Page 44 of The Alpha Wolf's Pregnant Bride

I get to my feet and pull up my jeans when he snaps back toward me, eyes narrowing as if rage fuels his vision.

“Hurry up!” he roars. “Please, Cassie!”

The “please” is what strikes me, prompting me to take a step to him and cup his face with both hands.

“Cyrus, what's going on? Talk to me, p-please,” I croak, my bottom lip worrying while I stare into his eyes.

“Cassandra…” he begins, then sighs. “There's no time to explain. The pack is in danger, and I need to go.” With regret flashing in his eyes, Cyrus peels my hands from his face and turns away.

“I'm coming with you,” I declare firmly. “If—”

“No!” he bellows, snapping back around. “You're going home, Cassandra.” He steps forward, and this time, he's the one who cradles my cheek. “I won't let you go out there. I won't let you risk your life. Go home. Please. I need you to be safe.”

The troubled look contorting his face is what amplifies his conviction, and it tugs my heartstrings with the realization that Cyrus actually cares about me.

He cares about my safety.

I nod, watching as he shifts into wolf form and runs toward the edge of the cliff. He glances over his back, wolf eyes apologetic, before he leaps over the cliff to rush to the aid of the others.

I quickly gather my senses and invoke my wolf to take me back home as fast as I can. After tonight, my trust in Cyrus has been reinstated.

Not because we'd shared passion on the mountain but because of the deep concern and care I witnessed when he begged me to go back home before rushing off to protect the pack.

I might not know the details of the dangers that lurk on our borders while the howls of the Moon Shine wolves rage on in the distance. But one thing is for sure: I am confident that we'll be safe as long as Alpha Cyrus is out there protecting us.

Protecting me.

It seems I was wrong about him. I won't let my ego get in the way anymore. Cyrus Rudolph has just proven to be the man I always knew he could be, the man I'd been holding out for, who I'd finally given in to.

Chapter 12 - Cyrus

A montage of tonight's events plays out like a projection in my mind as I sprint toward the north border. My resolve is strengthened, and my will is determined to keep the pack safe.

To keep Cassandra safe.

All I see is the brown depths of her eyes, the pathways to the soul I touched tonight, etched into my mind and serving as my purpose. The image of her serves as the driving force of my wolf paws as I speed through the forest, navigating the path to our border with finesse and determination.

I must keep her safe. That aching need to protect her, to keep her safe, has turned into the sole purpose of my soul. Every heartbeat and every breath becomes attuned to this purpose, and it fuels my power, adding adrenaline to the already powerful Alpha blood in my veins.

I'm faster on my paws now, sprinting forward until I see my werewolves giving chase toward the river. A handful of alien wolves are faster and more agile as they're being chased, leaping over the river toward the edge of the Moon Shine border.

“They're outnumbered!”I call out mentally to my wolves as I approach the group hastily. The rogue wolves on our territory aren't stopping to fight. Their group is too small for the likes of the Moon Shine border patrol that chases them.

I sprint even faster, my paws feather-light and powerful as I break away from my group and make for the pack of rogues.

Leaping over a log, my sharp nails distend from my front paws as I swipe through the air, slicing through the back of a greasy-furred gray rogue. It whimpers from the pain, the impactof my claw throwing it off-course as its knees buckle and it skitters to the ground.

“Gotcha!” I mentally chide, slowing down and looming over the rogue. Up ahead, the other rogues stop and turn while my wolves slow down.

It all happens in a split second, a ghastly fight ensuing when the rogue I knocked down rises to his feet and lunges at me. Chaos filled with slashing claws and snapping teeth follows, but I nimbly dodge the rogue's attack while the rest of Moon Shine takes on the other rogues.

A thunderous roar leaves my chest, my tongue lapping over my muzzle as I sink back on my hind legs before powerfully thrusting forward. The rogue swiftly dodges my sharp canines; its reflexes are smooth as if it wields some kind of supernatural power that makes it faster.

I understand now, facing off with the rogues firsthand, how they'd been able to capture an Alpha as strong as Dorian Walker. Our only advantage is our numbers when more Moon Shine wolves join the fight.

“Watch out, Alpha!”Jarrod warns when I see him emerging from the shadows. The gray wolf is down, but I'm not fast enough to intercept a sneak attack that comes from the left.

Yelping when I'm knocked in the ribs, it's the Beta who pounces forward and plants himself between the rogue and where I kick my hind legs back to standing. My Beta glances at me, my nod signaling our joint attack when we spring forward and each slice through the ribcage of the rogue. It cries out in pain but barely seems fazed when it regains steadiness in its paws and howls at the others.

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