The Last Spirit Wolf by Elena Norwood Novel Full Episode

Chapter 56

-Vera-

The first thing I notice as the fog of unconsciousness starts lifting off of me, is that I’m excruciatingly sore.

I try to open my eyes, but they’re too heavy. I try lifting my fingers and moving my toes, but this simple task seems monumental. I try to grunt, but my throat is too dry; I don’t even have saliva to swallow, I must be dehydrated.

I try to focus on my other senses since I can’t yet open my eyes to see my surroundings. I know that whatever I’m lying on is hard and cold, like stone. Wherever I’m

at has to be some type of cave or somewhere underground where there isn’t any ventilation; there is an intense smell of must and no air flow. I can feel my hair sticking to my forehead, which also means that it’s quite humid.

Once again, I try to move my fingers,

“Mistress, she seems to be waking up.” 1 hear a voice.

1 freeze.

This is a voice I recognize.

Harriet.

“Is that so?” I hear a deep, elegant voice in the distance..

“I mean, she could just be twitchy, she could be having a nightmare,” I hear another feminine, but childish voice.

Someone else chuckles.

“When she wakes up, she’s going to wish that nightmare was real, someone else says, a man, sounding cheery.

I remain still, not giving away that I’ve regained consciousness as I’m unsure if I’d even be able to stand up by myself at this point, much less fight these people off

A million scenarios are running through my head, but the one I fear the most is the one I’m probably in judging by the ringing in my ears.

Harriet had said “Mistress,” and I’m almost certain she means the Witch Mother; after all, Mehra had also called her “Mistress’ all those months ago.

My heartbeat becomes slightly elevated as adrenaline starts pumping into it. If I had more energy, this would be a fight or flight situation, but I’m not in any

condition to do either.

I try to reach my wolf to check on her, but she’s nowhere to be found. She must also be hurt somehow.

Slowly, memories of what happened start coming to me. The slashing of the trees, me trying to save the guys by making the ground collapse beneath them, passing out and someone taking me… I now can safely assume it was Harriet; I didn’t recognize it then, but I smelled her back in the forest right before I became

unconscious.

My senses become sharper the more I regain consciousness; the problem is, to actually know where I am and how many people are here with me, I’ll have to open my eyes. If I do it now, it will undoubtedly give me away.

After what feels like an eternity, the elegant voice at the end of the room finally speaks again.

It seems like we had no luck today either. If she doesn’t wake up by tomorrow, we’ll have to use more extreme measures.”

Slowly, I hear the shuffling of feet and the shutting of what seems to be a large, metal door as it frictions against stone.

Did she say today either? How long have I been out?

When I’m sure I’m alone, I finally open my eyes.

173

Turning my head to a side, I can now see the outside of my cell. I do my best to gauge my surroundings. I’m now sure that I’m in some form of stone cell. It’s cold, it’s humid, and I’m also dressed in some form of thin robe.

I start shivering, and not because I’m cold.

From what little I can see, this looks like the same place that I saw in my vision of the Witch Mother; that horrendous place where she tried for decades to create Spirit Wolves. There’s a large, black caldron in the middle with a live flame right beneh it. There are also several gruesome hooks hanging for the ceiling.

I take a long look at the heavy, metal bars that guard my cell. They seem old and heavy; all in all, impenetrable.

door at the exit of the room. If I’m going to escape, I’m going to have to do it once they take me out of the cell, if they even do. My eyes wander to my next obstacle though, that huge, metal

outside, Guards? Warriors? A maze? Not only will I have to outrun these people in my state, it’ll also have to be when that door is wide open. And even then, I have no idea what I’ll be met with

I try to gulp, but I can’t. I’m parched.

she’s nowhere to be found. Once again, I try to reach my wolf. The only other alternative to that impossible escape plan, is to fight the Witch Mother and everyone else here. Again, however,

myself to a sitting position. Slowly, I again try to move my limbs. It takes me some time, but after a while, I can finally move my fingers. Then, my feet. Taking my time, I try to incorporate

As my strength returns, so too, does my mobility.

Now that I’m in a sitting position, I take my time to really take in everything around me. The space is quite large now that I’m looking at it. There are several cells just like mine, but I seem to be the only prisoner.

Looking up at the walls, floor, and cells, I realize that I am in fact in the Witch Mother’s Castle; this is the same place from my vision, if only Goddess knows how many centuries older and run down.

I feel a tiny surge of hope, knowing that if I do manage to get through those doors, I may be able to make my way outside.

Suddenly, my wolf comes just to the surface. I close my eyes and look at her.

Hey, girl, I tell her, putting my hand on her cheek, how are you holding up?

She simply stares at me, her gaze unreadable.

I frown.

We have never really automatically understood each other, but she has always at least tried to communicate with me. This time, she just keeps staring at me.

What’s wrong? I ask her, letting go of her face.

I take a few steps back, trying to decipher her stare and stance. The hairs on her nape are raised and she seems afraid.

Then, her gaze lowers to my stomach.

My frown deepens, not understanding what she’s doing at all or what she means.

her eyes meet mine again, however, I gasp.

There’s no way, I whisper.

She walks the few steps that I put between us and gently lowers her snout to my belly

When I open my eyes again, my hand flies to my stomach protectively as I look at it. My heart starts beating faster; dread settling in my gut.

2/3

Chapter 56

-Noah

I hear steps approaching us fast. I sniff the air; they’re warriors from the Castle.

One by one, I have carefully taken the guys out of the crater like hole in the forest. Fortunately, all of them are alive. Ezra and Arlo are conscious, but very banged up. Colt, Emmet, and Rowan keep drifting in and out of consciousness, presumably from a head injury they sustained.

When the warriors get to us, including Lucas and Eli, I instruct them to take the injured warriors to the Castle to be treated. But before, I need answers.

“Tell me everything you remember,” I tell Arlo and Ezra, the only ones awake.

“I – I don’t know what happened, Noah,” Arlo begins, “but we were making our way to the Castle as scheduled, nearing the campsite, when Vera just… stopped… she looked terrified and she wouldn’t say what was wrong. Then, from behind us, something was approaching us, fast, and it was slicing through the trees like they were butter. I have never seen anything like it in my life. I don’t remember much after that, I just woke up in that hole. I’m sorry,” he says.

I nod, letting the warriors know to take him away to the Castle like the rest.

“It was magic,” Ezra says, behind me. He’s being carried to the Castle by two warriors.

“What?” I ask, frowning.

“It was magic, Noah. It was as if the wind itself suddenly became as sharp as a sword, Vera kneeled down, using her magic to create this hole. If it wasn’t for her, that thing would have sliced us all in half. She was barely conscious, if at all, when Harriet and that other woman took her away.”

I’m shocked at his comment. First, because as I turn to look at the giant hole in the middle of the forest, deep enough to be a water hole, it’s hard to believe Vera did this. Secondly, because nob*dy in this party knew for certain of the existence of witches and magic, much less that Vera is one.

As if reading my mind, he continues,

“I figured it out,” he says, “she just confirmed it.”

“And this other woman, what did she look like?”

“All I can tell you is that her eyes were white. Noah, be very careful,” he says grimly.

My blood runs cold.

That could only mean one thing.

I nod, indicating to the warriors to take Ezra to the Castle.

Unlike them, I stay behind and when everyone else is gone, I start looking for clues, anything that could point me in the direction of where they might have taken

her.

I make my way around the hole Vera created, trying to find at least a trail, her scent, anything to guide me to her, but after an hour of meticulous tracking, it’s impossible. It’s as if she was never even here.

A realization hits me like a ton of bricks. What was it Liam had said about Harriet’s trail? That it had gone cold because it was as if she had vanished? There is little doubt in my mind that she’s working with the witches. But what does that mean for my efforts to track Vera?

I’m about to hurry back to the Castle to come up with a plan, when something catches my eye at the bottom of the hole Vera created. It’s a dark duffel bag, the one Vera was carrying when she left the Castle.

I quickly slide back down the hole, retrieving the bag and opening it, almost willing a clue to be in here.

I don’t find any clues, but everything smells like her. With this, I will at least be able to send scouts and trackers with her scent to try and find her. As of now, it’s the only way I can think of finding her.

1/4

† muske my way back to the Castle, defeated, angry, and frustrated.

Had 1 found Vera’s scent, I would be going after her right now, but if this is the Witch Mother we’re talking about, which I believe it is, I have to be smart about it.

By the time I enter the Castle again, it’s already early in the morning.

courtyard with a crowd of people. As I make my way to Eli and the others, ready to distribute Vera’s clothes to my trackers to try and find her, I’m met with an almost sardonic looking Alcott at the

*Your Highness,” he greets me with a smile.

Eli, Caleb, and Elden are standing off to a side, with the entirety of the Council up front, waiting for me.

It takes me a moment to realize what’s happening.

Today is day seven.

The day of the trail.

Something inside me begins to stit, but I take a deep breathe and try to control it. This is not the time to let my emotions get the best of me, particularly my anger.

I move towards Eli, handing him Vera’s bag.

“Hand it out to the scouts and trackers, anything that has Vera’s scent. She’s missing,* 1 tell him.

Both Caleb and Elden stare at me, shocked. Eli grinds his teeth and nods, taking the bag from me.

Slowly, I step in front of the Council to stand trial.

“Well, Your Highness, here we are,” Alcott says, “and as none of us actually have time to waste, let us cut right to the chase. The documents proving your lineage, do you have them?” he asks.

My answer is instant.

“No.”

I hear a gasp and the thing inside me twirls again.

It’s not taking kindly to wasting time right now.

“Well then, I guess the matter is settled,” Alcotinays

Someone else speaks.

“Dear Council members, I believe this matter can’t, in fact, be settled today. I don’t know if my fellow council members are aware, but one of our scouting parties was attacked today. Luckily, no one was mortally wounded but it is a matter we have to look into, and for that we can’t be in quarrels with His Majesty,” William

says.

“Oh, my dear William,” Alcott says, “there is no quarrel. It’s been settled! There is no document proving he is the legitimate King, and therefore, this Council has to take it upon itself to find a worthy King”

I grind my teeth..

“Do whatever you want, Alcott, Ireally don’t have time for any of this. So, if you’ll excuse me.”

begin walking out of the courtyard but apparently, I hit a nerve. Behind me, I hear Alett explode.

“hou dare address me in such manner, warrior Noah?! You have no respect for tradition, you have no respect for what this Council re med fr to be King! Not to mention, that little mutt of yours has been nothing but trouble since the moment you brought her heret

That is why you

wwwwww

I snap. This time for real.

Whatever awoke within me earlier in the forest is coming in with a vengeance.

protect him. I feel my lycan rise to the surface as I take long, quick strides towards Alcott, taking him by surprise. The height at which the Council chairs sit will do very little to

When I’m inches from him, my lycan ready to pounce, I stop.

This is something else, something I hadn’t felt before. It feels unfamiliar to my lycan, but it feels very familiar to me. It’s like a slow emanation of energy from within me, projecting outward.

I see Alcott and the entirety of the Council cower, frozen in place. They’re staring at me with wide eyes and sweating profusely.

Without a second thought, my hand wraps around Alcott’s n*eck, lifting him up in the air and choking him.

I watch the life drain out of his eyes as he claws desperate at my arm, unable to free himself.

Once he’s dead, I let go. His b*dy falls to my feet, unceremoniously.

The council is notably affected by this, but still, no one moves,

Eli comes in, standing next to me. He takes one look at Alcott’s b*dy and smirks.

“He had it coming,” Eli says, handing me an envelope, “this was within Vera’s bag, you might want to take a look at it.”

I take the paper from him, hoping it’s a clue, but instead, I find something else.

I stare at Eli and he nods, slowly.

“She got it for you, son,” he says, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I growl slightly, feeling that energy within me again. This piece of paper, this Council, this whole fu cking shit show is what put Vera in danger in the first place.

I toss the piece of paper in front of the Council before I crumble it in my hands.

“Here’s your fu cking proof”

With that, I storm out, Eli following close behind.

“They’re ready to go. I gave each of them a piece of their clothing and they’ve become familiar with her scent. Caleb, Elden and I are going as well; that old man has a better sense of smell than most.”

I nod, turning the corner of the courtyard towards the exit of the Castle.

As I’m about to exit, I hear loud footsteps behind me.

“Noah! Noah! Wait!”

I turn around to find Cas sia running to catch up to us.

I think I can help,” she says, gaining my full attention.