THIRD PERSON POV:
When Bella opened her eyes, she found herself enveloped in darkness. She felt the damp chill of stone pressing against her skin, which made her bones feel as though they were breaking. She blinked, her vision adjusting to the faint glow of flickering candles mounted along the walls of a shadowy cave. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and something metallic, almost like blood, mingling with it.
She tried to move, but her limbs refused to obey. That was when she realized her wrists and ankles were bound with chains. Her mind became clear at once, and the memories from the mountain flowed in. She glanced around with her heart racing, taking in the jagged rock walls, which had figures carved into the stone. Shadows danced across these markings, drawing her attention toward the front of the room, where a cauldron bubbled in one corner, sending up a thin stream of greenish vapor that wove through the cave like a serpent.
Two women stood before the cauldron, but she couldn't see their faces due to the poorly lit cave and the heavy cloaks they wore, which seemed to absorb the dim light. A thought crossed her mind, and she struggled against the chains wrapped around her feet and hands. The metal stung badly, digging into her skin, but she succeeded, earning a glance from one of them.
Bella's heart skipped a beat as she recognized her-it was Scarlet, the pack's witch. Her sharp features were partially hidden beneath the hood, but Bella was quick to catch it.
"Scarlet?" Bella called out in a shaky voice, unable to believe the pack's witch would kidnap her. She squinted, staring at Scarlet, who didn't take her eyes off her. "What's going on? Why am I here?" she asked, as none of it made sense to her.
Scarlet's gaze flicked toward her, but her expression remained unreadable. The other cloaked woman whispered to Scarlet.
"Go over there and say something to her. We cannot risk it now," she said, and Scarlet nodded at once, walking toward Bella.
"Scarlet, what is this?" Bella asked, and she crouched close to Bella.
"We are trying to help you, princess. The vampires are coming, and they will take you if we do not kill your vampire side," she said, and Bella looked at her, her brows wrinkling.
"You know I am not that dumb, and I do not believe a word you've said," Bella replied, and Scarlet rolled her eyes, getting to her feet.
"I tried! And I am tired of this role I'm playing. Why can't I be the nameless witch?" she asked the other woman, who slapped her forehead.
"I am never going on an assignment with you. Ever! You can't hold up even slightly!" she yelled. "Says the one that got the easiest part. I've been doing the talking all along, and I'm exhausted!"
Bella watched them both in confusion, then started studying the chains binding her, trying to see if she could get free.
Outside the cave, Hazel and Finn crouched low, hidden among the thick brush and gnarled roots of the surrounding trees. Hazel had cast an invisibility spell to mask their scent, while Finn texted their location to the boys. The mouth of the cave stood before them-a dark, jagged opening framed by heavy vines and patches of moss that clung to the damp stone. Wisps of fog curled around its edges, and the faint glow of candlelight flickered from within.
"We have to go in, eventually," Finn said to Hazel, who sighed.
The energy she felt inside scared her, and she wanted to wait for the others to arrive, but knowing Bella's life was in danger made her rethink.
"Let's go," Hazel said to Finn, and they both moved toward the mouth of the cave, but Finn held her back. "Wait, listen," he said, and they both paused.
They could hear voices from inside-two women bickering and yelling at the top of their voices. Hazel glanced at Finn as they listened closely, trying to make out the words.
"I can't hear what they're saying, but come on. We can use this as a distraction," she said to Finn, and he nodded. "That's incense. Cover your nose and don't inhale it, or it could be dangerous, since we don't know what's in it." They both took a deep breath, holding it as they entered the cave, slipping through the fog at the entrance.
They soon made it past the fog, then slid silently along the walls, pressing themselves against the cool rock. Every cautious step brought them closer to the echoing voices of the witches and the bubbling cauldron, whose strange glow illuminated the passage ahead.
Alpha Herald and the boys arrived at Scarlet's cave in no time. He wasted no time getting out of his car and marched toward the cave.
"Cover your noses because of the smoke outside. Don't inhale it!" Herald called out to them as he entered the cave. Hazel and Finn glanced at each other upon hearing the Alpha's voice, but they were not the only ones who heard it.
"Someone is here," the nameless witch said, causing their discussion to end.
Scarlet shut her eyes, then sighed. "The alpha and two of those boys," she said, and the nameless witch groaned. "We have to behave, or he will..."
"Scarlet!" Herald's voice rang out as he entered the cave.
Finn and Hazel ducked at a corner as the alpha and the boys walked past. They didn't trust Alpha Herald, so they planned to rescue Bella on their own before knowing the alpha's motive. Taking advantage of the chaos in the cave, they moved along the walls, making their way deeper inside.
"Dad!" Bella called out when she spotted her father.
"Baby!" Alpha Herald answered, but before he could move, the two witches blocked him. "You know this is against the laws of this pack, Scarlet, and if you don't want me to banish you, move out of the way and release my daughter," Herald said, but the witches wouldn't budge.
In that moment, Bella spotted Hazel and Finn, who had reached her. Hazel placed a hand on her lips, and Bella nodded. She looked at the chain, touched it, and found it was bound by a spell. Placing her hand on it, she muttered something, and it loosened at once.
"It came to our attention that you refused to comply with us, alpha, and for the good of the pack, and Moon Fire in general, we decided to take matters into our hands. Bella is a hybrid. Her vampire side needs to be killed," Scarlet said, and Herald scoffed.
"Nonsense!" he growled. "You defied my orders, and..."
"You gave us the order," Scarlet said, trying to manipulate Herald, who paused while Ryder and Kai looked in confusion.
Kai spotted the trio, then tapped Ryder, whose eyes lit up.
"They're trying to brainwash him, but it won't work because I'm here, and I placed a spell around the house. The alpha is protected by it," Hazel said, causing Bella to sigh in relief.
"Remember when you agreed she could spend the holiday, and we'd come to take her?" Scarlet said, and Herald shook his head.
"The only thing I remember, Scarlet, is telling you I no longer agreed to the deal. I wanted to kill her vampire side at first, but I told you I wasn't interested anymore."
"What?" Bella exclaimed, causing everyone to look at her.
The witches panicked as they noticed Hazel.
"How did...?"
"A true witch never reveals her secret," Hazel said to the nameless witch before she could finish.
"Doesn't matter. We still have her bound, and..."
Bella stood, raising her hands.
"Got freed a moment ago. I was enjoying the drama until I realized my father brought me back to this pack just to kill my vampire side," she said, her gaze fixed on her father.
Herald opened his mouth to speak but couldn't. He knew Bella was angry, and there was little he could do to remedy the situation.
"Honey, I was just trying to help you," he finally said, and Bella shook her head.
As tension filled the room, Hazel looked at the women intently, and then it clicked. "Vampires! They're not witches, they're vampires!" she revealed.