Chapter 105: The Hunt is Coming

Annelise made Della climb her back for the rest of the journey. She was too worried about Della and the baby to make her walk or run again, and she couldn’t afford to transform into her wolf because the scent suppressant would quickly wear off if she did that.

They travelled for about another two hours and arrived at their location right before dawn.

The night was very cold, and Della was shivering on her back.

The house they stood in front of was between pine trees, built from rough-hewn timber and uneven stones.

Its roof was steep and layered with dried reeds and wooden shingles, with a small stone chimney rising crookedly from one side. A narrow window glowed faintly from within, and bundles of dried herbs hung beneath the wooden eaves. It looked old, isolated, and barely maintained... but it was better than nothing.

An old friend of Moira’s once lived here. Ever since she died, there had been no other occupancy.

Annelise pulled out the key beneath a broken board on the floor, fixed it back in place and unlocked the door.

She went straight to the old mattress and quickly made it, then proceeded to lay Della on the bed.

She was sweating badly, but she was shivering also.

"You’ve caught a cold," Annelise said as she dusted an old duvet and threw it over Della, "Just have some rest. I’ll make you something hot. You should be fine by morning, okay?"

A few minutes later, Annelise returned with freshly boiled herbs.

Della sat up, and Annelise made sure she drank every drop of it till the cup was empty.

Then, she proceeded to help Della back on the bed.

Annelise sat down by the edge of the bed, threw her head back on the soft mattress and closed her eyes for a moment.

Della lay there, quietly staring at Anne.

There were dark circles beneath her eyes now, more noticeable than Della had ever seen them before. Her hair was a mess from the journey, and several strands clung to her forehead from the sweat.

She looked exhausted.

And yet, she had still spent the last several hours worrying about her.

Della’s fingers slowly curled beneath the duvet.

Annelise had taken her in and helped her when she had nowhere else to go.

She had fed her.

Given her medicine.

Clothed her.

Stayed beside her when she was terrified.

She had even risked being hunted simply by helping her escape, and now those trackers had seen her face.

Della’s eyes lowered.

They knew Annelise was with her.

They knew what she looked like.

Which meant...if they weren’t all dead by the hands of Malachi’s guards, they would come after her again.

Della swallowed.

Her gaze moved back to Annelise. She hated that she’d dragged her into the middle of a war she shouldn’t be a part of. If anyone or people started to talk about Annelise travelling with the Rotblood, her and her mother’s reputation would be ruined.

"Anne..."

"Hm?" Annelise’s eyes opened slightly.

Della immediately looked away, "Nothing."

Annelise stared at her sleepily for another moment before letting her head sink back against the mattress, "Go to sleep, Della."

"I’m not tired."

"You’re shivering."

"I’m fine."

"You’re always fine." Anne rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Della’s eyes returned to hers, and Annelise’s lips curved faintly.

Then her eyes closed again.

Within minutes, her breathing began to slow.

Della remained awake, watching her chest rise and fall, watching the tension gradually disappear from her face, and listening to the quiet rhythm of her breathing.

Eventually, Annelise shifted closer in her sleep, one arm falling across the mattress.

Della stared at it, then she carefully reached out from beneath the duvet and pulled the blanket higher over Annelise’s shoulder.

"Thank you," she whispered, her finger lingering for a moment.

Annelise didn’t hear her, of course. Or maybe she did.

Della slowly withdrew her hand and turned her face toward the ceiling. Outside, the first faint light of dawn began to creep between the pine trees, and it seemed peaceful again.

But it couldn’t ever be completely peaceful again, because neither woman knew how long they would be safe here.

.

.

.

The Northern wilderness had always been a difficult place to track anyone.

Dense pine forests stretched across the mountainside, broken only by narrow paths and old hunting trails that had not been used in years. The terrain was rough enough to slow even a Werewolf down.

Which was precisely why Beatrice had been standing at the Eastern balcony of IronRidge Castle for nearly an hour, staring toward the distant mountains.

The door opened behind her, and someone walked in, "My lady,"

Beatrice didn’t turn, "Speak."

The Werewolf approached and stopped several feet behind her.

He was unfamiliar. Not one of the guards she regularly saw around IronRidge, and judging from the dark travelling cloak still hanging from his shoulders and the mud covering his boots, he’d come directly from the wilderness, "I found her."

Beatrice’s entire body went still, for that single word had sent something sharp through her chest.

Something like rage.

Like excitement.

Like the longing she’d missed to know she might have the upper hand again.

"Where?"

"The human settlement south of the Northern wilderness. We picked up her trail there."

"We?" Beatrice’s eyes narrowed.

"There were other trackers." The werewolf hesitated.

"Whose?"

"I don’t know, Lady Beatrice. They weren’t IronRidge."

She wasn’t that surprised anymore. After all, there were currently hundreds of Alphas out there who wanted her dead too.

"We’d only just entered the settlement when we discovered them. They had the same objective." He swallowed. "The Rotblood."

"Did you capture her?"

"No."

Beatrice forced herself to remain calm, before she lost control again and tore through his throat.

"Before we could engage, we were attacked." He said.

"By whom?"

The Werewolf shook his head. "I couldn’t identify them. They came out of the forest. More Werewolves. Highly trained."

"How many?"

"Enough to force us to retreat."

"Did they kill any of yours?"

"No. We escaped before the fight could become worse."

That answer seemed to irritate her more, "And the Rotblood?"

"We lost her."

Silence.

The Werewolf immediately continued before Beatrice could tear into him, "But I tracked her again."

That caught her attention.

"After the attack, I followed the trail from the settlement. It led north."

"How far?"

"Into the Northern wilderness."

Beatrice’s gaze shifted toward the mountains beyond the castle, and an eyebrow shot up in person. What a coincidence. She’d woken up this morning, and her legs had brought her straight here to stare at the dense mountains in the far distance, as though some part of her was trying to tell her that her target was right there.

"How far from here?" She asked.

"Less than an hour by wolf,"

A smile finally twitched at the corners of her lips. The Rotblood wasn’t merely somewhere in the North, but she was practically at IronRidge’s doorstep.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, my lady," He said, then he reached beneath his cloak and produced a folded piece of parchment, "But there’s something else."

Beatrice held out her hand, and he placed the parchment in it.

"She isn’t alone."

Beatrice unfolded it and stared at the drawing on it. It was crude, made hastily from memory, but the woman’s features were recognisable enough.

Dark hair.

A narrow face.

Sharp eyes.

"Where did you see her?" She questioned.

"With the Rotblood."

"You’re certain?"

"Several times. They travelled together from the human settlement and into the wilderness."

Beatrice’s eyes remained fixed on the sketch.

She knew that face.

She had seen it in Eclipse Crown.

Not often, but enough.

Annelise, the daughter of one of the best healers alive.

And, apparently, a traitor.

The pieces were beginning to arrange themselves.

Della hadn’t simply stumbled into that human settlement, but someone had hidden her.

Someone had cared for her.

Someone had now helped her escape.

And that someone had been close enough to the Rotblood to be seen alongside her by multiple trackers.

"How long ago did you lose them?"

"Several hours."

"And you’re certain they’re still there?"

"I am certain they’re somewhere in the Northern wilderness." He pointed toward the mountains. "The trail becomes difficult beyond that point, but the scent suppressant they used is fading. There are traces scattered through the forest."

Beatrice looked toward the distant horizon, then slowly cracked her head.

This was going to be so much fun!

Especially with the sinister plans she had in mind for her dear, dear sister!