Page 38 of Prey of the Lycan Queen (Unwanted #2)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Zeke’s kingdom, a place of radiant beauty and ceaseless activity, is now an ominous ghost town. The destruction is widespread but selective. The castle lies in ruins, but the homes of the ordinary citizens remain untouched, their lives spared from the savagery.

I walk over scattered debris and broken bodies, the once vibrant castle now echoing the cries of the fallen guards.

The scent of death hangs heavily in the air, intertwining with the coppery tang of blood staining the stone floor.

It’s a ghastly scene straight out of a nightmare—guards fallen like broken toys, their lifeblood pooled around them, painting a morbid portrait of defeat.

On the second landing, I find two familiar figures huddled together—Hunter and Shadow. Their condition is just as horrifying. My heart clenches as I call out, looking for my wolf. “Gnash!” My voice bounces off the stone walls.

“Are they...?” A trembling voice interrupts my thoughts. I lift my gaze to find the young witch, Leila, and my Uncle James, standing close by.

“They’re alive but very weak,” I reply, my voice a broken whisper. Biting into my wrist, I force my blood into the mouths of the near-death wolves. The metallic taste of my own life force fills my senses, my every nerve screaming at me.

“Should you be doing that?” James questions, his brows furrowed with concern. I ignore him, continuing to feed my blood to them, praying that the wolves don’t reject it.

The silence grows thick and heavy as I move to Shadow. My actions have consequences. If the wolves survive, they’ll be tied to my life essence. We’re playing a dangerous game against time, and the countdown has already begun to Zirah’s first shift. The risks are high. Too high.

“I have no choice. If they die, we have no clue how that will affect Zirah, and I won’t be able to find her as fast without their help tracking,” I state.

“But if it works, you’ll be tying their wolves to you. They’ll be drawing on your life essence. You only have two days before Zirah shifts. This may shorten the time you have left, Regan,” James points out.

“I know.” I glance at him. I’m fully aware of the looming threat.

Time is slipping through my fingers like sand.

But without Zirah, without that bond, I am blind and crippled and dying anyway.

The stakes are clear. I must find Zirah within a day or perish.

The fear gnaws at my insides, but I suppress it.

The few times we have shared our blood with each other’s wolves, it’s made them savage or nearly killed them, but I have to try. If the wolves are bonded to Zirah, feeding them my blood shouldn’t make things worse.

Leila’s voice breaks my chain of thought. “Shouldn’t there be three?”

“Yes,” I answer. “Mine isn’t here. He’ll be looking for Zirah.” I rise from my crouched position, my heart heavy but my resolve steelier than ever.

I climb the next flight of stairs, and the sight that greets me is disheartening. One lone sheet remains on the landing, and Zeke’s room is in chaos. I pick the sheet up and inhale Zirah’s familiar scent. A shaky breath escapes my lips as I drop the sheet, my heart pounding in my chest.

I’m too late.

They are half a day ahead of us, at least. But where is Gnash? He can’t be much better if these two are in this state. Turning around, I move toward the stairs to see James climbing them. “Come on, they aren’t here,” I tell him. “So, where to now?” James asks.

“To Bloodtaric. Slavic must know by now that I am not bonded to her,” I tell him.

A wave of vertigo hits me suddenly as I reach the stairs, my vision blurring.

I stumble, catching hold of the banister for support.

My throat feels like it’s been scraped raw, and a burning sensation tears through my lungs.

I cough violently, blood staining my hand.

I wipe it hastily on my pants, my mind reeling.

“Is that blood?” Leila’s voice is filled with dread, but I force a nonchalant shrug.

“I’m fine.” It’s a lie. And from the look on her face, she knows it too. She strokes the wolf’s fur nervously.

“I guess it didn’t work.” Her words change to a shrill shriek when Hunter lunges upright, followed by Shadow. I smirk.

“Good boys,” I praise, crouching down to pat them. Loyal to a fault, the wolves obediently sit, waiting for my command.

“Now, take me to your master.” The wolves spring into action, bounding down the stairs with renewed vigor. As I follow them, the vertigo strikes again, sharper this time. My vision swims as I clutch the car door for support.

“James, you’re driving,” I tell him, his eyes growing wide with concern. My condition is deteriorating faster than I’d anticipated.

“No shit, you’re in no state to drive.” His retort is met with a weak smile on my part.

My gaze flits to the back seat, to my father.

He is still hallucinating, muttering incoherently to himself, a muzzle secured over his face.

A precaution against the risk of him turning savage in Leila’s presence.

Leila jumps in the back with my father, and James starts the car. Rolling down the window, James pulls up beside the wolves.

“Keep up,” I tell them, and they growl, darting off. “Follow them,” I tell James, and he does.