CHAPTER 41: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

Caleb POV

The rope around my wrists burned as they dragged me through the trees. My head throbbed where the rogue wolf had hit me, and every step sent pain shooting through my ribs. But the worst part wasn’t the actual hurt - it was knowing I’d failed.

"Move faster," growled the Shadow Wolf behind me, pushing me forward so hard I stumbled.

I tried to look back toward where we’d left Lily hiding, but one of my attackers grabbed my chin and forced me to face forward. "Your mate is no longer your concern, scholar."

The way he said ’scholar’ made it sound like an insult. These animals knew who I was, knew what I meant to the pack. That scared me more than the ropes or the pain.

We’d been walking for an hour when they finally stopped. I looked around and felt my blood turn cold. We were in the Sacred Grove - the most holy place in all wolf land. Ancient trees made a perfect circle around a stone altar that had been here since before anyone could remember.

But something was badly wrong. The trees, which should have been green and full of life, were dead and black. The altar, once clean white stone, was stained dark with something I didn’t want to think about.

"Welcome to our sanctuary," said a voice that made my skin crawl.

I turned and saw him. The First Shadow. Not controlling someone else this time, but standing there in his own terrible form. He looked like a wolf who had been stretched and bent, made taller and thinner than any wolf should be. His eyes weren’t just sparkling - they were like holes filled with cold fire.

"You’re wondering why we brought you here instead of simply killing you," he said, walking in a slow circle around me. "The answer is quite easy. You’re going to help us."

"Never," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt.

He laughed, and the sound made the dead trees shake. "Oh, but you will. Because if you don’t, your precious Lily will face a fate much worse than death."

My heart hammered against my ribs. "What are you talking about?"

The First Shadow motioned to the corrupted altar. "Do you know what this place once was, little scholar?"

I did know. Every wolf child learned the story. "It’s where the first Triple Moon bearer received her power, thousands of years ago."

"Correct," he said, sounding happy. "And do you know why the power was given to her?"

That part of the story was less clear. The old tales said different things. "To bring balance to the wolf world."

"Wrong." His voice turned sharp. "The power was given to her as a tool. A way to control every wolf that ever lived. But she was weak, just like all the carriers who came after her. They used the power for peace instead of control."

I felt sick. "You want to use Lily’s power to control wolves."

"Not just control them," the First Shadow said, his terrible eyes sparkling. "I want to drain every drop of Triple Moon power from her body and pour it into this."

He held up something that made me gasp. It looked like a collar made of twisted black metal, covered in symbols that hurt to look at.

"The Dominion Collar," he continued. "Once her power fills this artifact, any wolf who wears it will demand absolute obedience from every other wolf in existence. Not just our pack, not just our territory - every wolf everywhere."

The full horror of his plan hit me like a physical blow. "You’re going to kill her."

"Eventually," he said lightly. "The draining process is quite painful and takes several days. But don’t worry - you’ll have a front row place to watch."

Rage rushed through me, stronger than fear. I lunged forward, not thinking about the ropes binding my hands. "I’ll kill you before I let you touch her!"

One of the Shadow Wolves hit me so hard I saw stars. I crashed to the ground, tasting blood.

"Such passion," the First Shadow thought. "That’s exactly why you’re here, young Caleb. Your mate bond with Lily makes you the perfect bait."

"What do you mean?"

He smiled, showing teeth that were too sharp and too many. "Triple Moon children have one weakness that none of the old stories mention. They cannot avoid trying to save their true mate, even when it’s obviously a trap."

My stomach dropped. "You’re using me to lure her here."

"She’s already on her way," he said, pulling out a small crystal that pulsed with sickly light. "This lovely device tracks mate ties. Yours is calling to hers like a light. She’ll be here within the hour."

I thrashed against my bonds, trying to break free. "She’s smarter than that! She won’t come!"

"Won’t she?" The First Shadow’s laugh echoed through the dead wood. "Let’s find out."

He nodded to one of his followers, who stepped forward with a curved blade that gleamed with strange light. Before I could respond, the Shadow Wolf sliced across my arm. I cried out as pain blazed up my shoulder.

"That blade is enchanted," the First Shadow explained as my blood dripped onto the tainted ground. "Any wound it makes sends agony straight through the mate bond. Your lovely Lily is feeling every bit of your pain right now."

Horror washed over me. Somewhere out there, Lily was feeling the same burning hurt I felt. And it would only get worse.

"Stop!" I begged. "Please, just stop!"

"When she arrives, the pain stops," he said simply. "Until then..."

He nodded again. The Shadow Wolf made another cut, deeper this time. I screamed, knowing that Lily was screaming too, wherever she was.

"This is what happens when wolves forget their place," the First Shadow said, his voice cold as winter. "For too long, your kind has believed in equality, in balance, in working together. But there is only one truth in this world - the strong rule the weak."

Another cut. Another scream. I could feel my strength bleeding away with each cut.

"Once I have the Dominion Collar," he continued, "there will be no more packs, no more regions, no more different ranks. Just one voice demanding absolute obedience. Mine."

Through my pain, I managed to gasp out, "The other... the other Triple Moon bearers... they stopped you before..."

"They tried," he admits. "Fifty years ago, that weak elder almost ruined everything by running away. But her cowardice gave me time to grow stronger, to gather more followers, to finish my plan."

Another cut. This one sent fire running through my entire body.

"And now I have something none of my predecessors possessed," he said, his terrible smile getting wider. "I have the mate of a Triple Moon bearer, bleeding on sacred ground, calling to her with every drop of blood he spills."

I felt awareness starting to slip away from the pain and blood loss. But just before everything went dark, I heard something that filled me with both hope and fear.

A howl in the distance. Pure and strong and angry.

Lily was coming.

The First Shadow heard it too. "Excellent," he purred. "Right on schedule."

He turned to his troops with the Dominion Collar gleaming in his hands. "Prepare the altar. Tonight, we drain a Triple Moon bearer, and tomorrow, every wolf in the world bows to me."

As darkness closed over my vision, I realized the horrible truth. I wasn’t just bait anymore.

I was going to be forced to watch as they destroyed the only person I’d ever loved.

And there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop them.