Page 52 of Rising Luna
His finger tapped one of the books before he turned back to face us. Sera shifted uneasily, her weight shifting from foot to foot, and Jackson stepped forward, positioning himself at my back. The warmth of his body pressed against me, and it took more effort than it should have to resist leaning into him. The bond pulled tight, whispering that Jackson felt it too. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around me, holding me steady as we waited for Hunter to reveal what he’d found.
"Pretty sure it's this one. I can smell Lupe's scent on it. The problem is, I can smell her scent on the entire shelf. It's just this one has a stronger hint of it."
He pulled the book down, and a rush of air escaped as the hidden door cracked open. His grin was bright, triumphant…and damn it, beautiful even in the face of danger. That smile still did things to me. I needed to ensure he would smile like that for me once we returned to our room.
Jackson released me, his sharp gaze sweeping the area as Hunter nudged the door open wider. Without hesitation, we slipped inside, shutting it swiftly behind us before anyone could catch on.
Darkness swallowed us whole, and I silently thanked my wolf for the night vision she gifted me. As I called on her, she surged forward, allowing me to borrow her sight.
We descended the stairs, my focus narrowing—tuning out everything except what lay ahead. Hunter took the lead, and for once, I didn’t argue. It made sense. Whoever was strongest should be first. We had no idea what waited for us in the depths below.
The memory of the drill echoed in my mind, a sound I never wanted to hear again. I shuddered, silently praying to thegoddess that history wouldn’t repeat itself. This time, it wasn’t some nameless student at risk—it was my mate.
As we neared the room, the silence pressed in, thick and suffocating. Not a single trace of life could be sensed. My stomach twisted at the possibility that the space was empty. What if nothing was here…No Silas? The thought sent a sharp wave of fear through me. His absence here prompted the question: where is he?
He wasn’t in the first room. That meant we’d have to push deeper, move to the other compartment to find him. Astral projection would make that easier—if I wanted to do this quickly, that was my best option.
Glancing at the others, my mates caught onto my intentions instantly. They nodded, unspoken agreement passing between us. There was only one problem with that plan.
Sera couldn't go astral.
I turned to face my friend with a tight smile. "Keep watch. We are going to move forward using my astral form."
Sera didn’t ask questions—she simply nodded, turning toward the door to keep watch.
I drew a deep breath, reaching for my wolf’s magic, calling the energy forward. As the power surged through me, I let it spill outward, pushing it toward my mates. A slow smile curled on my lips. Every time I did this, it made me feel like a complete badass. And knowing I could extend that feeling, letting my mates experience it too? That only made the rush even better.
We moved as one, stepping forward in perfect synchronicity. As we passed effortlessly through the walls, I felt a rush of relief. Previously, it demanded significant effort; Now it came naturally. Avoid repeating the puzzle; we can easily circumvent it.
And sure enough, before I even laid eyes on him, I felt it—Silas’s energy, steady and unmistakable.
Just like I thought, Lupe had brought him here.
Silas was bound to the chair, and at the sight of him, my wolf rumbled with fury. The scent of blood hit next, sharp, metallic, and my growl twisted into a full snarl.
I reached him first, dropping to my knees, my gaze scanning every wound. They had done a number on him. Blood trailed from his nose, smeared across his split lip, and pooled from the gash along his cheek. Fresh. Recent. My stomach tightened. The last time I’d seen someone like this, they didn’t make it.
I shot to my feet, fingers trembling as I pushed back his collar, heart hammering in my chest. Terror clawed at me. If Lupe had done to him what she’d done to the others… But relief crashed over me when I saw smooth skin. No puncture, no wound. Lupe hadn’t pulled her usual stunt. Not this time.
Despite their recent occurrence, the wounds should have healed by now. Silas was an alpha, so he had the power to heal from his wounds faster than most. If they weren't healing, then something was wrong.
Hunter and Jackson pulled out knives from their pockets to work on the ropes that tied him. Something smelled off. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I knew something was wrong. When my mates sucked air through their teeth and growled as they dropped the ropes, I realized what I was smelling.
Wolfsbane.
Someone doused the ropes in wolfsbane. That was why Silas wasn't healing from his wounds. Wolfsbane was poisonous to us and slowed down our healing. Lupe hadn’t used wolfsbane before, so I wouldn't have expected it. This could complicate things. When Silas woke up, he could attack because of his system being compromised. I had to hope his wolf would recognize us as a pack if he woke up.
Hunter and Jackson halted their attempts to cut the ropes, the bitter scent of wolfsbane thick in the air. They turned tome, waiting—but I had no simple answer. If Silas woke up, still bound with the toxin lingering in his skin, ina panic, disoriented and feeling cornered, he might think he was under attack and try to free himself, which would only lead to further injury that could end up with him dead. If we cut him loose, at least the wolfsbane would have the chance to wear off; even if he attacked us, we could knock him out again until we got him back to our dorm room.
"Cut through them," I told them, choosing the lesser of two evils.
Hunter or Jackson could handle Silas if it came to needing to knock him out because of the wolfsbane. They were more than strong enough. I had faith they were more than capable of managing the situation with ease.
Both of my mates gritted their teeth against the sting of wolfsbane as they worked to free him. The toxin slowed them down, but after painstaking effort, the ropes finally fell away. My wolf paced within me, restless, my instincts pulling me toward Silas. If he woke up, I would need to keep him calm. A mate’s touch always helped soothe the chaos inside.
His lashes fluttered, and for a moment, his eyes cracked open, only to squeeze shut again, pain tightening his features. I whined softly, the sight of him struggling cut deep. He was fighting to wake, pushing through the haze of exhaustion and agony. A low growl rumbled from his chest, and I held my breath. We had to hope his wolf recognized us.
"Shh. It's okay. We are here to help."
