Ch. 4

ASTRA

I scream as he pops my shoulder blade into place. Tears stream down my face before I can stop them.

"Done," he says quietly, and his thumb brushes away one of my tears. The gesture is so gentle, it steals my breath away. He's too close for comfort so I step back, putting distance between us. "Why did you really help me?"

"I told you. I can't collect payment if you're dead."

"Liar." I meet his golden eyes. "You could have just stopped them. You didn't have to kill them. And you definitely didn't have to look like you enjoyed it."

His jaw tightens. "They hurt you."

"So what? I'm just a contract to you. I'm just another bounty." I scoff.

"You're more than that."

I spun my head towards him surprised, and the look on his face shows that he immediately regrets that he said that.

"I can't let you die," he continues, his voice rough. "I physically cannot let you die. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I roll my eyes. It suddenly clicks. If I die, the pain he would feel would be so excruciating that he will feel like dying too. "The bond."

"The bond." He runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. "It's already driving my wolf insane. Imagine how it's like if you die."

I don't say anything to that. I haven't exactly accepted, or rejected the bond. And I want to reject it. 

"Every instinct I have is screaming to protect you, and to own you. And I know you don't want that. I know you ran from one forced bond and the last thing you need is another. But I can't just watch you throw yourself into danger."

"Then let me go." I sigh.

"I can't do that either."

"Why not?"

"My employer can actually protect you." He's choosing his words carefully. "She has resources and connections, she can keep you safe from Remus and every other Alpha who wants your bloodline."

"She?" I don't trust this, or him. "Who's your employer?"

"Beta Lyanna Mordane of Shadowveil Pack."

I've heard that name before. It's always associated with sheer ruthlessness. The Omega who was publicly rejected by an Alpha and somehow clawed her way to Beta position. I don't know which one is worse; her or Remus.

"Why does she want me?"

"All I know is that I have to get you to her, before Remus does. What she wants with you is for her to explain." He glances toward the archive entrance, where I can hear guards. "But we need to move, now. Your options are me, Remus, or death. Choose."

I hate that he's right, and that he's my only way out.

"If I go with you," I say slowly, "I need your word about something."

He's still looking ahead, his hand gripping the dagger hidden in his belt, his entire body tensed for action. "What?"

"No matter what your wolf demands, you won't claim me without my consent."

"As long as you don't reject me." He replies in one beat. I sigh inwardly, fair enough.

We finally reach the entrance where the guards are waiting for us in their numbers. I don't even blink before I see Thalor move like liquid through the small crowd, everywhere he passes the men drop like flies. In about a minute, I see that he has immobilized the men and he's beckoning from the other end to me. I carefully step over the bodies. When I reach him, I resume the questions.

"How far is Shadowveil?"

"Three days. Maybe four if we have to avoid Remus's patrols."

"And you think this Beta can actually help me?"

"I think she's your best shot at survival." He sounds bored.

My mind is screaming danger, but somehow I feel safe around him. 

"Fine," I say. "But we set ground rules. No touching unless absolutely necessary. I keep my weapons. And if I say stop, you stop. Understood?"

"Understood." He's already moving toward the alley exit. "Can you run?"

My shoulder throbs and my jaw aches and I'm exhausted, but I nod. "Yes."

"Then let's go."

THALOR

We travel through the night, keeping to shadows and back routes. She's fast, I'll give her that, even though she's injured. She doesn't complain or ask to rest, but I can feel every pain she's enduring under her tough facade. 

Around midnight, we stop at a stream to drink and refill our water. She kneels by the bank, splashing cold water on her face, and I watch her in the moonlight.

"Stop staring," she says without looking up.

I clear my throat, feeling heat flood my cheeks. "I'm keeping watch."

"You're still staring."

She's right. I can't drag my eyes off her for some reason. Even though her hair is greasy, her clothes are dirty, her skin is bruised, her beauty still takes my breath away. 

"We should keep moving," I say roughly. "Remus's forces could be tracking us."

"Let them come." She stands, water dripping from her hands. "I'm tired of running."

"You're exhausted. There's a difference."

"I'm tired of being scared and being hunted like an animal." Her voice cracks slightly. "I just want it to stop."

"When you get to Shadowveil, under the protection of Lyanna, this all will be a thing of rhe past. We just have to move," I urge her on. "Let Remus not get to us before we get to her." I see a slight flicker of disbelief on her face. "Believe you me when I say this, she's powerful enough to make Remus think twice."

Her expression finally seems relaxed.

We move out again, heading northwest toward Shadowveil territory. The night is quiet except for our footsteps and the distant sounds of the forest. We walk in silence for another hour before she speaks again.

"The male who was supposed to marry me. Remus. What's he like?"

My jaw clenches at my brother's name. "Why do you want to know?"

"He's hunting me, and he doesn't want to back down." She's watching me carefully. "You seem to know him and how he operates."

II should tell her the truth about Remus being my brother and that I know exactly how brutal and possessive he can be. But the words die in the tongue. How's she gonna trust me then?

"He's ruthless," I say instead. "He doesn't take no for an answer."

"I noticed." Her hand unconsciously goes to her wrist, where I can still see the bruises from his grip at the ceremony. "He called me his property, in a very degrading way."

"To him, you are a challenge." The truth tastes bitter. "Something he couldn't get, and then he's on a chase to have you by all means. He won't stop hunting you. Not ever."

Everywhere is suddenly quiet, and I turn to see her sprinting beside me. I can see a lot of conflicting emotions playing out in her face and her biting her inner cheek to keep from asking me more questions. I sigh. "You can ask."

"What does Lyanna get in return for protecting me?"

"When you get there, you'll know."

She's quiet for a moment, processing. Then, "And what about you? What do you get?"

It's my turn to bite my inner cheeks wondering whether I should tell her or not. "Payment. Information. A way out."

And like I suspect, she chuckles in derision. "That was quite...detailed."

"If I get what I want from her, you'd be my last bounty hunt." I gesture around us. "I want to sgt out of this life, be in an actual pack or disappear into human cities where no wolf would be able to find me."

"So you want to disappear without me?" To my surprise, she sounded hurt. 

"I'm also doing this so we can have a peaceful life, if you accept me." I enunciate the "IF" very well.

The thought of disappearing without her makes my wolf howl in agony.

The answer seems to pacify her and we travel through the rest of the night in silence. 

As dawn breaks, we finally stop to rest in a small cave. She collapses immediately, her body giving out. I want to go to her, check her injuries, make sure she's okay. But the rules are clear.

No touching unless absolutely necessary.

So I stay on my side of the cave and watch her sleep, her chest rising and falling with each breath. I let myself feel guilt, she has started to look up to me as her saviour and I wasn't. My plan was to instantly dump her in cruel Lyanna hands and disappear like I always planned.

The mate bond will drive me slowly insane, but I've survived worse.

At least, that's what I tell myself.

But as I watch her sleep, her face peaceful for the first time since I found her, I wonder if I'm lying to myself.

Because the thought of walking away from her feels impossible.