The Alphas Broken Mate novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: The Wall

I left the crutches by the bed.

My legs shook on the stairs, but they held, and I knew whose heat had done that.

Caius waited at the top of the gate tower in his black cloak with the red lining, and his hand was already out.

I took it before he asked.

Below us the road was black with men.

Three hundred Thornfield foot soldiers marched under the grey banner, with Merrick riding in the middle on a white horse.

Osric rode a length behind him, and eighty of Blood Moon's own warriors walked behind Osric.

Edda sat in a covered cart at the rear, with the curtain drawn back so she could watch.

My stepsister had come to see me taken.

"I can hold the gate," Caius said. "Two hundred of them will die on this wall before they touch it."

"Most of them are only boys Merrick marched out of their farms."

I looked at the farm boys.

I looked at Merrick.

*Rule three,* I wrote on the slate, and held it up where he could read it.

*Merrick is mine.*

"Yours," Caius said. "I'll bring him to you breathing."

He kissed my knuckles, hard.

I stepped to the edge of the parapet, where every man on the road could see me.

Merrick saw me and smiled.

He lifted a hand and tapped his ear, twice.

I filled my chest with air.

I opened my ruined mouth and Called.

It came out cracked and enormous, a long note that went down the hillside and over the marching men.

I felt the bond take it from my tongue and carry it into the ground.

Three hundred Thornfield soldiers went down on their knees.

They went down in one rolling wave, spears and shields clattering, and the road fell silent.

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