Page 8 of Wild Fated

Lana’s eyes narrowed. “These relics aren’t going away. If you know the prophecy?—”

I turned back to the trees, not even waiting for her to finish. The relics, the prophecies, all of them, were only given for one purpose. Control. A way for packs to prove their value, their goodness. I didn’t want any part of it.

I thought about turning back. About thanking them. But my feet kept moving forward into the trees, and I didn’t try hard enough to stop them.

Chapter

Five

Lana

The silence Destin left behind swallowed everything. Leaves rustled in the breeze, the towering redwoods groaned, and the forest breathed around us. Destin's words clung to me like a thorn, sharp and lodged in my mind. My breath hitched, and I had to remind myself to exhale.

He’d been dragged through hell, and we expected him to stand there and answer our questions? Not asking. Demanding.

My stomach lurched at the image of his matted fur. The blood streaked over his bruised torso as he shifted. The pull of his golden eyes . . .

I shivered and reached into my jacket, pulling out the folded slip of paper.

Callista leaned in, scanning the faded lines. "It looks ancient."

My thumb traced the map’s jagged lines, a bittersweet ache unfurling in my chest.My brother would’ve loved this.He’dspent entire summers mapping out make-believe treasure hunts as a kid.

Kael took the paper from my hands, scrutinizing it, then set it down and pulled out his phone. He showed us Lava Forks on a map. “Not too far.”

“But we have no idea what we’re looking for,” I muttered.

“Or whether there will be others waiting.” Callista chewed her lower lip. "How do you feel about a visit to Kootenay?" I didn’t want to go crawling back to Rowan within days of us leaving, and Callista knew me well enough to understand that. She winced as she looked at me. “He talked with the witch. When he had the dagger. She might know something.”

“The witch?” I raised an eyebrow.

Callista shrugged. “Unless you have a better idea?”

Rowan and Evelyn’shouse was exactly how I remembered it. As soon as I walked in, it felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. It had only been a couple of days, but the relief at entering a place that was so familiar made pressure build behind my eyes.

Callista and Kael had gone to her brother Blake’s house as soon as they got back into town, then let me take the truck. For a brief moment, I thought about stopping back home. At my two-bedroom ranch with the raspberry bushes out front and the sliced cheese, lettuce, and lunch meat that was still waiting in my refrigerator.

I couldn’t do it. Not when I knew deep in my soul that this hunt was taking me anywhere but back home. I’d have to go there tonight to sleep, but I was putting it off as long as possible.

I trudged into the kitchen, only realizing as I sat down on one of the wooden chairs that I hadn’t heard from or felt my wolfsince we’d left to drive back home. Instead of staying another night in the hotel, we took turns driving and sleeping and returned in record time.

Rowan leaned back against the wall across from me as Evelyn sat. He scanned my face like he was trying to read my thoughts. I pulled the folded paper out of my pocket and set it on the table, then smoothed the edges.

And then I told them everything.

The building had been empty. The alphas were gone. According to this snippet, they had information on another relic that was possibly hidden somewhere in the mountains. Rowan’s gaze darkened. Evelyn let out a low breath.

When I finished, I tapped my fingers on the table. "Callista said you might know . . . a witch?"

Rowan chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Lyra. She lives out in the woods. Runs a mushroom farm."

"How does a witch end up being a mushroom farmer?" Evelyn crossed her arms. "I mean, of all things."

Rowan smirked. "Dark, damp, a bit mysterious."

Evelyn’s lips twitched. “And you think she’ll know something about this?”

He shrugged. “She knew about the dagger. You saw that firsthand.”

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