<h4>Chapter 689: On Their Way</h4>


    <strong>Kieran:</strong>


    Jasper didn’t waste time by waiting for any of us to tell him to reveal his findings.


    "And just like I had my doubts, things didn’t seem as normal as Charles had been trying to make them appear."


    His gaze shifted between all of us as he spoke slowly, "ording to the testimony of all these people, it was Charles who initiated the conflict both times."


    A cold chill ran down my spine.


    "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice dangerously quiet.


    Jasper met my gaze directly as he answered, "It wasn’t one-sided... and Charles wasn’t just a victim like he made Luna and her friends believe."


    A thick and heavy silence took hold in the room as we all just stared at Jasper.


    "However, it’s only happened during the two instances where the bullying was witnessed by Luna and her friends. When we looked through the bullying incidents from his past, he was actually the victim."


    "What are you saying?" Oscar snapped. My younger brother looked just as lost as us all.


    Jasper didn’t look away.


    "I’m saying," he continued carefully, "that in these recent two instances... Charles initiated the confrontation."


    The words hit like a punch.


    "He provoked them," Jasper added. "Pushed them. Said things to trigger a reaction."


    My mind reeled. Nothing What Jasper was saying matched the image of Charles he created just minutes ago - the broken boy, the victim, the one who lingered just by the thread of pure willpower.


    "And then?" River asked, his tone colder now. "He yed the victim? Was it his way to earn Evaline’s attention and protection?"


    Jasper’s expression hardened. "For now, that’s exactly what it seems like. His ssmates also told us that it was Charles who refused to talk to anyone and make friends with them. He made it seem like he’s being outcasted by everyone when it was actually him nning everything."


    A long, suffocating silence followed.


    I felt something dark settle deep in my chest. It was sharp and dangerous.


    I couldn’t help but wonder how a kid, who’s supposed to be innc and kind, could n something like this.


    Because if that was true, then everything changed.


    Everything.


    The way he met Eva, the way he stayed close to her, the way he gained her trust - none of it was a coincidence.


    It was all calcted, deliberate, and nned.


    But why? Why would he do that? Why Evaline?


    Charles and Evaline hadn’t met before their first encounter in Lakeshire. So why would Charles create a fake bullying incident to catch her attention?


    Or was it a pure coincidence that she just happened to be the one witnessing it?


    Because if it was indeed a coincidence, then Charles’s story had way too many coincidences.


    A sudden, loud bang shattered the silence.


    Oscar’s fist mmed against the table, the impact echoing through the room. "That little-" he cut himself off, his entire body radiating fury.


    His eyes burned as he looked between us.


    "It’s crystal clear," he said, his voiceced with anger. "This Charles is up to no good."


    My gaze darkened.


    "I believe he has something to do with Eva’s disappearance," Oscar continued, his tone unwavering.


    A dangerous calm settled over me. Because deep down, I was starting to think the same.


    Oscar let out a sharp breath, shaking his head slightly. "He always seemed too good to be true.


    Jasper cleared his throat, drawing our attention back to him. "There’s something else," he said, his tone sharper now.


    I straightened slightly. "What else?"


    He tapped on his tablet again, pulling up another set of footage.


    "I took the liberty of checking surveince from the nearest town connected to Charles’ pack through the back route," he began. "Past few weeks. Anything that might have been overlooked."


    He was thorough as usual.


    "And?" River prompted.


    Jasper swiped, then turned the screen toward us.


    A grainy image appeared... it was a truck. Old. Large. Nothing particrly special about it at first nce.


    "There," Jasper said, pausing the clip.


    My eyes narrowed as I immediately noticed What he wanted us to see.


    "That’s Charles," Jasper confirmed. "Driving that truck out of the town toward his pack the day before new year. However, he never brought the truck to his pack, but there’s no other ce he might have left the truck at unless we are talking about the woods."


    My brows furrowed.


    "And while he clearly took the back road, he was seen entering his pack..." Jasper continued, switching to another clip, "...on foot through the main entrance."


    Jasper then yed another clip. It was the same truck, but-


    "Yesterday," he began, "Around early afternoon, this truck was captured again in the footage of the small town."


    My pulse spiked as I focused on the driver. It was someone different... or at least he looked different. He has a hood covered his head and a mask hid his face.


    He had his every identifiable feature concealed. Like he knew he was being watched.


    "He’s trying to hide his identity," Oscar muttered.


    "No," I said slowly, my gaze locked on the screen. "He’s making sure no one can prove it’s him."


    "We tracked the truck," Jasper said. "And it’s current location is Ravengard Range, about thirty kilometers from here."


    The room wentpletely still.


    "And there’s more," Jasper continued, pulling up another set of images. "We hacked into the official cameras of the nearest town to that range - Stoneveil."


    I leaned forward, anxious to know what else he had dug up.


    "The same man with the hood and mask," Jasper said. "He’s been spotted a few times entering a small diner and leaving with food and water."


    "For now, our men are on standby," Jasper finished, looking between us. "Waiting for orders."


    Silence followed, heavy and charged.


    Because now... now we had something real. A direction. A lead. And I could feel it in my bones - Evaline was there.


    She <i>had</i> to be.


    Before I could speak, River moved. He stood up in one smooth motion, his presence instantlymanding the room.


    "We are not wasting another second," he said.


    There was no hesitation. No doubt. His eyes were already set.


    "We head to Ravengard. Now."


    My wolf stirred.


    <i>Finally</i>.


    "Oscar," River added, turning toward him, "get your best warriors. I want that entire mountain searched."


    Oscar nodded immediately, already reaching for his phone. "On it."


    Everything moved fast after that - orders, calls, movement. Within minutes, we were out of the building and heading straight for the cars.


    My heart pounded harder with every step.


    This was it.


    It had to be.


    I climbed into the passenger seat, my mind racing, my wolf restless - alert in a way he hadn’t been since this nightmare began.


    River got in beside me behind the wheel while Oscar slid into the back.


    And just as we were about to move, River pulled out three small vials from his pockets, each filled with a faintly glowing liquid.


    He handed one to me, one to Oscar, and kept thest one with him.


    "What is this?" I asked, already uncapping it.


    "Elixir," he said. "From Elder Morwen."


    I stilled for a fraction of a second.


    "It’ll help our bonds connect with Evaline," he continued. "Once we are within a ten-kilometer radius."


    My grip tightened around the vial.


    A way to <i>feel</i> her.


    To <i>find</i> her.


    Even through the silence.


    "Drink it," River said.


    I didn’t hesitate. Not for a second.