Chapter 230: Chapter 230 Wild Wolves Emerge
"Oh, no!" Marcela’s panicked cry pierced through my haze of confusion. Her hands guided me down gently. "Take a deep breath, Phoebe. It’s okay. You will be okay."
Terror gripped me as I stared at the crimson stain spreading across my dress. I tried following Marcela’s instructions, forcing air into my lungs, but my thoughts spun wildly out of control.
Every emotion crashed into me at once—grief, rage, terror, agony—a crushing wave that left me drowning. The helplessness consumed me. I was losing another baby. The second time.
But worse than my own suffering was the knowledge that I’d dragged Marcela and Wade into this nightmare. If anything happened to them because of me, I’d never survive the guilt.
"What’s wrong? What’s happening to the queen?" Wade’s voice cracked with worry as he watched the blood continue to flow. "Is she injured? Where is she hurt?"
Marcela’s head shook frantically. "We have to reach the pack now!" Her healing powers wouldn’t be enough—not for this. I was losing the baby, and there was nothing any of us could do to stop it.
"I know, but..." Wade’s eyes darted behind us, tense with something Marcela couldn’t detect. "We’re out of time. If we all go together, none of us will make it."
"No! I can’t lift her! We leave now! We’re almost there—I’m certain alpha Wallace has his warriors ready!"
Marcela refused to budge on her plan.
She wouldn’t hear of Wade staying behind to buy us time.
"Wade! There’s no point in you remaining here! They’ll slaughter you instantly! You’re completely outnumbered!" Marcela’s words tumbled out in desperation. Multiple enemies would overwhelm him in seconds. "We have to go now! Stop thinking!"
Wade scooped me up, cradling my body as he sprinted to escape the creatures bursting from the undergrowth in pursuit.
With me weighing him down, Wade couldn’t transform into his beast form. His only option was to outrun the danger closing in on us.
The wild wolves’ intervention caught everyone off guard. They launched themselves at our pursuers, buying us precious moments.
It was incredible to witness.
"They..." Marcela’s voice died as more wild wolves emerged to assist us. They materialized from the shadowy brush, their howls and snarls filling the air as they battled the enemies hunting us down.
"Don’t stop!" Wade’s urgent command cut through the chaos. The wild wolves were merely a diversion—they wouldn’t delay our pursuers for long.
The wolves had numbers on their side, but these were shifters we faced. No one could underestimate a shifter in beast form.
"Move faster, Marcela!" Wade shouted, somehow managing to outpace her even while carrying my weight.
Hiding was impossible now. My blood would lead them straight to us.
"I’m trying... I’m trying..." Marcela gasped for air, clearly not built for this kind of escape. She probably hadn’t run this hard in years. Maybe never.
Wade kept glancing back at Marcela as she fell further behind. He couldn’t help her with me unconscious in his arms, my blood soaking through my dress and leaving drops in our wake.
"I can’t... go on ahead. Go!" Marcela panted, her voice weak. She looked ready to collapse, her breathing ragged and her legs barely functioning.
"NO! Marcela! Keep moving!" Wade doubled back immediately, shifting me onto his shoulder so he could grab Marcela’s hand and pull her forward.
My blood made their grip slippery, but Wade held tight.
"Don’t quit! We’re almost there! So close!"
Wade scanned the area, trying to calculate the distance to alpha Wallace’s territory, but staying alive made it impossible to focus on navigation.
Marcela forced herself to match his pace, but she was clearly slowing him down, putting all our lives at risk.
"No, leave me. I can’t. This is... beyond me..." Marcela swayed on her feet, stumbling and bringing Wade down with her, though he shielded my body from the impact.
At that exact moment, one of our enemies broke through and lunged at Wade.
Wade reacted instantly, setting me down and shifting into his beast to face the attacker.
The confrontation was brief but brutal. Wade killed the shifter in just a few swift moves. His reputation as the youngest warrior assigned to this crucial mission was well-earned—he was devastating in beast form.
After the kill, he transformed back and lifted me again. "Come on, Marcela!"
Marcela struggled to her feet and summoned what little energy remained.
But three more enemies caught up to us before we’d gone far. This time, Wade faced impossible odds.
He couldn’t battle them all while protecting both of us. He placed me down again and told Marcela to stay with me.
"Wade, this is..." Marcela wrapped her arms around my unconscious form. She would have carried me if she could, but she was barely managing to support herself.
"I guess this is where it ends." Wade’s smile held no humor. "Looks like I’m going to fail my first mission."
The three enemies circled Wade like predators, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust. Marcela clutched Phoebe’s unconscious body tighter, her heart hammering against her ribs as she watched the young warrior prepare to face impossible odds.
Wade shifted into his beast form, muscles coiling as he sized up his opponents. He was skilled, but three against one would test even his considerable abilities.
The first attacker lunged, and Wade met him head-on, their bodies colliding with brutal force. The sound of claws against flesh filled the air as the other two enemies waited for their opening.
