Chapter 80: Clash of Titans
ADRIAN’S POV
The night was quiet and cold, with darkness covering everything like a heavy blanket. Each step I took was slow and careful, matching the nervous energy racing through my head. We had arrived at the borders of Redfield without incident, but as we prepared to cross into the city, something stopped me—a scent.
Her scent. Lavender and honey, warm and soft.
It hit me like a flash of lightning. Teresa. My Teresa. Her familiar fragrance, tinged with the faintest hint of our babies, clung to the air like a whispered invite. But why here? Why on a trail that led deeper into the forest —a dangerous place for anyone, let alone a woman with children. Away from the safety of Redfield?
I inhaled again, my sharp senses dissecting the layers of her essence. She wasn’t alone, and the scent of wolves—filthy mutts—intermingled with hers.
"Adrian?" Harry stepped closer, his tone laced with uncertainty.
I raised a hand to silence him, my gaze fixed on the dark trail ahead. "Her scent is here," I said softly, more to myself than to him.
Harry hesitated. "Could it be a trap? The wolves—"
"I am well aware of the risks," I cut him off, my voice calm but with an edge sharp enough to make him flinch. "But if she’s truly out here, then something is amiss. Teresa would never willingly place herself or her children in danger."
A moment of hesitation passed as I wrestled with the decision. If I sent the coven ahead to investigate, there was no guarantee their... appetites wouldn’t lead to an accident. Teresa and her children were not negotiable. I could not, would not, risk them.
Turning to my coven, I split them into two groups. "Harry, take half into Redfield. Ensure we aren’t being diverted; also, do not engage unless provoked."