Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 372

Chapter 372

Andrel’s POV

The Thornwood was just as dark as I remembered.

Tall trees with twisting branches curled up overhead, creating a dense canopy too thick to see the sun through. A heavy mist hung just above the forest floor, the air so cool and thick that it dampened all sound.

Each turn in the path seemed to lead us in circles, even as we followed the path we’d carefully set ourselves on. The warriors hardly dared to speak. Every faint sound, every rustle of decaying leaves, felt like a death sentence.

But on we trudged.

We had to ditch the cars a long time ago, when the forest became too thick to drive through. No axe could cut through these thick, thorny vines. All we could do was slowly work our way through the dead forest, hoping that we would reach our destination before the ground swallowed us whole.

We finally stopped to rest and make camp around nightfall–the time of day which was only indicated by the sudden darkening of the air around us, turning it into a pitch black instead of a muted gray.

We set up several tents, not too many to manage packing up quickly in the morning, and didn’t dare to start fires. The warriors weren’t happy having to eat their canned rations cold, but we all understood that a fire could attract unwanted attention–not to mention the fact that this forest was so fucking thick with dry, dead underbrush that the embers could start a wildfire in an instant.

Damon and I set up our tent at the center of the encampment, where we spread out maps and plans across the dirt floor. My back ached from carrying a pack heavy with weapons and supplies all day, and all I wanted to do was lay down and rest, but there was no time.

“Judging from our current location, we should be able to reach the greater Bloodmoon compound before nightfall tomorrow,” Damon said, pointing at the big red “X” that marked the compound on our map. Just a few months ago, this location on the map was touted as nothing but uninhabited forest. Oh, how wrong we had been.

“We should strike as soon as possible,” I said. “Set up a camp a few miles out and march in.”

My brother nodded. “I’ll assign my warriors to the eastern flank of the compound–hit the gate on that side. Last time we were here together, I noticed that that gate was slightly less guarded.”

“Yeah. It leads out to a deep ravine that’s cut through by a fast–flowing creek. They use the natural deterrent of that ravine to their advantage.” I glanced up at Damon through my eyebrows. “Can you march thirty warriors through there without creating a scene?”

“Without creating a scene?” Damon snorted. “I’m not sure if stealth is on our side here, Andrei. We already make enough of a ruckus in these godforsaken woods as it is.”

“Do you think they already know we’re coming?” I asked.

t

Damon hesitated, gnawing on his lip. We both knew the answer to that question, and it was that it was very likely that they already knew we were coming. If Helena truly took over Bloodmoon, then she had no shortage of scouts who knew the Thornwood better than anyone.

The scouts had likely already seen us and were just waiting for us to exhaust ourselves by trudging all the way to them. It would tire our forces out and allow them to not have to leave the compound.

But it wasn’t the battle itself that we intended to win; if the Bloodmoon warriors already had ruby weapons, then we would have been at an extreme disadvantage anyway, regardless of everything else.

1/3

“We just need to distract them long enough to leave their little queen exposed,” I mittered, holding my heother’s

gaze.

Damon nodded and pointed at the map. “One of my scouts said he spotted a trail leading foward the northern gate this way. Our assassins might be able to pick their way through. Once they get into the compound, though, it could be an immediate slaughter.”

“Well, then we’ll just have to keep that from happening.” I straightened, cracking my neck with a few satisfying pops, then reached for the canteen of water sitting beside me. “My suggestion still stands.”

“Andrei, sneaking into the compound like that could be suicide,”

Damon gave me a warning look, but I shrugged him off. I had already suggested going in myself and finishing off Helena on my own. I was typically a frontline fighter, but I’d always excelled in stealth.

“I could do it,” I muttered.

“Can you? Or are you just going on a fool’s mission because you’re pissed off and want revenge?”

My throat bobbed. Typical Damon, always seeing right through my facade; he was right, of course. “She sent my fucking pregnant wife and children out into the Thornwood alone,” I growled. “Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, she-”

“I know.” Damon’s face darkened. “Trust me, the nonsense with those assassins pisses me off more than you know. I still feel protective over Natalia, after everything.”

ܙܙ

I clenched my teeth together so hard I thought they might crack. The sight of Natalia sitting there in her blood- stained nightgown, staring at that assassin’s body… The bedroom should be one place that she felt safe. Protected.

And that fucker had pissed all over that. He had snuck in, terrorized her in her own bed, not to mention killed a well–trusted warrior in the process.

All because fucking Helena wanted Natalia for some reason. Likely to torture her. If there was one thing I had learned about Helena, it was that she didn’t seem to like losing her punching bags.

Damon, seeing the resolve on my face, finally nodded and sighed. “Fine. But I’m going with you.”

“You? Damon, you need to be with—”

“I need to be with my brother,” Damon cut me off firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. “We spent too many years hating each other, Andrei. I’ve only just gotten to know you. I’m not letting you piss off and die by yourself. Besides, it’s not fair for you to be the only one to go out in a blaze of glory.”

I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t quite seem to help the small smile that tugged at my lips at that.

And so it was settled. By the next morning, our decision had only further solidified. We quickly packed up camp and continued trudging through the forest; it was slow going again, and exhausting, but uneventful.

But it was around midday that it happened.

Damon froze suddenly, holding up his hand to silence the conversation behind us. For a long moment, there was nothing but the quietness of the dense forest. Not even so much as the rustle of a leaf.

“Down!” Damon suddenly shouted.

I ducked just as an arrow whizzed past my ear with a high–pitched whistle and slammed into the tree behind me.

Its tip was encrusted with a single, glowing ruby.