Chapter 10 The Search II

Damon sped past the gates, with Rayven close behind him. There was no smile on his face as he rode elegantly on his horse. Did he care about the insignificant human? Absolutely not. He just knew that if he didn't find her, his stubborn wolf wouldn't let him rest. He had to locate her. Judging from her lowly status, those creatures wouldn't hesitate to kill her. Damon's eyes turned pitch black at the thought of her being dead. But then again, she had boldly stood against him, so the chances of her dying seemed slim. He would find her.

He didn't know who to curse-the stupid Moon Goddess or himself-for having such a pathetic, lowly, and weak human as his mate. Someone he could easily snap like a twig. He didn't need a mate. They were nothing but a damn weakness. If it weren't for his attached wolf, he would have killed that girl himself. His face hardened at the thought of someone discovering who she really was and then using her against him. Once he rescued her, he might just chain her somewhere. Maybe lock her up in the dungeon? Somewhere she wouldn't be a liability or a headache. He didn't need a mate. Deep within his twisted mind, he wished she was dead wherever she was. At least then, his wolf wouldn't blame him for her demise.

His horse came to a halt in front of the constructed barrier blocking the forest route.

"I guess we'll need to continue the journey on foot," Rayven said as he dismounted.

Damon wordlessly got down from his horse, surveying the area. It was dark, and the light from the moon was the only illumination. His vision was perfectly fine, as was Rayven's.

"Stay here. I'll be back," Damon said, and the horse neighed in response.

They were surrounded by tall trees, and the loud sound of owls cawing gave the atmosphere an eerie chill. Damon and Rayven made their way to the spot where Damon's carriage had been attacked.

"There has to be something I missed. Her carriage was definitely attacked around this region," Damon said.

---

Zephyr groaned in pain, her eyes too heavy to open. What was this pain? She felt partially awake, and amidst the chaos in her head, she could hear faint voices drawing her back to consciousness.

"What do we do with them? He appears stronger than we thought, and the plan failed miserably."

"Oh, you idiot! You didn't think of that before taking them hostage? Did you feed your brain to the horses? How the hell should I know? These humans are insignificant. Heaven knows why you took them in the first place. Throw them in the sea, for all I care!"

Zephyr struggled to move, and finally, her eyes flew open. Merely being conscious felt like the hardest thing to do. She barely remembered anything. Everything felt fuzzy, and it took all her strength to remain awake. She could see two men conversing at a distance.

Aside from the immense pain and weakness she felt, she could also feel the tight rope digging into her flesh. She was tied to a tree.

Her memory started to return, piece by piece. She had been in the carriage with North when they were suddenly attacked. She had seen North get hit with a huge log of wood. She had seen her lifeless body fall to the floor. That was the last thing she remembered. Hot tears streamed down her face, worsening the headache she felt.

North was the only one who had been kind to her. Why did this unfortunate incident have to happen now? North had done nothing wrong, yet they killed her in cold blood.

Zephyr tried breaking free from the ropes, but they only tore deeper into her skin. She could see other humans tied to trees, but she couldn't find North. Where was her body? Zephyr cried harder as her attempts to escape proved futile. If anything, they only worsened the situation. There was absolutely nothing she could do. The only sane thing left was to accept death wholeheartedly.

The men suddenly began untying the prisoners, and Zephyr was too weak to struggle. Although they freed them from the trees, their hands and legs remained firmly tied. Zephyr's eyes widened as she realized where they were being taken-the vast ocean.

She watched with teary eyes as the men began pushing the captives into the sea from a cliff. They screamed and begged, but their cries fell on deaf ears. One by one, they were mercilessly shoved into the water.

Finally, it was Zephyr's turn. She was harshly grabbed by the arm and led to the cliff's edge.

Zephyr felt numb. Everything seemed justified. She had cheated death more than once. She was supposed to be dead long ago. To her, death was inevitable. It had caught up with her in the end. Tears streamed down her face as she was pushed off the cliff.

Her heart leapt to her throat as the harsh wind propelled her toward the vast sea. She could see her life flashing before her eyes. It had been mundane up to this point. There was nothing remarkable about it.

If she had known her death was near, maybe she would have let the Alpha have his way with her that day...

Zephyr shut her eyes tightly as her frail body hit the sea's surface. She felt herself sinking quickly, like a stone.

She struggled, but it was all in vain. It was a pity she would die without knowing who her real parents were. She had failed to find her soulmate, to experience what true love felt like.

She had dreamt of raising her kids, living a simple life with her husband, and owning a small farm. All she could do now was pray that she would be fortunate enough to experience all of that in her next life.

She closed her eyes with a faint smile on her lips and slowly succumbed to the darkness.