CHAPTER 361: CHAPTER 361 CONNECTION

Countless possibilities swirled in Levi’s mind, but before he could settle on any conclusion, his thoughts began to blur. The heavy loss of blood muddled his senses, making him lightheaded and weak.

The warriors around him quickly noticed his condition, panic flashing in their eyes as they tightened their formation, guarding him closely while keeping their guard raised against Greg.

"Don’t let that man near Beta Levi!" the warriors bellowed in unison, baring their teeth as they closed ranks. Greg didn’t flinch. He only smiled, then signaled the rogues with a sharp motion.

"Why the hell did you stop? Kill them all!" Greg roared, driving his followers forward. The fake rogues who had slipped into Golden Hue territory with him had frozen when Greg struck Levi; they were hesitant because this operation was supposed to be a stealth attack, while the rest of their forces were keeping Maxwell and the rest of the manpower on the other side of the border.

They were watching to see how the confrontation would play out. Now that the plan had unraveled, Greg threw away stealth. If he couldn’t get in quietly, he’d raze the whole side of the border instead.

"Yes, sir!" the fake rogues shouted in unison. The scent-masking spray still clung to their bodies, making them harder to track as they launched themselves at the warriors guarding Levi.

Chaos erupted instantly. The Golden Hue Pack warriors struggled to hold their line, forced to defend Levi, who was now too weak to stand on his own. With one arm shielding him and the other fighting back, they were at a severe disadvantage.

"Don’t mind me... just fight back," Levi rasped, forcing the words out through gritted teeth.

He knew that as long as the warriors stayed clustered around him, their movements were restricted; they could barely counterattack, as they were trapped in a defensive circle. To the enemy, they were little more than sitting ducks in the line of fire.

Yet if they broke formation to fight back, Levi would be exposed, vulnerable to Greg’s next strike.

It was a cruel dilemma.

They couldn’t abandon a Beta, but staying put meant death. Still, none of them dared move, because Levi wasn’t just a Beta. He was also one of the Princess’s mates. Losing him would break not only Addison’s trust in their Pack’s strength and the importance they put in her and her mates... but her heart too.

"Beta Levi, please stay still. We’ll push them back, and once you see an opening, run as far as you can!" the strongest warrior shouted, stepping in front of Levi to shield him.

He knew they couldn’t let Levi fall before they did. Even if they valued their own lives, the hierarchy of their kind was clear; no warrior could flee while a superior still stood, much less one of a position like a Beta and a princess’s mate. It was their duty to protect him, even if it meant becoming his shield.

Their bodies were strong, almost unbreakable, but seeing Levi wounded by Greg’s silver dagger laced with wolfsbane reminded them that even the mightiest could bleed. The grim truth sank in; they might not survive this battle.

Still, none of them wavered. This was a fight to the death, and if they were to fall, they would fall protecting their Princess’s mate.

No one backed down. The warriors of the Golden Hue Pack stood their ground even as Greg and his men grew more vicious, their attacks heavier and more ruthless the moment they realized Levi’s warriors refused to abandon him.

One by one, warriors were sent flying through the air under the force of the blows. Yet every time one fell, as long as they could still move, they pushed themselves back up, bloodied, staggering, but unbroken.

Those too wounded to stand were dragged or carried toward the center of the formation, where others shielded them, buying precious seconds to recover and heal themselves.

Greg, seeing their resolve, sealed off every escape route. His killing intent was clear; he wanted Levi dead, no matter the cost. But the Golden Hue Pack’s warriors refused to surrender.

Step by step, they fought while slowly retreating, inching closer to the other side of the border in hopes of regrouping. Amid the chaos, some managed to send hurried reports to the other border patrol via mindlink.

Then, suddenly, a familiar voice echoed through their minds; their Beta’s command came through the pack’s mindlink. Only then did they remember to respond and report the dire situation back to him.

Before they could even report the situation, Greg’s forces suddenly intensified their assault, as if he’d sensed that Levi’s side was trying to reach Alpha Hue for reinforcements.

He knew he couldn’t let that happen.

With a snarl, Greg took matters into his own hands. He leapt into the air, twirling the silver dagger in his grip before reversing it, letting the flat of the blade rest against the bandaged stump of his arm so the silver wouldn’t burn his skin, the sharp edge now facing outward.

In a blur of motion, he spun around one of the Golden Hue Pack’s warriors, his movement smooth and deadly, and feigned an elbow strike, only to slash out with the hidden blade instead.

The dagger arced toward the warrior’s throat, gleaming wickedly. But at the last second, the pack’s strongest member yanked his comrade backward by the collar, narrowly saving him from being killed on the spot.

Seeing Greg himself enter the fray sent a ripple of unease through the Golden Hue Pack’s warriors. Their growls deepened, their stance tightened, and every eye locked warily on him.

They all knew the real battle had just begun.

They only managed to inform their Beta that Levi was severely injured and that they had been ambushed. But with Greg and his men pressing their assault relentlessly, the warriors couldn’t afford to stay distracted to send their reports.

Every second spent communicating could cost them their lives.

So instead, they focused all their strength on holding the line, fending off the enemy’s attacks while slowly, carefully retreating step by step, buying themselves whatever distance they could.

Then they heard Greg cackle like a madman, his laughter echoing through the blood-soaked clearing.

"Kekeke... do you really think you can get out of here alive?" he sneered. "Do you think I’ll let you escape, especially you, that motherfucking Levi? You won’t leave this forest alive. The only way you’re getting out of here is as a corpse!"

Greg’s voice slithered through the air like a devil’s whisper rising from the depths of hell, sending a chill down their spines.

"Do you really think I’ll die just because you say so?" Levi rasped, his voice raw but dripping with mockery. Had he not sounded so weak and breathless, his words might have provoked real fury from Greg.

Instead, they seemed to amuse Greg. The sight of Levi trying to sneer while barely standing only made Greg grin wider. He treated the moment like sport, convinced Levi was already a dead man, and determined not to let him walk away.

Though Levi tried to taunt Greg, his body was failing him, his vision blurred, his limbs heavy from blood loss. Still, he refused to give in. Even as dizziness clouded his mind, he kept thinking of ways to survive.

His heart throbbed painfully in his chest, almost as if he could feel Addison’s own suffering echoing through it.

And he was right. The moment Levi’s life reached the brink of death, Addison felt it. Her heart thudded violently in her chest, as though someone had ripped it apart. She froze mid-action, clutching at her chest as tears welled up and her eyes reddened.

She didn’t understand why she suddenly felt so heartbroken, why her heart pounded so desperately, as if it was trying to tell her something.

"Baby, are you okay?" Zion asked, his voice filled with alarm. He had just returned with the guards after inspecting the perimeter and setting traps when he saw Addison suddenly stop mid-sentence.

She had been pointing out areas of the temporary settlement while explaining her plans, but then her body tensed, and she doubled over with a soft whimper escaping her lips. Zion rushed to her side without hesitation, wrapping an arm around her to keep her upright as she struggled to stand, the pain twisting through her gut.

"Baby, tell me what’s wrong?" Zion asked, his voice tight with worry as he watched Addison tremble in pain. The longer the agony lingered, the less she could speak; her lips quivered, but no sound came out.

A strangled whimper escaped her instead as her eyes, red and glassy, met Zion’s. She didn’t even know how to explain what was happening; all she knew was that it hurt, a deep, unbearable pain that made her feel like she might pass out at any moment.

Zion gently patted Addison’s back, desperate to ease whatever pain was tormenting her. But then, a sharp wave of pain tore through him, his stomach churned violently, and he gritted his molars as the pain nearly forced a cry from his throat.