further we went, the more the air thickened, carrying deep caves’ damp, mineral scent. Ralph trailed just behind me, silent but alert, his hand hovering near the hilt of his blade.

The tunnels twisted and narrowed, forcing us to press close to the walls. Shadows clung to the edges of our torchlight, flickering over the slick stone. The silence was unnatural; there was no wind and no distant drips of water, just the sound of our breathing and the steady crunch of our boots against loose gravel.

Then, we stepped into a vast chamber, and the scent hit me first,sharp, pungent, thick with the staleness of death. Bones. Piles of them, scattered in heaps, some small and splintered, others long and thick, from creatures far bigger than us. They were old, brittle, and untouched for who knew how long.

Rita came to a stop and pressed a hand against the cool stone of the far wall. "Aqua and Fennel are behind this," she whispered. "We’ll need to do a sneak attack."

Ralph frowned, scanning the caves warily. "Won’t they sense us coming?"

"They won’t," I murmured, glancing up at him. "The scent of the bones covers everything. Death lingers here, it chokes the air, seeps into the stone. They will not smell us beneath all this." I rose to my feet, rolling my shoulders. "So, shall we?"

Rita moved swiftly ahead; her steps confident as she led us through the treacherous path of Sagstone Mountain. The climb was steep, the rocky ground uneven beneath our feet, but she never faltered. I followed close behind, keeping my breathing steady, while Ralph trailed just a few paces away, his eyes scanning our surroundings with quiet caution.

The higher we climbed, the more the air thinned, carrying the sharp scent of stone and damp earth. Mist curled around the jagged peaks, making the world feel smaller, more suffocating. Shadows stretched long in the fading light, turning the mountain into a maze of shifting silhouettes.

Finally, we reached the entrance of a cave, its gaping mouth dark and still. Rita paused, glancing back at us before gesturing inside.

"They’re here," she murmured. "Aqua and Fennel."

The moment my eyes adjusted to the dim light inside, I spotted them. True to Rita’s words, Aqua lay on the ground, curled up in restless sleep, while Fennel paced beside her, his movements tense. His hands flexed at his sides; his expression tight with frustration.

But it was not just them.

Near the far wall stood an old man, his posture stiff, his silver hair reflecting the faint glow of a nearby lantern. At first, I thought it was Elder Colbat, but as I focused, I realized my mistake. This was not him, it was his brother, Amos Colbat. Fennel’s father.

I stilled, watching as the two spoke in hushed voices.

"We can’t stay here any longer," Amos said, his tone low but firm. "I can feel it—someone is coming. The mountain is not safe anymore."

Fennel ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "We are not ready to move yet. She needs more time to recover." He glanced at Aqua’s sleeping form, his frustration evident.

"She won’t recover if we’re captured," Amos countered. "We leave by sunrise. No more delays." Fennel clenched his fists.

Fennel stood over Aqua, his face tight with worry as he watched her shallow breaths. His fingers twitched at his sides before he reached down, brushing a strand of damp hair from her forehead. She was pale, too pale, and even from where I crouched in the shadows, I could see the faint tremble in her limbs.

His concern deepened, his jaw clenching as his gaze flickered to his father. Then, his hands curled into fists, his knuckles white with restrained fury.

"If we don’t get her to the nest by the beach, she’ll be dead in two days," he said, his voice a low growl. "Her body is dwindling, and the blood stone bugs will devour her from the inside out."

Amos Colbat remained still, watching his son with unreadable eyes.

Fennel exhaled sharply, his shoulders rising and falling with frustration. "We’ve planned for this too long to lose now—just because Alpha Tor’s damn Lycan awakened," he spat. His fingers flexed at his sides. "He already sensed that we implanted the bloodstone bugs in the generals and commanders. If we do not move now, it will all be for nothing."

Silence hung thick in the cave, the weight of his words pressing into the damp air. Then, Amos snickered.

The old man shook his head, a smirk curling at the edge of his lips. "Tor Gale is nothing more than a vessel," he said with a chuckle. "The Lycan powers reside within him, yes, but if he dies, the power dies with him." Amos glanced toward Aqua’s motionless form. "Once he’s gone, nothing will stand in our way."

Rita’s sharp gaze flickered between Ralph and me before she raised a hand in a silent command. I knew that look she wanted us to retreat. Without a word, she turned and slipped further back into the caves, her movements swift and soundless. Ralph and I followed, careful to keep our steps light on the uneven ground. The damp air thickened around us, carrying the lingering scent of bones and decay. Only when we were deep enough in the shadows, far from the glow of the enemy’s lantern, did Rita finally stop. She turned to face us, her expression calm but calculating.

"We wait until they fall asleep," she whispered. "That’s when we strike." Rita’s eyes gleamed as she continued, "Our priority is Aqua. Her body is the nest for the bloodstone bugs. If we take her away and dump her in the lair of the Guardian of the Gold Path, the beast will devour her. The bugs will die with her, and she will no longer be a threat."

Ralph exhaled sharply, nodding again. "That’s a solid plan."

I frowned. "And what about Fennel and Amos?"

A slow smirk spread across Rita’s lips; her confidence unwavering. "They’ll come down the mountain eventually," she said, a knowing glint in her eyes. "And when they do, Rogourau guardians will be waiting, and they will arrest them and take them back to the Bay Shifter Pack."

Hours later, the cave was eerily silent, save for the distant drip of water against stone. Shadows stretched along the jagged walls as we moved carefully through the entrance, our steps light, our breaths held. Rita led the way, her eyes sharp and calculating, while I stayed close behind as Ralph followed, his movements slow but deliberate as we approached the unconscious form of Aqua.

She lay motionless on the cold ground, her face pale, her breathing faint. Fennel had slumped against the wall nearby, eyes shut, exhaustion finally overtaking him. A few feet away, Amos Colbat sat hunched over, his arms crossed, his breaths slow and steady. Asleep.

Ralph wasted no time. He stepped forward and crouched beside Aqua, carefully sliding his arms beneath her. I held my breath as he lifted her limp form, her head lolling against his shoulder. For a moment, the cave felt unbearable still.

Then Rita signaled with a flick of her fingers. Time to move. We retreated as quickly as we came, slipping through the darkness with Aqua in Ralph’s arms. My heart pounded as I listened for any sign of movement from behind, but the only sound was the distant echo of the wind snaking through the tunnels.

Step by step, we climbed back through the narrow passageways, pressing ourselves against the rough stone walls when the path became too open. Every crunch of loose gravel beneath our feet made my pulse quicken, but we moved swiftly, never once looking back.

By the time we reached the Golden Path, dawn was creeping over the horizon, casting the cavern in a dim glow. The golden-furred beasts that guarded the path were curled up in their nests, their small bodies rising and falling with each slow breath.

Rita gestured toward a patch of thick, golden moss nestled between two stone formations. "There," she whispered to Ralph. "Lay her down gently."

Ralph nodded, stepping carefully over the sleeping creatures before lowering Aqua’s body onto the moss. The moment her weight settled, the ground pulsed beneath her, as if the land itself recognized the presence of an intruder.

I swallowed, glancing at Rita. "Are we sure they’ll take care of her?"

Rita’s expression was unreadable, but there was a cold certainty in her voice. "They will."

Without another word, we turned and slipped away, moving stealthily out of the Golden Path before the creatures awoke. The sun was rising, painting the cave walls in a soft amber glow, but we did not stop and finally were out of the cave.

Minutes later we heard a loud screeching scream, and we finally deduced that the golden creatures were awake and had begun attacking Aqua. The horrid screams continued unit it died down and then Rita spoke up "It’s over, she is gone"

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