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.

the guards?" I whispered,

figures, no sounds of routine checks, not even lights from the

like an abandoned ruin,

breath and immediately regretted

filled with a nauseating sweet metallic smell-the scent

deeper, more terrifying. That terror wasn't emotion, but an actual smell, as if fear itself had seeped into every inch

on this land.

her claws scratching at the depths

out warning

He floored the accelerator. The engine roared angrily as

1/3

Chapter 250.

and I was

"What's happening-

teeth, "at least three, coming out of

mirror, I saw them-three men in camouflage uniforms carrying automatic rifles, emerging from the ruins behind the checkpoint. Their movements were well-trained and coordinated, clearly having been waiting for us. The car raced along the winding

a fallen tree lay across the road, completely blocking our way. This

was forced to brake, the car stopping a few meters from the roadblock.

"Get out! Hands up!"

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

no choice but to slowly raise our hands

walls of the main building were riddled with bullet holes, one corner of the roof had collapsed. All the windows were

in front of the checkpoint, their blood congealed into dark red stains. Their uniforms were tattered,

were too late. Too

ground, hands bound behind their heads. Their faces were covered in bruises and blood. Luna Kestrel was among them. She maintained the same position, all of

as I was about to ask what had

been? You missed

Tatum!

pleasure. The moment I saw him, Una let out an angry roar, wanting to break free and tear his throat