Chapter 77 77
Third Person POV
The day they had been preparing for came. Noah, Alice, Adrian, and Jason stood together outside the gates of their pack, fully ready for the mission ahead.
They were the only people Alpha Draven appointed for the mission. Adrian wasn’t more of a fighter, but he had to join them. They wore dark clothes and carried only what they needed. Their hearts were steady, their minds focused.
Tonight, they would finally strike back at Alpha Dorian. Alice and Noah had special skills. With their special ability, they could move faster than normal.
Thanks to them, the group reached Dorian’s pack in less than an hour. The night was dark, and the air felt heavy. When they got there, something felt wrong. The pack was too quiet.
No guards at the gates. No lights in the houses. No movement. Jason frowned. “This doesn’t feel right,” he said in a low.
“We don’t have a choice. We have to move fast.” Adrian said. “We stick together, and we’re not leaving anyone behind.”
Noah nodded and led the way, moving like a shadow through the empty pack. They followed the path toward the prison where Dorian kept his slaves.
When they reached the old stone building, their unease grew. There were no guards standing outside too. The door was slightly open, swinging back and forth in the wind.
Alice glanced around nervously. “Maybe it’s a trap,” she whispered. “Maybe”, Noah said, “but we’re already here. Let’s get them out immediately, or else we wouldn’t get the chance to do it again.”
Inside, the building was cold and damp. The smell of sweat and blood filled the air. They hurried through the hallways until they found the cells. What they saw broke their hearts.
Dozens of prisoners sat or lay inside the cages. Some were so thin their bones showed through their skin. Others looked too weak to even lift their heads. Looked like this set was abandoned.
And they were not fed properly. Their eyes, however, were full of hope when they saw the group. Adrian stepped forward and broke the locks with a heavy smash of his sword.
“You’re free now,” he said, his voice firm but kind. The prisoners began to shuffle out of the cages, some helping others who couldn’t stand on their own.
Noah’s face tightened with worry. There were so many of them — too many. “We can’t move them all quickly,” Noah muttered.
“We’ll have to try,” Jason said. “We didn’t come this far to fail or to leave some of them behind.” Alice used her magic to heal the worst wounds she could, giving some of the prisoners enough strength to walk.
She was sweating and pale, but she didn’t stop. Adrian and Jason organised the prisoners into groups, telling them to stay quiet and follow the path they had cleared.
Noah looked back at the door, his gut twisting.
“We have to move now,” he said urgently.
“Before Dorian finds out we’re here.” They began to lead the prisoners out into the night, moving carefully through the empty streets.
Every sound made them jump. Every shadow looked like danger. As they reached the edge of the pack, a loud horn suddenly blasted through the night sky.
“They know we’re here,” Jason said, drawing his sword. “It was actually a trap,” Alice whispered, her voice shaking.
Jason turned quickly, his eyes sharp. “Alice, Noah—transport as many prisoners as you can. Adrian and I will stay and fight.”
Adrian felt his stomach twist. He was not like Jason. Jason was the best warrior in the Diamond Pack. Everyone said so. Adrian was good, but not great. Still, he nodded. He could not run away now. He had to prove he was strong too.
Noah and Alice rushed forward, grabbing the weak prisoners, helping them move faster. Some slaves cried softly, fear written all over their tired faces. They had dreamed of freedom for so long. Now, it felt like it might slip away.
Jason and Adrian stood their ground. Only a few prisoners stayed with them—those too hurt to move. They clung to each other, whispering prayers under their breath.
Footsteps came from behind. Slow. Heavy. Dangerous. “Well, well, well… Look who we have here,” a smooth, cruel voice said.
Adrian turned and froze. It was Thalia. She smiled in that cold way she always did. One hand rubbed her round, pregnant belly. Around her were warriors—big, strong, and ready to fight.
Jason’s jaw tightened. Adrian felt sweat on his hands. The slaves whimpered, crawling closer to Adrian’s legs for protection. Thalia tilted her head. “You thought you could steal my property?” she asked sweetly.
Her warriors laughed behind her. Adrian stepped forward, standing tall. “They’re not your property.” His voice was calm but full of fire.
Adrian’s heart pounded. His legs felt like they might give out. But he gripped his sword tighter. He had to be brave. He had to be strong, even if he was afraid.
Thalia smiled wider. “I’ll give you a chance to surrender right now, Adrian, just because of our child.” But Adrian wasn’t ready to back down. Adrian noticed something was off. The warriors here were just only a few.
“Don’t say I didn't warn you, Adrian.”
“Get them,” she said lazily, waving a hand. The warriors rushed forward. Jason met them like a storm. He moved fast, blocking attacks and throwing punches. Adrian fought too, but every hit shook his arms.
He wasn’t as fast as Jason. He wasn’t as strong. Still, he kept swinging and kept protecting the slaves behind him. A small girl clutched his leg, tears streaming down her face. Adrian fought harder. He had to keep them safe.
Pain shot through Adrian’s arm as a warrior’s sword scraped him. He gritted his teeth and kept going. Beside him, Jason fought like a machine, not stopping for a second.
All around them, the sounds of battle filled the night—shouts, grunts, the clash of metal. The slaves huddled together, terrified but with a tiny spark of hope still in their hearts.
They were not giving up. Not tonight. Jason and Adrian were breathing hard. Their clothes were torn, and their bodies ached. They had been fighting for too long, and more warriors kept coming.
They looked around. Noah and Alice were still not back. Jason’s heart dropped. Something was wrong. Then, a voice rang in his mind. It was Noah mind-linking him.
“Jason! It was all a distraction! The Diamond Pack is under attack! Alpha Draven and the warriors are fighting Alpha Dorian right now! I have to stay behind to protect Luna.”
“Alice will come back to get the rest of the prisoners. That’s an order!” Jason’s eyes hardened. He quickly turned to Adrian.
“Noah just mind-linked me,” Jason said fast. “The Diamond Pack is under attack.” Adrian’s eyes widened. “What!!” he shouted, disbelief all over his face.
Some of the enemy warriors were already lying on the ground, defeated by Jason’s strong blows. But more were gathering, ready for another round.
Just then, a flash of movement came from the trees. It was Alice! She looked a little worn out, her red hair messy, her eyes wild. She didn’t say a word.
She rushed to the prisoners, gathering them close. Some of them whimpered, still scared, but hope lit their faces again when they saw her. Alice touched Jason and Adrian, making sure the prisoners were close enough.
She could feel her body straining already. Moving so many people at once would drain her badly. But she didn’t care. She had already made up her mind. She would not leave Jason and Adrian behind.
She didn’t tell them her plan because she knew they would refuse and make her save only the prisoners. She gritted her teeth, held tighter to them all—and in a flash, everything around them twisted.
The cold air of Alpha Dorian’s land disappeared. The rough ground under their feet changed. When they opened their eyes, they were standing back inside the Diamond Pack’s borders.
Safe.
Jason stumbled a little, blinking in shock. Adrian dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. The prisoners looked around, crying tears of joy, some falling to the ground and hugging the dirt like it was the most precious thing they had ever touched.
Alice almost collapsed immediately from the strain but stayed standing, breathing heavily, pride burning inside her chest. She had done it. Back at Alpha Dorian’s grounds, the warriors froze in confusion.
They looked around, weapons ready, but there was no one left to fight. “Where did they all go?!” Thalia screamed, her voice shrill with rage. She clutched her belly with one hand and stomped her foot like a child.
The warriors looked at each other, fear starting to show on their faces. The night was not going the way they had planned.
Not at all.
As soon as Jason, Adrian, Alice, and the freed prisoners appeared inside the Diamond Pack, Noah spotted them. He rushed over, relief flashing in his eyes.
“What happened, Noah?” Jason asked, breathing heavily. His shirt was torn, and his face was pale from exhaustion.
Noah shook his head quickly. “I really don’t know, but you need to join Alpha Draven right now!” Jason didn’t hesitate. He gave a quick nod to Noah, then grabbed Adrian by the arm.
Together, they ran toward the sounds of battle, their steps heavy but determined. Noah stayed behind. His eyes quickly moved to Alice. She was standing, but just barely.
Her face was too pale, and her legs wobbled like a leaf in the wind. Before Noah could even call her name, Alice’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed.
“No!” Noah shouted, diving forward. He caught her just in time, her body limp in his arms. He could feel how weak she was. She was burning up with fever, and her breathing was shallow. Panic stabbed at his chest.
A guard ran up behind him, staring at the fallen slaves and at Alice in Noah’s arms. “Get these slaves somewhere safe!” Noah barked, his voice hard and sharp.
“What about the Luna?” the guard asked, looking worried. “I’ll take care of it!” Noah snapped. He didn’t have time to explain.
He lifted Alice carefully, holding her close against his chest. She felt so light, too light, like she might break. Without wasting another second, Noah ran toward the priestess’s house—Alice’s mother.
He pushed his legs to move faster even though his own body screamed in pain from earlier fights. ‘Please, please hold on,he thought desperately. I can't lose you.’
Alice had been more than just a pack member. She had been a true friend, one of the few who really understood him. He wasn't ready to lose that. He wasn’t ready to lose her.
As he reached the priestess’s door, he kicked it open with his foot. “Help! She’s hurt!” Noah shouted. His voice cracked a little.
The priestess came rushing out, and when she saw Alice, her face went pale, but she moved fast, guiding Noah to lay her down gently on a soft bed.
Noah brushed a piece of hair from Alice’s face. She looked so small lying there, so different from the strong, brave girl who had fought so hard to save the prisoners.
The priestess began her healing work at once, hands glowing with soft magic. Noah stood there, helpless, watching every tiny movement Alice made, every shallow breath she took.
He wanted to stay. He wanted to stay and make sure she was okay. But he couldn’t. Hazel—the Luna—needed him too.
Noah looked down at Alice one more time, his heart heavy, before turning and rushing back out the door, heading straight into the heart of the battle once again.