<h4>Chapter 261: Chapter 261</h4>


    [SAMANTHA’s Point of View]


    [We have to go!!!]


    Killian’s scream echoed in our heads, putting more pressure on me as I tried to protect the kids from the iing ck ws that dared to get close to them. Dominic’s focus was mainly on Bete, who transformed into a giant ck shadow werewolf. It terrified me because, despite Bete’s size, he still could keep up with my husband’s excellent speed, which was impossible to believe.


    We had to move. We had to get out of this ce before it was toote.


    As the ground shook, I held myself together and made sure I wouldn’t lose my bnce as I told the kids to grab Purple and hop on my back. Killian was clearing our way out of the Wolf Tomb, and Dominic was doing his best to slow down Bete as we tried to escape. We couldn’t stay in their camp. There were too many of them. And even though Dominic and I could annihte their whole camp in that spot, there was Bete, whom we had to deal with first. And seeing how strong his wolf was, it was impossible for me and Dominic to get rid of them, especially since we had to think of the kids first.


    [SAMANTHA!]


    A ck w jumped behind me and almost grabbed Diana and Devon from my back. I was faster, though, and managed to dodge. Killian lunged at the enemy and sent him a long gash on the face with his ws.


    [Dominic! We have to go! Now!] I desperately screamed to my husband through our bond link, but all I felt was anger and my husband’s strong desire to end Richard Bete’s life.


    I understood Dominic’s feelings, though. Richard killed his mother, and I would never forgive that old traitor even if he knelt in front of me and begged me to spare his life. The only way to end his existence was to kill him. And that’s what Dominic wanted to do at that moment. He wanted to get rid of Richard, and I couldn’t find a way to tell him that we needed to leave the Wolf Tomb before the ck ws got reinforcements to trap us all.


    My husband nced at us from behind his shoulder, and I saw how his eyes glowed crimson as he red back at Bete. The old traitor didn’t look as if he would let Dominic go either, and we had to find a way to escape.


    [What the f*ck is he waiting?!] There was panic in Killian’s voice, and I couldn’t me him.


    [DOMINIC!!!]


    That one yell from me sent my husband back to reality. He blinked and then moved with blinding speed. In a split second, he was already beside me, making sure the kids were safe on my back.


    [Let’s go.] A low growl rumbled in his throat before he snatched a ck w in front of us by the neck with his teeth and sent it flying behind us.


    Dominic led the way, and Killian was behind me, making sure the kids and I were safe if ever a shadow werewolf jumped on us.


    My eyes blurred a little. My heartbeat was like thunder in my chest, and I could hardly breathe. My anxiety started ying scenarios that I never wanted to entertain. Horrible scenarios that were so dreadful, my knees began to grow weak.


    [Samantha! You have to keep up the pace! We couldn’t slow down now! There is a horde of them behind us!] Killian snarled at me as he noticed that I was starting to decelerate.


    [What’s happening, my love?] Dominic asked as he slowed down a little so he could run by my side. His eyes worriedly stared at my face as he saw the struggle on it.


    [I’m fine. I just suddenly am not feeling well.] I answered softly, trying to shake away the dizziness in my head. I frowned and focused my energy on my legs. We couldn’t let the enemies catch us. We couldn’t let them have my twins!


    Trees blurred in my vision again as I kept my speed steady, and Dominic, despite the worry in his eyes, went back to his position in front of us. The night was getting deeper and the forest darker as the heavy atmosphere in the ce started to weigh on my head and shoulders.]


    It was as if the forest was not letting us escape as well.


    [They’re gone!]


    Killian’s surprise yell made me and Dominic halt as we all looked back behind us, realizing that the enemies weren’t running after us anymore. A deep frown was disyed on my husband’s face when he tried to figure out what was happening. He looked around, studying the trees and any kind of sound in every direction around us, but Killian was right.


    They stopped chasing after us.


    [What’s happening?] I asked, my eyes wide with disbelief as I looked around, expecting a ck w to suddenly appear and attack any of us from behind.


    [I’m not sure. I just realized I don’t feel any of their presence anymore.] Killian answered with the same confusion on his face.


    “Maybe they decided not to follow us anymore because we’re almost towards the borders of Silver Crescent?” Devon spoke while Purple was in his arms.


    [Probably, Devon is right. We are almost at the borders of the pack.] I agreed as I tried to calm down my breath.


    [Then let’s head back.] Dominic hissed between his panting as he gazed at me and Killian. [We need to inform Liam and the council about what happened and n how we’re going to defend the gates. We can’t waste any more time.]


    “Mom, wait!”


    We froze when Diana stopped us and looked at where her little hands were pointed.


    In front of us, a silhouette of a man appeared from behind an old, giant oak tree. He was wearing a strange kind of uniform. A white suit with gilded linings and a white te armor on his chest, which was very unusual to see.


    There was something familiar in his look, but I couldn’t recall where I had seen it until Dominic made one step towards the man with a wary expression on his face.


    [What does a Queen’s guard do in a ce like this?]


    I looked at Killian to see if he recognized the man, but he also had no idea who he was.


    [A queen’s guard? For all I know, the Queen Luna is already dead.] I said with a frown, confused about what was happening. [What are you doing here? What do you need here in the ck Forest?]


    “I am looking for you, Lady Samantha.”


    The man looked like he was in his mid-fifties. He had worn-out eyes—eyes that were haunted by nightmares and dreadful things he had witnessed throughout his life. His dark hair had white streaks in it, a sign that he probably had served the royal family and spent all his youth protecting them.


    [Get out of our way!] Dominic snarled at the Queen’s guard, who stood like a statue in front of us. His eyes were ring at my husband and then at me. I was surprised by that steel-like yet pleading look on his face.


    “My name is Rey.” The Queen’s guard introduced himself with his right hand on his left chest as he bowed slightly in front of us. We were all shocked by the gesture he made. And when he lifted his gaze, his eyes locked on mine.


    “Alpha Dominic is right. I am thete Queen’s guard. And I am here for you, Lady Samantha. I am here because I know something that you need.”


    “Dad! I think I am hearing something!” Devon cried in panic, and I felt him pulling my fur on my back unintentionally to get mine and the other’s attention. “I think the giant ck shadow werewolf is closing in! They’re still after all of us!”


    [Get out of our way! G*dd*mnit!] Dominic hissed at the Queen’s guard so sharply that even I was terrified when he bared his razor-sharp teeth menacingly at the man. [Don’t make me f*cking kill you.]


    [How are we sure you’re truly a Queen’s guard? What do you want from Sam?] Killian asked himself, despite his heart ramming in his chest as the rumbling on the ground grew louder and louder in our ears like a war drum.


    Rey, the Queen’s guard, reached for his pocket, and Dominic suddenly panicked. His silver fur stood on its end, giving Rey a threatening re with his eyes glinting red. [Don’t you f*cking dare!]


    Carefully, Rey took something from the pocket of his pants. A badge. He showed me the thing, and it confused me at first. I couldn’t understand why he felt the need to show it to me. But then I realized the symbol of the badge was very familiar! It was identical to the pendant that Dominic gave me as protection from the curse.


    The insignia of the Royal Family.


    “I am here to tell you about the source of the curse. I was informed that you had been looking for it. And I have the information to help you destroy the thing.”


    It changed everything. The tension in Dominic’s body suddenly disappeared as he heard what Rey had said. For so many months, we had been searching for the source, and all of a sudden, a man would appear in the middle of the forest, telling us that he knew where we could find it to destroy it.


    [Let’s talkter about it! But first, we have to hurry! Bete and the ck ws are almost here! We have to go somewhere where they can’t find us!] Killian broke the sudden silence as Dominic and I gazed at each other, feeling the hope that we could finally get rid of the curse. I saw how the crimson in his eyes slowly faded.


    “I know a ce where we can go,” Rey said as he gave us a look as if asking all of us to trust him with our lives. “I need you all to follow me!”