GRRRR…


    Lnd let out a low roar and emitted a powerful killing aura, causing the beasts in the forest that had survived the fire to run and hide again.


    Eloise was unaffected. "If you''re asking me what I want, I will just be frank with you. I want you to protect me and my son until my son bes the next Alpha, and since you intentionally made things difficult for me... I want to punish you a little."


    ? She scoffed and rubbed her bleeding neck. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Lnd intently. "You made me do this. I actually wanted us to be at peace with each other and I don''t have to use a backhanded method. For these wounds, you inflicted on me... I want you to break your mate bond with Sophie."


    Lnd was very surprised, he had never met a woman so shameless as Eloise.


    He growled in anger and was ready to pounce on Eloise again. However, he held back. He had seen Eloise waving her hand and casting a spell. Suddenly, the soul stone that he had snatched from her earlier floated and returned to her hand.


    Eloise closed her palm and kept the precious stone hidden. She continued her words casually. "Consider my first request as an exchange for your daughter''s soul stone and the second request is for your son''s soul stone. Tell Sophie that you no longer want to be with her and break your mate bond. Then, I will free little Jack."


    Lnd who couldn''t take it anymore immediately raised his hand to kill Eloise. The witch protected her head spontaneously and then shouted, "If you kill me you will kill your son!!"


    Lnd''s arm halted in the air. His body was shaking and his whole being was engulfed in so much anger.


    "You know me, dear Lnd. I''m not someone who carelessly makes ns. I don''t mind ying the long game. How do you think I could get to your family? After I killed Katherine, I realized she was useful because of her past rtionship with Sophie. I was using her identity to get close to Sophie and your children, under your nose... ahaha. So, you better believe me when I told you I have your children''s souls with me."


    She added coldly, "You have seen what I am capable of, then you should know that I have anticipated all possibilities that would happen including you would try to kill me in anger. So I ordered my people to destroy little Anne''s soul stone if I didn''te back in one week."


    She lowered her hand and opened her palm to show the blue stone again, showing that stone off to Lnd. "Your only chance of getting Anne''s soul stone is if you keep me alive. I am keeping it somewhere secret. I will be kind and let you have Jack''s immediately if you break your mate bond with Sophie."


    Hearing that, Lnd trembled with anger. He lowered his hand and continued to let out a low roar which made the nearby animals feel very uneasy because they felt threatened.


    Eloise continued, "If you don''t believe me, you can go home now and see for yourself. Did I really take your children''s souls or not? Go and see for yourself how your children''s health is deteriorating because their souls have been taken."


    Lnd gritted his teeth and growled softly. He felt so mad and disappointed in himself for letting Eloise get to his family by taking Katherine''s identity. Now he realized she must be telling the truth from the way she seemed to know so much about his family.


    She must have faked the reports about Katherine''s identity. Also, since she had that potion to remove her scent, she could be anyone she wanted. It was so hard to deal with magic users because they had backhanded methods to do things.


    He must not be careless. He was fooled once, he wouldn''t let her get to his family again. Even if he had to die, he would make sure his children were safe and they would be free from Eloise''s clutch.


    Slowly, Lnd shifted back into his human form. He looked at Eloise with gritted teeth, while she smiled at his nakedness. Lycans were proud creatures and they were not shy about their bodies. She liked what she saw.


    "I know you are upset and want to kill," Eloise spoke softly. "I felt the same way too, for years. I felt so betrayed and abandoned, by you. This time you will understand how I feel. However, I am not that heartless. I promise after you break your mate bond with Sophie, I will free your son immediately. I will only hold your daughter''s soul until my son bes the next Alpha and leads the Obsidian Sand Pack.... with your help."


    "That''s...." Lnd''s brows twitched. "A really long time. How would I know my daughter is safe?"


    "You don''t," Eloise said. "It is in my best interest to keep little Anne safe. So, I will do my best to protect her. You have my word. If you protect my son, I will protect your daughter. It''s a win-win. Isn''t it what friends do? They help each other."


    Lnd was so disgusted by Eloise and her twisted way of thinking. He didn''t understand what changed that woman so drastically. The young Eloise that he remembered was not like this. She was more... normal.


    He stole a nce at the blue soul stone and his heart ached when he saw it glimmer. Babies were such vulnerable creatures. That''s why Eloise could get close to them and steal their souls. Lnd assumed it was not easy to do because if Eloise could do it to adults, her first target would have definitely been Sophie, since she hated her so much.


    Using Sophie as a guarantee was a surefire way to make Lnd submit to her, but Eloise didn''t choose Sophie. She chose the youngest ones in their family.


    Lnd needed to understand more of how her magic worked and everything about soul stones. He must buy time and do his investigation.