Semua Bab Marked by fate: Bab 581 - Bab 590

Lincoln's POVAiden and the rest of Tobias's unit arrived yesterday at lunchtime, General Edwardo with them. Their forces have been arriving on transport lorries all morning, but thankfully they've all brought their own tents. We've got them setting up on the eastern side of the pack house, while the Blood Moon lot will take the western side when they arrive.Every time I look outside, there are more fucking people. Shadow has changed almost beyond recognition in the space of a day. Royal Army transport lorries keep rolling through the gates, unfamiliar warriors are moving across the grounds, builders and workmen are everywhere, supplies are being brought in faster than we can find places to put them.Edwardo and his commanders are up in the conference room with Tobias, Sam, Isaac, Xander, Zach and Eliot, strategizing our best defence and where best to meet the rogues. I feel strongly that we shouldn't let them reach the pack at all, and Edwardo, thankfully, agrees with me.The proble

Lincoln's POVI turn my attention back to the three Gammas.“Why don't you three go and take a break? Go and eat, shower and see your mates. I'll stay with her for a bit.”No one moves. Not one fucking inch.I turn slowly away from Zahra's face and look at them.“Are you sure?” Jackson says reluctantly, his eyes never leaving Zahra.Jasper and Oscar don't look any more enthusiastic about the idea.I know leaving their Luna when she's this vulnerable is almost as hard for her Gammas as it is for her Alphas, especially with enemies swarming towards us. The fact they've barely moved from this room since they arrived says enough.“I'm sure. You're going to need to be at your strongest in a matter of hours. I need you all well rested and well fed. Go.”I infuse a little Alpha aura into my command. Not enough to compel them or force them away from her, because I understand exactly why they don't want to leave. Just enough to make it clear I'm not making a suggestion.It works, just.Jackson

Lincoln's POV“Zahra?” I call, my heart pounding in my ears. “Zahra, sweetheart, can you hear me? It's all right. You're all right. You're safe. We're here, my love.”I squeeze her hand gently as Tobias shifts beside me.“Is she awake?” he asks, his voice hoarse.“I don't know.” I stare at her face, scrutinising it for any sign. “I don't think so, but her bond's awake. I think she's back from wherever she's been.”Tobias sits up immediately, all traces of sleep disappearing as he looks into her face.“Princess? Can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear my voice.”Her breathing jumps again, and her heart is racing like she's running a damn race. Then her fingers tighten around mine.I freeze. Was that deliberate?“Zahra?”Her hand clenches again, harder this time. Tobias sucks in a sharp breath beside her, his eyes flying to mine.“She squeezed mine too.”Fuck. She can hear us.The realisation hits me so hard that for a second, I can't fucking move. She's in there. She's listeni

Max's POVBy the time the sun starts climbing properly above the trees, every fucking muscle in my body hurts.Not aches. Hurts. There's a difference.An ache is something you can ignore, something you can shove to the back of your mind and keep moving through. This is the kind of pain that has settled deep into my bones and fucking lives there now. Every stride sends another jolt through Medus's shoulders. His paws are sore, his lungs are burning, and the muscles across his back have been screaming at us for Goddess knows how many miles.Still, he runs. He hasn't slowed since we left Eclipse. Not properly.We've stopped for water twice. Once at a stream we nearly missed beneath a fallen tree, and again when Medus caught the scent of a lake somewhere beyond the road we were following. Both times, he drank until his stomach was full, pissed against the nearest tree and started running again.No food, no sleep and no fucking clue how far we've got left to go beyond the increasingly insi

Max's POVEventually, the last distant thuds fade away, leaving the forest unnaturally quiet. Even the birds haven't started singing again. For a few moments, Medus remains completely still, his belly pressed against the ground as he listens for anything we might have missed.Then his nose twitches as he picks up a new scent.Asphalt and engine fumes.There must be a road close by.‘Find the road. We need a car.’‘No, we don't. I'm faster than a car.’Usually, that's true. Give Medus five miles of mixed terrain when he's rested and properly fuelled, and he'll beat most cars taking the roads. But we're already exhausted and hungry, the terrain ahead could be fucking anything, and a car has one enormous advantage.It doesn't get tired.‘Car doesn't get tired.’Medus growls.‘Neither do I.’‘You're fucking exhausted.’‘Am not.’‘Medus, I can literally feel how tired you are.’He grumbles but doesn't bother arguing again. Right now, a car is our only fucking hope of beating the rogues to