Chapter Thirty One: Chasing Shadows


    Knox stood in the dimly lit room, his heart pounding in his chest as he desperately hoped that his worst


    fears hadn''te true. His gaze fixated on JB, lying motionless on the floor, a pool of blood spreading


    around him. The moonlight streaming through the window cast an eerie glow on the scene, amplifying


    the sense of dread that hung in the air.


    With a surge of hope, JB stirred.


    Knox''s wolf urged him to go after Aria, but against his will, his legs carried him to the wounded wolf''s


    side. Kneeling down beside JB.


    "JB, can you hear me?" Knox''s said barely audible. JB let out a weak sigh, a mere breath escaping his


    lips.


    "Aria," he whispered, his voice barely reaching Knox''s ears, before sumbing to unconsciousness


    once again.


    Lilian walked to the room, her steps urgent and filled with horror. Her face paled at the sight before her,


    a mixture of fear and concern etched deeply into her features. She turned to Sandra, the oldest healer,


    seeking answers amidst the chaos.


    "What happened?" Lilian''s voice trembled with raw emotion.


    Sandra sighed, her weary eyes meeting Lilian''s gaze. "I do not know. The Alpha from the Nightshade


    pack brought him in. JB is a strong wolf, and he is healing remarkably fast, despite the severity of his


    wounds." Her gaze drifted down to JB''s battered body, w marks etched into his flesh, revealing the


    bones beneath.


    A gasp escaped Lilian''s lips, her hands flying to cover her mouth in shock. Sensing her distress,


    Sandra ced a gentle, reassuring hand on Lilian''s arm, trying to offer sce amidst the turmoil.


    "Do not fear, Luna. He is going to be fine," Sandra said with a voiceced with conviction. "But I will


    need you to excuse us so we can tend to his wounds."


    Lilian''s eyes flickered between JB''s unconscious form and Sandra''s face, her heart torn between


    concern and the need to trust the healer''s words. She opened her mouth to protest, but Sandra''s plea


    stopped her in her tracks.


    "Please, Luna. I promise you, he will be fine."


    Reluctantly, Lilian nodded, her eyes filled with worry and love. She cast onest nce at JB''s still


    figure before turning to leave the room, a trail of questions and unease following in her wake.


    As Lilian emerged from the room, Knox''s pacing figure caught her attention. His footsteps echoed in


    the quiet corridor as he wrestled with his emotions, his wolf urging him to find their missing mate. Lilian


    approached him, her usual warmth now reced by a cold, piercing stare.


    "What happened to my son?" Her voice was stern, demanding answers.


    Knox turned to face her, meeting her gaze with a mixture of guilt and desperation. "I didn''t do anything


    to him, Lilian. I found him in Aria''s room."


    A flicker of realization crossed Lilian''s face. "The Crystal," she breathed, her voice filled with a mixture


    of dread and understanding.


    Knox let out a weary sigh, his shoulders slumping under the weight of the situation. "The powers must


    be growing within her. I looked into her eyes, and even I was scared."


    A wave of empathy washed over Lilian as she grasped the gravity of the situation.


    "You know she would never do this on purpose, right?" Knox said.


    Lilian nodded, her expression heavy with resignation. "I know. Aria would never harm JB intentionally."


    Lilian''s nod held both eptance and sadness. "I know. Where is Aria now? Someone should be with


    her."


    The snarl of agreement from Knox''s wolf echoed their unspoken truth. He bowed his head, his voice


    filled with remorse. "She is gone. She ran into the woods."


    Lilian''s eyes widened, disbelief etched across her face. "And you are still standing here?" Her voice


    rose in a mixture of shock and urgency. Time was slipping away, and they needed to find Aria before


    darkness swallowed her whole.


    "I needed to exin," Knox attempted to justify, his words faltering under Lilian''s piercing gaze.


    But before he could finish his exnation, Knox''s wolf surged to the surface, overpowering him with a


    snarl that spoke volumes of its determination. Without hesitation, it propelled him forward, his legs


    transforming into a blur of motion as he dashed off into the night, chasing after their lost mate.


    **************


    Sophia stood in front of the mirror, holding up a delicate,cy top. The fabric shimmered in the sunlight


    that streamed through the window, and she twirled it in the air, hoping for a sudden inspiration to strike


    her. "What about this one?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.


    Kira, who was perched on the edge of the bed, made a sound at the back of her throat before


    stering a smile on her face. "It''s beautiful," she replied, trying her best to be supportive. However,


    her forced expression betrayed her true thoughts. Sophia noticed the discrepancy and gave Kira a


    questioning look.


    "Seriously, Kira, I need you to be serious here," Sophia urged, her voice tinged with frustration. "I have


    no idea what I''m going to wear for the mating ceremony."


    Kira sighed and dropped her gaze for a moment before meeting Sophia''s eyes. "Okay, I''m sorry," she


    apologized sincerely. "I''m just trying to understand how you''re getting mated to a wolf you do not like."


    Sophia let out a heavy sigh and let the top slip from her fingers. "It doesn''t matter," she said, her voice


    tinged with resignation. "I''m getting mated, and that is the end of it. And I never said I didn''t like Mark.


    He is a really nice wolf."


    A flicker of confusion passed over Kira''s face. "But when I met you and Shana, you said he was


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    boring," she reminded Sophia gently.


    Sophia''s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she recalled what happened near the border. "Maybe I


    was wrong," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Besides, every wolf needs a mate. One


    day, you''re going to understand that. You will find your true mate, or maybe not. But in the end, you


    wouldn''t want to be alone."


    A shade of pink crept onto Kira''s cheeks as she ducked her head, her voice barely audible. "Uhmmm,


    Sophia..."


    "Please don''t tell me you''re getting mated too," Sophia interjected, her eyes widening yfully.


    Kiraughed nervously, fidgeting with her fingers. "No, nothing like that. Tyler kissed me," she


    confessed, a shy smile ying on her lips.


    A small smile graced Sophia''s face as she sat down on the bed next to the teenage wolf. "That''s really


    sweet," she said warmly. "But that is the only first you''ll be having for a really long time."


    Sophia stared at Kira, hoping she understood the underlying message. Kira nodded shyly, her cheeks


    flushed. "Yes, of course. I don''t think I''m ready for that yet. But I do like Tyler. My wolf likes him too."


    "Maybe you''ll understand it sooner than I thought," Sophia mused. "I didn''t expect this to happen, but it


    has. Mark and I will have our mating ceremony, and I would really appreciate it if you helped me get


    ready for it."


    Kira''s brow furrowed with uncertainty. "But I''m only fourteen. Shouldn''t you be asking someone older,


    like Shana or Melody? I heard Aria left."


    Sophia sighed, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I haven''t exactly made myself the most likable wolf since


    I got here, so I''m not sure I have anyone else to ask," she admitted. "Except Nicole, but she''s mad at


    me for not asking her permission to ''get'' marked."


    "You mean the she-wolf who''s always filing her ws and kissing her teeth at everyone?" Kira asked,


    her voice filled with disbelief.


    Sophia nodded, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Yes, that''s the one. And that me a few


    weeks ago." she confirmed. "


    Kira leaned back against the headboard, contemting Sophia''s words. "And what about Melody and


    Shana?" she inquired. "Have you asked them for help?"


    A cloud of uncertainty crossed Sophia''s face as she lowered her gaze. "I haven''t actually spoken to


    Shana since... well, you know," she admitted with a tinge of regret. "And Melody... I don''t think she


    approves. The way she looked at me the day I announced it, I could sense her disapproval."


    Shana and Melody stood outside the closed door, engaged in a hushed argument. Their whispers filled


    with tension and disagreement.


    "Come on, Shana, knock on the door," Melody urged, frustrationcing her voice.


    Shana crossed her arms and shot a defiant re at Melody. "Why do I have to do it? You knock on the


    door," she retorted.


    Rolling her eyes, Melody sighed in exasperation. "You''re older than me," she countered, hoping to


    sway the argument in her favor.


    Shana''s expression hardened, and her gaze intensified. "Stop bringing my age up to win the


    argument," she snapped. "Just knock! You heard her, she thinks we don''t care."


    Caught off guard, Sophia''s voice rang out from the other side of the door. "Why don''t you juste in?


    I can hear you," she called out, her tone a mix of amusement and exasperation.


    Shana''s hand faltered for a moment, then she pushed open the door, throwing a re at Melody as


    she entered the room. Melody followed behind her, her eyes rolling in a silent disy of annoyance.


    Sophia''s gaze shifted from Shana to Melody as they entered. Shana''s expression held a hint of


    reluctance mixed with curiosity, while Melody''s face held the re which she threw


    "Finally decided to grace me with your presence?" Sophia teased, her voice tinged with both relief and


    apprehension.


    Shana shrugged, trying to maintain her cool facade. "You know how it is, Sophia. We may have had


    our differences, but we are friends now so that means we care."


    Melody crossed her arms, her voiceced with a hint of reproach. "You should havee to us,


    Sophia. We''re your friends, and we would have been here for you. And I don''t disapprove. I happen to


    like Mark. I was just shocked, that''s all."


    Sophia turned to face Melody, gratitude shining in her eyes. "I''m sorry for not reaching out sooner," she


    admitted. "But your support means the world to me. I didn''t expect this turn of events, and I appreciate


    your understanding."


    Shana chimed in, her voice still tinged with surprise. "I''m still shocked. I thought you didn''t like Mark,"


    she confessed, a note of curiosity in her tone.


    Sophia''s cheeks flushed, her gaze dropping for a moment before meeting Shana''s eyes. "I went for a


    walk, and I ran into him," she revealed, her voice tinged with a mixture of mischief and awe. "I threw my


    usual jabs at him, and then I think he just snapped. Next thing I know, he is fucking me against a tree


    and then he marked."


    Shana looked at Kira who raised her hand up in surrender, "I know Shana. I''m not allowed to."


    "So you decided to form the bond and get mated?"


    Sophia let out a smallugh, her gaze shifting between her friends. "So, you see, it was an unexpected


    turn of events," she continued, her voice filled with a mix of wonder and yfulness. "


    "It was in the height of the moment and I thought I would back out but I actually want to be mated to


    him. He is really attractive plus if he fucks me like that every night I will be a very happy wolf and the


    best part, I won''t spend the rest of my life alone. So yes I''m doing it. I already sent word to my parents.


    I am just waiting on Knox."


    Melody pushed some clothes after, taking her seat, "He isn''t back yet. I just hope nothing has


    happened to Aria."


    Shana sighed sadly, "I hope so too."


    The room fell into a brief lull as the weight of their conversation settled upon them. Then, Melody''s eyes


    brightened, and she sat up straighter. "I just realized something," she eximed, her voice filled with


    excitement. "This will be the pack''s first mating ceremony. Everyone whoes into is either already


    mated or has been rejected. No offense, Sophia."


    Sophia shrugged nonchntly, a yful smile tugging at her lips. "None taken. I''m the one getting


    mated."


    Shana, who had been rummaging through a pile of clothes, held up another top. "Then we had better


    make it a mating ceremony to remember," she dered, her eyes gleaming with determination.


    *****************


    Aria''s eyelids fluttered open, revealing a world blurred by pain. Every movement sent a sharp jolt


    through her body, reminding her of the ordeal she had endured. As her eyes focused, she nced


    downward, her gaze drawn to the source of her agony. Her skin was marred by a deep, gaping wound.


    Crimson droplets trickled from the raw flesh, staining the ground beneath her.


    Confusion clouded her mind as she struggled to recall the events leading up to her current


    predicament. Why was she lying on the cold wood''s floor, and not in the moonlight pack? Thest


    coherent memory she clung to was one trying but failing to untangle her long but from that point


    onward, darkness enveloped her consciousness.


    She tried again, tuning out the pain. She reached for her wolf hoping she would help her elerate the


    healing but her wolf just stood still.


    Suddenly, the tranquility of the woods shattered with the deafening crack of a branch breaking


    underfoot. Aria''s head snapped around, her senses sharpening as she strained to identify the source of


    the disturbance. As her gaze fell upon the figure approaching from the shadows, a wave of dread


    washed over her.


    A malicious grin rose on Lucas face as he stared down at her, "What do we have here?"