The moment Naya opened her eyes, she was met with Jed’s face, staring at her with a confused, concentrated look. Seeing her eyes snap open, Jed quickly moved back, clearing his throat. “I thought you were dead. You were barely breathing. Are you okay? You don’t look good.”
Naya remained silent. In reality, her head felt like it was going to explode. She had been sweating coldly for a while, and the entire time she was seated in the carriage, it felt like she was floating, barely sensing anything but the pain throbbing in her head. She remembered Kael talking to her earlier but couldn’t recall what he said.
She huffed, adjusting her position. “Where’s your prince?” she asked.
Jed’s eyebrows furrowed. “He is outside dealing with rogues. Weren’t you listening to him earlier?”
Naya didn’t answer.
“Never mind,” Jed said, knowing Naya wouldn’t explain herself anyway. “We’re inside the pack territory now, so this will be dealt with quickly. Besides, Alpha Prince Zeke is stationed nearby. He’ll join the battle for sure, and this will be over in no time.”
Naya watched Jed nod to himself, trying to reassure himself despite his obvious anxiety.
Another exhausted sigh escaped Naya’s lips. Aside from the throbbing in her head, there was a heaviness in her body she couldn’t explain.
“Hey, are you okay?” Jed asked.
Naya nodded slightly. “I’m fine.”
“You’re sweating a lot,” Jed said. “Should I open the window? But the view outside is – uh, it’s better not to–”
Suddenly, Naya wobbled, her body falling to the side.
Jed’s eyes widened. He quickly moved to help her, and when he touched her, a loud gasp escaped his lips. “You’re burning with fever!” He exclaimed in a panic while looking out the window.
Outside, a battle had broken out. About twenty black wolves – all rogues – had appeared and attacked the West Wood Pack soldiers. Kael, quick and nimble with his movements, slayed five wolves. Blood splattered on his face, but he wiped it away with a grin. A nearby soldier couldn’t help but feel both admiration and fear towards Kael.
Catching his breath, Kael placed his foot on top of one of the dead wolves and stared down, sensing something was off. Before his thoughts could travel further, he stopped, quickly turning his head to the carriage.
“Alpha Prince! Watch out!” one of the soldiers exclaimed.
Without looking, Kael let the rogue wolf pounce on him. He growled back, muscles tensing as he caught the wolf mid-air. With a swift, brutal motion, he split its head in half. The loud cracking of bones was drowned out by the chaotic noise of the battleground. Soldiers who witnessed the bloody attack couldn’t help but gulp. In just five seconds, Kael had taken down the wolf.
Yet, Kael’s eyes remained fixed on the distant carriage. It hadn’t moved an inch, just as he had ordered Jed. His heart pounded as he tossed the dead rogue’s head aside and sprinted toward the carriage.
Jed opened the door, urgency filling his face and voice. “Prince! That woman, she–”
Kael brushed past Jed and went straight inside. He immediately found Naya, heavily panting, her face and neck covered in sweat as she leaned against the window. She lifted her head and looked at Kael, speaking through trembling lips, “... I’m fine.”
Kael wanted to laugh, but irritation surged within him. Letting out a low growl, he was about to take Naya when the carriage suddenly shook.
“Alpha Prince!” Kael heard Jed shout.
Hissing, Kael turned around, his eyes dangerous. At the same time, a large black wolf lunged at him, sinking its teeth into his leg.
Jed froze, eyes widening in shock.
Two more black wolves leaped onto the top of the carriage and began tearing at its barrier.
In a low voice, Kael called his beta’s name, “Jed.”
In the next second, Jed shifted to his wolf form. Without wasting a moment, he attacked the two wolves trying to barge into the carriage.
The ground turned into a chaotic battlefield. Blood splattered across the grass as the wolves fought fiercely. Kael’s voice cut through the noise, commanding all soldiers to shift to their wolf forms. The transformation rippled through the ranks, and the battlefield grew bloodier.
Kael ripped the rogue wolf from his leg and slammed it into the ground. With a snarl, he crushed its skull underfoot. He looked around, seeing soldiers grappling with rogues, fur and blood flying. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, blood, and the metallic tang of fear.
Jed, in his wolf form, lunged at the wolves on the carriage, his powerful jaws closing around the neck of one rogue. He shook it violently until it went limp. The other rogue wolf snapped at him, but Jed dodged and counterattacked, tearing into its side.
Kael moved with lethal precision, slashing through rogue wolves that came his way. His eyes flickered back to the carriage, worry etched on his face. He saw Naya inside, her eyes half-closed, her breaths shallow.
“Hold the line!” Kael roared to his soldiers, who formed a defensive perimeter around the carriage.
The battlefield echoed with growls and the sickening sounds of flesh being torn. The pack’s soldiers fought valiantly, but the rogues were relentless.
General Argus, drenched in blood, pulled his dagger from another rogue’s chest. He stood up, panting, scanning the battlefield. “Where’s Alpha Prince Kael?” he shouted.
“I saw him enter the carriage, General!” one of the soldiers yelled back.
General Argus fought his way toward the carriage, dispatching rogues with swift efficiency. “Prince Kael!” he called. It took two more calls before Kael finally opened the door, stepping out with Naya in his arms.
“Where are you going?” General Argus demanded, his voice tinged with panic.
Kael coldly brushed past him. “I’m bringing her to my house.”
“Alpha Prince!” General Argus’s voice was full of anger. “We are in a battle here. The pack needs you more than anything else.”
Kael growled, “Move.”
General Argus felt a chill run down his spine but stood his ground. “I’m not letting you leave this premise, Prince.”
As tension escalated, another voice rang out. “Naya! Where is she? I have to see her first. Naya!”
General Argus turned to see Alpha Prince Lorenzo rushing toward them. Before he could take a step closer, Kael released his pheromones, creating a protective barrier around Naya and pushing everyone back.
Lorenzo growled, “You damn–”
“Can you for once stop fighting?! Can’t you see that Naya's life is in danger? We need to send her to the doctor right this instant!” Edith, the servant and healer, exclaimed. She couldn’t stop looking at Naya, whose lips had already turned gray.
“Give Naya to us. We’ll bring her to the doctor. Edith can keep her safe on the way, she can also heal,” Lorenzo said.
Kael stood still and tightened his hold around Naya.
Lorenzo’s beta, Rui, appeared and announced urgently, “More rogues have appeared in the Eastern Borders. Alpha Prince Zeke is there with Alpha Prince Felix. Right now, a lot of soldiers…”
Lorenzo clenched his fists. With difficulty, he turned to Kael. “Don’t be stubborn, Kael. Give Naya to Rui and Edith. They will bring her to a safe place. Dammit!”
Kael’s eyes darkened with turmoil. Lorenzo, the only person who could equally fight him, growled, “Do you want her to die? You–”
“Jed, come here,” Kael called, his voice cold and quiet.
Jed quickly moved to his side, waiting for his command.
“Stay with them,” Kael ordered. “Don’t let Naya out of your sight.”
With that, he carefully handed Naya to Jed.
Kael looked at her for a moment, his thoughts unreadable, before he finally let her go and returned to the battlefield with Lorenzo and the rest of the pack fighters.