Ella was still in a melancholic mood, so she couldn't care less about what Sara had to say. Her mind was consumed by thoughts of her family, knowing that the vamps didn't approve of her dad. She had a gut feeling that they were targeting him to eliminate him or subject him to excruciating torture. It was widely recognized among vamps that her family's immunity to the sun, their lack of bloodlust, and their overall strength aroused intense jealousy and envy among other prestigious vamps. These vamps would stop at nothing to rid themselves of a family they considered superior.
Just the thought of it brought tears to her eyes, but she managed to hold them back. It was as if Sara's animosity and prejudice against her made her stronger, fueling her determination not to break down. No way! She refused to appear weak, especially if it meant pleasing Sara. She lifted her head and locked eyes with Sara, snapping, "You may confine me with physical chains, but you are imprisoned by your own self-inflicted restraints simply because you can't accept the fact that I'm better than you."
Sara was taken aback by the surge of bravery displayed by Ella. She had expected the Vam to be begging and pleading, but instead, Ella had chosen to be courageous.
In that instant, she could have slit her throat before anyone could intervene. However, at that moment, it wasn't even a consideration because she wouldn't allow the Vam to die with courage. Absolutely not! The Vam had to scream, shout, plead, and even cry before death called her name.
If Ella had known what Sara had in store for her, she wouldn't have acted brave at all. Sara left the Vam without saying a word. She wanted the silence to convey something important to Ella. Sara believed she was never at Ella's level.
Jason had been silent all this time. He knew he had no rationale for keeping the Vam alive, safe, and unharmed. The best he could do was to take her back to the Wolf Nation, but there was a law that prisoners, especially Vams, were to be brought back dead. He couldn't fathom the torture Ella would go through. He concluded on only one thing — he had to find a way to protect Ella. If he failed to do so, his inner wolf spirit would never let him have peace.
As dusk approached, the wolves decided to go and train. Jason would stay behind and watch the Vam. Sara was definitely not okay with that, but she swallowed her discomfort and followed the pack.
When they left, the only souls that could be seen were Ella and Jason. Jason sat by the chained Ella and spoke, "You don't need to wear those chains anymore." "Your people want it on me," she said. "I'm not my people," he retorted. "I know you aren't, you're different," she blurted out. He turned to her, looking straight in her eyes, and asked, "How different?" "You don't give a damn that I'm a Vam," she answered. "Can you find your family if I let you go?" he suddenly questioned.
Ella was taken aback by the question. "You... can't free me, your wolves..." He shushed her and said, "I will deal with them." He then unlocked her chains.Ella was shocked. Why was he doing this? Her only reaction was to hug him tightly. The hug seemed to affect even his wolf spirit. He had never felt that way before. "Come on, go before they return," he urged her reluctantly. She let him go and said, "Thank you." She then backed away, still looking at his face, then turned away from him and disappeared.Jason felt bittersweet inside, the pain of seeing her go and the joy of giving her liberation fought within him.
William was the first to return from the training, with the others trailing behind him. As he spotted Jason sitting alone by the fire, he sensed that something was amiss. He approached Jason and tapped his shoulder. Before he could ask, Sara blurted out, "Where's the Vam?" Jason, standing up, turned to face the rest of the group. They all had the same question written on their faces. "She escaped," Jason simply said. "How?" Sara demanded, unsatisfied with his answer. Jason explained, "I left to get wood, and when I came back, she was gone."Sara couldn't believe it. She knew it was a lie and was shocked and outraged by Jason's betrayal. Freeing a Vam, their greatest natural enemy, was not only wrong but also a breach of their oath to their nation. She was speechless, but her furious expression said it all. Even William was unsure if Jason was telling the truth.Sara went to where they had originally left the Vam and spotted the chains on the ground. They were open, not broken, confirming her suspicions. Why had the Vam done this? Had she somehow manipulated Jason? Glover, the wolf who had previously tried to kill Ella, spoke with cold rage, "Why aren't we hunting her down?" Jason, in his most authoritative voice, replied, "She's long gone, and searching for her will be in vain." He then turned his back on them and walked away, his emotions well hidden.
Sara also made her way to the spot where they had initially kept the Vam. There, she noticed the chains on the ground. They were open, not broken, confirming her suspicions. She couldn't comprehend why this had happened. Had the Vam put Jason in a trance or something? As she pondered, Glover joined her and expressed all his reservations, "My princess, do you truly believe General Jason when he claims that the little Vam evaded him? With all due respect, I think the Vam manipulated him. She might be planning to summon her army, and we may have underestimated her greatly."
"Glover!" Sara shouted, silencing him. She wasn't upset about how he referred to Jason. In fact, she had made a discovery. Ella's scent was present on the shackles of the chains. Despite Jason's efforts to conceal it, the keen sense of a royal wolf was able to detect it. She could clearly see the path Ella had taken unfold before her eyes.
"Glover, prepare the men. Exclude William and Jason. It's going to be another full moon tonight," she whispered. "Yes, your highness," he replied. Glover promptly understood her plan and grinned mischievously. It was evident that something significant was about to happen. But, what did Ella have to do with a full moon?