Chapter 158: Chapter 158

Rose’s pov

“Stop there!”…

The shouts and threats were nonstop, echoing through the woods as we were chased down by Alpha King Armon’s men. Leaves and branches whipped past us, the thundering of hooves shaking the ground beneath the horse. But none of that mattered—not the danger behind us, not the cold wind stinging my face—because all I could see in my mind was Kavian… the last moment I saw him… the three merciless blades coming down on him.

Is he really dead?

No. He can’t be dead.

The thought sank claws into my chest, squeezing until the pain felt physical—sharp, suffocating.

“Do not cry. I promise I won’t let them hurt you… just hold on to me tightly,” Tristan said, forcing the horse faster. Only then did I realize the warm streaks on my cheeks weren’t from the wind. I was crying—but not for the reason he assumed. The danger didn’t matter. My tears were for Kavian.

“We have to go back,” I whispered, then said louder, “We have to go back.”

“What? What do you mean we have to go back? You can’t be serious,” he said, disbelief thick in his voice.

“I am. We have to go back. We can’t leave Kavian like that. We have to go help him!”

“Rose, we can’t go back there,” Tristan said, exasperated. “In case you haven’t noticed, we are being pursued. These men are after you, and they will get you if we turn around.”

“I do not care! I just— I just have to help Kavian!”

“You can’t help him. He is dead already,” he blurted.

“No—don’t say that. Don’t you dare say that!” I snapped, a terrible emotion ripping through me at his words.

“It’s the truth, Rose. He is dead, and you have to accept it.”

“No, no, no, no…” I kept repeating, shaking my head, refusing to let those words settle. Even though deep down, it felt like the obvious truth tearing me apart.

But Tristan didn’t stop.

“That’s just the truth, and you have to accept it. I know it hurts, but you have to accept the fact that he is no more. I’m sorry, but I can’t turn around. I won’t let you put your life in danger. I promised him I would protect you—and that’s what I will do.” His voice was firm, but I heard the strain hiding under it.

My tears streamed harder, burning hot in the cold air.

“My Kavian is no more… I do not want to live anymore,” I whispered, feeling my soul and spirit crumble inside me.

“Never you say that, you hear me?” Tristan’s voice shook. “You have to be strong. You know that’s what he would want.”

“Hey! Stop!” our pursuer yelled from behind. “You have nowhere to go. Stop now and we will spare your life! We only want the girl!”

Tristan didn’t slow. If anything, he pushed the horse harder.

But they were gaining on us.

One rider surged forward, his horse pounding the earth violently as he reached out. His fingertips brushed the back of my clothes—an icy skim across my spine.

He missed the first time.

But the second time—

He grabbed a fistful of my dress and yanked hard, jerking my body backward.

“Got you!”

“Ah!” I screamed, fighting to stay on the horse as my body was pulled in two directions—Tristan dragging me forward, the enemy tearing me backward.

“Rose!” Tristan yelled when he turned back to see what was happening.

“Hold on more tightly, Rose—don’t let go!” His voice shook with panic. He jerked the reins and suddenly directed the horse sharply to the side. The violent swerve threw the man gripping my dress off balance; he slipped, cursing, and tumbled from his horse, releasing my torn dress.

But the motion pulled me with him. My body tipped dangerously, the world tilting beneath me—but Tristan’s arm shot out, his fingers clamping around my wrist with desperate strength.

“Hold on, Rose. Don’t you let go,” he said, breathless. I clung to his hand with both of mine, my fingers trembling, and he hauled me back onto the saddle. The struggle slowed our horse for only a heartbeat… but it was enough. Our pursuers thundered closer, their hooves shaking the ground beneath us. Three riders closed in, swords drawn, their eyes burning with the promise of blood.

I was too emotionally unstable—too shaken, too bruised inside and out—to react.

“Rose, you have to get yourself together and fight. If not, we will both die!” Tristan’s voice cracked, not with fear for himself, but fear for me.

I didn’t care about dying. Not really. But I cared about him. He was risking everything for me, and I couldn’t let him face them alone.

I reached for the sword at his side, my hands still shaking, and pulled it free. As one of the riders swung his blade at Tristan, I lifted mine just in time, the metal clashing with a sharp, ringing crack. I slashed back instinctively, my blade finding the rider’s arm. He cried out, lost control, and toppled from his horse.

My sword clashed with the second rider, then the third. Sparks flew from each impact, my arms aching, but I refused to let myself slip into weakness again. I held them off—until one of them cheated. His blade didn’t aim for me or Tristan… but for the horse.

The steel bit into the animal’s flank and the beast screamed, stumbling forward. Everything lurched. The ground rushed up and Tristan and I tumbled, rolling violently through dirt and dust.

“Ahh!”

We barely had time to breathe before they surrounded us. Their shadows fell over us like a tightening noose.

Tristan was the first to recover. He sprang up, grabbed the sword I’d dropped, and immediately planted himself in front of me—his body a protective barrier.

“Stay away from her!” he snarled, pointing the sword at them. With his free hand, he pulled me up. “Are you alright?” His eyes never left the enemy.

I didn’t answer. Pain shot through my leg—I had twisted it badly in the fall.

“You should know when to give up, young Alpha,” one rider said as he slid off his horse. The others followed, circling. “I told you—we only want the girl. Hand her over and no harm will come to you. I can promise you this.”

“Over my dead body,” Tristan growled.

“So be it.” The man’s voice was cold. “Kill him.”

They surged forward—but before their blades could reach Tristan, something whistled through the air.

A small dagger flew past my cheek and buried itself straight in one man’s face.

“Huh—?”

I turned sharply and saw Alpha Damian—and several of his men—emerging like shadows from the trees.

“Kill them all,” Damian ordered, his voice sharp as steel. His men descended on the riders instantly, and Tristan charged in beside them.

“Ahh…” The last of the men screamed as Damian drove his sword straight into his heart. The sound was wet, final.

“Never thought a day would come when I’d say I’m happy to see you, but I guess today is that day,” Tristan said, breathless, walking toward Damian. He offered him a warrior’s handshake. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

But Damian was unusually quiet. His face held no relief, no shared victory. A strange heaviness hung in the air, prickling along my skin—something didn’t feel right.

“But tell me, though… how did you manage to locate us so fast? Weren’t you supposed to help the people escape the city?” Tristan asked, still catching his breath.

“I have left my beta to handle that. There were more important things for me to do.” Damian’s voice was flat, controlled—and then his eyes slid to me, lingering too long.

“Anyways, I’m glad you’re here. But we need to rejoin them quickly before more of them come,” Tristan said, already moving forward. But he stopped when he realized none of them—Damian nor his men—moved an inch.

“Come on, then. What are you waiting for? Let’s go,” he said, glancing around.

“They are not here to help, Tristan,” I said quietly. The words scraped out of me. Tristan turned to me, confused—but Damian only smirked.

“Oh darling. You know me so well,” he said, his voice dark with satisfaction.

“I don’t understand. I thought we were on the same side here,” Tristan said, taking a step closer to Damian—only for Damian’s men to seize him in an instant. Another pair grabbed me, their grip rough and unrelenting.

Damian walked closer to Tristan, slow and deliberate. “You thought wrong. I am always on my side. And Rose… is coming with me.”

“What? We are at war! We need to stand together to protect this city—or it will be burnt to the ground!” Tristan argued, struggling against the men restraining him.

“I do not care if the city and everyone in it burns,” Damian said coldly, without a flicker of emotion.

“You are going crazy. How will you make her your Luna if there is no city or people to rule over?” Tristan shot back.

“Funny you to think I want her because I need a Luna,” Damian said, smiling—slow, wicked, unsettling.

“You want her for the healing ability of the Phoenix wolf,” Tristan said, and I found myself thinking the same thing—until Damian laughed. A low, chilling sound.

“Oh, you all are so clueless, ain’t you?” Damian said.