Adams’ POV
I firmly held onto the reins of my horse, feeling the powerful pounding of the hooves hitting the ground below me.
The wind raced through my hair and although it was cold and biting, I couldn’t let it take my mind off what I was thinking about.
On my left side, Ronan was skillfully guiding his horse right next to the white mare that was carrying the little girl we had rescued from Crescent Grove.
The girl’s eyes shone with gratefulness and her tiny hands held the saddle tightly, showing just how thankful she felt for being saved.
For some minutes, we moved together without saying a word to each other. There was a strong sense of urgency about needing to return, and it felt very heavy and serious all around us.
The world around us seemed to be much quieter now compared to the noise and chaos we had just experienced in the village.
I couldn’t shake off the memory of the flames and blood. It was still very clear and vivid in my mind, haunting me as we rode along.
Out of nowhere, Ronan abruptly brought his horse to a sudden stop. This unexpected action caused me and the other warriors around me to stop as well.
A look of confusion spread across our faces as we tried to understand why Ronan had stopped so suddenly.
“What’s the matter?” I asked while leaning forward in my seat.
Ronan dropped his head with his nose twitching. “I smelled something. Something I know, but I can’t remember where.” he said while looking around like an experienced hunter.
I breathed in and sensed something was off with a hint of trouble that made me shiver. “How far?” I asked while leaning in with his instincts taking over.
“It should take about five minutes to ride that way” Ronan said while pointing to a thick group of trees in the distance.
I took a look at my men. “We need to check this out. Everyone turn around!” I said, and they quickly turned their horses and changed direction.
We rode our horses at a fast pace, pushing them to go as quickly as possible. The trees and the forest around us rushed by like a blur as we continued on our journey.
Eventually, we arrived at a wide open space, a clearing where the dense trees parted. In this clearing there was a carriage waiting there, and it was being pulled by four energetic horses that seemed a bit restless and nervous.
The driver of the carriage was someone we did not recognize, and he seemed to be in a state of distress. His eyes were moving rapidly from side to side, showing that he was feeling anxious and worried as they got closer to him.
I pulled my horse to a stop, looking intently. “Greetings. What brings you here?”
The man stumbled over his words while looking down at the ground, obviously upset. “I-I was just going through. I stopped to rest the horses.”
Ronan’s nose wrinkled again. “The smell is coming from that wagon,” he said quietly while narrowing his eyes as he glanced at the stranger.
I couldn’t shake off the bad feeling in my belly. “What are you carrying?” I asked with my voice quiet and threatening.
The man shifted nervously with sweat shining on his forehead as he struggled to answer. “Uh just some-some supplies. Nothing special” he stuttered while quickly looking at the woods behind him.
“Let’s take a look,” I said while pointing to my men. My fighters walked over to the carriage feeling the tension rise like the heaviness before a storm.
In just a brief moment, the unfamiliar person suddenly jumped high into the air. While he was in the air, he changed into a large and powerful wolf. His fur stood on end as he quickly ran into the forest, moving with great speed among the trees.
“After him!” I yelled while pointing, but then I quickly looked back at the carriage as Ronan threw it open.
Inside was Cara with her dress torn and in shreds. This was a sight that froze me with suspicion. “Cara!” I shouted as I jumped off my horse and hurried to her side.
“Your Highness!” she said with her voice rough. “Please help me.”
“What happened?” I asked while kneeling next to her while Ronan poured water from a canteen into her hands.
Cara drank quickly with her eyes shining with worry as she put the empty cup down. “We have to go back to the palace. Please, we don’t have time!”
I felt a rush of apprehension immediately. “Why? Where were you?”
“There’s trouble, My King,” Cara said firmly, with her being strengthened and loud from the water, but full of worry. “The Queen… she’s in trouble!”
Hearing about my mate made my instincts kick in. I leaped to my feet with energy rushing through me. “We ride now! Get on your horses!” I shouted commands and the men quickly jumped into action.
They scrambled back into their saddles, eyes steady with tension hanging in the air. I looked at Cara. “Are you able to ride?”
She nodded firmly with a strong look in her eyes. “I will ride.”
“Then let’s go!” I shouted while pushing my horse into a fast run and the others followed behind me.
The trip back to the palace seemed to last forever. Each time the hooves struck the ground, I felt a heavy worry in my heart.
It was a strong feeling, like time was fading away, and I couldn’t grab onto it no matter how hard I tried.
As we opened the big gates of the palace and rode inside, I felt more aware of everything around me.
The loud and sudden bang of the cannon which was meant to announce my return echoed in the air.
Normally, this sound would bring a sense of comfort and relief to everyone, but on this occasion it had a strange and foreboding feeling that made me uneasy.
I got off quickly and Cara slid off behind me. “Hurry up!” I said while running into the big entrance with the sound of our fast steps making the mood more intense.
Lilith met us at the door with her face changing from happy to puzzled. “Adams! You’re back!” she said with her eyes full of worry.
“Lilith!” I gasped while running to her. “Is everything okay?”
As I moved, I heard the noise of clothes moving. When I looked, I couldn’t breathe. Another person stood by Lilith and my heart dropped.
“Cara?” I asked in disbelief while looking back and forth between the two women.
Both looked alike, but this Cara showed none of the pain I had just seen. Her neat dress flowed nicely around her and her eyes shone with energy so different from the hurt Cara I had just brought back…