Chapter 63
Liam's vision blurred with rage as he tore through the enemies in his path. The humane part of him had taken the backseat as he ripped out throats, hearts, limbs, and everything tearable.
His teeth and claws sank into everything and anything without any regard. His feral instincts guided his every move, allowing him to anticipate their attacks and strike with deadly precision. The scent of blood and sweat permeated the air, mingling with the sounds of growls. He single-handedly destroyed all magical spots and ripped apart the offending witches. He was too swift to be caught or attacked, his rage fueled by anger.
James, who considered how badly it could end for everyone, struggled to keep up with Liam's relentless assault. Liam was on the edge, consumed by his wolf's primal instincts. Desperately, James tried to reason with him amidst the chaos. "Liam, focus!" James shouted, his voice barely audible over the din of battle. "We need to find Nicole and end this!"
Liam's wolf instincts propelled him forward, his senses honed for the scent of danger. The air crackled with the energy of the fight as he tore through his opponents with an unmatched ferocity.
Each swipe of his claws and snap of his jaws was fueled by a deep-rooted determination to protect his pack and find Nicole.
Liam! James's voice resounded in his head. Liam's wolf momentarily halted his onslaught. The words penetrated his consciousness, reminding him of his purpose.
Nicole, his mate, was out there somewhere, possibly in the clutches of the witch. He couldn't allow himself to lose control until he had ensured her safety.
Knowing that James was right, he fought with himself, crouched low, and turned back to his human form. He grabbed spare pants discarded by someone who had shifted into wolf form and threw them on.
"You're right," Liam growled, his voice laced with primal intensity. His breaths were coming hard and fast. "Did it work?"
"Look around you! We're winning." James said, "But the witch didn't go there. We must find her. But first, we need to deal with the source of this attack."
"Who's unaccounted for?" Liam growled.
"Apart from pack members who died during the battle. Nicole, Lilian, Asha, and Garrett are missing," James announced, panting heavily.
As they fought their way forward, Liam's mind raced with questions. Garrett's sudden disappearance troubled him, but Asha's absence and her questionable actions weighed heavily on his mind. The fact that she had lied to Nicole about several things only deepened his suspicions.
"I can't shake the feeling that Asha is involved somehow," Liam muttered, his voice filled with a mix of anger and frustration. "Her lies, her sudden disappearance-it's all too suspicious."
"And Garrett? I can still feel his connection to the pack, but where the hell is he?"
"He probably went after Nicole." Liam mused. His eyes widened, and he paused completely. "When was the last time you saw Nicole? Garrett said you were with her?"
James narrowed his eyes, "No." He said, sighing. "I don't know how she disappeared."
Liam grunted, "Lilian is at the pack house, healing from her injuries. This rules her out. Nicole probably found the camp, while Asha and Garrett's disappearance is surprising."
"Is Garrett injured, or has he gone rogue?"
Liam's eyes glinted with annoyance as he surveyed the battlefield. The pack warriors fought valiantly, their loyalty to their Alpha evident in every move they made. But Liam's thoughts were consumed by Nicole. His mind raced as he considered the possibilities. Garrett's sudden disappearance troubled him deeply.
"Rogue?" He questioned,
James nodded grimly, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of their missing pack members. "A battle can do that. You'll have to agree that Garrett has been acting strange and erratic lately." "We'll confront that once this is over," Liam said. "Right now, our priority is to secure the pack and find Nicole. If Asha is what we suspect she is, she may have lured Nicole in with a fake friendship." Liam's thoughts momentarily shifted to Nicole, imagining her in the clutches of the witch. A surge of protectiveness welled up within him, igniting a fierce determination to rescue her.
"We have to find that witch," Liam declared, his voice seething with determination. "Once we do, we'll make her pay for what she's done."
The witch attacks suddenly began to make sense, and Liam began to regret his past actions.
"It's Asha," he muttered as his memories came back to him. Before he even met Nicole, he and Asha had shared a connection, a mutual understanding that had drawn them together. But now, that bond felt tainted, clouded by Asha's deceit and betrayal. He had trusted Asha, allowed her into his inner circle, and even considered her as a potential Luna. He had believed that her loyalty and understanding would be unwavering. But now, he questioned his judgment and wondered if he had been blinded by his desires.
Out of all the women he had been with, she seemed to be the only one who understood him at that time. She didn't make the necessary demands and always showed loyalty to him.
Lillian didn't like her, but she tolerated her. Although Liam didn't think he was ever going to mate anyone, he had seriously considered her as the next Luna.
It was why he had her with him in the pack house. He used her as damage control when his females were going out of control. She became the most powerful female in the pack. She didn't ask for much, and he thought she understood him.
Asha was also very unlike other females. She wasn't regal like his Nicole, but she was somewhere in the middle. She didn't seem to want to fight for power. She seemed content and disciplined.
"Lillian was right about her," Liam muttered to himself, his voice filled with frustration. "I let her into our lives, into my pack, and look at what she's done."
James narrowed his eyes, "Who? Nicole?"
Liam growled. "No. Asha. She's definitely behind this."
He remembered when he started associating with Asha and how his sister had strongly kicked against it like she was currently doing with Nicole. Yet, at that time, his sister didn't express serious disapproval. She just didn't like Asha but wasn't planning to confront her or anything.
"Asha told Nicole that I'm cursed. That the witch is from a curse! When she was the one perpetuating the whole thing!"
"Liam, get your head back in the game. Do not make decisions while you're emotional or come to conclusions when you're not certain. Until we find them, both Asha and Garrett and even Nicole are suspects." Liam growled but said nothing more.
"Don't beat yourself too much about it, Liam. You couldn't have known. What matters now is that we find a way to stop her and protect our pack. That is, if it's Asha that fooled us."
Liam sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his regrets. "I know, James, but it doesn't make it any easier. I thought she understood me, that she had my back. Now I realize it was all a charade."
James placed a reassuring hand on Liam's shoulder, offering support and understanding. "We all make mistakes, my friend. The important thing is how we learn from them and move forward. Right now, we need to focus on the present and the safety of our pack." Liam nodded, his jaw clenched tightly as he redirected his thoughts to the task at hand. He had to find Asha, confront her, and put an end to her treachery. The safety of his pack and the woman he loved depended on it.
Together, Liam and James made their way through the battlefield, their eyes scanning the chaos for any sign of Asha or Garrett's presence. The stench of blood and the sound of howling filled the air as they tried to track both Garrett and Asha. "Instead of tracking them, let's look for the camp?" James suggested.
Liam was about to agree when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure amidst the chaos. Asha stood on the outskirts of the battlefield, her eyes filled with a twisted mix of rage and satisfaction. Liam's heart clenched as he realized the extent of her betrayal. "Stop right there, Asha!" Liam's voice boomed, cutting through the tumultuous sounds of battle. He strode toward her with purpose, his gaze locked onto hers.
She smirked, then sprang in another direction. Liam let out one fierce growl that stopped her in her tracks.
"Where the fvck have you been?"
Asha's lips curled into a sneer as she met Liam's gaze. "So, you've finally realized, Alpha Liam? So I took you to the destruction of your pack to notice? All the time, I wanted just words of affirmation from you, and you ignored me.
Even when she came, I needed to be sure that we were still in this together, but you allowed her to deceive you. And you betrayed me. I belong to you only, Liam, sacrificing my all for you!" Liam's nose flares, "Where's Nicole?"
Asha chuckled, "You still haven't figured it out, right? Oh, you're so slow. You're so stupid for someone who's supposed to be powerful."
Enraged, Liam grabbed her by her throat, overwhelmed with the need to tear out her neck.
"Kill me, and you'll never see her again!" She screamed.
James was by his side immediately. He coerced him to free her.
"Why'd you think you can not feel her? Stop trying to force the poor witch bane. She's going to leave you. She'll leave you because she can not stand you. I'm the only one who can stand you!"
James' nostrils flared with anger as he closed the distance between them. "Shut up. You deceived us, Asha. You used our trust to further your agenda. The only reason why you're still breathing is because his wolf is not yet overcome by desperation." Asha's laughter echoed through the air, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Liam's spine. "Oh, Liam, you were never meant to understand. You were busy fooling yourself. She's going to leave you. I'm getting her to leave you."
Liam's fists clenched at his sides as he fought to control his rising fury. "You betrayed us all, Asha. You turned your back on the pack, on me. And for what?"
Liam's voice had changed now, power cackled in the air.
Asha's eyes gleamed with malice as she raised her hand, a surge of dark energy crackling at her fingertips. "You're a fool, Liam. You could have had it all, but you chose a weak and insignificant female over me. Now, you'll pay the price." "Where's my mate!" Liam growled, his eyes flickering.
Asha stood wide-eyed. "Mate?" She stuttered, all her bravado vanished in an instant.
Liam lunged at her again, grabbing her by her hair.
"So the rumors are true?" Asha stuttered. "The rumors are true."
Liam was losing his patience, and James knew it. He grabbed her by her arm. "Asha, speak up now, and we can save your life."
Liam growled, his fingers extending to claws. That seemed to snap Asha out of her daze.
"It's too late, Liam. She'll leave you..."
Liam lunged at her again, grabbing her by her throat. "What did you say?"
"It's too late! She's going to leave you."
"What the F**k did you do to her?"
"Me? You must be really dumb to think that I'm the witch. Do I possess any power?"
Liam let go of her immediately, his mind reeling. He noted that for some reason, his dominance wasn't affecting Asha as it should.
Asha laughed, "You know when we discovered that she was the witch bane, I was even angrier. I wanted to be her so badly. I wanted to be like her- A witch bane."
Liam smacked her harshly, drawing blood.
"Who's the witch?"
"You'll never guess," Asha laughed. "Let me give you a hint. Who wants Nicole out of here the most?"
That earned her another punch, this time from James.
In one corner of the forest, flames erupted, causing Asha to grin. "It's happening, the ritual."
Liam grabbed her again.
"Let her go." James growled, "Let's find that fire. Nicole has to be there."
Asha, who was gasping for air, chuckled. "Bull's eye James, you were always the smart one. You finally figured that I'm just a distraction."
Liam snapped her neck into two and rushed off in the direction of the flames.