Chapter 25
Lambda paced nervously watching the women from a distance. Verona made it up the tree and over the wall no problem. Natya took a bit longer, but Vallie, his perfect, strong Vallie, got that poor, injured woman up a tree and over the wall.
He cursed the damn wall that he could not help her.
Now, all that was left was for Vallie to cross back into wolf territory, where security would pick her up and take her safely back to Luven.
He would try, of course, to get back over the wall. But, after what it did to him on the way in, Lambda knew the odds of him successfully getting over it were slim. More likely, he’d end up a heap of unconscious wolf flesh at the base of the wall, waiting for the dragons to find him. There was a small chance since he didn’t murder anyone, he’d be punished rather than executed, but seeing as he freed not one but two of their pets, execution seemed much more likely.
But, it wouldn’t matter. Vallie would be safe. His mate would live a long, safe life in Luven with her sister. She had a chance to be happy.
But, fuck, if his heart didn’t feel twisted into a knot at the thought of everything he wouldn’t get with her. No long nights, no late mornings, no holidays or children or years and years of quiet days. It was a cruel fate, to meet her and leave so quickly, but Lambda wouldn’t have traded a moment with her for a decade without.
Perhaps the Moon Goddess, or fate, required a price for his father’s actions. His father hadn’t given his mother a choice, so Lambda was given the worse set of circumstances, with only one choice. Vallie would survive, no matter what, even if it meant he sacrificed himself.
“Lambda!” Vallie yelled.
Fuck, she was running to him. Why wasn’t she over the wall? She needed to get to safety before he could attempt to join her, as fruitless as it was.
He took a few steps forward, testing his reaction. He didn’t feel the wall yet, but its presence was like a looming storm cloud, and he was waiting for the first lightning strike.
“What are you doing? Let’s go!” she yelled. Vallie skidded to a stop and grabbed his hands. “Come on.”
Lambda shook his head. “You need to get over first. Then I’ll make a run for it.”
“Lambda, that’s ridiculous. You could pass out halfway up the tree and knock yourself unconscious. I’m not leaving—”
“Shh!” Lambda grabbed Vallie and put her behind him, turning to face Balaur.
Dragons. He could smell them on the air. He pricked his ears. They weren’t on top of them, but if he could smell them, they could probably smell him. They’d be here soon.
“The dragons are coming. You need to go,” he turned to Vallie. “As soon as you are over the wall, I’ll make a run for it, see if I can manage.”
“Fuck you,” Vallie answered. “We are going together, or we are sitting here until the dragons find us and drag us back to the keep to hang us. I’m not leaving you, Lambda. So stop acting like a martyr and let’s get your heavy ass over that wall.”
“This isn’t a joke, Vallie. They could kill you.”
“They could kill you, too!” she shouted. She looked at the wall. “We’re going together and I’m not backing down.”
“Why won’t you listen to me and keep yourself safe?” he growled.
Vallie raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Seems like the Moon Goddess thought you needed a woman who had her own mind.” She wove her fingers through his. “Lambda, I’m not leaving you. You are my mate. You owe me a good life, a life with lots of happiness and orgasms, if I’m not mistaken. You promised, and you’ll find I’m not the kind of mate who let’s someone break promises.” She took a deep breath and looked at the wall. “I’m going to run back to the wall and climb up to the branch. The second, and I mean the actual moment, I touch that branch, you sure as hell better be hauling ass to me. Take a running leap and grab onto my hands. Try to stay conscious.”
“If I can’t, you need to leave me.”
“Again, fuck you. I’m not leaving you, so keep your mind awake, Lambda. If you’re a heap on the ground, I’ll be throwing my back out trying to get you up that tree. So, stay awake.”
Lambda looked at her, this fierce, stubborn, pain in the ass, beautiful woman. “I love you, Vallie.”
“I know. I’ll say it back once you make it to the other side,” she teased. She pressed a kiss against his mouth, then released him. “The moment I touch the branch,” she reminded.
“I’ve got it.”
She nodded once and took off running.
Lambda took some deep breaths. He had to make it now. He couldn’t fail and sacrifice Vallie to the dragons. That was worse than anything. His mate needed a good life, and she was determined to have it with him.
If they weren’t in such dire circumstances, he would have taken her to the ground and shown her exactly how that made him feel. His wolf clamored at the thought, pressing hard against his mind.
“Stay down a little longer,” he mumbled. If it did come to a fight with the dragons, he needed his wolf to burst forth like the monster it was and slay as many as possible.
He watched Vallie run, her form cutting through the space like a huntress of old stories. She made it to the tree, shook out her hands, and began her ascent. She was slower this time. Hell, she had a terrible injury but had pressed on and on. She should be half-dead on the ground, but his mate was strong. She climbed the tree, her hands on the bark as if it didn’t pain her.
She reached her hand to the low branch.
The moment she made contact, Lambda ran. If anything, he needed to be there if she fell. He needed to throw her over the wall before she could fight him over it.
He felt the silver hit him a moment later. It wasn’t strong yet, wasn’t like when he crossed it a few days earlier. Right now, it felt like a warning. The wall was chiding him, ‘Turn back, silly wolf. This isn’t the place for you’ like he was some child in need of reprimanding.
He pushed through, keeping his eyes on Vallie. She was on the branch now, her legs wrapping around it and positioning herself to reach down to him. In half a minute he’d be there.
The warning screamed now. He could feel nausea building in his stomach. But he couldn’t listen. He couldn’t put Vallie in that sort of danger. His knees tightened, but he kept running.
He couldn’t stop now even if he wanted. Everything he wanted for his life was so close, just over that damn wall of silver. He couldn’t give up. Not while he still had a beating heart.
He picked up his pace and sprang as high as he could up the tree, grasping onto the wood. His vision went, replaced with fat, black spots in every corner. He kept climbing though.
“I’m right here!” Vallie screamed. “Grab my hands! Get to me, Lambda!”
He reached out wildly, waving his arm around until she grabbed onto his wrist. He dug his feet into the tree and pushed with every ounce of strength he had left.
His consciousness wavered, teased him—wouldn’t it be lovely to let it take over? To let this feeling float into nothingness? To fail but sink into the blanket of emptiness.
“LAMBDA!” Vallie screamed.
No. She had both hands on him now. And he wouldn’t let her fail. He pushed on, grabbed the branch, and heaved himself over it.
And then, it all disappeared.