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    “He’ll be thest one,” I told Cassian firmly, my eyes drifting <i>to </i>the darkening corridor behind him. Thick gray smoke had already filled the passageway, billowing forward in heavy, suffocating waves. I didn’t have to see the mes directly to understand how far the fire had spread. The dense smoke was evidence enough, making the air hazy and hard to breathe.


    “I’lle back as soon as I can,” I added, my voice strained from the acrid smoke filling my lungs. This time, I didn’t wait for Cassian’s response. We both knew we had no time to lose.


    Outside, the poisonous miasma remained thick, lethal enough to endanger anyone who ventured into it without my protection. To safely get the children out, I had no choice but to escort each child individually, enveloping them in my healing energy to neutralize the toxins. This meant multiple trips, each one exhausting, each one leaving Cassian behind inside the cave to guard the others and hold back any attackers.


    But I wasn’t concerned about Cassian’s ability to fight. He was strong, perhaps even the strongest warrior that I had ever seen.


    My true fear was the fire he had set. After securing the critical documents he needed, Cassian had deliberately ignited the area, intending to destroy all remaining evidence. Now, the mes had grown faster andrger than anticipated and it forced us into this frantic race against time.


    “This poison came from the West,” a small voice suddenly said, breaking through my thoughts. I nced down and realized thest child I needed to rescue was the boy with Alpha blood. He stared at the smoke–filled passage, his expression solemn. “It was used to destroy my family.”


    The West, again. Everything involving my father and our pack seemed tied to that region. Could this poison be the reason Cassian hade here?


    “Even the strongest wolves would die quickly after inhaling this poison,” I muttered quietly. We were fortunate that I could neutralize its effects, healing the children before it caused permanent internal damage.


    “We need to hurry,” I said urgently, lifting the boy carefully. We had no more time to waste.


    I tightened my grip on the small boy, holding him securely as I navigated the treacherous path through the forest. I had already memorized a narrow route around the edges of the poisonous miasma, twisting carefully around trees and dense bushes, each step taken with precision. Even though my body was exhausted from repeatedly using my healing energy, I


    refused to slow down.


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    The moment we stepped beyond the toxic cloud, I felt the immediate relief of fresh air, sharp and cleansing, despite the heavy downpour soaking us to the bone. The rain fell in torrents, turning the ground into thick, slippery mud that clung to our feet, making every step arduous. The sky above remained dark, offering no hint of morning’s approach. Visibility was poor, shadows cloaking the forest in uncertainty.


    I pressed forward until we reached therge boulder that marked our safe point, just beyond the Nightfall territory. The rock was enormous, nestled inconspicuously against a slope, its surface hidden beneath thickyers of ivy and tangled vegetation. To anyone unfamiliar with this area, the boulder would appear as nothing more than a natural part of thendscape.


    Carefully, I ced the child down beside the boulder, kneeling so that our eyes were level. “Stay right here, and don’t move, no matter what happens. Remain hidden, and stay silent. I promise I’lle back soon.”


    His golden eyes locked onto mine. Aries, who stood protectively nearby with the other rescued children, stepped forward, cing a reassuring hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Atasha,” Aries said softly. Despite the pouring rain, he looked calm and collected. “Come back quickly.”


    I nodded firmly. Without another word, I turned back toward the miasma–filled forest and sprinted toward the cave once more, driven by urgency and the need to reach Cassian in time.


    Each step felt heavier, my muscles burning as exhaustion crept into every limb. The rain made the ground dangerously slick, but determination pushed me forward until I plunged back into the thickening fog of poison. My healing energy instantly surged, surrounding my body protectively as I retraced my path through the lethal haze.


    The miasma seemed denser now, swirling ominously around me, the pungent odor nearly overwhelming my senses. My heart pounded hard, knowing Cassian had been inside the cave, exposed to the smoke and the lingering poison for far longer than I wanted to imagine.


    After what felt like an eternity of struggling through the choking fumes, I finally found the entrance to the cave. The opening was barely visible now, obscured by thick curtains of smoke pouring from the passageway. Gritting my teeth, I stumbled down the familiar steps, eyes stinging fiercely from smoke, my throat raw and aching with everybored breath.


    “Cassian!” My voice was harsh, cracking beneath the strain of smoke inhtion. “Cassian, can you hear me?”


    At first, only silence answered. Panic began to w at the edges of my mind, but then I saw him, a faint silhouette, barely visible in the smoke–filled darkness. Cassian was leaning heavily against the cave wall, head bowed, one hand gripping the jagged stone for support.


    I hurried toward him, heart racing as I reached out, my fingers brushing his shoulder. “Cassian,” I repeated urgently, squeezing his arm firmly to get his attention. “We have to leave now. It’s time to go!”


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    His head slowly lifted, his eyes meeting mine through the dense, choking haze. For a brief moment, all I could see was the exhaustion etched on his face and the immense effort it took for him to remain standing. But then, without warning, his eyes shifted, his usual clear, steely gaze reced by an unnatural, deep crimson glow that pierced through the smoke like burning embers.


    Before I could even react, his hand shot forward with rming speed, fingers tightening around my throat in an iron grip.


    I gasped, eyes widening as my feet suddenly left the ground, my body helplessly suspended in mid–air. Then a sinister smile spread slowly across his face. Panic surged through me as I struggled to breathe. “Cass- Cassian it’s me!”


    Chapter <b>35 </b>