"That's none of your concern," says the alpha over the sound of hooves.
He's leaning into me as we put space between us and the castle, and I feel his hard body against my back. Trees loom up on either side of us.
"It will be our concern if the bastards come after us," says the red-haired man. "I happen to like my balls attached to my body."
"I don't know why," replies the alpha. "You hardly ever use them."
The musky smell of horse floods my nose, mixing with the scent of damp earth. I cling on to a ridge at the front of the saddle, knuckles wet and white, my thighs gripping the beast for dear life as it jolts forward. The spindly winter-worn branches overhead provide little shelter from the wind and the rain, yet I'm not cold.
I do not know whether it is the body behind me that keeps me warm, emanating heat even though he is only wearing a sodden shirt. Or the fur he wrapped around me. Or perhaps it's the speed of my heartbeat, pumping blood laced with adrenaline through my veins.
Whatever it is, I think it is also keeping the fear I should be feeling at bay, too. Because I'm being kidnapped by the enemy, and I don't even care. In fact, with each tree we put between us and the castle, another knot in my chest seems to untangle. There will be time for fear and panic, I'm sure. Now I feel as if I'm flying through the darkness.
I'm a prisoner. But I'm free. And I wonder how both of these things can be true at the same time, yet know they are.
The red-haired man glances at me again. "She's a beauty, for sure. That doesn't mean you can just swipe the lass. What's the king going to say?"
"What makes you think I didn't take her on the king's orders?" says the alpha, and I stiffen. "Not your king," he adds in a whisper against my cheek.
I frown, confused. There is only one king—unless you count the false king my brother is fighting a war against over on the continent. And surely the Wolves are too unruly, too disorganized, to be fighting for him.
"Because I happen to know what the king ordered us to take from the castle. And I know it wasn't a bonnie lass in her nightgown." He meets my eyes. "Who are you? And don't let this big oaf frighten you."
"I'm not afraid," I say.
My voice is quiet. It is drowned by the hooves pounding the forest floor, and the wind rustling the branches, but the wolf's eyes latch onto mine curiously.
It must be true what they say about Wolves having hearing stronger than the gods intended.
I shiver.
"She's none of your concern." The alpha's tone is firm.
"She's the princess, Fergus," Magnus drawls behind us.
A smile spreads on Fergus's face, too big to be genuine. "Tell me he's joking. Tell me you didn't kidnap the daughter of the king. Because I know—I know—you're not that much of a hot-headed fool."
The alpha shrugs behind me. His body feels relaxed—despite the jolting of the horse and his hard muscles.
"For the love of the Goddess!" roars Fergus. "Put her down!"
"It's a bit late for that," says the alpha.
"They'll have our hides for this," says Fergus.
"They'll have your hides if they catch you anyway," I mutter under my breath.
I feel the soft laugh in the alpha's chest. Fergus looks sharply at him.
"This is madness," says Fergus, exasperated. "They'll come after us."
"Aye, probably."
"What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that seeing as we can't find what it is we're looking for, the princess can be used as leverage to get it."
"Oh, aye? Because it seems to me it's not just young Ryan who's making reckless decisions based on his cock tonight."
My heart thumps a little faster at the impropriety of what he's suggesting. The alpha promised that no one would touch me. I assumed that meant him too.
The alpha says nothing.
"See sense!" roars Fergus. "Put her back! We'll drop her off at the nearest village if you're worried about the lass, but—"
A low growl sounds in the alpha's chest. "She's coming with us, and that's final."
Fergus gives him a long hard look, before glancing at me. An unreadable expression crosses his face. A mixture of exasperation and something else. Sorrow, perhaps?
He shakes his head. "She's a human," he says softly. "She's not—"
"I'm bringing her to the king. I won't hear any more about it."
The alpha's body jerks as he digs his heels into the horse and we speed ahead of the pack, leaving Fergus and the conversation behind.
There's a shift in his mood. His corded forearms are strained, and a dark cloud seems to hang over us. Self-preservation should persuade me to stay quiet. And yet. . .
"My father is the king," I say.
"He's your king. He's not ours."
We always thought the Wolves were too wild and unruly to unite behind anyone. The history books say the clans have been at war with one another, as well as us, for hundreds of years.
"I didn't know you had one," I say.
"Do you know a lot about Wolves, Princess?"
"If you are anything to go by, I know they are lacking in manners."
He chuckles darkly. "Oh, aye? Anything else?"
"I know you do as you please. Killing. Stealing. Invading the Southlands." I think about what Sebastian said, about how Wolves take their women. I remember what Magnus did to that woman in the cell. My cheeks flame. "Doing other. . . beastly things."
"It seems you have the measure of us, Princess. We're all animals up here. Running rampant around the mountains. Howling at the moon. Eating princesses for breakfast."
I tense and he laughs.
I don't know whether or not he is joking. The church says Wolves hunt our kind when the moon is full. What's more, there are many stories of Borderlands men being sent north to protect our lands, and only their bones being found, months later.
"Do you eat people?"
He laughs again. "Hush, we've got a long ride ahead of us."
That doesn't sound promising. And yet, I cannot quite stop myself from wanting to provoke him anyway.
"Did you hit your head when you were in that fighting ring?"
"Huh?"
I gesture to the right, remembering that the mountains were on that side of us before we entered the trees. "The north is that way, you fool."
"You know, not many people speak to me like that."
"Not many people kidnap me and hold me hostage."
"I'm not people." His lips are close to my ear, and his warm breath tickles my cheek. "I'm an animal, remember."
I shiver, something stirring deep inside me. I open my mouth to retort but he shushes me.
"We're heading west for a few miles. If we go north right away, we'll hit the Border Wall. Now shush. We've a long ride, and you're giving me a headache."
We ride throughout the night. The steady sound of the hooves and the low murmur of conversation from the Wolves behind us adds a soft lull to the crisp air.
My head keeps rolling on my neck as I fight sleep. My body was tense and alert when we started this journey. Now, I do not have the strength to keep myself upright. I sink back into the alpha's chest, as improper as that might be. He's so warm against the chill in the air.
When we clear the forest, though, my eyes jolt open and I sit upright, a wave of wakefulness surging through my body.
The sun is rising, painting the sky pink, and the rain has stopped.
We've reached the high stone wall that separates the country of the Wolves from the rest of the kingdom. And part of it has been brought down. Through it, there's an expanse of rugged terrain that stretches as far as the eye can see.
I could see the distant north from my chambers in Sebastian's castle. But up close, the scenery is even more breathtaking.
The grass is a green more vivid than I have ever seen, interspersed with fern and heather that rustles in the breeze. Small lakes, filled with dark water, reflect the sunrise. And the shape of the land. . . it looks almost unnatural for land to be shaped this way. Hills and mountains burst up from the earth as though they are alive. The ones in the distance touch the clouds. And. . . is that snow upon some of the sharp peaks?
The air smells like grass and rain, and it's so crisp I can taste it.
"We ride to Loch A'ghealach, then we rest the horses." The alpha's voice cuts through the silence.
He digs his heels into the mare and we're flying, leaping over the crumbling pile of rock. I gasp as we clear the border wall, and I feel the alpha smile behind me as we leave my homeland behind.
"Welcome to the Northlands, Princess," he whispers.