Chapter 11: Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11

Edgar’s POV

The howl cut through the night like a blade, sharp and deliberate, sending my wolf into a frenzy. I tightened my grip on Lia’s hand, her pulse racing under my fingers, matching the wild thrum of my own. The air outside the cabin was thick with the scent of danger, and earth. Frostclad Knights. They weren’t just circling; they were closing in. My jaw clenched, rage burning in my chest. Someone in my clan had betrayed us, led them straight to Lia, and I’d rip them apart for it, after I dealt with the immediate threat.

“Edgar, what’s happening?” Lia’s voice was steady, but I could feel her fear through the bond. Her amber hair caught the moonlight streaming through the window, and those doe-like eyes locked onto mine, demanding answers I didn’t have time to give.

“Frostclad,” I said, keeping my voice low, my senses straining to track the movement outside. “They’re here for you. Stay behind me, and don’t do anything reckless.” I didn’t wait for her to argue there was no time. I pulled her toward the back of the cabin, away from the door, my body instinctively shielding hers. My wolf clawed at my control, begging to shift, to tear into whatever was coming, but I held it back. I needed to stay human, stay sharp, for her.

A low growl rumbled from the trees, followed by the snap of twigs. Too many footsteps, too close. My free hand hovered near the dagger strapped to my side, a weapon I rarely used but kept for moments like this. “How many?” Lia whispered, her voice barely audible, but I could feel the tension in her, the way her body braced for a fight she wasn’t ready for.

“At least three,” I muttered, my eyes scanning the shadows through the window. “Maybe more. They’re not here to talk.” The bond pulsed, her fear and determination mixing with my own rage, making it harder to think straight. I wanted to tell her to run, to hide, but I knew she wouldn’t. Not Lia. She was too stubborn. She’d fight, even if it killed her, and that scared me more than the wolves outside.

The door rattled, a deliberate thud that sent my heart pounding. I pushed Lia behind the table, my voice a harsh whisper. “Stay down. If I tell you to run, you run. No arguments.”

Her eyes flashed, but before she could snap back, the door exploded inward, wood splintering under the force of a massive figure. A Frostclad knight, half-shifted, his eyes glowing gold, his claws glinting in the lantern light. Two more followed, their forms hulking, fur sprouting along their arms. My wolf roared, and I let it rise just enough to sharpen my senses, my nails lengthening into claws of my own.

“Stay back,” I snarled, stepping forward, my body a barrier between them and Lia. The lead knight, a brute I recognized as one of Connor’s enforcers, grinned, his teeth too sharp, his voice a low growl.

“Hand over the girl, Nolan,” he said. “Connor wants her. You can’t protect her forever.”

“Like hell,” I spat, my voice more beast than man. The bond surged, Lia’s presence behind me like a fire in my veins, fueling my rage. “You want her? You go through me.”

The knight lunged, faster than I expected, his claws aiming for my chest. I twisted, grabbing his arm and slamming him into the wall, the cabin shaking with the impact. The other two moved, one circling left, the other right, trying to flank me. I heard Lia’s sharp intake of breath, felt her move behind me, and I cursed under my breath. Damn it, Lia, stay put.

“Lia, down!” I roared, shoving the first knight back as I spun to face the second. But she didn’t listen, of course she doesn't. I caught a glimpse of her grabbing the iron poker from the fireplace, her eyes blazing with that reckless fire I both loved and hated. My wolf howled, torn between pride and terror.

The second knight lunged at her, and time slowed. I moved without thinking, my body shifting mid-step, fur rippling over my skin, my vision sharpening as my wolf took over. I tackled the knight to the ground, my claws sinking into his shoulder, blood hot under my hands. He snarled, snapping at me, but I was faster, stronger, driven by the bond screaming in my chest to protect her.

“Lia, get back!” I growled, my voice barely human, as I threw the knight into his companion. The third was already moving, aiming for Lia, but she swung the poker, catching him across the jaw with a crack that echoed in the small space. He staggered, but didn’t go down, his eyes locking onto her with a hunger that made my blood boil.

I was on him in an instant, my teeth at his throat, the taste of blood flooding my senses. He clawed at me, but I didn’t feel it, not through the haze of rage and instinct. All I saw was Lia, her face pale but fierce, clutching that damn poker like it could save her from a pack of werewolves. She was stronger than she knew, but she wasn’t ready for this, not yet.

The first knight recovered, grabbing me from behind, his claws digging into my side. Pain flared, but I ignored it, twisting to slam him to the ground. The cabin was chaos wood splintering, growls filling the air, Lia’s heartbeat pounding in my ears through the bond. I could feel her fear, her anger, her refusal to back down, and it drove me harder, my wolf pushing me to end this.

“Enough!” A sharp voice cut through the fight, freezing us all. Connor stepped through the shattered doorway, his green eyes glinting with cold amusement, his presence commanding the room. The knights backed off, panting, bloodied, but still ready to strike. Lia froze, the poker still raised, her chest heaving. I shifted back to human form, ignoring the pain in my side, and stepped in front of her, my body a shield.

“You’re bold, Dexter,” I snarled, my voice raw. “Coming to my territory, attacking my mate.”

Connor’s smirk widened, his eyes moved to Lia, lingering too long. “Your mate,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery. “She’s not yours yet, Nolan. Not fully. And when I’m done, she’ll be begging to join the Frostclad.”

Lia’s sharp intake of breath behind me was like a knife to my chest. I wanted to tear him apart, to end this right here, but the bond held me back. “You’ll die before you touch her,” I said, my voice low, a promise.

Connor laughed, stepping back, his knights by his side. “We’ll see, Nolan. The moon’s not done with her yet. Or you.” He turned, melting into the shadows, his knights following, leaving the cabin in ruins.

I turned to Lia, my heart still pounding, blood dripping from my side. She was trembling, the poker still in her hands, her eyes wide but unyielding. “You okay?” I asked, my voice softer now, the bond urging me to pull her close, to check every inch of her for wounds.

She nodded, her jaw tight. “I’m fine. But I’m done hiding, Edgar. Teach me to fight, or I’ll figure it out myself.”

I wanted to argue, to tell her to stay safe, to let me handle it. But the fire in her eyes, the strength in her voice, stopped me. She was my mate, moonbound and fierce, and I couldn’t cage her, no matter how much I wanted to. “Alright,” I said, my voice heavy with the weight of what was coming. “We’ll start tomorrow. But you stay close, Lia. No more running off. And you have to listen to everything I say.”

She met my gaze. “Deal,” she said, but I knew this was only the beginning. The Frostclad were coming, and someone in my clan was helping them. I’d find the traitor, protect Lia, and keep the bond from consuming us both, or die trying