The Princess's Revenge Chapter 94

Logan’s POV

The white stallion's hooves struck the ground in steady rhythm. Behind me, the gate had already slammed shut. Valencia's desperate voice still echoed in my mind, even though I'd closed our bond.

Please come back.

My chest tightened. The memory of her grabbing my arm, begging me not to go - it hurt worse than any wound I'd ever taken. But this was the only way. I couldn't watch my pack die.

"You always were a stubborn fool," Knox's voice rumbled in my head.

"Took you long enough to show up," I replied to my wolf.

"Been here the whole time. Just watching you make another idiotic decision."

"It's not idiotic if it saves them."

"It's idiotic if you die."

I thought back to a few hours ago, when Dr. Vance and Elias had pulled me aside during the Luna ceremony. Their faces had been grim as they delivered the news - Elton's army was approaching with siege weapons. Hundreds warriors against our hundred.

"Alpha, we need to evacuate," Elias had said.

"No. We make our stand here."

"Logan, be reasonable," Dr. Vance had argued. "The numbers—"

"Soren's reinforcements will come. We just need to buy time."

"And if you die buying that time?" Dr. Vance had asked quietly.

I'd looked him straight in the eye. "Then Valencia becomes Alpha. You and Elias will guide her. Protect her."

"Logan—"

"Promise me."

They'd both nodded reluctantly. They knew me well enough to recognize when my mind was made up.

Now, as I rode closer to the enemy lines, Knox spoke again. "So we're really doing this? Fighting five hundred wolves?"

"Unless you have a better idea."

"I had several. You ignored them all."

"Running wasn't an option."

"Neither is dying."

"We're not dying. We're buying time."

Knox snorted. "Same thing with these odds."

I reached down and patted my stallion's neck. The brave animal had carried me through countless battles. "Sorry, old friend. Should've left you in the stable."

The horse snorted and tossed his head, as if offended by the suggestion.

"Stubborn as your rider," Knox commented.

The enemy warriors were close enough now that I could see their faces clearly. Confusion mixed with mockery in their expressions. They probably thought I'd lost my mind.

"Maybe you have," Knox said.

"Shut up."

Elton sat on his brown horse about fifty yards away, his smile growing wider with each passing second. The fool had no idea what was coming. Beside him, Dorian sat motionless on a black mare, his face completely blank. No emotion. No reaction. Just watching.

My hand tightened on the silver lance. The weight of it felt good.

"I want Dorian," I told Knox.

"Get in line. But we probably won't make it that far."

"We will."

Rage built in my chest as I stared at the traitor. "Ready?" I asked Knox.

"Always."

I raised the silver lance and kicked my heels into the stallion's sides. The horse surged forward, charging straight at the enemy line.

"For Cliffwatch!" I roared.

The lance struck the first wolf square in the chest. The impact sent him flying backward into three others. My stallion trampled another as we charged through their line.

"Left!" Knox shouted.

I swung the lance in a wide arc, catching two wolves mid-leap. Their bodies crumpled to the ground. Blood splattered across my armor.

"Behind us!"

I wheeled the horse around. Five wolves were already closing in. The lance was too long for close combat. I drove it through the nearest wolf and let go, drawing my sword in one smooth motion.

The blade sang as it cut through the air. One wolf's head rolled. Another lost his front leg. My stallion reared up, crushing a third under his hooves.

"There's too many," Knox growled.

He was right. Dozens more were surrounding us. My horse was starting to panic, foam dripping from his mouth.

"Get off the horse!" Knox urged. "We need to shift!"

A wolf lunged at my stallion's throat. I brought my sword down, but two more attacked from the other side. The horse screamed and bucked. I flew from the saddle, hitting the ground hard.

"Now!" Knox roared.

I let the shift take me. In seconds, my massive black wolf form stood among the enemies.

We tore into them. Teeth found throats. Claws ripped through flesh. Bodies piled around us. But for every wolf we killed, three more took their place.

Through the chaos, I spotted Dorian. He was still. Not shifting. Just watching with those empty eyes.

"Traitor," I snarled.

We started fighting toward him, leaving a trail of bodies. A brown wolf tried to hamstring us. Knox spun and crushed his skull between our jaws. A gray one went for our side. We rolled, came up under him, and tore out his belly.

"More coming from the right!" Knox warned.

Seven wolves charged at once. We met them head-on. Blood filled our mouth. Some of it was ours. A deep gash opened on our shoulder. Another on our flank. We kept fighting.

Dorian was closer now. Maybe forty yards. His face showed nothing. No fear. No guilt. Nothing.

"I want his throat," Knox growled.

"Get in line."

We lunged at a red wolf blocking our path. Our teeth found his spine. The crack echoed across the battlefield. Thirty-five yards to Dorian now.

"Logan, above!" Knox screamed.

I tried to dodge. Too late.

A gray wolf's jaws clamped onto our neck. The teeth sank deep, finding the artery. Hot blood poured out.

"Get him off!" Knox roared, but his voice was already weaker.

We thrashed and bucked. The gray wolf held on tighter. His teeth dug deeper. More wolves piled on. One grabbed our back leg. Another latched onto our side. We couldn't shake them.

The world started spinning. Our legs buckled.

"Knox?"

"I'm... I'm here. But Logan, we're..."

"I know."

We collapsed. The wolves kept their hold. My blood pooled beneath us, steaming in the cold night air. Each heartbeat sent more spurting out.

"Can't breathe," Knox whispered.

The gray wolf's grip had shifted, crushing our windpipe. Black spots danced in my vision.

"Valencia," I thought, even though the mind link was closed. "I'm sorry."

More weight pressed down. More teeth found flesh. We couldn't move anymore. Couldn't fight. My strength was draining with every drop of blood.

My eyes started closing. The sounds of battle grew distant. Even the pain was fading, replaced by cold numbness.

With the last of my strength, I turned my head toward the castle gates. I needed to see her one more time.

But my vision was too blurry. The world had become shadows and shapes. Everything was going dark.

Something moved at the top of the wall. Something fell? Or jumped? I couldn't tell anymore. My eyes wouldn't focus.

"Valencia?" I tried to say her name, but no sound came out.

The gray wolf's teeth sank deeper. The last of my air escaped in a wet gurgle.

"This is it," Knox whispered, his voice barely there.

My heartbeat slowed. The darkness rushed in from all sides....

Valencia’s POV

I couldn't breathe. My hands gripped the cold stone wall so hard my knuckles turned white. Down below, Logan was dying.

"No, no, no," I whispered, watching the gray wolf's teeth sink deeper into his neck. Blood. So much blood pooling beneath him.

"Leif!" I screamed, spinning toward the gate. "Open it! Now!"

Leif stood frozen, his face pale. "Luna, I can't. It’s Alpha's order."

"I don't care about his orders! He's dying!"

"Luna." Elias grabbed my arm, his grip firm but gentle. His eyes were wet with unshed tears. "We have to follow his command. He told us to protect you."

"Protect me?" I tried to pull away, but he held on. "He's the one who needs protecting! Look at him!"

I pointed at the battlefield. More wolves were piling onto Logan's black form. His movements had stopped. He wasn't fighting anymore.

"Please," I begged Elias. "Please, we have to help him."

"We can't." His voice cracked. "He ordered us to stay. To keep you safe."

"I don't give a shit about safe!" The words tore from my throat. "I want him alive!"

My chest felt like it was being ripped apart. Every heartbeat was agony. This couldn't be happening. Not Logan. Not like this.

Something stirred inside me. The creature. It was moving, angry. It felt my rage, my desperation.

"Luna, step back from the edge," someone said behind me.

I looked down at the twenty-foot drop. Stone ground waited below. The creature inside me was burning with fury. My breathing came faster, harder. My skin felt too tight.

I have to help him.

"OH, NO!"

My feet were already moving. I heard the gasps, the shouts of alarm. Warriors reached for me, but I was too fast. Three steps. That's all it took.

I launched myself off the wall.

Wind rushed past my face. The ground rushed up to meet me. I hit the ground hard.

Pain exploded through my legs, my spine, my skull. Something cracked. Multiple somethings. The world went sideways, then dark around the edges.

"Logan," I whispered, tasting blood in my mouth.

I tried to move. Nothing worked. My legs wouldn't respond. My arms felt like they were made of lead.

Above me, I could hear shouting. Warriors calling my name. But their voices were getting distant, muffled, like I was underwater.

"Logan." His name came out as barely a breath.

Tears ran down my face, hot against my cold skin. I couldn't save him. I couldn't even move. This was how it would end. Him dying out there.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to the darkness creeping in. "I'm so sorry."

My eyes started to close. The pain was fading now, replaced by numbness. Cold numbness that started in my fingers and spread inward.

"Logan..."

The darkness was winning. Pulling me under. My heartbeat slowed, each beat weaker than the last.

I thought I heard something. Shouting? Screaming? But it was too far away. Everything was too far away.

The darkness took me.