novelnext Chapter 69: BLOOD HUNTERS
Chapter 69: BLOOD HUNTERS
Chapter 69: BLOOD HUNTERSChapter 69: Blood Hunters
The war room buzzed with stress as the first light of dawn crept through the windows. Less than eighteen hours until the Great Conclave began, and their enemy stayed hidden in shadows. "We split up," Kael stated, spreading tactical maps across the table. "Three threats, three of us." Liana watched her mates change into the warriors they were born to be. Gone were the young men competing for her love. In their place stood battle-hardened Alphas ready to protect their pack. "Jace, you track the killers," Kael added.
"Find out what we’re really dealing with." Jace nodded grimly. "Already got their smell from the Northern Territories. Whatever killed the Frost Pack left tracks." "Rowan, you work with Elder Mira on magical defenses," Kael ordered. "If this is about ritual magic, we need protection." "The ancient ward stones haven’t been activated in centuries," Rowan answered. "But I’ll figure it out." "And you?" Liana asked Kael. His gray eyes hardened. "I find Celeste before she finds you." As the brothers prepared to leave, Liana grabbed each of their hands. The mate link thrummed with shared determination and fear. "Come back to me," she whispered. "All of you." "Always," they promised in unison.
Three Hours Later - Northern Forest Jace crouched beside the remains of what used to be the Frost Pack’s main house. The building stood undamaged, but inside lay hundreds of bodies. No wounds. No blood. Just empty shells where lively wolves once lived. The smell he followed was wrong. Not quite human, not quite wolf, but something twisted in between. What kind of monster sucks life like this? His phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number: Follow the white stones if you want answers. Jace looked around and found them—small white pebbles leading deeper into the forest. Every sense screamed danger, but he needed answers. The trail led to an abandoned mine pit. The metallic smell of blood mixed with something chemical and sharp. Jace shifted partly, letting his wolf senses guide him down the dark tunnel. Voices echoed from deep underground. "The ritual requires fresh royal blood," a rasping voice said. "The stored power won’t last much longer." "Then we take the omega tonight," another answered.
"During the chaos of the opening ceremony." Jace pressed closer, his heart pounding. Through a crack in the cave wall, he saw them. Three people hunched over a table covered in silver weapons. But these weren’t regular people. Their skin had a grayish tint, and their eyes glowed with strange light. Most disturbing of all, they moved with jerky, puppet-like movements. "The master grows impatient," the first creature continued. "If we fail—" "We won’t fail," the second interrupted, lifting a silver knife that gleamed with the same toxic shine as the weapons that had nearly killed Liana. "The omega dies tonight." Rage burst through Jace’s wolf. He burst through the cave opening, shifting mid-leap into his massive black form. The monsters spun around, hissing like snakes. Up close, Jace could see the truth—these things had once been werewolves, but something had changed them. Corrupted them. The first hybrid lunged with inhuman speed, silver claws extended. Jace ducked, but barely. These weren’t regular enemies—they were faster and stronger than normal wolves. The fight was fierce and quick. Jace’s better training and pure fury gave him the edge, but not before the creatures landed several hits. Silver burned through his fur, sending waves of pain through his body. As the last hybrid lay dying, it grabbed Jace’s leg with surprising power. "You’re... too late," it wheezed, black blood flowing from its mouth.
"The master... already has someone... inside your precious... alliance." "Who?" Jace ordered, pressing his paw against the creature’s throat. "Who’s the traitor?" The mix smiled with too many teeth. "Closer than... you think. Trusted by... everyone." It died with those words, falling to ash. Jace changed back to human form, wincing as the silver wounds throbbed. He