BloodMoon: Captivated by the Forbidden Lycan Alpha
Chapter 214: AN EXPECTED WELCOME

Chapter 214: AN EXPECTED WELCOME

{"I want you to believe ... to believe in things that you cannot." }

Hours had slipped away unnoticed, the stillness of the forest wrapped around us like a second skin. I kept my gaze on the camp we had left behind, where Desmond and his guards were still combing through the area, their movements slow and deliberate. Every minute, I could feel their presence like a weight pressing on my chest, but I also knew that time was on our side. The longer they lingered, the further we got.

It was not long before the Mira magic stirred within me deep, ancient, and powerful. A faint hum rose from the core of me, like the distant whisper of a storm gathering strength.

Qadira paused beside me, her breath steady but her eyes sharp, waiting for the signal. She could feel it too, that rising pulse of magic in the air. The forest had grown quieter as the night deepened, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, but the magic weaving through the trees was something older, more primal. It was the very essence of the Mira, and it was calling to us.

I pressed a hand to the trunk of the nearest tree, feeling the magic pulse beneath my palm, radiating outward like a ripple across the surface of a still lake. It shimmered, faint at first, but then stronger, the forest itself bending to its will.

"Ready?" I whispered to Qadira, keeping my voice low, barely more than a breath.

She nodded once, her face a mask of focus. "Always."

With a subtle, deliberate motion, I released the magic, letting it swirl around us like a cloak, settling in the air like a shadow, unseen and undetectable. The Mira magic was a powerful tool an ancient force that wrapped around us, bending light and sound, blending us with the surrounding night. The forest swallowed us whole, hiding us in plain sight.

We moved as one, silent as ghosts, slipping through the underbrush, our steps light and quick. The magic protected us, cloaking our presence like a shroud, making it impossible for anyone to detect our movement. Even Desmond and his guards, just a few dozen paces away, would feel like they were walking through the night, unaware of our presence.

We kept our pace steady, gliding through the shadows, the magic bending the very air around us. The camp behind us was still alive with motion, but we were ghosts, slipping through the cracks, undetected. The guards had no idea we were right under their noses.

A wave of relief washed over me as we put more distance between us and the camp. The Mira magic held steady, weaving its protective web around us. But I did not let my guard down not even for a second. I knew Desmond well enough to know he would not stop his pursuit easily.

I risked a glance at Qadira, her eyes reflecting the faint glow of the Mira magic as it flickered through the trees. Her expression was tight, focused, but there was a hint of something softer in her eyes, too. A moment of peace, however fleeting, during this constant war we found ourselves in.

"We’ve lost them," she murmured, her voice barely audible, carried away by the magic itself.

I gave a short, satisfied nod. "The Mira magic helped, and now we need to get to the Mira home before the cover vanishes. "

We moved swiftly through the forest, the Mira magic still holding tight around us, masking our presence with each step. The weight of the night hung heavy on my shoulders, but the sight of the Mira home ahead brought a rush of relief that was almost palpable. It stood like a silent guardian, nestled among the ancient trees at the foot of Blood Stone Mountain its stone walls shrouded in mystery, windows glowing faintly with the soft pulse of Mira energy.

But even as we approached, a strange feeling crept up my spine—an unshakable certainty that we were not as hidden as I had hoped. It was too quiet. The air felt thick, like it was waiting for something.

And then Qadira stopped, and I glanced over at her, my heart skipping a beat as I followed her gaze. There, standing just outside the foyer of the Mira home, were two figures. One was tall, with a dark cloak that shifted in the breeze, his stance relaxed but somehow alert. Rolan. And next to him, Rou.

They were not surprised. Not even a little bit. As soon as they saw us, they turned as if they had known we were coming all along. Qadira hitched her breath beside me, her eyes wide with shock. "It’s Rolan..." Her voice was barely more than a whisper, but it carried a weight that made my chest tighten. She did not even need to say the rest. We both knew the truth.

They had sensed us, and I took a step forward, my gaze never leaving the two men who had always seemed to stand at the edge of our lives, enigmatic and just a little too untouchable. And as their eyes locked onto ours, I knew they had been waiting.

Rolan’s expression softened, a knowing flicker crossing his face as he stared at Qadira, but it was Rou who spoke first, his voice calm and measured, as though this was all part of the plan. "You made it." Rou’s words were like a cool breeze cutting through the tension in the air. "We were expecting you."

"Are you expecting us?" I repeated, my voice sharp, matching the suspicion that tightened my muscles. "How long have you known we were coming?"

Rolan’s eyes met mine, and there was something unreadable in his gaze, an emotion I could not place. The faintest hint of a smile tugged at his lips, but he did not answer me right away. Instead, he nodded toward the doors of the Mira home.

"Frery alerted us the minute he sensed your presence," he said softly, as though that was all that mattered.

I exchanged a glance with Qadira. She was tense, her eyes narrowed as she searched the faces of the men before us. Without another word, we stepped forward into the foyer, the doors swinging open before us with a quiet sigh, as though the house itself had been waiting for us to arrive.

The moment we stepped over the threshold into the Mira home, a shift in the air caught me off guard. The house was warm, the crackling firelight casting long, flickering shadows on the walls. The scent of wood and something faintly sweet filled my lungs, but before I could fully take it all in, movement at the fireplace caught my eye.

Dante.

He was there in an instant, stepping from the shadows by the hearth, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw me. Then, before I could even react, he was there his arms wrapping around me in a fierce embrace.

I gasped as he lifted me off the ground, spinning me once in the air before setting me down gently. His chest rumbled with laughter as he pulled me back, his hands still on my shoulders, looking at me like he could not believe I was standing there.

"I’m so glad you’re okay," he whispered, his voice low and thick with relief.

I patted his back, my breath a little unsteady as the tension melted off my shoulders. It felt... almost normal. As if the world had not been trying to tear us apart only hours ago.

"I’m fine," I said softly, but the words did not match the knot that had formed in my chest. Still, I pushed it away for the moment. There were more important things to focus on.

Over Dante’s shoulder, I caught the soft, light chuckle that escaped from Freyr—his deep voice always smooth and unbothered, a stark contrast to the tightness in the room. And then, the suppressed chuckle from Tor, a sound that almost made me smile despite myself. The way he hid his amusement, trying to keep his distance, was always so proper.

I glanced over Dante’s shoulder to see the others watching us, their expressions a mix of relief and curiosity. Freyr leaned casually against the stone wall near the hearth, his arms crossed, eyes twinkling with a knowing amusement. Tor stood near the doorway, his hand resting on the handle, a subtle smile on his lips that was barely a smile at all.

"Not so bad, huh?" Freyr teased, his eyes flicking to Dante’s still lingering hold on me. "Looks like someone’s missed you."

Dante’s face softened, though he still did not let go, his hand resting on my back. "Just making sure she’s alright," he muttered, the light in his eyes betraying the tension he had been holding onto ever since we left the forest.

I leaned back slightly, meeting his gaze. "I am fine. Really. But..." I turned to the others. "What is going on? Why the secrecy? You knew we were coming, and why did the Mira magic sound worried?"

Dante pulled me down to the couch, and I watched Qadira move to the window, and Rolan seemed to be uneasy as Rou chuckled, and then Frery and Tor both approached and sat on the opposite couch, and then Freyr spoke up and stated, "We have a big problem. Lord Marcel used the core of the Bloodstone mountain to create a monster, and he serves as an expert, an old vampire who is tainted in blood. "

"What?" Sierra, I stood up in shock.