59 - Ben


    After nearly twenty minutes passed without any word from them, I found myself stepping out of the car, battling the rising nausea and mental exhaustion just to search for any sign of their whereabouts. It soon became clear that they had triggered some kind of powerful energy burst that immobilized both of thempletely. Thankfully, the effect faded after a while, allowing them to reach out to me again, which instantly heightened my alertness. This meant one of two things: either someone was watching our every move, or the trap was designed to alert a third party that their wards were being tampered with. Either way, I kept my senses sharp, moving cautiously closer to the marker.


    Just like with ra and the first marker, I spotted Owen and Damon kneeling over something motionless. Even with my enhanced vision, the distance blurred the details, but I knew they were right there, working diligently despite the illusion suggesting otherwise. The magic wasn''tpletely blocking ourmunication; I could still exchange texts with them, which was a small relief.


    Suddenly, a sh of purple light struck my eyes, momentarily blinding me. When my vision cleared, they were standing right in front of me. "Honestly, I''d love to go into that thing with you guys someday. Being stuck on the outside is killing my nerves,” I joked, hoping myugh sounded genuine. "At least this time, I managed to get a video to show you what I see from out here."


    "Let''s check inside the car," Owen suggested. "I agree with you—it definitely felt like some kind of rm or warning system for whoever''s behind this."


    Without hesitation, I followed him inside. The oppressive pressure eased slightly as we moved. "What do you mean ''whoever''? I thought your coven leaders knew exactly who''s responsible for all this," I asked, curiosity and concern mixing in my voice.


    Owen nced warily into the surrounding forest before whispering, "I''m pretty sure it''s her. But she''s not as clever as you might think. Not that shecks intelligence— she''s sharp-but she doesn''t have the patience or foresight to think things through. She never cared about the consequences of her spells or workings, only what would serve her in the moment. That''s probably why so many of your wolves are dying while working for her. She didn''t consider how the magic would affect them, only that they could help her get what she wants. That makes her even more dangerous."


    Perfect. We were dealing with a psychopath who had no regard for anyone else''s life. As we continued driving toward the Red Fang packhouse, I made a mental note —and a quick note in our text thread-marking the rough coordinates of where the nausea hit me hardest, so we could revisit those spotster.


    "At least your aversion to the shadow makers is good for something," Owen joked, breaking the tension.


    “Shut up,” I shot back as they bothughed. “But seriously, do you think it''s just because of my age that I''m feeling this way?"


    "We''ll have a better idea once we meet your friend," Damon replied, his voiceing from the rearview mirror. "You said he''s younger than you, right?"


    "Yes. But what if he''s under a spell? I probably should have asked that before we left," I admitted, a knot tightening in my stomach.


    "You''re lucky Brianna thought of that," Damon said. "We''re prepared to help break any spells cast on Red Fang''s Alpha or any other members who might be affected. But are you ready to fight alongside him if he sees you as the enemy?" He trailed off, and I understood the implication. Could I handle going up against a friend, even if it meant one of us might not make it out alive?


    Another half hour passed before the Red Fang vige finally came into view through the thick trees. “Does anyone else think it''s odd that we haven''t seen a single patrol or warrior on our way in? Is this normal here?" I asked, unease creeping into my voice.


    "No, I was thinking the same thing," Owen replied quietly. "We should have encountered someone as soon as we crossed the borders. Usually, there are people milling about, but the main street looks deserted—like a ghost town. Stay alert. The magic is definitely here; I can feel the pressure building again."


    "Do you want to follow the trail or head straight to the packhouse?" Damon asked.


    "Let''s go to the packhouse first. I need to see how deep this goes. It might just be Junior affected, but Luna ?am could be involved too. I don''t want to wander around if everyone''s been turned against us," I said firmly.


    "Got it. Lead the way, Beta," Damon said, falling into step behind me.


    I gave directions that took us slightly off the main path, keeping us away from the vige center. If we were the enemy, I didn''t want Junior to get any warning. Soon, the log cabin-style packhouse appeared ahead, and Owen whistled appreciatively. "Now that''s a packhouse. No offense to your Alpha, but this ce feels way more intimidating. Less pensating for something small'' energy, and more ''mess with me, I dare you,”” he joked, and Iughed along with him. I didn''t care much for the ck w packhouse either, but it was home, and I was grateful to have it.


    “There should be warriors here too. Let''s enter cautiously and assume an ambush is waiting," I warned, stepping out of the SUV.


    "That''s why you''re going first, my friend," Damon said with a grin as he followed me inside.


    We moved through the living room, where everything seemed normal and in ce, but the air felt stale, heavy with old scents-maybe weeks old. It was clear no one had passed through here in a long time. I followed the faint trail of scent down a hallway beyond the kitchen until I found a door left slightly ajar. Luna ?am''s scent was stronger here.


    "They''re down here," I called over my shoulder. "Give me a head start, just in case. Then you can follow. Stay ready for anything."