The Warrior’s Broken Mate novel Chapter 111

As soon as we reached the front of the castle, Luke and our remaining warriors were waiting for us.

I started walking in a different direction than towards the village where we had been staying and all the warriors quickly fell in line.

“Lyra. Where are we going?” Elias asked.

“Arthur’s castle. If he’s hiding the warriors, they’ll be in the dungeon.” I said.

“Are his dungeons strong enough to hold werewolves?” Luke asked.

“They’re strong enough to hold anything with magical powers. So I believe they can hold werewolves.” I said.

“Do you think he might have fled back there?” Elias asked.

“Honestly, I’m hoping he did.” I said. So Elias nodded his head and I heard him crack his knuckles as he fell in line with me ahead of the warriors and we led them to a possible battle at what remains of Arthur’s castle.

“What happened when Morgana did that to you?” Elias asked.

“I got a lot more than I bargained for. By the way, we’re not leaving just yet. I only needed her to believe that.” I whispered.

“Yeah. I thought so. You’d never leave people in need.” He said.

It took a couple of hours to get there and by the time we did, it was already after sundown.

It was a really eerie feeling as we stopped short of the ruins of the once autiful and delicate castle that I stayed in while I was here the first time.

As I took a step closer to the castle Elias grabbed my hand tighter and kept me in place.

“I don’t like this.” He said.

“I know. But he doesn’t have anywhere else to hide such a large amount of people. They have to be under these ruins.” I said.

“Do you know how to get down there?” He asked.

“Yeah. But there’s a lot of damage. I wasn’t here for very long last time.” I said.

“Alright. Luke, take the warriors and search every inch of this building. If you see anything move, kill it.” Elias ordered.

So Luke led the warriors inside the castle while they were all in wolf form and Elias and I walked up to it in human form.

We walked inside the front doors and we could see ceilings that had caved in. I stopped for a moment to take in the site before me so I could get my bearings and find out where I needed to go.

Luke was reporting back to us as they were searching the castle and they couldn’t see anything.

I looked at Elias and let out a deep breath before we ventured further into the ruins.

The path narrowed, littered with broken statues and shattered banners. Every step echoed.

“Stay close.” I warned. “Something’s watching us.”

We moved carefully, avoiding runes etched into the stones. A low growl from my mate made me freeze. Shadows shifted unnaturally between the ruins.

“Over there.” He hissed, pointing to a pile of rubble that seemed… wrong. The stones moved subtly, like they were breathing.

Before I could react, skeletal forms rose from the debris, glowing eyes fixed on us. The king’s minions, enchanted beyond death, snarled as they lunged.

“Now!” My mate yelled, and I leapt forward, fangs bared. Shifting in the air as we attacked.

The fight was a blur of teeth, claws, and sparks of magic. One minion swung a jagged weapon, but I twisted, slashing through the air and sending it crashing into a collapsed wall. My mate tore through another, growling with unrestrained fury.

“We’re not leaving you.” Luke said.

“This isn’t up for debate. Go.” I ordered.

He looked at Elias, and since we both had more information than Luke did, Elias went along with it. He trusted that I knew what I was doing, even if I wasn’t entirely sure myself. So all of our warriors jumped through the portal, their figures fading into the shimmering light, and they were back home to go back to their families again, their faces filled with relief and joy.

As soon as the portal closed, it was eerily quiet in the night. Elias walked beside me, his presence steady and grounding, the only sound our footsteps against the soft earth.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Elias asked, his voice gentle but probing.

“No. But I can’t risk losing them because of who I am.” I said, my heart tightening at the thought.

“You’re their Queen. They will do whatever you need them to do.” He said, his confidence in me unwavering.

“Exactly. They will die for me, and I know that. But I won’t allow it.” I said, determination flickering in my eyes.

“Where to next?” He asked, tilting his head slightly.

So I turned around and looked back toward the village that we were staying at with Arthur, my mind already racing with plans, knowing that the night held more secrets than we had yet uncovered.

Someone suddenly grabbed me from behind, and a cold, sharp knife pressed against my throat. My breath caught, panic clawing at my chest as adrenaline surged. Elias stepped closer, his growl low and dangerous, like a predator ready to strike. Arthur only pressed the knife harder into my skin, the steel biting sharply, drawing a sting of blood. His eyes glinted with cruel satisfaction, every movement deliberate, proving without words that he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if Elias dared to intervene. My heart hammering, mind racing for any escape, any move that might save me from this imminent danger.

But then the anger started to set in.