Chapter 67
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
Freja stopped suddenly and lifted her nose in the air.
“What is it?” Chasen asked, looking around.
“The trail goes through the cursed forest, but the scent is coming from along the treeline here. They must be trying to throw us off. Anyone else wouldn’t have checked the air for their scent.
” Freja looked away from the trees and upward, following the scent in a new direction.
She led Chasen up the treeline. Little did she know, they were running farther and farther away from Jin.
I can smell Susan. She’s really close. Adam began to get antsy. His wolf was also restless. He struggled against himself to continue to follow his alpha and not take off running toward the scent.
I don’t like this. If we’re catching up to Susan already, then why is Freja’s scent not stronger?
Hunter frowned as they continued to race through the woods.
They’d been running in their wolf forms, since that was when they were at their fastest. Blaze was testing the air with his nose and was disappointed that Freja’s scent was so faint.
Meanwhile, Susan’s scent was getting stronger. This was not a good sign.
They slowed down as a building came into view. Susan’s scent was strong, and Adam was starting to whimper, wanting to go to her.
Adam, fall in line or wait here, Sam growled lowly. He was anxious to get to Susan too, but they had to follow their alpha’s lead.
I don’t sense anyone else in there. Blaze lifted his nose and picked up Freja’s scent, heading in another direction.
I can hear someone inside … that must be Susan, Winston said as they all waited to see what Hunter wanted them to do.
Thank goodness she’s alive. He sighed in relief.
No one had said it, but they were all thinking the worst when they realized her scent was alone.
They figured that for Freja and Chasen to not be there, the scent was going to lead to a lifeless body.
There’s no one else there. Let’s go, Hunter said, quickly shifting back to his human self. The rest of the men followed suit and jogged over to the building. They opened the door and saw Susan sitting with her arms around her knees in the middle of the room.
“Susan!” Adam yelled and sprinted to her. She lifted her head as he crashed into her. “Are you okay, Sues? I was so worried. What happened? Where is everyone else?”
Susan wrapped her arms around Adam and sighed in relief. She took in his comforting scent, finally relaxing. “Adam,” she choked out. She knew her brother would be coming, but she was so happy that Adam was there. It made her tear up just being back in his strong, safe arms.
“Susan. I know you’ve been through a lot, but we need some answers. Can you talk to us?” Hunter asked in a gentle voice. He was happy to see she was okay, but at the same time, they were still missing three other important people.
She pulled away from Adam to look at Hunter, her eyes pooling with tears.
“The men who took us left me here and took Jin with them. The one man called her his pet. Freja and Chasen found me, took the chains and gag off me, and continued on the trail, looking for Jin.” Susan looked at Hunter’s gray eyes.
“Freja told me to tell you not to worry and to wait here for them to return.”
Hunter scoffed and shook his head. “I’m not going to just wait here.”
Susan smiled. “She didn’t think you would, but I guess she had to try anyway.”
“Now what, Hunter?” Sam asked. He could see that Susan was fine. A bit shaken up, but she was okay. Now they had to worry about Jin and the two who went after her.
“We’ll leave Adam here with Susan. I don’t want to leave her alone.
The trackers will meet up with them before long, and when they do, tell them to stand by here for further orders.
Then you take Susan home.” Hunter looked at Adam and the other men.
“Us three will continue on.” Hunter frowned and looked back at Susan.
“How much farther are they ahead of us?”
“You’re a few hours behind them.”
Hunter inhaled sharply and turned his head toward the door.
The sun was making its descent, casting a rich orange hue over the woods.
Darkness would be falling soon. “We better get going. At least we can see well in the dark.” As werewolves, their night vision was excellent. And they would have to use it.
“I’m glad you’re alright, Sues,” Sam said with a smile. “Look after her, Adam.”
Adam looked at Sam and smiled. “Nothing will happen to her. She’s safe now.”
“Alright, let's get going.” Hunter shifted into his wolf and sprinted out of the building, getting more and more nervous as time went on.
What had started out as a normal day had turned into a terrifying one.
Not knowing how Jin was or where Chasen and Freja were had him nervous and agitated.
He needed to get to them. Freja and Chasen were going to have a fight on their hands, and he needed to be there to help.
He surged forward even faster, following his instincts as well as the faint scent of his mate.
The sun had vanished from the sky a couple of hours ago, and Freja and Chasen continued to race at an exhausting speed. The scent of demons was getting stronger, though. That was their driving force as they fought off the fatigue that was beginning to make their muscles protest.
The scent of smoke hit her nose first before she saw the soft, orange glow. They both stopped running and looked at the flickering light. “Quietly, Chasen. And don’t lose control.” He only nodded his head while he kept his eyes fixed on the light.
Through the cover of darkness, they crept in silence.
Freja was surprised by how stealthy Chasen was.
The wet dew on the tall grass brushed against their legs and the wind swirled gently, bringing the scent of the demons with it.
Freja knew these were the demons they were hunting, but she was confused.
She couldn’t smell Jin. She looked over at Chasen and could see the same thought was on his face.
It looked like she would have to extract information. She hoped Chasen had a strong stomach.
They were almost upon them now. She could see the two demons sitting around the dancing light and, as she feared, there was no sign of Jin.
She sized them up. One was a low-level weakling.
The other was tougher, but nothing she couldn’t handle.
But she needed one of them alive, and the stronger one would have the higher rank.
He would be the one who knew more. Freja looked over at Chasen, then nodded her head to advance.
She whipped out metal stakes that blurred through the air.
At the same time, a werebear came crashing through their campsite.
As the demons tried to prepare themselves to fight against him, another set of daggers pinned their feet to the ground.
Pushing her combined vampire and werewolf strength forward, she grabbed the stronger demon and slammed him into the earth.
With lightning-like moves, she had him bound, with a knife at his throat.
She looked at Chasen, who had the other demon on the ground as well.
“Kill him. We don’t need him,” Freja said coldly. She then directed her gaze at the other man. She recognized this demon.
“One of Leoric’s lackies.” She pressed her knife against his throat. She knew this was probably one of the demons that had beaten Jin in the past.
The sound of a neck breaking echoed in the quiet night sky, and Chasen approached them.
“What does the demon huntress want from me?” Lionel spat out angrily.
“Where is the green-haired girl at?” Freja asked pointedly.
Lionel scoffed. “You’re going to kill me anyway. Why would I tell you?”
Freja’s lips curled upward, and her eyes lit up. “Good … you know me. Then you must know my reputation. Listen, I can either grant you a swift death, or I can slowly fillet your skin from your body.”
Lionel’s eyes widened as he looked at Freja. He knew very well she was serious. “Now … the girl?”
Lionel sneered. “She was taken from me.” Freja pressed her knife deeper, causing blood to rise from his skin. “By the demon Harley.”
Freja clenched her jaw tight. “Where? What does he want with her?”
“At the cursed forest.” Lionel then smiled cruelly. “He took her as a mate.”
Curling her lips in disgust, she plunged her dagger into his chest angrily. She pulled the blade out and wiped it off on the ground below. He didn’t deserve a fast death. But she was true to her word, and they had bigger things to worry about than torturing a demon.
“Shit.” Freja swore between clenched teeth. The cursed forest was a two-hour run in the other direction. They had run away from Jin. Not only that, but the demon Harley had her.
“This just got difficult.” Freja sighed as she stood up.
“Harley is just as powerful as Leoric.” She looked at Chasen.
“We can’t defeat him on our own. And he won’t be alone.
I can try talking with him, a favor for a favor …
but if it goes sour—” Freja rubbed her forehead.
They were both exhausted, but there was no way either one of them could rest. She could see how worried and scared Chasen was, especially after hearing the reason Jin was taken.
“Don’t worry. We’re going to get her back.” Freja stood up and sighed. “We have a long run back in the other direction. Let’s get going.”
Chasen could see how tired Freja was, and he was feeling it too.
But they were both carried by the driving force of rescuing Jin.
It was disheartening, and they felt defeated.
They had come so far, only to find out they were barely getting started.
Now they had to face a stronger demon, and they were both depleted.
Chasen would risk his life to protect Jin and his unborn child, and this fueled an energy inside him he didn’t know he had.
The two turned and raced back in the direction they had just come from. Maybe he could be a distraction so Freja could get Jin out of there?
His poor, sweet Jin. If they touched her, he wouldn’t be able to contain his anger.
She had already been through so much, and now she was going through it again.
This time, though, he was coming for her.
Just like he promised when she first came to them.
No matter what … he would find her. And he would save her.