#Chapter155We ran towards the woods, careful to watch our surroundings for anyone that would stop us. Finally, we reached the tree line and stepped into the dense brush, blending ourselves with the forest. We went further in and continued running for a few minutes before stopping. Gunnar and I had closed enough distance between us and the pack house that it was safe to stop now, but only for a moment.Kneeling on the ground, I opened the bag Rose gave us and started pulling the contents out. First, I pulled out an old map showing directions to the forest and the willow tree. Then, I dug into the bag again, pulling out salt, a lighter, a flashlight, a pair of gloves, a compass and a silver knife. Although the knife was dangerous to us, it was also a threat to other supernatural creatures, but I was glad Rose had packed some gloves. Gunnar knelt beside me, and we both started to go over the map, memorizing key points. “According to the map, it doesn’t seem like it's too far of a jou
#Chapter156I frowned. “Honestly, I haven’t given that any thought. My mind has only been focused on getting the cure and getting it back to Cain.” I told him truthfully. His expression softened, and he pursed his lips. “I know that doing this means a lot to you, and your mind is made up, but I just want you to consider the idea that we may not make it there, that the cure might not even be there or that the cure won’t even work,” Gunnar said solemnly. I closed my eyes and swallowed roughly, my throat tightening with the hard-hitting truth of his words. I nodded my head slowly. “I will,” I said, then rolled over, facing away from him now, not wanting to have this conversation anymore. I must have been even more exhausted than I had thought, as sleep quickly overcame me. I opened my eyes and sat up, realizing I was surrounded by yellow flowers in the middle of a field. I stood up, frantically looking around for Gunnar, but I was alone, and there wasn’t a soul in sight. The field
#Chapter157The figure stopped a few feet from me, and their eyes were the only thing I could make out, nothing more. This person clearly wanted to conceal their identity, keeping enough distance between us that I could only see what they wanted me to see. My wolf snarled at the figure, warning me of the dangers that lurked mere inches from us. “Who are you? What do you want?” I asked them, attempting to conceal the unease in my tone. They remained silent for a moment, staring at me with calculating eyes. “Going beyond this point will bring you nothing but misfortune, my dear; it would be a wise decision for you to turn around and go back home.” The voice was soft yet firm and feminine, telling me the person was a woman. I narrowed my eyes, knowing they were trying to deter me, trying to stop me from getting what I needed. “I am looking for a cure, and it’s in the forest of the damned. Nothing and no one will stop me from getting it, not even you.” I stood my ground, not letting
#Chapter158We continued walking, deepening ourselves into this seemingly abandoned wasteland. Gunnar’s body was rigid and tense as he cautiously continued forward. The ground ahead of us seemed soft, almost appearing to be a swamp. Gunnar and I stopped just before reaching the sinister-looking muck, looking at each other with questioning expressions. A gust of wind stirred around us, bringing with it the stomach-churning stench from the swamp. I gagged and turned my head away. “Omg, that smells fucking horrible, like rotting, death,” I said, trying not to throw up. Gunnar’s brows furrowed, and he wrinkled his nose. “Yea, no shit! But we have to find a way across, and from what I can see, the only way is to go through this shit.” He said distastefully. I stepped closer, peering down at the black goo; it bubbled, and puffs of green smoke emerged. “We can’t fucking walk through this shit; it will either eat us or turn us into some unknown creature from hell.” Gunnar groaned. “Yo
#Chapter159Gunnar squeezed me back before I pushed away from him. “Ok, enough of the emotional bullshit; let's go and get this over with.” Before I started to cry, I needed a distraction and my determination to get that damn cure was just what I needed. We stood side by side and nodded at each other, then started to walk towards the colourful and lively-looking tree. One that stood out, among all the decaying rot that surrounded it. As we neared the tree, the ground was covered in lush, green grass, but before we stepped onto the soft land, a loud whoosh passed behind us, immediately grabbing our attention. Whatever it was, they were fast as they sped past us again, causing our clothes to ruffle. We looked around frantically, trying to spot whatever it was, but nothing was there. “What the fuck was that?” I whispered yelled. “How the fuck am I supposed to know?” Gunnar shouted, somewhat being quiet.It flew past us again, but this time, I got a look at it, and I swear it loo
#Chapter160I opened my eyes and straightened myself as a wayward tear slid down my cheek. “Ok, I’ll give you my wolf in exchange for the cure.” I choked out, my voice cracking with each word. Helena stood there, staring at me with a calculating gaze and dumbfounded that I agreed to her terms. “You understand that if you go through with this, you will lose her forever, and there is also the chance of you not surviving the separation, especially since she is a part of your soul. Are you truly willing to pay that price?” She asked, with a questioning brow raised.I thought over that question, really giving thought to this and wondering if this is what I truly wanted to do. I didn’t know how I would live without her; my wolf was the other half of me, she was what made me feel beautiful, and if I agreed to this, I would have to let her go. My wolf softly whined before emitting an emotion of peace and calmness. I straightened myself. “Yes, I will pay the price,” I said assuredly. He
#Chapter161She didn’t respond, just gave me a curt nod, and then closed her eyes again. Next, Helena pressed her palms into my chest, making it hard for me to breathe; she began to mumble to herself, words I couldn’t understand. Then, she started to speak louder and faster, putting more pressure on my chest, causing a burning ache. My chest felt heavy as I gasped for air, and I was now experiencing a sharp pain that radiated throughout my whole body. I closed my eyes as tears began to pool. I could feel myself being separated from my wolf as she howled and whined in my head. The physical pain I was feeling was nothing compared to the emotional pain, and before I knew it, a wave of electricity surged through my body, and I felt as though my heart had been ripped from my chest before everything went dark. My body ached like I had been drug through sharp, jagged rocks by a speeding car. I felt weak and drained like I hadn’t slept in years. Then, finally, my eyes began to flutter ope
#Chapter162He pulled back and gripped my arms tightly. “Where the fuck were you? I was worried sick about you, that something had happened to you.” Little did he know that something had happened to me, something I wasn’t sure if I was ready to share with him as the pain of my actions began to eat away at me. I snorted, attempting to brush him off. “I was with the witch; her name is Helena, and I got the cure. So, we need to get going; we don’t have much time left.” I said in a rush. Gunnar furrowed his brows. “Something is different about you; what happened?” He asked in a demanding tone, and I knew if I lied to him, he would know, and we wouldn’t be going anywhere, anytime soon. I gulped harshly, afraid of his reaction. “Well, I got the cure, and there was a price to pay,” I said quietly, not able to look him in the eyes.His nostrils flared, and his jaw became rigid. “What was the price, Freja?” I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “My wolf,” I whispered, my chest