Page 69 of Owned By Four Alphas

“Good luck, boys,” said Elian, before melting out of sight into shadow. Malek nodded, settling on his paws, eyes fixed on the entrance up ahead.

Ronan shook his head, teeth gnashing. “Let’s go get our girl.”

Kaelen was first through the narrow entrance, launching himself from the small step and up into the air, muscles twisting and enlarging until his dragon swept through the air. Ronan followed, leaping into the cavern, instantly assessing the danger.

The cavern was enormous, larger than any hall Ronan had seen, carved entirely from rock. And instantly at the far end, Ronan saw the true danger.

A great pair of doors, chains thicker than an oak falling to the floor at its feet, with thunderous, screeching echoes, groaning as it slowly swung open.

Kaelen bellowed above him, shooting towards the doors, muscles bracing as he collided with the heavy stone. His wings beat furiously behind him as his claws embedded into the rock, trying with all his strength to keep them closed.

The members of the Order, maybe fifty of them, maybe more, yelled in shock and began to flock into formation, assembling weapons and a barricade around something.

AroundSelena.

Because there she was, maybe five hundred paces away, trembling on all fours as she screamed and panted, her muscles contracting. The scent of his mate in pain, in distress, scared and vulnerable, was enough to make him lose all sense.

With a ferocious roar he lunged forward, claws sparking against the stone, heading straight for the mass of Order members.

He never saw the spear coming from the side.

Like fire it struck him, lancing through his hind leg, cleaving through skin and muscle.

He bellowed in shock and pain, flipping over, instinctively pulling. But the spear was tipped in barbs, barbs that burnt like hot coals, and in his panic they embedded themselves further into his flesh. Looking up, his mind a swirling vortex of confusion and rage, he saw the spear was connected to a metal chain, launched from a carefully hidden alcove carved into the rock.

He started towards it with a snarl, but another burst of agony hit his flank on the other side, ripping through him and catching him like a hook.

Then another hit him, this time in the foreleg, then another in the stomach.

“Heave!” someone yelled, and the spears were pulled tight, forcing him to the ground, pinning him there unable to wrench himself free.

“Ronan!” Kaelen bellowed, his claws scrabbling against the stone, barely managing to keep the door closed.

“Now!” the same voice yelled, and from between the sweeping robes of the Order members a trebuchet glimmered into appearance, firing a projectile towards Kaelen. He roaredin shock, ripping his claws from the door just in time to miss the projectile, but another one caught him as he reared away, spinning out over him and dragging him to the ground.

A net. A net of iron that only wound around him tighter as he thrashed and writhed, trying to break free.

“Kaelen!” Selena cried, groaning in pain, helpless to do anything but watch.

The male was there, by her side. Castien. He knelt near her, rubbing her back, his eyes flashing between her and the roaring dragon.

Ronan snarled, trying to stagger to his feet, but the spears tightened against his skin forcing him back down to the floor with a grunt.

The doors began to grind open, fire and lava spewing from the gap. Ronan could only make out a shadowed pit plunging deep into the earth. From within it, something roared, the clanging of great chains rumbling through the very ground beneath them.

Ronan’s throat seized in fear.

Theldir.

The Order members swelled and cheered, some falling to their knees, some chanting and raising their hands to their god. Their red robes glowed almost incandescently in the fiery light spilling from the great prison beyond the doors.

“It’s almost time!”

“My lord! My god of fire and death, come to deliver us!”

“Can we kill the babe, set him free?”

“No! Not until it has been born.”

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