Page 79 of The Pack

“Please, Amelie,” I pleaded. “It would mean a lot to me.”

She stared at me, her dark eyes searching mine, and I saw the flicker of guilt there—the same guilt that had been shadowing her since she’d knocked me out.

“Okay,” she whispered.

She got up and led me through the twisting tunnels of the cave, her small footsteps silent against the uneven stone. The deeper we went, the colder the air became.

The tunnels were dark, the faint glow of the fire behind us fading until we were left in near-total darkness. Amelie held tightly to my hand, her grip firm, but trembling as we moved.

“Are you sure this is okay?” I whispered, my voice barely carrying.

She nodded quickly, her gaze fixed ahead. “No one’s here right now. They’re all at the fire.”

Finally, the tunnel opened into a larger chamber, the soft light of a single torch flickering weakly against the walls.

And there they were.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw them.

The pack was bound, their arms tied behind their backs with thick ropes, their bodies slumped against the rough walls. Magnus was closest to the entrance, his dark hair matted with dirt, his eyes narrowing as his eyes landed on me.

“Zara,” he rasped, his voice low and urgent. “What are you doing here?”

Behind him, Tobias stirred, his dark eyes flicking toward me. Callum and Killian were farther back, their usual energy muted but not extinguished, and Thorne’s pale eyes were sharp despite the blood smeared across his temple.

“You’re alive,” I whispered, relief washing over me like a wave.

Amelie tugged at my hand, glancing nervously between me and the pack.

“We shouldn’t stay,” she said, her voice trembling.

“What are they doing to you?” I asked, my eyes locked on Magnus.

He didn’t answer right away, his jaw tightening as he glanced at Amelie.

“Zara,” he said, his voice steady despite the anguish in his expression. “You need to leave. Now.”

“No,” I said firmly, my voice stronger than I felt. “I’m not leaving without you.”

Amelie tugged harder at my hand. “We have to go,” she whispered, panic edging her voice.

“Why are they keeping them here?” I asked, my chest tightening.

Amelie hesitated, her small face crumpling with remorse. “They’re saving them… for the ceremony.”

Magnus’s eyes darkened, his body tensing against his bonds. “Zara,” he said harshly. “Go.”

“What about the ceremony?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Amelie’s gaze dropped to the ground, her voice barely audible as she answered. “The one after your first breeding. They’ll need a feast.”

The words sank in slowly, cold and heavy as stone.

“They’re going to…eatthem?” I whispered, horror clawing at my chest.

Amelie nodded, her small fingers curling tightly around mine. “We have to go,” she said again, her voice breaking.

I stared at the pack, my mind racing as I tried to make sense of the nightmare unfolding around me.

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