Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 145 - Confronting Jack II

Jack's eyes darted between Madison, Bella, and Alice, his small frame tense as the weight of the accusation settled on him. The silence in the camp was suffocating, everyone watching the unfolding scene with rapt attention. He finally let out a long breath, raising both hands helplessly in the air as if surrendering. His voice, filled with frustration but still holding a slight hint of disbelief, broke the quiet.

"I really don't know what you're talking about," Jack said, shaking his head. "I swear, I've been here the whole damn time."

The girls, despite their anger and suspicions, began to hesitate as logic slowly took hold. It didn't make sense. If everyone in the camp, even Ryder, was saying Jack had been chopping wood all morning, then unless he had somehow learned how to be in two places at once, there was no way he could have been responsible for suppressing their powers while they were being attacked. That left them with only two options—either the entire camp was lying to cover for him, or Jack was genuinely innocent.

Madison gritted her teeth, frustration flickering in her eyes. "Damn it…" she muttered under her breath.

She didn't want to believe Jack, not yet, not after everything that had just happened. But as she glanced at Bella and Alice, she could see they were starting to come to the same realization. The more they thought about it, the more the second option made sense. There was no way everyone here was lying to them.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the tension.

"Where are they?" Axel's deep voice was sharp, laced with something that almost sounded like anger. "The people who tried to kill you."

The moment he spoke, heads turned toward him. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, his eyes narrowed, his entire body radiating a controlled fury.

Madison met his gaze with an almost unsettling calmness before bluntly replying, "They're dead."

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. People exchanged uneasy glances, whispers breaking out among them. Even those who had been standing silently, watching from the sidelines, suddenly became much more interested in the conversation.

Axel's expression darkened instantly. His jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring slightly as a storm of emotions played across his face—anger, disbelief, and something else… something that made Madison, Bella, and Alice exchange glances of their own. Suspicion.

Axel's reaction wasn't normal.

The moment they mentioned that the attackers were dead, his entire demeanor shifted. The flicker of rage in his eyes, the way his fists subtly tightened at his sides—it was too much. Too obvious.

Madison took a step closer, watching his reaction carefully. "Something wrong, Axel?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Axel exhaled sharply through his nose, shaking his head as if trying to restrain himself. "You think this is funny?" he spat. "They were my friends."

Bella narrowed her eyes. "They tried to kill us," she shot back.

Axel scoffed but said nothing, his expression hard as he turned his face away, refusing to meet their eyes. Madison, Bella, and Alice all took note of that.

Before the tension between them could escalate further, Ryder's voice broke through, his tone even but filled with curiosity.

"There's something I don't get," Ryder said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "If you three couldn't use your powers, then how the hell did they die?"

That question hit hard.

Madison and Bella stiffened slightly, caught off guard. They had expected the conversation to keep revolving around Jack and the attackers, but Ryder's sharp mind had zeroed in on the one thing they had been trying to avoid saying.

Nate.

They both hesitated, unsure if they should reveal his involvement, but before either of them could figure out how to respond, Alice had already stepped forward, her composed voice cutting through the uncertainty.

"I killed them."

Silence.

Every single person in the camp turned to look at her. Some of them in shock, others in disbelief, and a few with wariness. Alice's voice had been calm, her expression unreadable, but the weight of her words hit the group like a hammer.

It was a lie, but a convincing one.

And it wasn't just the words themselves—it was the way she carried herself when she said them. Her posture was rigid, her arms crossed, her gaze unflinching as she met the eyes of everyone who dared to look at her with doubt.

Axel's glare hardened, but he remained silent.

Madison and Bella exchanged quick glances. They hadn't expected Alice to take the blame so quickly, but at the same time, it made sense. Revealing that Nate was back, even for a brief moment, wasn't a good idea—not now.

But despite Alice's unwavering composure, it was clear that some people in the camp weren't convinced. Their silence wasn't just from shock—it was suspicion. They knew Alice was strong, but something about her statement didn't sit right. And she could see it in their eyes.

So she took a step forward.

Her next words carried a quiet, deadly weight. "Jack's ability only lasted for a while on us," she said smoothly. "And when it wore off, I handled it."

Still, some people seemed hesitant to believe her.

Alice let out a slow exhale, then scanned the crowd with a sharp gaze. "If anyone has a problem believing me," she said coldly, her voice cutting through the group like a blade, "then step forward. We can settle it right now."

A heavy silence followed.

No one moved. No one spoke.

Visit freewebnoveℓ.com for the best novel reading exp𝒆rience.

Because they had all seen her fight. They had all witnessed her power firsthand on the battlefield when they fought the Gorvaks. And if there was one thing they all knew, it was that Alice wasn't someone to mess with.

Even Axel, despite his visible anger, remained quiet.

Alice took another step back, her point made, and Madison smirked slightly. Bella crossed her arms and let out a soft chuckle, amused at how easily Alice had shut everyone down.

The tension in the camp still lingered, thick and heavy, but one thing was certain—no one dared to challenge Alice's words.

****

Support with Golden Tickets and Power Stones.