The forest held its breath.
Leaves trembled. Dust settled in the fading light.The air seemed too thick with silence.
The rogues were no longer laughing. No jeers. No snarls. Just the rattle of shallow breaths as they cowered beneath the shadow of iron plated hooves and steel blade halberds.
The patrol had encircled them.They looked like a deadly halo of mounted warriors clad in black and silver, their weapons glinting in the failing light.Autumn’s vision was too hazy to make out the emblems on their vests. But from the colour alone,she could tell that they were not Blackmoons.
And that was all that mattered. She couldn’t go back. She wouldn’t go back to him, no matter where she ended... even if she died. She wasn’t going back!
Muscles rippled under the sleek hides of the horses ,their nostrils flaring with the scent of blood and fear.Their breeds seemed majestic. They were only bred in the North. Every pack Autumn knew exported those horses at quite a fortune. But they were worth it. Some ran faster than machines.
At the center of the ring, the rogues crouched like rodents under the boot of fate.All the lust coated confidence gone down the drain in seconds. Autumn couldn’t help but scoff.
And then...as if like a ripple in the circle, there was a subtle shift in presence.
From between the mounted guards, a figure stepped forward.The voice that had boomed moments ago, slowly materialized into shape. Taller than most. Of course, he was an Alpha. His silhouette looked like a familiar structure.And so did his scent. Autumn had seen the person before.
Poised like a storm wrapped in velvet,his shoulder length dark hair swept back from a face carved in amusement and command.
His cloak billowed slightly with every step as he walked towards them with an amused strut.
Alpha Velor!!! Damn! They were within the Bloodfang territory. How did Autumn not notice?
Rory’s hands trembled as he stared at the man. But he didn’t lower the dagger.
Velor’s gaze swept over the scene lazily, his lips twitching into a smirk as he caught sight of the bleeding girl on the forest floor.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" he drawled, as though discovering an old friend in a tavern rather than a near dead woman at the edge of being killed and mauled. "Autumn? Kieran’s mate? Dang, girl ! How do you always find yourself in such sticky situations?"
He sauntered forward, boots crunching on broken twigs and dried blood.
The rogues shifted out of his way like frightened dogs. Rory stood his ground though, dagger still raised... only now, it was pointed at him...Alpha Velor. Ah! The stupid audacity!
He looked at the trembling boy, raised a brow...and then, with a swift, effortless motion, reached forward and grabbed the blade by the pointed end. Then he tilted his neck and smirked... totally amused as if they were playing his favorite game.
Rory gasped. "Let go..." He tried to shake the blade away from Velor’s grip.
Velor yanked it free and tossed it aside like a dull spoon. "Now that’s no toy, boy. It’s better away...least you should hurt yourself."
The boy didn’t back down. He tried to step between Autumn and Velor once more,hands spread out to stop Velor somehow...but the Alpha was already kneeling beside her, scooping her effortlessly into his arms.
His expression shifted just a little. His gaze fell to the blood staining her thighs, and for one moment, the smirk faltered.It was swiftly replaced with a flicker of shock... and maybe concern. It stayed there only for a moment before he schooled his expression back to his usual evil goofy smug.
Autumn shivered violently.Not from his touch or his expression, but from the loss of too much blood. Her head felt too light, yet too heavy all at once.
"I will not let anybody hurt Autumn," Rory declared, breath hitching trying to step in front of Velor once more, in a last desperate attempt. "I..I will protect her...I..."
"Shut it, boy!" Velor snapped without looking at him. "Do you even hear yourself? You wanna help? Fetch a blanket from the horses! This girl’s shaking like a leaf!"
Autumn’s breath caught in her throat as he carried her bridal system. She couldn’t fight. Her limbs were lead. But her heart was thudding violently inside her chest.
"What was Velor going to do with her?"
Velor adjusted his grip, turning and walking smoothly through the ring of guards towards a small slope near the edge of the trail.
"Kieran knows about this little expedition of yours?" he asked casually concerned.
Autumn barely managed to shake her head. "No... and I don’t intend to tell him. Neither should you." Her voice was hoarse, low, yet laced with threat. "I am warning you..."
Velor chuckled darkly. "Damn! You are hot when you are pissed. I am not a fan of that thick headed brute, you know. I wouldn’t even tell him if you begged me to. Where’s the fun in that?"
He laughed again, actually giggled, the sound too carefree for the battlefield around them.
Autumn scoffed, breath shallow. "He probably doesn’t even care. And even if he did... it would be for his own selfish reasons."
Velor let out a theatrical sigh. "Dang. A sad love story! I am a sucker for that, princess..."
He stopped at the edge where a gilded black carriage rolled up, summoned by his mindlink. The horses neighed softly, trained to stillness.
Then came footsteps behind them.
He came running, flushed and panting, a thick wool blanket in his arms. "I got it!" he cried, rushing forward.
Velor took it with a nod and leapt effortlessly into the carriage, Autumn cradled against his chest.
He lowered her gently onto the padded seat, then tucked the blanket around her with uncharacteristic care. She flinched slightly, but he made no further moves. Just tucked her in... snug, warm, safe.
Almost like...he actually gave a damn.
From outside, a soldier approached the carriage.
"Alpha," the man saluted. "What do we do with the rogues?"
His hands were still smoothing the blanket over Autumn’s knees.