Alpha King Xavier - Chapter 85: Chapter 85

We continued to walk deeper into the forest. Beatrice had two squirrels in her hand, and well, I have just one rabbit.
It should be almost five in the evening now, judging by the weather.
“I must say that I'm tired,” Beatrice said suddenly, with a little yawn.
We are the only ones on the way now, and we haven't seen or heard any other pregnant women for hours now.
“When are we supposed to stop now?”
“Well, we need to reach the finish line before 6. The time should be a bit over five now.”
I looked at Beatrice, a bit awed. “How did you know that?”
“The howl we heard the other time. It tells everyone the time. What better way can it be? Everyone would hear the howl. The last time we had it, it was five o'clock,” she explained.
Truthfully, we've been hearing it for a while now. I thought it were the other men on the other hunting ground.
“So, we have less than an hour to get to the finish line? And I'm having just a rabbit with me?”
Beatrice laughed. “Perhaps we can see more to hunt on the way.”
Well, anyhow. I shouldn't be concerned, by the way. I'm not even Gwen. It doesn't matter if I spoil her reputation. She and her mate already spoilt mine.
“Your majesty,” Beatrice called suddenly. “It's a possum!” She announced, pointing at the animal in the nearby tree. “Let's kill that one and add it to yours.”
I nodded quickly, a smile suddenly playing on my face.
Suddenly, it felt like something was coming towards me. It was just like an instinct, like the other day when Rick threw the knife at me.
I lurched forward, pulling Beatrice with me.
We went down as a dagger hit the tree in front of us, making the possum run away.
Beatrice's eyes widened with shock. “What! Who threw the dagger?”
We both looked back, but there was nobody there.
Could it have been a mistake? Perhaps someone was hunting close to us.
I looked back at Beatrice. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I'm just bleeding,” she explained and stared at her hand. “But I will heal soon anyway.”
She must have used her hand when I pushed her down the other time.
I got up and helped her up.
“Thank you so much, your Majesty. You saved my life again,” Beatrice smile widened.
Even though I didn't know who she was, I could see her sincerity through the smile.
“Looks like the possum is gone. We might as well just forget it.”
“Then I will give you a squirrel here,” Beatrice revealed with a laugh.
I started to laugh too, as I shook my head. “I won't be collecting that from you. You killed it; you earned it. I will submit my rabbit,” I told her.
“Then I will kill something else for you," she was saying as she turned around to leave, but she stopped almost immediately.
The animals she was holding dropped from her hands.
“Y_your majesty," she called softly.
Had she seen another animal we could hunt?
Just as I took a step forward, she dropped to the floor.
My eyes widened as I bent beside her. “Are you alright? What happened?”
She slowly shook her head. “I can't move, your Majesty.”
What!
“I can't move. My heart is_” She stopped suddenly, and her eyes went closed.
What just happened?
“Beatrice!” I called, but she didn't answer. I checked her pulse. She was only breathing faintly. Her temperature was suddenly hot too.
What was happening to her?
Then, realisation hit me so fast. The dagger!
Before I could do something, my nose twitched suddenly, signifying I wasn't alone.
I turned back to look at who the intruders were. Several women were suddenly standing behind me and giving me an icy look.
“Who are you? What have you done to Beatrice?”
Even as I was asking the questions, I could see them shift. It was so fast—it was as if butter were melting.
On a cue, I took to my heels, dropping the rabbit in my hand.
I knew this. I actually knew this was going to happen. Someone set a trap for me as well. They were going to kill me and make it look like I died mistakenly while hunting.
These people are desperate. They kidnapped Gwen, and now they will stop at nothing to kill me as well because I look like her.
One of the wolves leapt forward, stopping right in front of me. It was brown, with black eyes.
I scented them. They weren't rogues. They didn't have matted fur as well. They must work for one of the Alphas.
I turned away quickly to take the other side, only to realise I'd been caught in a circle. There was nowhere to turn to but to fight.
Though I'm not sure if I was going to win against them. But I still have to fight.
One of the wolves lurched forward and slammed me against the tree. I didn't see that one coming.
Before I could think twice, another one had picked me up and hit me against the tree close by.
A serious headache set in.
My gaze searched around me as they approached me. I made the trees nearby start to fall. It felt on three, but the others were fast enough to avoid it.
They were suddenly twelve in numbers, or had I counted them wrong the other time?
“Get up, Autumn,” a voice said suddenly.
My gaze searched around again. There was a lady in their midst. She hadn't shifted. She hesitated briefly before she started to walk towards me.
I couldn't see her clearly because of the blood still oozing from my head. But then I could feel the wound quickly closing up.
She stopped a few feet away, allowing me to look at her now. I haven't seen her before, though. How did she know I am Autumn?
“You are not pregnant. Why then are you not shifting?”
I was shocked.
“Or aren't you an omega?”
Angrily, I pulled one of the broken trees in her direction. It hit her and slammed her against the tree. That caught her unaware as well.
The other wolves have advanced towards me now. If they attack at once, I'm not sure I would be able to take them down.
“Riley,” I called fearfully. “Are you there?”
“We need to take them down. Even without your wolf, you can do this.”
Actually, I don't think I can. These wolves are strong and very fast.
“Hey!” A deep voice called suddenly.
My heart skipped a beat. What! That sounded like Xavier!
I didn't know; maybe it was because I suddenly wish he could come now, just as he had shown up the other day at the meeting room.
But this time, it's not even possible. The Alpha hunt ground was separate and farther from here.
Besides, we've been walking for a while now. We have gone far from where he can easily reach.
I was suddenly slammed against the tree again. These wolves are too fast.
Suddenly, I was pinned to the ground with strong arms. My nose twitched again as several scents tried to fight their way through my nostrils.
I struggled again, as I mentally made all the trees around us start to fall again.
Suddenly, the one holding me from behind me was suddenly gone.
“Hey you! You will learn to pick up on someone of your size!” A deep masculine voice suddenly screamed.
Yet again, it sounded exactly like Xavier.
I was forced to look up, and I seriously wasn't expecting what I saw.
Xavier was standing in between the fallen trees, and he was looking at me. His expression was solid and unreadable.
How? How did he find me?
“I will kill you all for messing with my mate!” He swore in a deep voice yet again, but this time it was accompanied by lighting.
The sound of it made the wolves shiver.
Then he jumped up, towards me, as fur started to cover him.
I was too dumbfounded to say a word.