My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 188

Elara

Dinner that night was a quiet affair. The dining room was too large, the candlelight casting long, flickering shadows against the dark wood of the walls. I sat across from Kane and Jace, pushing a piece of roasted pheasant around my plate. My jaw ached with every swallow, a dull throb that reminded me of the slap.

Once I was back with Aldric, I would make sure they suffer.

"We have to account for the children," Jace said, sighing as he rubbed his forehead. He looked genuinely drained for once. "The families are starting to get restless. We need to confirm who is actually dead and who is just... missing.

"It’s been three days since we sealed the school area," Kane muttered, staring into his wine. "We can't keep them locked up forever. The trade points are the real issue. If we don't open the Eastern road soon, the winter stores won't last. The pack will starve by mid-season."

They’d been talking about this for an hour. The same circular argument. It was starting to get annoying. The "black beasts" were pouring out of the deep forest between us and the Mistwood Pack, and the problem was becoming a logistical nightmare.

"We have to visit them," Jace said, setting his fork down with a definitive clatter. "Mistwood. We need to know how they’re handling their end of the forest. Certainly we can’t be the only pack suffering it. The beasts aren't just rogue, Kane. They're tactical. They aren't attacking the high-ranking scouts or you. They’re picking off the weak. The children. The old. That’s not animal behavior."

"We leave in the morning," Kane decided, his voice sounding hollow.

The trip took two days. When they returned, they weren't alone.

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