Nicolas POV
“Goddess,” I mumbled, astonished under my breath as I watched Zara make her way to the third dragon head. “She is incredible….”
“Yeah, and irresponsible!” Levi continued, deftly evading a rogue and effortlessly dismantling him.
I growled at him.
His head snapped to me. He smiled, taking my reaction as a compliment. He grabbed another rogue, snapping his neck.
“It’s the truth, Alpha,” he said, dropping the rogue to the floor. “That right there,” he pointed out at Zara. “That’s precisely how your future will unfold. She has always been a magnet for getting us into trouble!”
The dragon-like creature swayed out of control-the two heads were dangerously going at each other.
Wolves scrambled out of the way, afraid to be crushed under the dragon’s paws.
“Watch out!” I heard Luke yell over the noise.
My gaze snapped back at Zara; she had made her way up the third neck. She was about to reach his eyes when the second dragon head collided with the third, sending her flying over our heads and into the overcrowded cave.
My heart paused momentarily. I couldn’t move.
I gazed wide-eyed at the location where she had fallen.
Is she alright?
Was she hurt?
Levi flew past me in the direction of where Zara landed.
I held my breath.
Oh, Goddess, tell me my mate is okay!
“Alpha Nicholas!” Levi’s voice chimed a moment later in my mind. He must have reached Zara. “She’s fine. Your Luna is safe. Alpha Luke broke her fall.”
I let out a relieved breath.
“Get her to her father,” I ordered.
“Yes, Alpha,” Levi replied.
“Alpha,” Ronan said, grabbing my arm to get my attention. “I think it is time for us to leave! The cave ceiling is about to collapse….”
“Yeah,” I replied, seeing the hole in the ceiling growing wider. The roof could come down on us at any minute.
I gave an urgent order for all the warriors to leave, causing even the rogue warriors’ heads to snap in my direction.
The wolf warriors slowly retreated, leaving a couple of rogues protecting their Alpha.
Ronan and I did the same; we retreated toward the exit. I searched for Zara, seeing her beside Levi. She was still in wolf form.
“Leaving so soon, Alpha?” Alpha Jack taunts as he sees me leaving. He had his hand on one of the dragon’s heads, calming it down. “We haven’t even started the main event.”
“By the looks of it,” Ronan growled next to me. “Your little party expired a long time ago.”
“On the contrary,” Alpha Jack said, cocking his head to the side. “I am just getting started. Let this be a warning, Alpha Nicolas. I will return again and again until she is in my grasp and I mark her as mine…”
Before I realized what was happening, Alpha Jack’s words filtered through to Ray. I roared, clenching my hands into fists. The intense anger within me is scorching everything in its path, breaking down the invisible wall.
“Over my dead body!” I roared, my voice turning deadly low. “Zara is mine! Mine!”
“Your death can be arranged!” Alpha Jack smirked darkly, and I couldn’t help but notice him shivering where he stood. “Get rid of him!”
“No!” Zara’s frantic voice bounced off the cave walls. Zara had shifted back and was now wearing some kind of rag around her body.
Why the hell was she still here? Why the hell didn’t she listen?
“Levi, get…” The earth beneath my feet trembled, causing me to lose my balance. The dragon heads took advantage of the situation and dangerously snapped my way.
Ronan pushed me out of the way, and less than a moment later, I saw him flying over my head and crashing against the cave walls.
Levi immediately ran to Ronan to check on him.
“He is out cold but will be fine, Alpha,” he urgently mind-linked.
“Get him to safety!” I ordered.
“On it!” he replied, swiftly swinging him over his shoulder and carrying him to the exit.
The dragon moved into my view and blocked the exit. Two of the heads ignited a circle of fire around us.
“There is no way out, Alpha,” said Alpha Jack. He howled and laughed. “We end this today!”
“You are right!” Ray’s voice suddenly broke through in my mind. I couldn’t see him yet, but I could hear and feel him. “Let the best Alpha win….”
“You’re back!” I gasped, astonished. “I thought I never…”
“Let’s return this f*cker to his rightful place!” Ray hissed, pissed, interrupting my thoughts. “Now focus! We need to kill them both!”
My gaze shifted toward the ceiling; bringing it down would be easy, but I might even get killed.
The dragon shifted its attention to me and charged forward, breathing fire. I managed to get out of the way; the heat is unbearable.
From the side of my eye, I saw Alpha Jack turning, waving, and starting off into the tunnel.
Ray didn’t want any of that! He charged toward Alpha Jack.
The dragon roared and slammed his claws down, caging me in.
“N-o-o-o!” Zara’s voice rang in my ears. What the hell is she still doing here?
The dragon’s attention shifted to her, and he swept his tail violently in her direction. It crashed against the wall, making dust and ceiling come down on us. The ceiling would not hold much longer.
Zara ran closer; the anger on her face made me shiver. Her hair was moving around her face, yet she looked so in control. So certain. So strong. So powerful.
The dragon roared and breathed fire in her direction, but it passed around her, not touching a single hair on her.
“F*ck!” I muttered under my breath. It was amazing to see.
I scrambled under the creature’s claws, trying to find a way out under him while his attention was still on Zara.
The dragon head snarled at Zara, yet each blow rebounded. She was untouchable. It was as if Zara had an invisible field around her, protecting her.
Zara’s gaze slowly shifted to me; a small smile tickled at the corners of her lips.
“Get ready,” her voice chimed inside my head.
Before I could reply, she closed the link.
A blinding bright light appeared around Zara, filling up the cave.
The dragon hissed in agony; the smell of burning flesh hit my nose, and the dragon retreated, afraid of the light.
“She is driving the darkness away,” Ray gasped and appeared next to me.
“How?” I gasped, witnessing my body shifting back to human.
“She broke the spell that kept me bound,” he explained.
The dragon roared, stepping back, freeing me, and dropped against the cave walls.
I scrambled to my feet. The earth around me moving.
My gaze shifted, searching for Zara. She smiled and hurried closer.
“We need to leave,” I urgently said, looking around to escape, but all the exits were blocked with fire and huge rocks.
Zara just smiled, waved her hand in a circular motion, and something like a portal opened.
“What the hell?” I muttered under my breath in shock, looking back at her.
Zara shrugged and smiled.
“It’s just something I can do,” she said, carefully taking my hand; tingles erupted by her touch, and she softly tugged me toward the opening.
I hesitated, feeling my heart race inside my chest. Where will she take us? Will we be safe? What dangers lurk on the other side?
“It’s alright,” she said. “It’s all safe.”
The dragon roared behind us, getting up on his feet, shaking his head, and shifting his attention towards us.
“Time to go!” Ray chuckled, making my legs move and pushing me through the portal.
Yet, when we reached the other side, the most horrifying, yet incredible, thing happened.
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