Andre’s P.O.V
“General.” A soldier knocked on my door at midnight.
“Come in,” I called out; placing the book I had been reading on the table in front of me. “What is it?”
“General…it’s your mate.” He panted, looking as if he had run quiet a distance before reaching here.
“What about my mate?” I stood up from my chair, instantly alert.
“I saw her leaving just now.” He said almost fearfully. “She had a bag and she escaped to the woods.”
“And no one stopped her?” I asked incredulously. “What about the castle guards?”
“I think they sensed her…but they let her go.” He gulped. “I came running when I saw that the guards didn’t try to stop her. And I didn’t have authority.”
“Fuck!” I slammed my hand on the hardwood table and it shook under the force, forming a crack at the point of impact. Alpha Malachi had to have known she was escaping! He is letting her go!
“You did the right thing come here.” I told my man. “Stay put. I’ll go after her.”
It wasn’t hard to pin-point her scent as soon as I was out in the open air. Her scent was floral, like her name and I took in a whiff of it, filling my lungs with the sweetness. And then I followed her.
Her scent led me to a corner of the castle where a light pole had fallen onto a wall, creating an escape route small enough for her body to fit through. Her scent was stronger here, indicating that she used this route often. So this wasn’t the first time she went out of the castle without anyone knowing.
Although it was clear that people did know about her exit. It was impossible not to scent her leaving the compound with so many guards around. No wonder Malachi didn’t let my men patrol outside. He has given her permission.
Since I couldn’t fit through the escape route, I jumped up onto the fallen light pole and used it to climb to the top of the wall and jumped down on the other side, landing on my feet almost soundlessly.
The scent trail led me deep into the forest and it was fresh. She couldn’t have gotten far.
But right after two meters, I came to a halt.
Her scent mixed with another right here…a rogue!
A growl reverberated through my chest and I took off running towards the scent. Stealth be damned! My mate was in danger.
But when I caught up with their scents, only in a matter of seconds, what I saw was another story.
Flora wasn’t in danger…she was fleeing with the rogue.
“FLORA!” My voice was a fierce growl as they halted in their path. Betrayal punched me in the gut. How dare my own mate betray me like this!
The rogue pushed Flora behind him and stood guard as if to protect her from me. A rogue protecting my mate from me? How dare they!
How dare they!
No one who touches my mate will be allowed to live! Flora was mine!
A bright light surrounded my form as I transformed into my wolf. And then I pounced on the rogue.
*
Clay’s P.O.V
The black wolf pounced at me, its mouth open wide with saliva dripping off its sharp teeth.
I was expecting the bite on my neck, so I moved out of the way just in time to avoid the attack, but what I hadn’t expected were the sharp claws and then it was too late.
He slashed into my abdomen, splashing blood all over his face as I doubled over in pain, clutching my abdomen. Blood flowed freely from the wound and if he had used a little bit more force, my organs would be on the ground and I’d be dead.
“Clay!”
My head snapped towards Flora as she came out of the shadows and I instantly told her to back off. Another growl sounded from the black wolf, but this time, before it could pounce, Flora was in front of me, standing tall and strong in the face of danger.
“Flora! Go!” I warned her through gritted teeth, but she shook her head.
“No.” She bent down immediately and placed her hand on top of mine on her abdomen. The relief was instant as Flora’s healing energy flowed into me. But I pushed her hand away after I felt enough relief to continue fighting the wolf.
A flash of light came from beside me and I saw Flora turn into her wolf, her clothes torn apart from the transformation. Her fur was a rich, dark brown and her golden eyes stared the black down with menace, but he didn’t back away.
I hesitated.
What if I couldn’t turn back into my human form once again? My wolf howled inside my head, wanting release, wanting the chance to rip at the black wolf that was coming between me and Flora. But still I hesitated.
But then there was no more point in hesitating as the black wolf started charging at me once again…this time with the intent to kill.
“NO!” I shouted as Flora ran towards the black wolf without warning before I could react, trying to bite down on its nape, but the wolf was twice her size and before Flora could even get close, he had her on the ground and was standing on top of her, holding her down by her nape to show his dominance.
Light and darkness. Pain and pleasure.
The next instant, I stood on four paws and jumped on top of the black wolf, throwing him off of Flora and colliding into a tree trunk.
I felt my back hurt, but it wasn’t severe. Before the black could get up, I bit down on its neck, piercing skin to draw blood. But not only was the wolf bigger than me, it was stronger too. With ease, it shook me off of its body and went to bite my hind leg, but I dodged it just in time.
This wasn’t good. I was injured and still losing blood. It was an unfair fight and if I didn’t get healed soon, my abdomen will be infected and there was an even greater chance of me not surviving this fight. But if I retreated with Flora, he will follow and find our hideout, endangering all my wolves. I needed to think fast. How do I get him to leave us?
The black wolf growled at me, baring its fangs in preparation to fight.
A few leaves floated to the ground in front of me and my attention went to the tree behind the black wolf.
There was a branch hanging from the lower extremities of the tree that could break and fall any instant, if I hit the tree with enough strength. I looked towards Flora when she came to a stand beside me and I saw her notice the branch too. I looked at her once and a silent agreement passed between us.
And then we were both dashing towards the black wolf at the same time, going as fast as we could.
The wolf looked startled at first, but the he braced itself by spreading its legs wide, preparing for impact.
But just as I was mere inches away from the wolf, it opened its jaws wide to attack…and I leapt above its head, hitting the tree full force and causing the branch to break and fall, right on top of the black wolf’s head, rendering it unconscious.