Chapter 70
Chapter 70
Astrid’s POV
My blood ran cold. The sudden silence was more terrifying than a scream. Every instinct I had, honed by years of living in a state of constant threat, told me that the children were in danger. They were not alone.
’Sheena,’ I projected to my wolf, my internal voice sharp with command, ’be ready.’
A low, rumbling growl was her only answer. She was already coiled and prepared, a predator sensing a threat to the pack’s young.
I took a slow, deliberate step forward, my feet making no sound on the soft earth. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat in the sudden, eerie quiet. I moved toward the large rhododendron bush, my eyes scanning the surrounding woods for any sign of movement. The scent of the children was strong here, but it was tangled with something else, something unfamiliar that I couldn’t quite place.
I reached the edge of the dense bush, its waxy leaves providing perfect cover. Holding my breath, I carefully parted two large leaves and peered through the gap.
My breath caught in my throat.
There was no monster. There was no kidnapper. There was no immediate threat.
There were three small children, crouched low to the ground, their eyes wide and sparkling mischief. The boy, who I assumed was Leo, had his hand clamped firmly over his sister Maya’s mouth, and she was doing the exact same thing to him. Their little bodies were shaking with the effort of suppressing their giggles. Christian was next to them with his hands over his mouth, shaking with laughter.
The wave of relief that washed over me was so powerful it almost buckled my knees. They weren’t hurt. They were just playing a trick on their nannies. For a second, I felt a surge of pure, unadulterated anger. They had scared everyone half to death.