Rejected and Claimed by her Alpha Triplets-Chapter 296 - for blood

296

~Fridolf’s POV

I turned back for a moment, and my chest tightened.

Most of my men had been captured. Bound. Beaten. Dragged like dogs.

"Your Highness!" one of my men shouted. His face was covered in blood, but he reached a trembling hand toward me. "Run, my lord! Run!"

I ran back to grab him, but before I could pull him up, arrows flew past us. He grabbed my wrist. "Go! Leave me!"

"I won’t leave you!" I shouted, gritting my teeth.

"Run!" he screamed again, shoving me forward. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

I turned and bolted through the woods, my vision blurry from exhaustion and blood loss. My breath came in short gasps. Every step hurt, but I couldn’t stop.

Branches tore at my arms. My boots sank into the mud. Behind me, I heard the sound of horses and shouting.

"They’re close," I muttered under my breath. "Damn it!"

I pushed harder. I couldn’t die here. Not like this. Not by their hands.

As I reached a narrow path, one of the soldiers appeared in front of me, sword drawn, his armor glinting faintly in the dull morning light.

"You!" he shouted, his voice sharp, echoing through the trees.

I froze for a heartbeat, my chest heaving, mind racing. I could hear more footsteps behind me; they were closing in fast. There was no way out except through him.

Without thinking, I turned to the wounded soldier limping beside me. His breathing was ragged, blood dripping from the side of his mouth.

"My lord..." he panted, clutching his side. "Go... I’ll hold them off."

I looked at him, really looked, and for a fleeting second, something twisted in my chest. Then the sound of another shout broke my focus. I didn’t have time for weakness.

Before he could take another step, I grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him forward, straight toward the advancing soldier. "Take him!" I barked.

He stumbled in shock, his eyes wide. "My lord...?"

The betrayal in his voice was sharp enough to cut through the air. He turned to look at me, confusion and disbelief flashing across his bloodied face.

"Forgive me..." I started, but I didn’t wait to finish.

I kicked him hard in the chest, sending him crashing into the soldier’s blade. The soldier stumbled backward from the force, both of them collapsing to the ground in a tangle of limbs and steel.

I didn’t look back.

Blood dripped down my arm, soaking into my torn sleeve, but I felt nothing. No guilt. No sorrow. Only the cold, burning instinct to survive.

He had been loyal, yes. But loyalty meant nothing in the face of death. I’d rather live branded a monster than die remembered as a noble fool.

"Better you than me," I muttered under my breath, my voice rough and hollow as I vanished deeper into the forest.

My lungs burned. My legs screamed for rest. But I kept running.

"Just a bit more..." I muttered weakly. My voice was breaking.

I stumbled and fell hard against a tree. Pain exploded in my ribs. I groaned, trying to push myself up. My vision darkened.

"No... not now..."

But my body gave up before my will did. The world spun and then went black.

When I opened my eyes, the air smelled of herbs and smoke. My head pounded, and for a moment, I didn’t know where I was.

I blinked a few times, trying to focus. The place was small, a hut, with a wooden table, shelves filled with strange bottles, and an old man sitting beside me, grinding herbs.

"You’re awake," the man said, his voice calm and old. "You almost died out there."

"Where... where am I?" I asked hoarsely, trying to sit up.

"Quiet," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You’re badly hurt. You need rest."

I pushed his hand away. "Answer me. Where am I?"

He sighed softly. "You’re on the outskirts, near the river. I found you lying in the woods, half-dead."

I glanced around again, suspicious. "Why did you help me?"

He smiled faintly. "Because I heal people. That’s what I do."

I narrowed my eyes. "You don’t even know who I am."

"Oh, but I do," he said, his eyes meeting mine.

That made my blood run cold. "What did you say?"

He stood slowly, wiping his hands on a cloth. "I know who you are...Fridolf."

I froze. "How do you know that name?"

He gave a small chuckle. "Your portrait hangs in the hall of the Northern Court. I saw it when I went across the neighboring pack."

I stared at him for a long time. He didn’t look afraid, and that bothered me.

"You should have left me to die," I muttered darkly.

He shook his head. "No one deserves to die in the mud."

"You’re a fool," I said flatly.

"Maybe," he said simply. "But listen to me, you can’t stay here long. The soldiers are still out there, searching for you. I have done my part to heal you, so leave as soon as you get better."

I clenched my jaw.

"So, you won’t shelter me?"

"I don’t shelter criminals," he said without looking at my face.

For a moment, I said nothing. Just silence. My fingers curled into fists.

Finally, I stood, my muscles trembling. "You shouldn’t have said that."

He frowned slightly. "You need to rest, not...."

Before he could finish, I moved. My hand shot out, grabbing his throat. His eyes widened in shock.

"Please..." he gasped, his hands clawing weakly at mine.

"You should’ve stayed silent," I whispered coldly.

He tried to speak again, but I tightened my grip. He choked, his legs shaking, and in seconds, he went limp.

I let him drop to the ground. His head hit the floor with a dull thud.

For a moment, I just stood there, breathing heavily. My body hurt.

I wiped the blood from my hand and looked around the hut. "You said this wasn’t safe," I murmured, glancing at the old man’s lifeless body. "You were right... But it’s safe for me now."

I kicked his body aside and sat down on the chair he had used. The air was thick with the smell of death and herbs. I leaned back, staring at the small window where the morning light filtered through.

Slowly, a grin crept across my face.

"I survived," I said quietly. "Those fools think they can catch me, but I’ll show them what death really means."

I looked down at the lifeless old man one last time and smirked. "Thanks for the hut, old fool. I’ll make good use of it."

Then I turned my gaze toward the open door, where the morning sun was just rising. My body ached, but my mind was clear, full of vengeance and hunger for blood.

"I’ll rest today," I said to myself, "and by tomorrow, I’ll start again. Damon, Rowan, Kael... the game isn’t over."

I closed the door, sealing myself inside.