Chapter 262 262
Aurélie POV
“My warriors are yours to command,” I tell him, forcing steadiness into my voice. “I’ll keep my pack link open. Please be careful. Don’t be foolish. Don’t let her provoke you. Just… get it done.”
I try to sound composed, but there’s no hiding from him. The mate bond hums between us, betraying every crack in my resolve. My shields are weak too weak.
“Aurélie, sweetheart,” he murmurs, brushing his thumb along my jaw. “You’re acting like I haven’t been training for this my entire life.” His eyes harden, dark and lethal. “I won’t let her win. I let her get away with hell once before. I won’t make that mistake again. I’ll be her own kind of hell now.”
His gaze flicks toward the lake house. “Maurice and his warriors will stay here and protect it. Try not to worry.”
I want to argue. To beg. To cling.
Instead, panic slams into my chest, sharp and breath-stealing and he feels it instantly.
“I love you,” his voice enters my mind, intimate and unguarded, as his forehead rests against mine. “I promise you I’m coming back.”
“I love you too,” I answer, barely holding together.
His lips crash into mine, fierce and desperate, his tongue claiming every part of my mouth as though committing me to memory. Fire erupts between us too intense, too final. As if, despite his promise, this could be the last time.
Then it’s over.
He tears himself away and walks—walks toward battle.
Damien POV
Walking away from Aurélie is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
She should be beside me my mate, my Luna, my equal. Fighting at my side like she was born to do. But the children come first. Always. I couldn’t lead knowing they were separated from both of us.
This feels like the lesser of two evils.
God, I hope I’ve made the right choice.
We’re not as prepared as I’d wanted. Armour and swords that’s what we have. Since Aurélie’s kidnapping, I’ve demanded every warrior carry a blade at all times.
Other weapons are on the way. Two, maybe three hours out. We can’t afford to wait. Hopefully they’ll arrive when it matters most tip the scales when blood is already soaking the ground.
“Maurice,” I call, stopping him before we part ways.
He approaches stiffly, his posture rigid, his eyes colder than usual.
“Look,” I say, swallowing my pride, “I’m sorry I lost my temper with her. But she was in the wrong.”
There’s tension in him something heavy and unresolved. Then he exhales.
“I know she was,” he admits quietly.
“Can you keep”
“My family safe?” he cuts in, one brow lifting. “I’m insulted you even had to ask.” A faint smirk follows. Despite everything, he really is a good man.
“Thank you,” I say sincerely. “My friend.”
And of course it starts raining.
Not just rain. A downpour. The ground will turn slick and treacherous fast, armour becoming more hindrance than protection. That means shifting. Our wolves will have better traction, better speed.
We position ourselves around the alpha house where the vulnerable are sheltered while the rest who can’t fight remain in nearby homes. It keeps everything within sight, allows us to respond fast. No fires. No surprise attacks.
They’ll have to come to us.
Let them slog through the rain. Every second buys time for reinforcements.
I will win this. There’s no doubt in my heart or my soul. Tonight, the threat to my family ends.
They cross onto the land soon after.
Fabrice growls beside me, his wolf straining against restraint. With his alpha absent, he’s the highest-ranking member of Darkvale here. Every instinct in him screams to attack but I hold our line.
They stop short when they see us.
Armoured. Armed. Ready.
I’m preparing to shed the metal and shift but they already look… weak. Unprepared. The mere sight of our swords drains the color from their faces.
This won’t be as difficult as I expected.
I scan the line, searching for her.
The bitch sent straight from the depths of hell to torment me.
I don’t see her.
Typical.
She doesn’t have the courage to face me herself.
My jaw tightens as I search again.
Where the fuck is she?