A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate-Chapter 76: Unraveling the Conspiracy

Ace’s POV

The fear in the witch’s and Khaleed’s eyes was unmistakable. The witch’s hands trembled slightly, and Khaleed’s jaw was clenched so tightly I could see the muscles twitching. The tension in the air was thick, and I could feel their guilt pressing down on them.

"Witch," I began, my voice calm but commanding, "are you the one who ordered the bandits to destroy the bridge? If yes, why did you do it? Was it so that travelers who would have used the bridge near Wildfire Kingdom would instead take the Thunoa path, making it easier for your group to steal from them because Thunoa doesn’t have enough manpower to protect itself?"

The witch shook her head vigorously, her voice trembling. "I’m not the one who ordered the bridge’s destruction near Wildfire. I don’t even know who gave the order to destroy it."

Kai stepped forward, his tone steady as he added, "Based on the intel we gathered, a group of bandits stole gold from the Wildfire Kingdom. That’s why the guards were chasing them. After the bandits crossed the bridge, they blew it up to prevent the guards from following."

Crimsonheart’s intelligence was indeed impressive.

"Now, I’ve changed my mind about asking questions one by one," I said, my voice firm. "Witch, I want you to tell us everything from the beginning. Why are you here in Thunoa, and why are you working with werewolves?"

The witch swallowed hard, her eyes darting nervously between me and the others. Khaleed, however, couldn’t stay silent.

"Are you really going to tell them everything?!" Khaleed shouted, his voice filled with panic and anger.

I reached over and slapped the duct tape back over his mouth. "I’ll remove the duct tape when I have a question for you. For now, shut your mouth," I said, my tone cold and final. I turned back to the witch, my silver eyes locking onto hers. "Continue."

The witch took a shaky breath before speaking. "Our village needed a lot of money because we’re developing a new kind of magic chain—this black glowing one wrapped around me," she said, gesturing weakly to the chain binding her.

"But why are you creating a new kind of magic chain?" Kai asked, his tone curious but sharp.

"Because someone requested it and offered to buy it for a large sum of money. If you’re asking who wanted to buy it, I don’t know. He wore a black mask. The prototype we created drains the magic from other magic chains or handcuffs, but it only lasts for one day. We sold the prototype on the black market for a high price, but it wasn’t enough to fund the creation of a perfected version," the witch explained.

Ann stepped forward, her gray eyes narrowing. "So you came to Thunoa Village because you heard about the broken bridge? You wanted to take advantage of the situation, knowing travelers, merchants, and food suppliers would pass through Thunoa, making it the perfect place to steal their goods."

The witch nodded reluctantly. "Yes, but I didn’t expect werewolf bandits to attack the village. That’s why I helped the villagers defend themselves. I gave them the prototype black magic chain I had with me, and they used it to defeat the bandits."

Kai crossed his arms, his expression skeptical. "Why would you help the villagers?"

The witch hesitated, her voice growing quieter. "Because if word spread that there were bandits near Thunoa Village, no one would pass through here, and I wouldn’t have anyone to steal from."

I clenched my fists, my patience wearing thin. "So you ensured no news about the bandits reached other villages?" I asked, my voice low and dangerous.

"Yes," the witch admitted. "That’s why I captured the two messengers—to prevent the news from spreading. I was shocked when Silverhowl sent a message via carrier pigeon saying they would investigate the bandits in Thunoa Village. That’s why I replied, claiming the bandits had already been captured. I thought if they sent only a few troops, I could easily deal with them."

Her words made my blood boil. The sheer audacity of her actions was infuriating.

"I’ll continue the story," the witch said, her voice trembling. "Before I left the village, Khaleed approached me and invited me to drink. I accepted his offer. When he was drunk, he opened up about needing a large amount of money to rebuild the village. That’s when I offered him a deal. His job was to ensure no news about the bandits spread and to keep me updated on what was happening in the village. In exchange, he would receive 30% of the stolen goods. He agreed. After that, I left the village and approached the werewolf bandits. I offered them the prototype black magic chain and information about the village, thanks to Khaleed. They agreed to let me join their group."

Colt stepped forward, his voice filled with disbelief. "But why would werewolf bandits work with witches? We hate you because of what you did to us in the past."

The witch shrugged weakly. "These bandits are strays. Their packs disowned them because of their wrongdoings. I think it’s normal for us to join forces. Like they say, the past is in the past."

Her words struck a chord. If only all species in this world could adopt that mindset—leaving the past behind and working toward true peace.

Ray’s voice cut through the tension. "Is it true that you’re selling werewolves at auctions? And why did a group of witches come here?"

The witch nodded reluctantly. "Yes, selling werewolves at auctions is true, but we weren’t planning to sell the werewolves from Thunoa Village. That was also part of my deal with Khaleed. In exchange for his help, I promised to ensure the safety of the Thunoa villagers we captured. But we did sell travelers, merchants, and food suppliers we captured in the north."

My fists clenched tighter. The auctioning of werewolves was a vile practice we had fought to stop before. It seemed we would have to fight it again.

"The group of witches who came here was supposed to collect the stolen items. They also brought other stray werewolves because I told them Silverhowl troops were coming, but I never thought you would also have a backup," the witch added.

I turned to Khaleed, my voice heavy with disappointment. "Khaleed, you may have had good intentions, but what you did is unacceptable and unforgivable."

Ray stepped forward, his tone decisive. "I think that’s enough. We’ve learned what we needed to know. Witch, I assume you’ve regained enough mana to unlock the big cage now."

The witch nodded weakly. "Yes, I can unlock it now."

I helped her to her feet, my grip firm but not unkind. As I turned to Ovelia and Ann, I said, "We’re going to the large cage. Stay here and wait for a while."

They nodded, and I could see the relief in Ovelia’s eyes. She trusted me, and that trust was something I would never take for granted.