THE CHASE
1293 Words
Harel ran through the forest without looking back.
Branches scratched against his coat as he pushed deeper between the trees. Behind him, the sound of hurried footsteps grew louder.
Selene was running beside him.
“Faster!” she whispered.
“I am trying!”
“You need to lose them before we reach the river.”
Harel glanced behind them.
Three shadows moved between the trees.
“They're gaining on us.”
Selene pointed ahead.
“There!”
A narrow path appeared between two enormous rocks.
They quickly turned into it.
The path descended toward the river, where the sound of rushing water grew louder.
Suddenly, Selene stumbled.
Harel caught her before she fell.
“Are you hurt?”
“My ankle.”
“We have to keep moving.”
“I know.”
Harel supported her as they continued.
Behind them, one of the masked men shouted.
“They went toward the river!”
Harel's eyes widened.
“They know where we are.”
Selene looked at him.
“There is a cave ahead.”
“A cave?”
“Your father used it when he was younger.”
Harel stared at her.
“How do you know that?”
“I knew your father long before you did.”
They reached the river.
The water was moving rapidly beneath the moonlight.
Selene pointed toward the opposite bank.
“The cave is there.”
Harel looked at the water.
“We can't cross this.”
“We have to.”
The footsteps were getting closer.
Harel took a deep breath.
“Hold on.”
He helped Selene into the shallowest section of the river.
The cold water reached their knees.
They moved carefully across.
Halfway through, a voice echoed from behind them.
“Stop!”
Harel turned.
The masked men stood on the riverbank.
One of them raised a weapon.
Harel immediately pulled Selene down.
The object struck the tree behind them.
“Keep moving!”
They reached the other side and disappeared into the trees.
Within minutes, they found the cave.
Selene entered first.
Harel followed.
The entrance was hidden behind thick vines.
They moved deeper inside until the sounds of the pursuers disappeared.
Selene leaned against the wall.
“We should be safe here.”
“For how long?”
“I don't know.”
Harel looked at her.
“Tell me everything.”
Selene shook her head.
“Not here.”
“We nearly died because of what you know.”
“And if you know everything now, you may die for the same reason.”
Harel became frustrated.
“My father is dead. My mother is missing. Someone is trying to kill me. I have spent days finding lies everywhere I look.”
He stepped closer.
“I deserve the truth.”
Selene looked at him for a long moment.
Then she reached into her coat and removed a small object.
It was a pendant.
A silver crescent.
Harel recognized the symbol immediately.
“The Blackthorn crest?”
“No.”
Selene turned it over.
There was another symbol engraved on the back.
“The original Luna's mark.”
Harel stared at it.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“Because your mother gave it to me.”
His heart stopped.
“You know where she is?”
Selene nodded.
“She's alive.”
“Where?”
Selene hesitated.
“Somewhere beyond the northern territory.”
Harel immediately stood.
“I am going to find her.”
“You can't.”
“Why?”
“Because the people hunting your family will be watching every road leading north.”
Harel looked at the pendant.
“What does my mother know?”
“Everything.”
“About my father's death?”
“Yes.”
“About the royal family?”
“Yes.”
“About me?”
Selene's expression softened.
“She knows what you inherited from her.”
Harel frowned.
“What did I inherit?”
Selene opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, they heard a noise outside the cave.
Both froze.
Someone was approaching.
Selene quickly extinguished the lantern.
Harel moved toward the entrance.
Three shadows passed outside.
One stopped.
Harel held his breath.
The shadow remained still for several seconds.
Then the figures moved away.
Selene whispered,
“They're searching for us.”
Harel nodded.
“We need another exit.”
“There is one.”
She pointed deeper into the cave.
They followed a narrow passage until they reached a small opening on the other side of the hill.
When they emerged, dawn was beginning to break.
Harel looked toward the distant castle.
“We have to return.”
Selene grabbed his arm.
“No.”
“I am the Alpha. I cannot disappear without explanation.”
“That's exactly why you cannot return.”
“Why?”
Selene's expression became serious.
“Because someone inside the castle knows you left.”
Harel froze.
“How?”
“Think about it.”
He did.
He had left the castle alone.
Only a few people knew about his movements.
Someone must have followed him.
Or someone had been watching him from the beginning.
Harel's expression darkened.
“Damon.”
Selene shook her head.
“Maybe.”
“Then who?”
“I don't know.”
Harel looked back toward the castle.
For the first time, he wondered whether the person closest to him was the person he should fear most.
Several hours later, Harel secretly returned to the castle through an underground passage.
He went directly to his chambers.
The moment he entered, he knew something was wrong.
His room had been searched.
Drawers were open.
Books had been moved.
His father's letter was gone.
Harel's heart sank.
He searched the room.
Nothing.
Someone had taken the letter.
But whoever had searched the room had missed one thing.
The silver pendant.
Harel removed it from his pocket.
Then he noticed something else.
A small piece of paper lay beneath his pillow.
He picked it up.
Only one sentence was written on it.
You should have stayed away from the truth.
Harel stared at the message.
Then he heard footsteps outside.
He quickly hid the pendant.
The door opened.
Mira entered.
She looked frightened.
“Harel.”
“What happened?”
“I've been looking for you.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor Ashford knows about your investigation.”
Harel's expression hardened.
“How?”
“I don't know.”
Mira closed the door.
“But there's something worse.”
“What?”
She lowered her voice.
“Someone has issued an order for your arrest.”
Harel stared at her.
“Who?”
“The royal family.”
Silence filled the room.
Harel slowly turned toward the window.
The castle guards were already moving through the courtyard.
They were searching for someone.
Him.
Mira stepped closer.
“What are you going to do?”
Harel's eyes hardened.
“I am going to find out who betrayed my father.”
“And if the royal family is against you?”
Harel looked at her.
“Then I'll uncover the truth before they can stop me.”
Outside, a horn sounded.
The guards were approaching his chambers.
Harel reached for his dagger.
The door began to shake.
Someone was trying to force it open.
Mira stepped backward.
“Harel…”
He looked at her.
“Stay behind me.”
Another удар shook the door.
Then a voice came from the other side.
“By order of the royal council, Alpha Harel Blackthorn, you are under arrest.”
Harel's eyes narrowed.
He finally understood.
The investigation was no longer about discovering the truth.
It was now a fight for his life—and his throne.
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