Hay Creek

Chapter 32.

As the stairs vanished behind us, we found ourselves in a dimly lit cave. Water dripped steadily from the ceiling, each drop echoing against the stone walls. I instinctively moved closer to Kai, seeking his presence for comfort and safety.

"What the hell is this place?" Ezra exclaimed, shattering the oppressive silence.

"It doesn't matter. We need to split up and search for Lorna and Niklaus," Kai said decisively.

"I'm going after Lorna. I have unfinished business with her. I won't forget how she attacked one of my wolves," Roman declared, his voice cold and unwavering.

"Then I'll deal with Niklaus or whoever's leading that group," Kai replied, determination etched across his features.

"Just don't die. That goes for all of you," Roman warned, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

Kai chuckled lightly, the sound breaking the tension. "We won't. Dying isn't part of my plan."

"Alright, then let's take them down, Young Alpha," Ravi urged before sprinting off in the right direction. "Let's move!" Kai shouted, and we fell into step behind him, while Roman's group veered left, hoping to track down Lorna.

We raced down a seemingly endless corridor, the darkness closing in around us. I glanced at Kai, his steady breathing anchoring me amidst the turmoil. At least one of us was composed.

Suddenly, Kai came to a halt, causing us all to stop. For a moment, I thought he had heard something, but the silence enveloped us, leaving me uneasy.

"Do you guys hear that?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"Hear what?" Jasper replied, confusion evident in his voice.

"Screams," Kai said slowly, his expression darkening.

"We don't hear anything," Chloe insisted, skepticism lacing her words.

Kai pressed his hands against the wall, and we watched him, tension thick in the air.

"Place your hands on my shoulders," he instructed, and we formed a chain of support.

"Oh god, that sounds horrifying. Where is it coming from? Behind the wall?" Quinn's voice trembled with fear.

"No," Kai replied. "It's coming from everywhere." He took a deep breath. "Let's keep moving. I think they know we're here."

"Took them long enough," Isaac quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Are we really going to follow the screams now?" I asked, a mix of concern and curiosity swirling in my chest.

"We should stick to our original plan, but those screams might guide us," Kai decided.

We entered a vast chamber, the walls pitch black and the floor icy cold. Unease washed over me, a nagging sense of dread. As we explored the room, searching for an exit, it became painfully clear that no door was in sight. Kai confirmed the absence of screams, suggesting that whoever had made them was now aware of our presence.

"This is ridiculous. If they're hiding, they should just come out," Theodore, Roman's second-in-command, said impatiently.

"What if they aren't here?" Ezra countered, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Are you sure the voices led us to this place, Young Alpha?" Ravi asked, his voice steady as ever.

Kai nodded confidently. "Yes, I'm sure. This is where we need to be."

"Well, I don't see anything," Jasper said, frustration creeping into his tone.

"Am I the only one standing on a hot floor or...?" Marley asked, looking bewildered as she surveyed the group.

"No, the floor is cold. Don't tell me you don't know the—" Chloe began, but Kai cut her off.

"The floor is getting hot."

It didn't take long for everyone to notice the heat intensifying, engulfing the entire room.

"Alpha!" Isaac shouted, pointing upward. "Look!"

A gaping opening had formed in the ceiling, a bizarre development that left us all stunned.

"They really are outdoing themselves," Ravi chuckled, but his humor quickly faded.

"Wait, what am I hearing? Is that..." Lachlan started.

"Gas. That's gas," Gavin finished, panic creeping into his voice.

"We need to get out of here!" Archer urged, urgency flooding his tone.

"Yes, we do," Kai muttered, his expression taut. "Let's move!"

"I think it's already too late," Quinn said, her voice quivering as the gas began to fill the room.

The substance swirling around us was unfamiliar. Chloe and Mia were the first to react, their roars slicing through the air as they fought against the encroaching threat.

"Chloe, what's happening? Mia?" Theodore asked, concern etched in his features.

Quinn, Isaac, Ezra, and Jasper crowded behind him, their expressions mirroring his worry.

"Kai, what's happening to them?" I asked, anxiety creeping into my voice.

"I'm not sure..." he replied, turning to Gavin. "Gav?"

"I don't know, Alpha," Gavin shrugged, equally perplexed.

"This must be the gas," I suggested, trying to connect the dots. "But if it is, why isn't it affecting me?"

"They're shifting," Theodore observed, his eyes narrowing as he took in the chaos unfolding around us.

"Kai, something's seriously wrong—" I began, but a deafening roar erupted from the group, cutting me off and seizing his attention.

One by one, everyone began to shift, their human forms melting away into powerful wolves.

Kai

The opening in the ceiling sealed itself, and the gas that had filled the room dissipated, leaving me surrounded by wolves. Fantastic. I couldn't help but let out a short laugh, though confusion gnawed at me. What was their plan?

Only Avery and I remained in our human forms, a stark reminder of how absurd this situation had become.

"Okay, you can come out now," I said, irritation bubbling beneath the surface.

A loud, mocking laugh shattered the silence.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome! How nice to finally meet you," a man's voice echoed, smooth yet sinister.

"Why don't we get to it?"

"And spoil the fun? Oh, come on! I have so much more in store for you!"

"Why let them shift?"

"You'll see."

I'll see?

"Just stop playing games! Show—" I tried to demand, but growls interrupted me. The pack began to circle around me, their eyes glowing with a predatory gleam. I could see their twisted plan unfolding.

"Isaac!" I warned as he stepped closer, growling low in his throat.

What had this gas done to them? They were ready to fight me. He was using my own pack against me.

I turned to lock eyes with Avery. Her bright green gaze held a mix of fear and determination. There was no way I could bring myself to fight my own mate.

"Ave—"

Before I could finish, I was tackled from behind. Gavin lunged at me with all his strength, fueled by the gas's effects.

I spun around and shoved him off, frustration boiling over. I didn't want to fight my own team, but we were clearly not on the same page. Cracking my neck to the side, I sighed heavily.

Come at me.

I shouldn't have said that, because in an instant, they all surged toward me.