Chapter 428: Downfall.
Maria.
I was still wondering what that signal meant when, suddenly, the unmistakable sound of horses marching echoed from afar.
The heavy, rhythmic thundering of incoming hooves vibrated straight through the damp earth, growing louder by the second.
I immediately froze, the blood running cold in my veins as terror seized my entire body.
Noah’s hands stilled completely on the leather reins, his posture locking into a rigid, defensive stance as his knuckles turned white against the straps.
"Get back to this spot!" Adrien immediately yelled, his voice slicing through the tense darkness as he cursed under his breath at Noah’s sheer pride. "Now is not the time to act stubborn!" He paused, his sharp eyes flashing with a rare, desperate vulnerability. "Consider Maria’s safety... please!" he added, his voice trailing off into a heavy, breathless plea.
Recognizing the gravity of the threat heading our way, Noah didn’t argue. He immediately turned our mount around and urged the horse to step closer, pulling us directly into the defensive formation alongside the quadruplets.
Adrien breathed out a deep sigh of relief, his shoulders visibly dropping as his gaze swept over to meet mine, checking to see if I was unharmed.
I immediately averted my eyes, staring down at the horse’s mane. I hated the fact that he was so genuinely concerned about me, hated how his genuine worry kept tangled feelings alive and made things so terribly difficult for this fragile little heart of mine.
We remained right where we were, completely enclosed and shielded by the formidable troupe of soldiers that had arrived earlier.
Gratitude washed over me—luckily, those heavy forces were standing with us. Otherwise, if we had been left alone in the dark woods, I really couldn’t tell what terrifying fate would have awaited us.
"Remember to stand back and protect her." Aidan’s voice was calm yet commanding, carrying the natural authority that came with every order he gave.
Although his words were clearly directed at Noah, his eyes never left me. His gaze lingered on my face for a brief moment, softening almost imperceptibly as though silently reassuring himself that I was still safe. Even without saying another word, the concern reflected in his eyes spoke volumes.
Noah answered almost immediately. A low, dangerous growl rumbled from deep within his throat, vibrating with restrained irritation. The sound was quiet, but it carried enough warning to make the tension in the air feel even heavier.
"You don’t need to tell me what to do!" he snapped back firmly, as the words left his mouth, the arm wrapped securely around my waist tightened instinctively, hardening like iron around me.
His grip wasn’t painful, but it was undeniably protective, leaving no room for doubt about where his priorities lay. Without taking his eyes off the path ahead, he spoke again, his voice unwavering.
"I will protect her, for sure," he added.
A dry, breathy chuckle escaped Davian’s lips. The faint sound carried little amusement, disappearing almost as quickly as it came.
Despite it, his expression remained grim, every line of his face set with unwavering seriousness. There wasn’t the slightest trace of carelessness in his demeanor.
"Whatever you choose to do," Davian said steadily, "just ensure that not a single strand of Maria’s hair falls to the ground." he added, his voice calm, yet every word carried absolute determination.
As he finished speaking, his gaze slowly shifted away, fixing itself on the forest ahead while his entire body subtly braced for what was about to come.
An uneasy silence settled over us, and a moment later, a distant rhythm reached our ears.
The heavy, unmistakable sound of galloping hooves echoed through the dense forest, muffled at first but growing louder with every passing second. The pounding became increasingly rapid, rolling through the trees with ominous intensity until there was no longer any doubt.
Whatever—or whoever—was coming was approaching directly from our right.
Reacting instantly, Damien raised his hand high, shouting over the growing roar. "Everyone march to the left!" He paused, his sharp eyes cutting through the darkness as he issued the directive. "We will head to the Moonfall pack for now!"
Noah’s voice immediately echoed across the line, dripping with fury. "Are you trying to sacrifice my people just to protect yours?" he demanded, his jaw clenching tight as annoyance flared in his chest.
"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Damien asked, pulling his horse to a sharp halt and glaring across at him.
Noah chuckled, a cold and bitter sound. "Why don’t we march forward and head straight to the Moonbridge pack instead?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in open defiance. "Do you really think I’m not aware that you want to eradicate my pack from existence?"
"What is with this sudden, absurd suspicion, Noah?" Damien asked, a genuinely puzzled look washing over his features.
"If we wanted to get rid of the Moonfall Pack, we would have done so a long time ago," Aidan interjected suddenly, his tone hard and unyielding.
"Exactly! Don’t think too highly of yourself, Noah," Davian added, scoffing as he gestured toward the shadows. "We don’t need or care about your downfall."
Before the argument could escalate any further, Adrien’s voice shattered the air in a fierce yell. "Can you all just stop this?!" He paused, panting heavily as he looked between them all. "This is not the time to do this!"
He glanced sharply at Noah, and then turned his gaze back to his brothers, his expression hardening into a grim, unreadable mask. "Since you aren’t comfortable with us going to the Moonfall pack, then fine. We will all stay right here and wait for the enemy to arrive." He closed his eyes briefly, taking a slow, steadying breath, and tightened his white-knuckled grip on the horse’s reins. "And we all fight to the death!"
My heart skipped a beat instantly, dropping like a stone into the pit of my stomach.
What was with Adrien’s sudden, reckless words?
Was there something dangerous he wasn’t telling anyone?