Page 45 of Bound to Four Alphas

“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” she said, tears in her eyes as she helped him sit, her hands flitting over his various scrapes, her scent spiked with fear. “Kaelen, Malek, are they okay? What if they need help?”

“The humans have handed Kaelen his own weapon on a silver platter, they’ll be fine. The King of Embers is aptly named,” Elian said, wrapping his arms around her, heart pounding in his throat.

“Ronan,” Selena wept, digging her hands into his fur, “Ronan, are you hurt? Please tell me you’re not hurt!”

“I’m alright, sweetness,” Ronan replied, though his voice was tight, “Just hold on.”

They reached the gates in moments, the mighty doors into the mountain still closed firmly. Ronan bellowed in frustration and Elian’s brow furrowed. Where the fuck were his people? Phaendar had watchers crawling all over the mountain, there was no way they’d have missed a fucking dragon.

“Elian,” Ronan said, his voice tight with warning. “Kaelen and Malek won’t be able to hold them off for long, not in their state.”

Elian slid off Ronan’s back and ran to the gate, running his hands over it, sending a few pathetic wisps of magic through the crack. “They’ll be here. They’ll open the gate.”

Selena’s eyes were wide. “You can’t open them?”

“There should be sentinels,” Elian replied, frustration gripping him. “The magic guarding the border is strong. I should know, I helped weave it.”

Ronan growled, “What’s the plan, Benellane?”

The sounds of fighting were getting closer, and Elian whipped his head around, desperately trying to work out another route. Over the mountain perhaps? But there was no way Kaelen could carry them all. Round? No, it would take too long.

He bellowed in anger, kicking the door. Snapping branches and pounding feet got closer, the warning roar of a dragon approaching.

He had seconds.

But then, just as Malek broke free of the trees and Kaelen soared over the canopy, soldiers racing after them, the gate cracked open.

Elian nearly wept at the familiar face that greeted him.

“Inside,” she said, pulling the gate wider, “quickly!”

He held the gate open as Ronan thundered through, followed by Malek, and finally Kaelen who transformed mid-air and hit the stone of the bridge beyond with a sickening thud.

Just as the soldiers were close enough to swing their swords at him, Elian darted inside and slammed the gate shut, the magical barrier snapping back into place.

They all stopped, panting and groaning in pain, Selena weeping openly at Kaelen’s injured form. Ronan dropped to the ground, letting her roll off and throw herself over Kaelen, begging and pleading with him to be alright.

Kaelen raised a bloodied arm and wrapped it around her, pulling her close. Ronan transformed back into his human skin, clothes muddy and torn, and she held a hand out for him to come closer, eyes full of tears. He obliged, crouching beside her to check over Kaelen, wincing at his own wounds.

Malek too dragged himself over, shadowy blood dripping from his teeth, black eyes half-wild and lost to the beast within.

But they were a pack. Even without full control of himself, Elian knew Malek wouldn’t hurt them.

He turned back to the beautiful Fae maiden who had let them in, tears gathering in her eyes as she looked him up and down.

“Elian!” she sobbed, launching herself toward him, her blonde curls spilling over his arms as he caught her.

The force knocked the air out of his lungs, and he staggered back a few steps. “I don’t know what you’re crying about,” he said with a wince, nevertheless glad to breathe in her familiar scent. “I’m the one who’s injured. Typical omega.”

She pulled back and lightly swatted him on the arm but quickly moved to checking him for wounds.

“I’m fine,” he insisted, but she batted his hands away.

“You’re not, you’ve nearly drained yourself, I can sense it! You are such anidiot,Elian!”

“Elian,” Ronan interrupted, his face pulled into a scowl. “Who’s this?”

He glanced over at his pack, a stab of guilt at Selena’s crestfallen face as she looked over the female next to him. He probably should have explained before letting the meddlesome thing paw over his injuries in front of his mate.

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