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I turn my gaze back to Roarke, my eyes pleading with him to understand my desperation. “We’re a pack, Roarke. We’ve faced dangers together before, and we can do it again. Owen is one of us, and we can’t just abandon him to whatever’s out there.”
Roarke’s expression is a mix of concern and determination. I know he cares about Owen as much as I do, but he’s also our Alpha, and his responsibility is to ensure the safety of the entire pack. I can see the struggle within him as he weighs the risks and benefits of our actions.
“We have to wait. Give him more time. It seemed like he wanted to clear his head anyway. Chances are he’s just doing that somewhere. Running too far.”
I grit my teeth, a surge of worry and frustration knotting in my stomach as I think of young Owen out there, all by himself. Lucas, who sits nearby, also appears restless. There’s a turmoil in him, a restlessness that mirrors my own. It’s not just concern for Owen’s safety that weighs on us; it’s something deeper, something unspoken.
Lucas had been through the horrors of the Rift, and it’s etched into his very being, in the lines on his face, in the distant look in his eyes. He knows what lurks in the darkness beyond the cavern, what terrible things can happen when The Rift claims you.
But he hasn’t shared the full extent of his experiences with me yet, and I can sense the weight of unspoken words between us. Perhaps he can’t bring himself to delve into those memories, to reveal the true horrors of that place. Or maybe he’s protecting me from a truth that is too cruel to bear.
Wyatt’s heroic act of saving Lucas from The Rift may have stirred something within him—a deep need to protect others, especially Owen, from falling into the same abyss. That sense of responsibility, of being indebted to one another, runs deep within our pack.
I watch Lucas closely, a growing sense of determination welling up within me. It’s clear that he’s contemplating going after Owen as soon as the opportunity arises. His restlessness, the way he keeps glancing toward the cavern’s entrance, all indicate that he won’t be able to sit idly by, waiting for Owen to return.
And deep down, I know that I won’t be able to either.
The bond we share with our pack members runs deep, and it’s not just about duty or responsibility; it’s about family. We look out for each other, protect each other, and, when necessary, we follow our instincts to ensure the safety and well-being of our own.
Lucas’s determination to go after Owen is mirrored in my own heart. I can’t bear the thought of him facing the unknown dangers of The Rift alone. I can’t bear the idea of him never coming back.
So, like it or not, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll be right there with him, every step of the way, facing whatever challenges The Rift throws at us. Together, we’ll bring Owen home, and we’ll face whatever lies ahead as a united pack, bound by loyalty, love, and the unbreakable connection we share.
The cavern is cloaked in darkness, and the rhythmic sounds of slumber fill the air as everyone in our makeshift home rests, oblivious to the impending decision that Lucas and I are about to make. We haven’t discussed this plan aloud, but we don’t need to. Our shared meaningful looks tell me everything I need to know.
My heart beats a little faster as I gently shake Lucas awake. His eyes, filled with a mixture of determination and apprehension, meet mine in the dim light. We exchange no words, our shared understanding already solidified. There’s no turning back now.
We slip away from our slumbering pack mates with silent, synchronized movements. Every step taken is laden with purpose and resolve. We navigate the cavern’s twists and turns with the ease of those who have made this journey countless times before.
As we reach the cavern’s entrance, I cast one last glance back at the peaceful, sleeping forms of our pack members. They trust us to do what’s necessary, to bring Owen back safely, even if it means venturing into the treacherous unknown of the forest.
The treacherous descent down the mountain is a silent one, each step calculated and deliberate as we navigate the rugged terrain. It’s only when we reach the relative safety of the forest below that I finally break the silence.
I turn to Lucas, the urgency of our mission pressing upon us. “Where should we go?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, as if the very air around us might carry our words back to the cavern and betray our departure.
“Let’s follow the scent,” Lucas suggests, referring to the faint, lingering traces of Owen that might still remain in the vicinity.
As Lucas and I navigate the dense forest, following Owen’s scent, a growing sense of unease tugs at my heart. The urgency of our mission propels us forward, deeper into the unknown. Every step we take brings us closer to the source of the mysterious Rift that has swallowed Owen.
Eventually, we come upon The Rift, and I can’t help but gasp at the strange sight before us. It flickers in and out of existence every ten minutes, as if caught in a never ending loop, defying the natural order of things. The Rift’s erratic behavior sends shivers down my spine, and I exchange a worried glance with Lucas.
“What’s happening to it?” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might provoke the anomaly before us.
“Owen is trapped in there,” Lucas whispers, much to my blood curdling horror.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s trapped… in this unpredictable Rift.”
Dread settles in my chest as I imagine the horrors he might be enduring within that ever shifting void.
“In… in there?” I stammer. “How did he get in there? And how the hell do we get him out?”
My blood runs cold as all the happiness that I have enjoyed with these men is threatened by whatever this anomaly is.
“There are no monsters around,” Lucas observes, his voice laced with concern. “But we can’t just leave Owen in there. We need to find a way to get him out.”
My heart races as Lucas and I stand before the flickering, unpredictable Rift holding Owen in its chaotic grasp. The forest around us seems to pulse with unnatural energy, the very essence of The Rift seeping into the air.
