Chapter 67

MADELINE'S POV  My eyes stung as I blinked them open, the dull ache in my head throbbed at every slight beat of my pulse. Darkness hovered around me. The air was thick and stale, carrying the scent of damp earth and rot. My body felt heavy, as if I had been dragged through the forest for miles.  And yes, I remembered being dragged before I blanked out.  It wasn't until I tried to move that I realized my wrists were bound tightly behind my back. My vision cleared immediately. The more I struggled, the more the coarse rope bit deeply into my skin. It stung so sharp, weakening my limbs. I winced, feeling the painful strain on my shoulders.  A familiar scent clung to the bindings, nagging at my memory. Coming from the rope. Then, recognition struck—wolfsbane. The ropes were laced with it. Our captors were definitely our kind.  That's when I realized I wasn't alone. My back pressed against someone else's.  Louisiana.  The memory came rushing back—the border expedition, the heated argument,