Chapter Seven

THE JOURNEY TO BLACKTHORNE FORTRESS

Magnus hissed and held my hands more tightly, as we stepped out of the ballroom. The palace gate closed behind us with a heavy slam.

I kept looking forward till we left the palace, because I didn’t want to break my heart the more by looking back at the palace that left several scars in my heart.

The cool evening breeze brushed through my face, while lifting loose strands of hair across my face as I walked gently beside Alpha Magnus Thorne.

Immediately we stepped out of the palace, there were dozens of black horses and an army of warriors clad in dark armor.

I staggered the moment I saw them, but then I remembered that I’m not alone. They were all waiting for Alpha Magnus, that’s when I knew why he’s tagged as “the black Alpha” in the entire kingdom.

The moment Magnus stopped, all the warriors bowed while lowering one knee to the ground.

“Welcome Alpha”, they all chanted and their voices echoed as one.

Magnus didn’t say a word to them, but he nodded while his eyes scanned through everyone.

After a few seconds of silence to watch everyone carefully, he instructed “get up”.

Everything about Magnus seemed to be simple, cold and so commanding. He doesn’t even have to talk too much or give an order multiple times before he’s obeyed, he’s obeyed even without saying a word yet.

Suddenly, a warrior led a white mare towards me and he grinned “my lady”, then he bowed and turned to look at the white mare again.

My eyes widened and I blinked thrice, as though my mind needed a second to catch up with what he just called me.

I turned to look around me to see if there’s someone around me he’s addressing that way.

He smiled and muttered respectfully, “there’s no other lady here aside from you, so I’m referring to you”.

“Are you really sure you’re not making a mistake?” I pointed at myself and asked again, because I was still startled that he was referring to me.

The word sounded so weird in my ears, because no one has ever bowed to me or called me “my lady” throughout my stay in the royal palace.

I was being treated as a discarded and weak wolf, that doesn’t deserve to be among the living.

“I’m referring to you my lady”, he repeated it again and smiled cheerfully afterwards.

“You’re the Alpha’s wife, so we’re meant to address you respectfully”, he added.

My lips curved into a thin line letting out a faint smile, while I stood still staring at the warrior. Just a few hours ago, I was rejected by the prince and now I’m being addressed as the wife of the most feared Alpha in the entire kingdom.

“I… I don’t know how to ride”, I stuttered in a barely audible voice.

I caught a glimpse of the warrior’s face before I lowered my head slightly to the ground, he looked so disappointed and embarrassed. 

Before he could respond to me, Magnus walked swiftly towards me and lifted me effortlessly onto his own horse without even saying a word to me.

My whole face brightened in excitement, and I felt a sudden rush of warmth in my body.

He hurried and climbed up behind me to protect me from falling because I was scared. I could feel his broad and strong chest behind me.

“Hold the reins”, he instructed in a deep, commanding baritone that seemed to rattle my eardrums.

“No I can’t, because I may fall”, I gasped in a shaky voice.

“I won’t allow that to happen, not when I’m right behind you”, Magnus assured while holding me from falling with one hand, and also trying to hold the reins too.

I heaved a deep sigh of relief, and the unwavering assurance Magnus gave me drove the fear inside me away instantly.

The armies began moving slowly at first, no one even uttered a word. The only sounds I heard clearly were galloping hooves and the cold mountain wind.

After an hour in the journey, the royal capital faded slowly behind us, and also the roads became rougher, the farther we traveled.

From a distance, tall pine trees stood shoulder to shoulder across the mountains, their dark branches swaying gently, while the distant peaks were covered with snow.

Everything I saw on my way to Blackthorne fortress felt totally different from the luxurious royal palace, yet I still preferred it compared to the royal palace. 

At least here, there were no nobles to make a mockery of me and no servants to whisper behind my back anytime I pass by.

There was a thick and unusual silence amongst us, no warrior communicated with the Magnus, they all wore a stern expression.

All of a sudden, Magnus' deep voice broke the silence and it echoed sharply in my ears, so I quickly shifted my head a little bit far from his ears.

“I noticed that you haven’t eaten”, Magnus whispered slowly into my ears again.

How did he notice that I haven’t eaten anything? Perhaps since morning I haven’t been served any food. I quickly lowered my head and denied it, because I didn’t want him to bug me with too many questions.

“I’m not hungry and besides that, I had something to eat”, I responded in a barely audible voice.

“That’s a lie, I watched you leave the banquet without being served a single meal”, he responded quickly in a flat tone.

I just sat down staring at the reddish scar on my wrist, and I was short of words because I knew he’s saying the truth. Besides that, even if I was fortunate to serve any food, I wouldn’t have had the appetite to eat it, not after Rowan publicly chose my sister over me.

Without waiting for my response, he pulled the reins lightly and the convoy stopped immediately by a small stream.

“We’ll wait here for fifteen minutes, after which we’ll continue the journey”, he announced and everyone came down from their horses to bow.

His warriors immediately spread out to secure the whole area, and one of them hurried over to me with bread, roasted meat, and warm tea.

Magnus got the food from him, and he handed it over to me “collect and eat up quickly”.

“No, I’m fine”, I responded softly trying to pretend that I ate something even when I did not.

The faint smile on his face vanished instantly, and his brows furrowed. Then he looked away before he turned to me and muttered, “I wasn’t asking you, I just gave you a simple instruction to adhere to”.

I stared at him for few seconds without saying a word again, then I quietly collected it from his hands. The bread and roasted meat was still warm, and my stomach growled loudly the moment I got it from him.

The corners of my lips twitched awkwardly as warmth spread through my face, and I wished the earth would just crack open to swallow me up.

I turned slowly to look at several Blackthorne warriors that stood close to me, but they pretended like they didn’t hear anything.

Magnus turned and looked away from me, giving me a little privacy. For the very first time in years, someone noticed that I haven’t eaten and provided food for me immediately.

I was shocked that he paid rapt attention to little stuff like this, not because he pitied me or wanted something in return, but because he wanted me to be fine and good.

Immediately, I felt a strange feeling settling in my chest and before I could understand what’s going on, a sharp whistle cut through the thick silence that settled amongst us in the forest.

Magnus' head snapped towards the trees and his expression darkened instantly, then he whispered in a very cold tone “so, Rowan has really decided to show himself here”.

A chill ran down my spine which made my chest tightened, and I looked up to Magnus slowly. He caught my gaze, immediately warmth spread through my body and I remembered that I have no reason to panic when I’m standing beside him.

All of a sudden, an arrow flew very out from the wood and came directly towards me.