A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate-Chapter 75: Chains and Confessions

Ace’s POV

I approached the witch and Khaleed, who were now fully awake. Their eyes widened as they took in the sight of their allies—bound by magic chains, some with magic handcuffs on their wrists, and all with duct tape over their mouths to prevent them from speaking or casting spells.

I reached down and removed the duct tape from Khaleed’s and the black-and-green-haired witch’s mouths. The witch gasped for air, her eyes darting around in panic, while Khaleed glared at me, his jaw clenched.

"What are you gonna do to us?!" Khaleed demanded, his voice sharp but tinged with fear.

Before I could respond, Philip stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "Where are the stolen items and the horses you took?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the witch.

I shot him a sharp look. Even now, with everything going on, his mind was still on his stolen goods and horses?

Philip noticed my expression and shrugged. "Why are you looking at me like that? It’s only natural for me to want my stolen items back. I’m a merchant, after all," he said, his tone defensive.

The witch suddenly laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "I burned them. Made sure nothing was left," she said, her voice dripping with malice.

Philip’s expression darkened. Slowly, he walked toward the witch, his dagger glinting in the moonlight. He knelt in front of her, his eyes cold and unyielding. "I’m not joking here, so don’t mess with me," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "If you lie to me again, I’ll make sure you regret it. I’ll remove your tongue so you can’t cast spells or take your eyes so you can’t see. Now, I’ll ask you again—where are the stolen items and the horses?" He pressed the tip of his dagger against her eyelid, his voice steady but menacing.

I hadn’t seen this side of Philip before—a hidden personality he’d kept concealed. My wolf stirred, intrigued by the merchant’s sudden ferocity. For a moment, I felt the urge to challenge him, to see who was stronger, but now wasn’t the time.

The witch trembled, her voice shaking as she spoke. "Th-they’re... at 8 o’clock, near the large cage where the werewolf prisoners are kept. There’s a large tent there. All the stolen items are inside," she stammered.

"Thank you," Philip said, his tone cheerful as he stood up and sheathed his dagger. Just like that, his demeanor returned to normal, as if the threatening aura he’d just displayed had never existed.

"Why did you tell him where the items are?!" Khaleed shouted, his voice filled with anger and disbelief. The witch remained silent, still trembling with fear.

"The four members of Crimsonheart help Philip retrieve the stolen items. The four from Silverhowl release the prisoners. Kai and Colt, stay here," I ordered.

"Yes, sir!" they replied in unison before moving to carry out their tasks with Philip.

Colt stepped forward, his expression serious. "I forgot to report earlier—we were late because we encountered bandits near Wildfire Bridge. They were secretly sabotaging the bridge, which is why it wasn’t completed on time. We captured them and handed them over to the Wildfire guards."

Ray raised an eyebrow, his voice sharp. "So, Colt, you helped another kingdom instead of focusing on your mission to come here?"

Colt immediately dropped to his knees, bowing his head low. "Sorry, Sir Ray. We encountered the bandits, and I couldn’t just leave them to do as they pleased. Besides, you taught me that—"

Ray cut him off, his tone firm but not unkind. "You did the right thing. I was about to torture you until you bled a liter of blood, but I think kicking you earlier was punishment enough. Raise your head and stand."

"Thank you, Sir Ray," Colt said, relief evident in his voice as he stood.

"Prince Ray is scary," Kai muttered under his breath, and I couldn’t help but smile. After all, Ray hadn’t earned the title "Artist of Agony" for nothing.

I turned my attention back to the witch. "Witch, I have a question for you. Were you the one who replied to the letter King Raymond sent?" I asked, my voice calm but commanding.

The witch hesitated, her eyes darting between me and Ray. "If I answer your questions, will you let me live?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Khaleed’s eyes widened in disbelief. "What are you saying?! Are you out of your mind?" he shouted.

I turned to Khaleed, my claws extending as I stared him down. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Yes," I said, my gaze returning to the witch. "If you answer my questions truthfully, I’ll make sure you live."

The witch swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ye-yes, I’m the one who replied to the letter. But Khaleed received it and gave it to me."

"Why did you have to drag my name into this?!" Khaleed snapped, his voice filled with frustration.

"Because it’s the truth! I can only speak the truth now—I don’t want to die!" the witch cried, her voice breaking.

Despite the terrible things she’d done, the witch was still afraid of death. But killing her now would only free her from her sins, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.

"If you don’t shut up, Khaleed, I’ll kill you—even if it hurts Chief Gareth to lose you," Ray said, his voice cold and threatening.

Khaleed’s face paled, and he bit his lip, falling silent.

The witch continued, her voice shaky. "I didn’t kill the carrier pigeon because I knew you’d suspect something if I did. But I didn’t expect two princes to come here in Thunoa."

I glanced in the direction of the prisoners and saw the four Silverhowl members returning, their expressions grim.

"What happened? Where are the prisoners?" Colt asked, his tone urgent.

"The cage... it’s like a magic chain but much stronger. The prisoners inside are alive but weak because the cage is draining their energy. We couldn’t find any lock, and we tried to break it, but it’s too strong," one of the gray werewolves explained. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Ray turned to the witch, his voice sharp. "Witch, how do we open that cage?"

"It’s a special magic cage. It can’t be opened or broken easily. And I can’t open it right now—I’ve used most of my mana," the witch said, her voice weak.

"Then I’ll keep asking questions until you regain enough mana to open it," I said my tone firm.