<h4>Chapter 247: Chapter 247 The Dark Hunt</h4>


    Cecilia’s pov


    Evelyn slid her arm around my shoulders, her red lips brushing close to my ear. "Don’t worry, I’m more than capable. I can handle ten people at once."


    Sebastian’s expression shifted instantly, his jaw tightening.


    "Evelyn. Let her go."


    Evelyn raised both hands, mock-innocent. "Sebastian, you’re being absurdly possessive. Can’t I have a private word with Cece?"


    He didn’t answer.


    "Cecilia,e here," he said, motioning to me while shooting a re at Dick. "Control your people."


    Dick flushed, clearly embarrassed.


    He muttered something to hispanion and pulled her aside for a hushed scolding.


    I moved to Sebastian’s side, watching the exchange unfold.


    Sawyer leaned in, voice low. "Cecilia... do you feel like we’re being watched?"


    I cupped my hand around my mouth and whispered, "It’s the woman who fell."


    "What?!" Sawyer yelped, grabbing my arm.


    Before I could answer, a familiar chill cut through the air.


    Sebastian’s rended on Sawyer like a frostbite warning.


    Sawyer looked up and froze.


    "What’s with that look?" he muttered.


    "There’s a tree over there," Sebastian said, pointing somewhere vaguely.


    "A... tree?"


    "If your hands are that restless, go rub them against some bark."


    His voice was calm, but the edge was sharp.


    Sawyer dropped my arm like it burned and took two steps back.


    I gave Sebastian a look. He looked back, gaze cool but almost amused.


    "I’m just concerned," he murmured. "Itchy hands can be dangerous. In severe cases... amputation might be required."


    I stared at him. Was that a joke? A threat? A warning?


    Sawyer had turned pale. I couldn’t me him.


    Dick returned with hispanion, looking ufortable.


    Our group instinctively huddled closer, conversation dropping to a murmur.


    Evelyn stepped forward again, slow and deliberate--like a cat circling something it already considered caught.


    She tilted the woman’s chin with one finger. "We’ve decided. Just you and me. Treasure hunting in that treehouse sounds... intimate, doesn’t it?"


    The woman stiffened.


    "What’s wrong?" Evelyn purred. "You were eager to go with Cecilia. But not with me?"


    Her smile thinned. She grabbed the woman’s jaw, grip tightening. "You’reing. Now."


    "Mr. Dick!" the woman gasped, panic ring.


    Dick stepped forward--but froze when Sebastian spoke.


    "She made the offer first," he said, tone slow and t.


    The message was clear : she started it. She finishes it.


    Dick hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod. "Fine. Go."


    The woman tried to pull away, but Evelyn’s grip didn’t budge.


    Gravel crunched under their feet as Evelyn dragged her off toward the trees.


    No one followed. No one said a word.


    I watched their figures disappear into the forest, something cold settling in my chest.


    The silence that followed wasn’t just awkward. It was... wrong.


    Sebastian stood beside me, arms crossed, unreadable. But I could feel the tension humming under his skin.


    Fifteen minutes passed.


    Still no sign of them.


    Sebastian checked his watch, then unfolded the terrain map like we were nning a pic.


    "Let’s try the east side," he said casually, tapping a spot.


    "But our people are still... " Dick gestured toward the treehouse.


    "Then go get them," Sebastian said, tone even. "We’re moving on."


    Without waiting, he took my hand and started down the forest path.


    Sawyer and Vance followed, quiet for once.


    "Alpha Sebastian!" Dick called out, scrambling after us with hispanion in tow.


    We headed east. The woods deepened around us.


    The walk was long, but Sebastian’s pace was steady.


    After thirty minutes, we reached a white-stone path leading to a round, squat building. Weathered brown walls. A red-tiled roof.


    It looked like something out of a storybook and absolutely not in a good way.


    One window. One door. Too quiet.


    We approached. Sebastian checked his watch, then stepped inside.


    We followed.


    BANG.


    The door mmed behind us--hard.


    I flinched and grabbed Sebastian’s arm.


    He didn’t move. Just nced down at me, his expression unreadable.


    Then came the extras. Vance clutched his other arm. Sawyer, somehow, ended up hugging him from behind.


    Sebastian stood frozen, arms full of people he didn’t ask for.


    I blinked. Sawyer. Really?


    Sebastian’s head turned slowly. The look he gave Sawyer could’ve frozenva.


    "A-Alpha, the door--" Sawyer stammered.


    "Yes," Sebastian said, voice like cut ss. "Thank you for your brilliant observation. Without you, I might never have noticed the giant door mming shut behind us."


    He raised a hand, and for a second, I thought he might actually strike him.


    I stepped in, catching his wrist. "He didn’t mean it. He’s just Sawyer. Let it go."


    Sebastian looked at me. Really looked. Then lowered his hand.


    Vance let out a sharp snort.


    I shot him a look. "What’s so funny, troublemaker?"


    "Troublemaker?" He scoffed. "That’s riching from you."


    We traded jabs. Pointless. Tense. A distraction.


    Dick cleared his throat. "Alpha Sebastian... what now?"


    Sebastian didn’t even look at him. "No idea." He waved a hand, brushing Sawyer and Vance aside like static.


    Then he took my hand and turned toward the staircase. "Upstairs."


    He didn’t ask. He just led. I followed.


    Dick trailed behind, thankfully silent.


    The second floor was sealed off and strange--walls damp, air thick. The floor gave way spongily, like rotting fruit.


    Clusters of mushroom-like growths lined the corners. Spores drifted through the air like dust motes that didn’t belong.


    Sebastian moved through the space slowly, scanning the room like he was looking for something.


    But I could tell he wasn’t. He was stalling. Watching. Guarding.


    I trailed behind, lightheaded. The air was thick, the nts strange, everything edged in blur.


    "I need to use the restroom," I said, stopping mid-step.


    Sebastian looked at me sharply. "I’ll go with you."


    "It’s fine," I said, squeezing his hand. "This ce isn’t that big. What could possibly happen?"


    He didn’t argue, but his eyes stayed on me as I turned and walked away.


    I hummed softly down the hall, just too loud enough to be heard.


    Behind me, footsteps. Quiet. Close.


    I didn’t look. Just kept walking. Fourth door on the right.


    I slipped inside.


    The shadow followed. The door clicked shut.


    A sh of wire.


    Then darkness swallowed everything--not just the room, but the entire castle and the forest beyond.