My Hockey Alpha #Chapter 284: Cut Loose
Nina
One by one, all of us went through the portal and entered into the werewolf
realm. When we came out on the other side, we were back in the forest.
I immediately recognized the location that we came out of the portal as the
same spot where my friends and I camped out when we were looking for
Enzo. It was incredibly dark the last time we were there due to the spell cast
on the forest by Selena and the witch, but I recognized the small sloping hill
surrounded by tall pine trees. In fact, as I walked further into the center of the
clearing, I was able to find the circle of rocks from our last campfire.
It had snowed since then, and the ground was covered in a light dusting of
white powder. Around me, the new recruits who had never been to the
werewolf realm before looked around with awe at their new surroundings.
“Where are we?” one girl asked as she looked around at the dark green
scenery of the forest mixed with the white of the snow, which was illuminated
by the full moon;
I quickly realized that the moon here was always full, which I
found interesting. At home, it was a waxing crescent at that very moment.
“This is the werewolf realm,” Enzo said. “It’s… Well, it’s where the
werewolves live.”
“So there are other werewolves here?” one boy asked, sounding curious.
Enzo nodded, but we didn’t have time for questions. We needed to get
moving; and thankfully, we knew where we were. With Enzo, Luke and I at the
front and Matt watching the back of the group, we began our trek through the
forest.
It was much easier this time without having a pall of darkness cast over the
forest. We found our way through the woods easily, and thanks to my
newfound night vision, I had no trouble keeping up. The group stayed mostly
quiet as well, just in case the Luna’s rogues came looking for us. The entire
time, we were all on the verge of shifting if we needed to. I was grateful that
this time we had an entire army of werewolves behind us. I just hoped that all
of the training that we put them through over the past couple of weeks would
pay off.
However, at one point the quietness was broken by the sound of someone
speaking up.
“H-Hey!” one girl said, her voice sounding alarmed. “Where are you going?!
Enzo and I shot each other a single glance. We knew who had run off. We
quickly whirled around to face the spot where Selena had been walking; and,
as I suspected, she was gone. “Where did she go?” I asked, running up to
Matt and the girl who had called after Selena while the group froze in
confusion.
Matt shook his head and looked out into the trees while the girl pointed. “She
just took off in that direction,” she said. “She’s fast.”
“I’ll go after her,” Matt said. He started to take off, but I suddenly stopped him
and pulled him back, shaking my head.
“No,” I insisted. “It’s not worth it.”
Matt furrowed his brow. By now, Enzo was standing by my side silently with
an angry expression on his face and with his muscular arms folded across his
chest. I knew that he was disappointed in me. I never should have let Selena
come with us, and I knew that…
But at the same time, I didn’t have a bad
feeling about it. In the werewolf realm, the power of our twin bond felt
stronger. I didn’t get a feeling that she was up to something bad; rather, I
sensed that she was up to something else. I didn’t know what it was exactly,
but it didn’t feel sinister.
Maybe she was just running for the sake of running, or
maybe she had a plan. Either way, even if she was up to something bad, we
didn’t have the time or manpower to send anyone looking for her. We just
needed to get to the mansion, and we needed to hurry. I didn’t know what the
Luna was doing with Lori and Jessica, but I didn’t want to dawdle around for
any longer than I needed to.
Enzo didn’t say anything about it. We continued moving, ignoring Selena’s
sudden disappearance.
All around us, it felt as though the forest was pressing in on us the closer we
got to the mansion. We must have been walking for an hour, maybe even two.
The path became more difficult, and soon we were headed uphill to where the
Alpha King’s mansion lay. Traveling this route before with only a few people
was much easier, but it wasn’t so easy now with a small army of over forty
people, many of whom had never been to the werewolf realm before. The
closer we got to the mansion, too, the thicker the air felt.
Ahead of the group, Luke continued to lead the way through the forest like our
pathfinder. I was glad to have him by my side, and as we walked, we talked in
hushed tones.
“I can sense the magic thickening now,” he whispered, keeping his voice low
so as not to be overheard by the nervous recruits. “The closer we get to the
mansion, the stronger it gets.”
“Do you know what sort of magic it is?” I asked as I stepped over a fallen
tree. Luke shook his head and then fell silent for a little while.
Eventually, the tall spires of the mansion came into view over the treetops.
They looked like the tops of the pine trees in the distance at first, but as we
got closer I could see the stone parapets and tiled facades. I felt Enzo’s hand
slip into mine then, and it was cool and comforting. I didn’t realize it until he
took my hand,
but I was trembling slightly. When he held my hand, however, it
subsided; and when I looked up at him, he no longer looked angry with me
over Selena. He looked a little frightened, but mostly strong and determined.
Seeing his sharp jawline as I walked beside him, and the way that his broad
shoulders sat back proudly, made me feel safe and protected.
Finally, the walls of the mansion came into view between the trees. Enzo
directed everyone to keep low, and we began to creep forward until we found
a good spot to observe the mansion.
Just as I suspected, the mansion grounds were no longer being patrolled by
guards in uniform; rather, those guards had been replaced by dozens of the
Luna’s genetically engineered rogues. Their eyes glowed brightly as they
paced silently back and forth on the lawn, their heads swiveling this way and
that as they watched intently for any intruders. There was no way in without
being seen; the Luna’s defenses were impenetrable now. She had learned
from her mistakes and there was not a single weak spot in the patrol. I knew
that the only way to get through would be by fighting.
I looked over at Enzo in the darkness where we hid, watching as his eyes
darted back and forth, inspecting the rogues. He looked serious and
unwaveringly powerful.
And when he looked at me, his face exuded the spirit of an Alpha.
