Chapter 495: Control It!

Damien.

The freezing mountain wind lashed against my face, cutting straight through my heavy leather coat as we pushed through the narrow back ridge. Snow crunching beneath my boots was the only constant sound in the quiet forest, save for the heavy, labored breathing of three Alphas trying to outrun a war.

I stayed two steps behind Noah, my eyes darting frantically between the dense treeline on our left and the pale, still form tucked against his chest.

Noah was carrying Maria, his arms wrapped around her like an iron vise. He had wrapped her tightly in three layers of thick wolf furs, shielding her fragile frame from the biting cold. Her head rested against the crook of his neck, completely unconscious, her golden hair spilling over his arm like silk.

Every time her limp hand slipped past the edge of the fur, my stomach twisted into a hard, painful knot. My Alpha instincts were screaming at me to reach out, to rip her out of Noah’s arms and hold her myself. The urge to stake my claim, to be the one protecting her, was like an itch under my skin that I couldn’t scratch.

I took a sharp breath, grinding my teeth so hard my jaw throbbed.

’Control it,’ I told myself, squeezing my hands into tight fists at my sides. ’You’re doing this to keep her alive. Keep your mouth shut and keep your eyes open.’

Adrein walked on my right, his eyes glued to the snow-covered slope ahead. He was completely silent, his jaw set, his body language stiff as a board. He wasn’t fighting the urge to take her—he had already broken himself down back in that cabin, giving up his pride just so she could breathe.

"How much further, Noah?" I demanded, my voice raspy as I leaned in closer, my gaze locked on the steep incline leading down to the river pass.

Noah didn’t slow his pace. His broad shoulders heaved with effort, sweat glistening on his temples despite the freezing air. His wolf was still recovering from Daniel’s poison, but he was pushing through the agony like a man possessed.

"Another half-mile down this gully," Noah rasped, not bothering to look back at me. "Once we cross the shallow bend in the river, we’re on my pack land. My boundary guards patrol that bank twenty-four hours a day."

"They better be there," I muttered, sweeping my eyes across the rocky ridge above us. "Because if the Lycan prince’s scouts catch us out in the open on this slope, we’re dead men."

"They’ll be there," Noah said, his voice dropping into a hard, protective growl as he adjusted his grip on Maria, pulling her even closer to his chest. "I mind-linked my head of security ten minutes ago. They know we’re coming."

I scoffed under my breath, my pride flaring up despite my best efforts to keep it buried. "I still don’t like this. Dragging our mate into another pack’s territory like refugees."

Adrein suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning his head sharply toward me. "Damien, shut up," he snapped in a harsh whisper. "You said you were coming to protect her, not to bitch about who owns the dirt under our feet. Look at her face!"

I froze, my throat tightening as my eyes dropped back to Maria.

Her skin was still far too pale, translucent in the weak morning light filtering through the pine trees. Her lips were parted slightly, her chest rising in tiny, shallow gasps that barely moved the fur blanket. She looked so small, so utterly broken.

The hot, ugly anger in my chest instantly vanished, replaced by a wave of hollow, sickening guilt.

Adrein was right. It didn’t matter whose land we were standing on. It didn’t matter who held the title of Head Alpha, or who got to stand guard at the door. If we had just listened to her, if we hadn’t locked Noah away, if we hadn’t been so obsessed with asserting our authority over every breath she took, Daniel would have never had the chance to slip that poison into her tea. We had handed her to Vincent on a silver platter because of our own blind pride.

I swallowed hard, forcing my eyes away from her peaceful face and looking back up at the ridge.

"Fine," I growled softly, stepping past Adrein to take the lead. "I’ll clear the front. Keep her covered."

We moved quickly down the steep incline, the snow giving way to loose gravel and frozen mud as we neared the riverbank. The rush of icy water echoed through the trees ahead.

Suddenly, a faint whistle cut through the wind.

I instantly dropped into a low stance, my hand dropping to the hilt of the broadsword at my belt. "Hold," I commanded under my breath, my Alpha eyes flashing a bright, dangerous gold as I scanned the thick pine trees on the opposite side of the river.

"Relax, Damien," Noah panted out, stepping up beside me, his chest heaving as he stood tall despite his weakness. "It’s my men."

Across the narrow, rushing river, three heavily armored warriors emerged from the snow-draped brush. Their silver-and-black cloaks fluttered in the wind, their weapons drawn and ready as their sharp eyes locked onto us.

The lead guard stepped up to the edge of the water, his eyes widening in shock as he recognized Noah. "Alpha Noah!" he shouted across the roar of the water, his sword lowering slightly. "We received your link! Is that...?"

"It’s Maria!" Noah shouted back, his voice echoing authoritatively across the pass. "Get the infirmary prepped right now! I want Healer Thorne in the main room with a full blood-purification kit and counter-tonics ready before my boots cross the courtyard!"

"Yes, sir!" the guard called out, turning to signal his men back into the brush. "Clear the perimeter! Secure the main road!"

Noah didn’t wait for them to build a bridge. He stepped straight into the freezing, knee-deep river, his heavy boots crushing through the thin sheets of ice along the edge. He didn’t slip. He didn’t stumble. He kept his upper body completely level, holding Maria high above the splashing, icy water to keep her dry.

Adrein and I splashed into the water right behind him, keeping our bodies positioned close on either side to shield them from the strong current. The freezing water soaked straight through my boots, biting into my skin like needles, but I barely felt it. My eyes were fixed entirely on the far bank.

We dragged ourselves up the muddy incline on the other side, stepping onto the smooth stone path that led directly toward the sprawling, heavily fortified compound visible through the trees.

Noah’s breath was coming in ragged, painful gasps now, his body trembling under the immense strain of carrying her while fighting off the remnants of the wolfsbane in his own system. But he didn’t slow down for a second. His knuckles were white, his grip on Maria unyielding as he pushed up the final hill.

I stepped up right beside him, reaching out to support his elbow with one hand while keeping my other hand on my blade.

"I’ve got you," I muttered, my voice rough, stripping away the last remaining wall of arrogance between us. "Just get her inside."

Noah gave me a single, brief nod, his dark eyes glowing with a quiet, fierce determination as the massive iron gates of his pack house swung wide open to receive us.