The Imprinted Maiden (18+)

Chapter Forty-Five

Nick passed me a rope and said, "Wrap it around his waist and hold on, but not too tight!" I nodded, wrapping the rope around Jericho's waist tenderly before holding onto the ends.

Matthew had done the same while Nick had gotten on a cousin's back without any rope. Before I could question it, The werepanther holding Nick took off faster than I remember any werewolf being. Jericho followed suit so fast that I almost dropped the rope. Instead, I held on tight as the group of panthers ran through the snow.

The wind was fast enough to where it hurt to keep my eyes open, so I shut them and tried my hardest to keep calm. I could hear Matthew yelping and groaning in nervousness, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at him. Nick didn't hold back though, almost cackling as he hooted and hollered.

When I cracked my eyes open, Nick didn't have any problems staying balanced, and I wondered if he still had cat-like balance in him somewhere.

When the werepanthers made a sharp turn, I went back to closing my eyes and focusing on my balance, taking deep breaths when I could.

Now I understood what they meant when they said it wouldn't take us days to get there. With the speed they were going, we might make it in less than a day!

It was foolish hope to think the brothers would be okay, but I was hoping for it regardless.

Whether they knew it or not, their mate was coming for them.

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We had stopped a small distance from the gate that led to the other tribe. Nick had told me that they called themselves the Silver Cliffs pack; they were a smaller pack than the one the brothers' came from, but there were still a lot of wolves regardless.

Nick, Matthew and I got off the panthers' backs and slowly approached the gate. The werepanthers padded behind us, although Jericho had shifted back and walked beside me. He didn't say anything, but after a gentle grip on my shoulder, I glanced up at him and what features I could see on his face were gentle and friendly.

I smiled softly before looking up at the gate as we got closer. I could see werewolves standing at the gate, growling at us as ones from their posts above aimed bows at us.

Nick nudged me forward and I gulped. We talked about getting here, but we never talked about how we'd get in. Matthew gripped my hand firmly, reminding me that he was here for me now.

Smiling a little, I took a deep breath and said, "My name is Lyra Stan and I come from East Mount. Your Alpha is holding my mates captive and I need to speak with him!"

The guards glanced at each other before one disappeared. I tensed up in nervousness, trying to see if I could glimpse through the cracks of the gates. Were they going to send us away?

When the gates started to open, I almost jumped out of my skin. Ahead of me was a trail that eventually split separate ways. Houses weren't exactly lined up, but instead seemed to sit on small hills, and lamps seemed to light up the village.

A guard approached me, frowning in confusion as he said, "Where is your chief?"

"He isn't coming," I said, feeling very nervous. He seemed to stare at me, as if looking for any trace of a lie.

Instead he jerked his head and said, "Follow me." Gripping Matthew's hand tightly, we followed him hesitantly. I felt more relaxed when I found that Nick and his family were allowed to follow as well, and noticed that the guard was taking us uphill.

Hardly anyone was out and about, even though it was an early night, and it seemed as if the only werewolves that could be seen were guards. We began to approach a house that was a bit larger than the rest, and I figured that to be where the alpha stayed. I didn't know much about the pack, and I knew even less about their leader.