Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 407

Andrei’s POV

The guard’s spear gleamed in the dim light as he thrust it toward my chest. I dodged left, my paws slipping on the icy stone. The cliff’s edge was just a few feet away. One wrong move and I would plunge into the abyss below.

He jabbed again. This time I lunged forward, aiming my fangs at his throat, but he brought the spear’s shaft down across my skull. Pain exploded through my head. I stumbled, my vision blurring for a second. The edge of the cliff loomed closer.

The guard went for another stab. Somehow, pure instinct taking over, I recovered and ducked under its swing. I launched myself at his legs, sinking my teeth into his calf. He screamed, the sound echoing off the mountain walls, and brought the spear down again. This time it caught me across the ribs. I heard something crack.

The pain was white–hot and momentarily blinding. But I didn’t let go.

I wrenched my head to the side, tearing through muscle and sinew. The guard’s leg buckled beneath him. He went down hard, and then I was on him in an instant, jaws clamping around his throat.

He gurgled. Struggled. His fists pounded against my sides, my head, anywhere he could reach. One blow caught me right where the spear had struck, and I nearly let go from the agony that shot through my body.

But I held on. I dug my fangs in deeper, feeling his pulse flutter and then fade beneath my tongue. His struggles grew weaker and weaker, and then they stopped altogether.

Once he stopped twitching, I released him, panting. Blood dripped from my muzzle, steaming in the frigid air. My ribs screamed with each inhale, but I was alive. That was what mattered.

The guard’s body lay sprawled at the entrance to the stronghold. I shifted back to human form, hissing at the transformation pulling at my injuries. My ribs were definitely fractured, but I could manage.

I grabbed the guard’s uniform and yanked it off his body. The fabric was thick and lined with fur–designed for this brutal climate. I quickly wrapped my abdomen with the gauze I’d brought, wincing at the pressure on my ribs, then pulled the uniform on quickly. The boots were just a touch too small, but I forced my feet into them anyway. The last part was the helmet. It had blood inside of it, which I wiped out with

a spare piece of cloth from

the first aid kit before I put it on.

Once I was dressed, I dragged the guard’s body to the edge of the cliff and shoved it over. I watched it disappear into the white void below, then turned back to the door. I stashed my pack between two rocks and stepped inside.

Warmth immediately washed over me. The corridor beyond was carved from the mountain itself, the walls smooth and polished and flickering from the light of the torches. It was beautiful, but now was no time for ogling the masonry.

I moved quickly, keeping my head down and my steps purposeful. I acted like I belonged here, like I knew where I was going. No one paid me more than a second glance.

As I hurried through the corridors, I reached out through the mate bond, searching for Natalia. If I could contact her, then maybe she could guide me to her. But there was nothing. Just… silence.

My stomach dropped. I tried again, pushing harder, and finally felt something far away–her pulse. It was too far to reach out, but I could sense it. She was alive, but why was it so hard to reach her?

1/2

Chapter 407

+25 Bonus

Whatever it was, I would have time to ponder on it later. For now, I supposed I would have to find her the old fashioned way.

I kept moving, passing through corridors and chambers that grew increasingly opulent. Tapestries. Marble statues. The wealth on display was staggering. Obscene, even, and definitely not acquired by normal means.

Just as I was reaching for Natalia through the bond again to no avail, a pair of guards rounded the corner ahead. I kept walking, keeping my pace steady. They didn’t even glance at me. Good. The uniform was working.

But as I passed another intersection, a different guard stepped into my path. He was older than the others and not wearing a helmet. His eyes narrowed as he looked me over.

“You,” he said. “I don’t recognize you.”

My heart rate spiked, but I kept my voice steady as I replied, “Just transferred in. From Bloodmoon.”

“Bloodmoon?” He crossed his arms. “I wasn’t told about any transfers.”

“It was a bit chaotic after the battle. I took verbal orders. Paperwork probably didn’t go through yet.” I moved to step past him, but he blocked my path again.

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