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Confused, Blue turned around, and his eyes widened as they met mine. But then they shifted into complete terror as they focused just passed me.
Hot breath fanned across the back of my neck, and the deep familiar rumble of an alpha shook my bones. Slowly, I moved my head, looking carefully over my shoulder.
The red-haired she-wolf stood directly behind me, her face split into a vicious grin and her pointed teeth on display. Her excitement pulsed in the air, and she leaned down into my face, whispering,
"Found you."
The Ridge
Joon
* * *
"There!"Lex pointed at a small patch of yellow flowers. Tzidal's sweet scent lingered briefly before disappearing with the wind.
"Where?" Byriel barked.
"They were here," the siren panted, holding his side as he sucked in deep gusts of air. "They were right here," he motioned to the flowers. "I looked away for one moment, and they were gone. And there were others."
"Others?" I snarled. "What the fuck do you meanothers?"
The air shifted, and my nerves stretched tighter. There was something about this land that made me want to back away and return the way we came. The wind didn't move right on my skin, and dread settled heavy in my gut.
Where was my mate?
"Do you feel that?" Byriel asked, stepping through the yellow flowers and tall, dry grass. A puff of feathery petals kicked up under his feet, hitting the air.
I angled my head, listening hard. The air moved as if something swift and thick moved around us, but there was no sound or creature to create such a feeling.
"Look," Byriel whispered.
He motioned to the petals on the wind. They swirled fast in the breeze, but as they edged further from us their movements slowed in mid-air as if pushing through something thick. Then, just as quickly, whatever had slowed them lifted, and they moved freely once again.
Before any of us could speak, the space just beyond the flowers crackled and pulsed with vibrant light. Then a bloodied Alpha materialized out of nowhere. My eyes widened as the space behind him revealed a tear into another world—a colorful one filled with fighting wolves, screaming pups, and my mate's vibrant scent.
I rushed forward, hitting the electric air before it could close up. I tipped forward into a whole new forest. Throwing a quick look over my shoulder, I could see a clear line between the trees where Byriel stood and this hidden, enchanted land.
The ground was littered with dead and wounded. A few of the dead wore palace uniforms, but most wore simple armor that suggested farmers or rural folk. An Alpha walked over each dead villager, ripping at their clothes and exposing their skin. He looked over their flesh before moving on to the next wolf.
Byriel stepped up next to me. His mouth curled in pure disgust at the carnage unfolding before us. Without a word, he shifted into his wolf, racing through the battle. I didn't wait for Lex, letting my wolf take control of my body to find our mate. Bone, tendons, and muscles slid into place, and fur burst from my skin.
I raced through the village, rushing past cabins and shops. The scream of a pup made my head snap around. A youngling, maybe three or four years of age, dangled from the roof's edge. His tiny omega mother was trying to pull him up. A guard landed easily onto the roof just behind her. He flexed his fingers as he moved to her, ready to grab the oblivious omega.
I changed direction and raced toward the pup. In one quick jump, I wrapped a paw around his middle just as his fingers slipped.
Grabbing the edge of the roof with my claws, I jerked both of us up, landing next to the pup's mother. She screamed in utter terror at the sight of me but quieted as I shoved her young into her arms.
Without another look, I raced past her to the stunned guard.
Angling my body down, I shoved my shoulder hard into the alpha, then sunk my teeth deep into his side. The fucker let out a guttural roar before falling off the roof. His flailing body just missed a young beta cowering behind a barrel. She screamed at the sight of the bloodied alpha, then raced off.
Sucking in as much air as I could, I caught another hint of my mate's sweet scent. It was muted over the rush of wolves, blood, and dirt, but she was close.
I jumped from the roof, landing not far from the guard's limp body. An arrow flew just next to my head, and I spun to see a rural beta reloading his bow, glaring at me hard. I ignored him. I was confident his shaking hands wouldn't hit their mark no matter how many arrows he let loose.
Closing my eyes, I let my mating bond guide me.
Then I saw her.
