The Alpha's Unwanted Bride

Chapter 445: COLLATERAL DAMAGE

”You know what?” He said as he very gently snatched the weird band from the woman.

She gasped.

”I think I’ll just take that back.” He said.

She was startled.

”Why do you want to do that?” She asked.

”I don’t think I’m interested anymore. You’re too Expensive for me.” He said.

She gasped at his words. ”Wel... uhm... what..... fine. You can give me for fifteen wolfang.”

And there it was.

He was a little boy, but he knew adults well enough.

She simply wanted to make him stay.

She opened her palm for him to give the wrist band.

He shook his head. ”No don’t worry. I really am not interested anymore.”

She gasped at him in disbelief.

”Alright ten.” She said.

”No I don’t want it anymore.” He said and then quickly added. ”Thank you.”

Look we don’t do refunds. Once you pay I cannot give you your money back.”

He felt the eyes on him and he further began to panic.

”That’s fine keep the money.” He said as he saw two guards discussing and looking at him.

From the corner of his eyes he saw another set of guards slowly walking around.

Marro’s heart pounded in his ears as he gripped the wrist band tightly. From the corner of his eye, the guards were starting to move toward him, their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons, suspicion written all over their faces.

”Hey, you!” one of them barked, pointing in his direction.

Marro didn’t wait to hear more.

He spun on his heels and darted away from the stall, shoving past people in the crowded market. The woman screamed something after him, but her voice was drowned in the sudden commotion.

”Stop him!” a guard roared.

Marro’s breath hitched as he pushed harder, weaving through startled villagers. Fruits tumbled from baskets, curses rang out, and the guards thundered after him.

He didn’t look back.

He couldn’t.

His legs burned and his lungs screamed, but the fear driving him was greater. He shot down an alley between two stone buildings, vaulted over a cart, and took a sharp turn into a narrow path that led to the forest’s edge.

”Get him!” another voice yelled behind him.

He bolted into the trees, heart racing as branches whipped across his face and arms. The forest welcomed him like an old friend, but he didn’t slow down. He could hear the guards crashing through the underbrush, yelling to each other, but he knew the terrain better.

His friend had once taught him how to move in the wild without being seen.

Now, that lesson was his only hope.

Marro dropped low, ducking behind a thick tree trunk, forcing his breathing to slow. He crawled through ferns, scooting into a hollow beneath a fallen log. The guards rushed past, their boots pounding against the damp soil, shouting to one another in frustration.

He pressed his body flat to the ground and waited, counting every breath until the sounds of pursuit faded into silence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at home, his mother stood at the window, nervously glancing out every few seconds. She had a bad feeling in her chest, one she couldn’t shake. The hour was nearly up.

The front door burst open.

Her heart leapt as her mate stormed inside, his face etched with fury.

”Where is he?” he demanded.

She blinked. ”Who?”

”Marro!” he snapped. ”Where is our son?”

She froze, then lowered her eyes. ”I... I let him go out to play. Just for an hour. He, he wanted to hunt rabbits.”

His voice turned cold. ”You did what?”

She tried to defend herself. ”He’s been locked up for days. He was miserable. I thought....”

”You thought wrong!” he bellowed, slamming a fist into the wall hard enough to crack the plaster. ”There are rumors! Word in the village is that Alpha Hunter’s men are looking for a boy who was seen in the forest ,our forest with a possession stolen from the enemy pack.”

Her blood ran cold.

”No... it can’t be,” she whispered. ”That’s not possible.”

He stepped toward her, towering and angry. ”Did he have anything with him? Something strange? Something he shouldn’t have?”

She hesitated, then gasped. ”A wrist band he took it with him. He kept hiding it from me. I thought it was nothing.”

”Foolish woman!” he roared. ”Do you realize what you’ve done? If they find him? if they catch him, we’ll all be executed. Do you understand? The Alpha Hunter shows no mercy.”

Tears welled in her eyes. ”Then we must find him, bring him home!”

”We can’t,” he said. ”It’s too late. They’ve already reached the outskirts of the village.”

She stiffened. ”No...”

He looked past her, out the window, and cursed. ”They’re here.”

Outside, dark figures were approaching three, maybe four men in armor, and they were moving fast.

”Go,” he said, already moving toward the back. ”Take Fabian. Get out through the back entrance. Head to the river. I’ll hold them off.”

She shook her head, panicking. ”No! You can’t fight them alone-

He turned and grabbed her shoulders firmly. ”Listen to me. Protect our sons. Run, and don’t stop. Do you hear me?”

Her lips trembled. ”But”

He kissed her. Fiercely. Desperately.

Then he shoved open the back door and yelled, ”Fabian! With your mother, now!”

Their older son, barely fourteen, rushed in from the side of the house. He was already trembling. ”What’s happening?”

”Go with her. Protect her,” their father said before running toward the front door.

”No! Please-” she sobbed, but he was already gone.

She pulled Fabian close, and they ran.

At the front of the house, Marro’s father shifted mid-run, fur exploding from his skin, bones cracking as he transformed into a large, dark wolf. He burst from the house with a thunderous snarl and leapt into the oncoming enemies.

The Alpha Hunter’s men were caught off guard by the force of the attack. One of them went down with a scream, his throat torn out. Another was knocked backward into the mud, but more came, blades gleaming.

Marro’s father fought like a wild storm. He took down two more before one of them drove a silver spear into his side.

He howled in pain, staggering.

The last strike came fast — a blade across the throat.

He collapsed with a growl that faded into silence.

In the forest beyond the back path, Marro’s mother stumbled through brambles, clutching Fabian’s hand, tears streaming down her face.

”We’re almost there,” she whispered. ”Just a little further—”

Growls surrounded them.

She froze.

From the trees emerged a group of enemy wolves, their eyes cold and merciless.

”No,” she breathed. ”Please—no—”

Fabian pushed in front of her, trembling but defiant. ”Stay away from her!”

One of the wolves lunged.

He shifted too slowly.

His scream tore through the forest as claws slashed across his chest.

Marro’s mother wailed as Fabian fell, and in that moment, she too shifted, but it was no use. She was outnumbered.

The last thing she saw was the sky above, spinning as she hit the ground.

Blood soaked into the earth.