Page 143 of A Mysterious Slave for the Lycan Prince

Freya and I join Marcel, who is watching the fuss from the sidelines. “This would have been so much easier on the first run,” Marcel mutters while he eyes the portal. “Remember our road trip?”

“I will never forget it,” I grin. “I was so close to dumping everyone at the next gas station.”

Marcel laughs. “Same. But man, that portal would have been handy.”

He is right. We had to travel by foot and car, and now we can teleport. What looks and sounds creepy is more like an invisible barrier we’ll have to step through to land on the designated spot outside of Blood Snow. Witches can typically only cast portals to places they have already visited, but Celine’s great-grandmother is very powerful. I assume certain rules and limitations don’t apply to her, and to help, she will channel through Elise and Elodie who have been to the area before.

Not long after we join Marcel, he leaves. He is part of Marius’ team, who is about to brief them one last time. Aurelia is already gathering one group of the Silverlake warriors as they are ready to get going. While I watch my sister and her warriors disappear through the portal, it dawns on me that this is real. We are going to do this now… and it better work out.

Marius clasps Marcel’s shoulder and briefly joins Freya and me to wish us luck. “Where is Liam?” he asks me.

“He already went through the portal with his warriors,” I explain. “He was one of the first. They are going to travel carefully to reach the other side of the pack without being seen, and Elias is with them to lead them.”

Liam’s team has the furthest to travel, which is why we sent Elias with him. Meanwhile, Aurelia and her group of trackers and sentinel will spy on the terrain and make sure no one will be spotted.

“Good.” Marius nods. He smiles at us. “I’ll see you on the battlefield, little brother, and you, Freya… I will hopefully not see you on the battlefield.”

Freya chuckles. “I have no plans to join the fighting.”

My gaze wanders over the huge group of warriors until I spot Elise and Elodie. They have come with a few elite warriors from the Council and will join Henry and Tony’s team. “Girls.” I wave at them. “Good luck.”

“We don’t need any luck.” Elodie smirks.

“Fair enough.” I chuckle.

“Okay.” I turn back to my brother. “You watch out for yourself out there,” I say earnestly. “Celine wants you back in one piece.”

“I promise.” He squeezes my shoulder. “You too, little brother.”

While Marius joins his warriors from Moon Blood, I lead Freya toward my mother. It seems she is already prepared, waiting with Gamma Aurel, Beta Edward, and a few elite warriors. The normal air of slightly chaotic energy is gone from around her. She seems to be surprisingly serious. I also notice she is holding a bag and a bunch of blankets. Freya takes some of them from her.

“Whenever you need something, link me,” Freya tells me. “Now, with Sereia strengthened, the mind link works better. I know the area well and can coach everyone through it.”

“All the group leaders and some warriors took the potion so that they can link any Silverlake wolf.”

“Good.” Mom nods. “Freya is right. If anything goes wrong, have them link me, and Freya and I will make sure to lead you through the terrain.”

I take a shaky breath.I’m entrusting you with her safety, Mom.

She nods with a firm smile.Go and fight, she tells me.And don’t look back. Whatever happens, don’t look back.

Weird last words before a battle, but this is my mother, so I don’t overthink it. I pull Freya into one last warm hug, taking a lungful of her scent.Remember your promise,she links me.

I will. And you remember yours,I tell her.

I promise.

“Alright, love.” I draw back, kissing her one last time before I have to join my warriors. Anthony, Henry, and their warriors will join me and my team. We are going to attack the place Elias and Freya pointed out as particularly important: the vast area in front of the lake. It’s the biggest space, and we won’t be able to remain hidden once we attack, so we are going in with two teams. Henry, Tony, and I have been working together recently, and it felt like the safest choice to join teams with them, especially since they have seen Blood Snow.

None of us had seen the lake when we were in Blood Snow, but with Elias mapping it out, it should be impossible to miss; besides, we know other areas of the pack. Elias predicted that most of the warriors will be at that spot.

One by one, everyone makes it through the portal. My father and his group leave shortly before me. Like my sister and Liam, he will move around the pack and remain hidden until the twins and I attack.

My assigned group is the last to leave. Well, technically, that’s not true. Mom, Freya, and their bodyguards will leave last. My father’s beta will stay in Silverlake to protect the pack in case of an emergency. One thing less to worry about.

“Here goes nothing.” Henry shakes my hand while Anthony nods at me.

“Once again, we’ll follow you. You’re the boss.”

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