Chapter 674 – Two witches

Chapter 674: Chapter 674 – Two witches

Ravyn moved through his pack like a general preparing for war.

The Blood Moon Festival loomed on the horizon, and with it came a thousand details demanding his attention. Warriors to select. Patrols to arrange. The timing of their departure, calculated down to the hour.

Every decision weighed on his shoulders, pressing down like stones piled one atop another.

Those left behind would be the old folks, wolves who had no need for mates, who could hold their own if trouble came knocking.

Voren had already assured every pack in his invitation letters that he had eyes watching their territories in their absence. Not only a generous but also a strategic gesture.

But Ravyn’s gut churned with unease because his pack was exposed. The Lycans had already slithered through their defenses once. Who was to say they wouldn’t try again?

His thoughts circled back to Daisy. The dungeon was the only place she couldn’t escape from due to its cold stone walls, iron bars, haunted atmosphere.

But his parents would never allow it. Not with the pup growing in her womb. The child she carried was innocent, and his mother had made it abundantly clear that no grandchild of hers would be born behind bars.

Bringing Daisy along was out of the question. The Blood Moon Festival was no place for a cursed woman with a Fenrir wolf. She could easily be a weapon of the enemy to be used against them if they promise to give her a better life.

In the end, he left the matter in his parents’ hands. They had insisted she stay until she gave birth, and they would bear the responsibility.

For one fleeting moment, Ravyn allowed himself to believe Battal had given up on the deal.

Then his phone rang.

He stared at the screen, Battal’s name glowing like a brand. His jaw tightened. His thumb hovered over the answer button, a war raging in his chest. Then he pressed it.

"King Battal." His voice came out flat, controlled. "Have you decided?"

"Yes." Battal’s tone carried an edge of impatience. "But you have to pardon my lateness. Two witches insisted on going for different reasons. After I spelled out the rules, one decided to send her daughter instead. Getting to the daughter was difficult. Her father is a human wizard."

Ravyn’s brow furrowed. A human wizard. The complications multiplied with every word.

"That’s the reason for the delay," Battal continued. "But they should be at your pack by now."

"What?" Ravyn’s voice sharpened, disbelief cutting through his composure.

A mindlink swept through his consciousness, urgent and clipped. ’Alpha, two she-wolves are here to see you.’

’Hold on.’ Ravyn pushed the response through the mind link, then turned his attention back to Battal. "I’m only allowed to bring a plus one. I can’t take two. And you shouldn’t have sent them to my pack."

Battal’s voice softened, placating. "Well, I thought you should bond with them before the time comes. No one would believe she’s your plus one if you know nothing about her. You can introduce one as a sister to your plus one."

Ravyn rubbed his temple, frustration coiling tight behind his eyes. "Witches aren’t allowed at the packs."

"I think there are ways around that." A hint of smugness crept into Battal’s tone. "Because one of the witches confessed to infiltrating your pack before. One even befriended someone from there, hoping to use them to get inside. But we already got information that the person had been banished."

Ravyn’s blood ran cold he already knew who it was. Noelle.

"When I sent someone to search, they only found her corpse." Battal’s voice dropped, heavy with implication. "She had undergone the same barbaric dismembering as Alpha Jaron. Is that the signature of your King?"

"I think so." Ravyn’s response came out hollow. His mind was spinning concerning what explanation to give the pack members if they saw the new faces. "You seem scared of him. Aren’t you Lycans worse?"

"That’s exactly my point." Battal chuckled, the sound dry and knowing. "Your King’s ruthlessness is a Lycan thing. If you ask me, you people should open an investigation on him."

The witches waiting at his gate were a headache Ravyn didn’t need. He exhaled slowly, forcing the tension from his shoulders. "Let me see what I can do about the guests you’ve sent me."

"All you have to do is get them in." Battal’s tone was silk wrapped around steel. "In return, I owe you a favor. We Lycans pay our debts righteously."

"I’ll remember to ask for my payment at the right time." Ravyn ended the call and immediately mind linked the warriors at the gate. ’Don’t let them in. Send me pictures first.’

The response came within seconds. His phone beeped and he saw the image of two women, but their faces weren’t clear. The warriors must have taken the pictures without them knowing, which was a good thing.

Ravyn forwarded the image to Voren with a single text. ’The Lycan King is dead serious. He sent the witch to my pack. Do you know her?’

---

Voren studied the images, his expression unreadable. The faces staring back at him were unfamiliar strangers with secrets buried behind their eyes.

He passed the phone to Seraphine. "Are any of them familiar?"

She took the device, her gaze sweeping across the screen. Then her lips curved into a smile, cold, knowing, utterly without warmth. She pointed at the blonde.

"That’s Coco’s real face." Her voice was steady, but something dark flickered beneath the surface. "I don’t know the other one."

Voren’s eyes narrowed. He pocketed the phone, his jaw tightening with quiet fury.

"Don’t worry." His voice dropped to something dangerous, something that made the air around them feel heavier. "If Coco falls into our trap, we’ll give her a death horrible enough to bring her mother out of whatever hole she’s hiding in."

Seraphine’s smile deepened. Her man was ruthless. And in times like this, she was grateful for it.

Voren dialed Ravyn’s number, pressing the phone to his ear. "Ravyn, I want you to call the Lycan King and pass this information."