Page 67 of Charmed By the Alien Warrior

“They’re bold to hunt near here,” Vrenner says, suspicion darkening his tone. “It’s not their usual range.”

He’s right. Anurois avoid the mountains and foothills—they always have. But lately, it feels as though the natural order of our planet is unraveling.

Leah’s hands tighten around the waterskin she holds, her knuckles turning white against the dark leather.

“Cassandra and I were out looking for food,” she says. Her voice is low but steady as she recounts the tale. “We left the others at our campsite. We weren’t far from camp when the big birds came.”

Her words hang in the air as she pauses, drawing a deep, shaky breath. “They took Lily.”

Cassandra shifts beside her, her gaze still on the fire. Her voice is almost a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might call the anurois back.

“We heard the screams and ran back as fast as we could, but it was too late.” She swallows hard, her next words trembling with grief. “There were too many.”

A heavy silence falls over the group, broken only by the pop and hiss of the fire.

Then, my mate leans forward, her brows knitting together and concern etched on her face. “The rest of your group? They’re safe, right?”

Leah nods, but the movement is stiff. “For now. They’re hiding in a cave not far from where we were attacked. We told them to stay put while we went out to look for Lily.”

Her words hit me like a stone, and I exchange a glance with Warrix. His jaw is tight, his expression mirroring the unease coiling in my gut. Neither of us says it aloud, but the thought lingers between us, heavy and unspoken. The missing female is gone. Anurois never leave any trace of their prey.

Leah’s voice wavers as she continues. “That was two days ago. Then, we heard voices and found you.”

Cassandra finally looks up from the fire, her gaze shadowed with worry. “It’s probably only a matter of time beforethe anurois find the cave where we left the others. We need to get back to our friends.”

Her words fall heavily, like stones dropped into a still lake, sending ripples through the tense air. Both females look to us with hesitant, wary hopefulness, as though they are afraid to let themselves believe we might help them, afraid to trust after everything they’ve been through.

My gaze sweeps around the other warriors. Their postures are stiff, shoulders drawn back, muscles taut with readiness. The firelight dances off their faces, sharpening their determined expressions. Every instinct in them—every instinct inme—screams to protect the vulnerable, to act before it’s too late.

“We can’t leave them out there,” Mara says firmly, her voice cutting through the rising tension. She looks at me, and I can see the unshed tears gathering in her eyes. And I know she is remembering her time in the crashed ship when she and her friends were being hunted and tormented by the anurois. “We have to go to them.”

I glance around the fire, meeting the gazes of my fellow warriors, and each one of them gives me a sharp nod. There is no need for words between us. We will protect these humans with everything we have in us. To do anything less would be a betrayal of every code our people live by.

“We’ll leave at first light. The anurois won’t wait, and neither will we.”

The two humans exhale at the same time, the tension draining from their shoulders as though they’d been holding their breaths for hours. Their frames somehow seem even smaller in the firelight.

I lean forward, my hand still in Mara’s. “We’ll need to ensure we have enough medical supplies for the humans.” I glance at Warrix, and he nods.

Vrenner rises, his hand already resting on the hilt of his weapon. “I’ll ensure we have enough food and other supplies. We’ll need everything we can carry.”

Mara’s hand brushes against my arm, her warmth steadying the storm inside me. When I look at her, her lips part slightly, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispers. “For doing this.”

“They’re your people,” I reply, my voice low. “That makes them mine too.”

By first light, we’ll be ready to face whatever the anurois have in store for us. Together.

Chapter 25

Mara

Leah and Cassandra were eager to reunite with their friends, so we departed the village just before dawn. With only four eponirs among us, the women ride while the warriors walk alongside, guiding the mounts with practiced ease.

It’s not ideal, but it lets us cover ground faster than going on foot. The Sister Moons had long since disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving our path illuminated by nothing but the faint glow of the bioluminescent plants on Laedirissae.

Hours pass in tense silence, the rhythm of the journey broken only by the occasional snort of an eponir or the rustle of foliage in the distance. Just as the sun reaches its peak, we finally reach our destination.

A towering cliff of black rock dominates the landscape ahead, its jagged face broken by a slender stream that cascades over its edge into a crystal-clear pool below, sending up a fine mist that almost seems to dance in the sunlight.

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