Page 30 of Alien Prince's Fated Mate

“Hold on.” I pulled Niam closer, weighing our options. The safer route would take us down into the valley, but we’d be exposed. The pass ahead threaded between jagged peaks, barely wide enough for the villart. In this weather...

Niam’s fingers dug into my arm. “They’re getting closer.”

I made my choice. “We’re taking the pass.”

The villart balked as I urged it forward, sensing the danger. But the beast trusted my guidance, picking its way carefully along the treacherous path.

Snow plastered against my face, already freezing in my beard. The wind howled through the peaks, creating an ever-shifting wall of white. Perfect cover from the machines, but it also meant we could miss our way.

Fatally.

Niam pressed back against me, trembling. The Valti within me raged at her discomfort, demanding I find shelter, safety, warmth. But there was nowhere to stop, not with those things hunting us.

The path narrowed further. On our right, the mountain rose in a sheer wall of ice-slicked stone. On our left, empty air. The villart’s hooves sent pebbles skittering into the void.

A particularly fierce gust nearly knocked us off balance. The villart stumbled, front leg slipping on hidden ice. My heart stopped.

“Easy,” I murmured, steadying the beast. “Easy now.”

The mechanical whine of the drones grew louder, closer. How many had they sent after us?

“There!” Niam pointed through the snow. “I see something.”

I squinted where she indicated. Yes - a darker patch against the white. A cave entrance, if we could reach it.

The villart needed no encouragement this time, heading straight for the potential shelter. Three more careful steps, then we were under the overhang. The sudden absence of driving snow left me blinking.

I swung down first, then reached for Niam. Her slim body slid into my arms, cold seeping through her clothes. She stumbled as her feet hit the ground, and I steadied her.

My hands lingered on her waist longer than necessary. The beast approved of her closeness, urging me to pull her even nearer. It was an effort to step back.

“Let me check inside first.”

The cave extended deeper than expected, curving away into darkness. No fresh tracks marked the packed earth floor, no scent of predators. Good.

I led the villart just inside the entrance, where it could rest without blocking our escape route if needed. Then I turned my attention to Niam.

She stood near the wall, arms wrapped around herself, still shaking. Even in the dim light, I saw how the cold had bleached her lips pale.

“Come away from the stone.” I shrugged out of my cloak. “It only makes you colder.”

The mechanical whine passed overhead - once, twice, three times. We both froze, barely breathing, until the sound faded.

“They’ll keep searching,” Niam whispered. “They won’t stop until they find me.”

“Then we’ll make sure they don’t find you.” I draped my cloak around her shoulders, tucking it close. Her scent rose up, mixing with mine on the fabric. “Sit. I’ll get a fire started.”

Moving efficiently, I gathered what supplies had survived the journey. We had food - travel bread, dried meat, some fruit. The villart's saddlebags yielded flint and tinder. Most importantly, a small bundle of firewood had stayed dry.

Soon a modest flame cast dancing shadows on the cave walls. I settled next to Niam, close enough to share warmth without crowding her.

She still shivered.

“Come here.” I opened my arms. When she hesitated, I added, “Body heat. Most efficient way to warm up.”

She considered my words for a while, then scooted closer as I arranged my cloak around us both.

“Better?”

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