Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder)

Chapter 250

Xena's POV

Really?" he asked, giving me one last chance to stay behind.

"Ready." I reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling my legs up to my chest. His hand gripped my right thigh as I rested my head against his shoulder. We drove toward home.

"What do you want for dinner?” he asked gently.

"Something spicy."

'Chinese?" Ryder asked after a second.

"Sounds good." Trees flew past as we drove back to the pack. The radio was off, everything felt so peaceful.

"How much further?" I asked, my voice sounding muffled in the enclosed car.

"Ten minutes, fifteen at most."

I looked out the window at the familiar scenery rushing past-dense pine forests, occasional rocky outcroppings, and that winding creek. Everything looked normal, but something deep inside was stirring restlessly.

The road ahead began to climb, and the trees gradually thinned. I knew that after one more turn, the border checkpoint would come into view. There should be guards patrolling, routine inspection procedures, there should be-

Ryder suddenly hit the brakes.

The car slowly stopped on the hillside, the engine's idle sound unusually loud in the sudden stillness. Neither of us spoke, just stared ahead.

The border checkpoint was there, but it shouldn't look like this

The gate-that heavy iron gate that was always tightly closed-now lay twisted on the ground. The frame was warped and deformed, as if torn apart by enormous force from the inside. The metal surface was covered in scratches, some so deep you could see the steel reinforcement underneath.

whispered, though

in sight. No patrolling figures, no sounds of routine checks, not even lights from the

like an abandoned ruin,

deep breath and immediately

filled with a nauseating sweet metallic smell-the scent of

metal and something deeper, more terrifying. That terror wasn't emotion, but an actual smell, as if fear itself had seeped

on this land.

began howling uneasily, her claws scratching at the

out

audible. He floored the accelerator. The engine

1/3

Chapter 250.

I was pressed bat against

"What's happening-

men," Ryder said through gritted teeth, "at least three, coming out

automatic rifles, emerging from the ruins behind the checkpoint. Their movements were well-trained and coordinated, clearly having been waiting for us.

across the road, completely blocking our way. This was no accident-the trunk's cut was clean and smooth, obviously

car stopping a few meters from the roadblock. We

"Get out! Hands up!"

from all directions. I counted at least five or six armed men emerging from cover, all

and I had no choice but to slowly raise our hands and push open the car doors to get

ground, the scene before me nearly suffocated me. The houses within pack territory weren't just damaged-they were completely destroyed. The walls of the main building were riddled with bullet holes, one corner of the roof had collapsed. All the windows were shattered. More

of the checkpoint, their blood congealed into dark red stains.

too

behind their heads. Their faces were covered in

as I was about to ask what had happened, a familiar and

You missed

Tatum!

him, Una let out an angry roar, wanting to break free and tear