My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 221: Open Skies

Violet

Then my foot slipped.

The ground beneath me gave way, and loose gravel and rocks slid under my weight as I tried to find my footing. I had literally come out to the surface of a steep slope that was pulling me down to the ground.

I tried to latch onto a wedge between the rocks when Rowan caught me mid-fall, pulling me hard against his chest. My hands flew up instinctively, pressing flat against him. His grip was tight around my waist and we remained frozen on the uneven slope.

He had steadied his footing against the slope, leaning with his back to it while cradling me against his chest.

His face was close. Too close.

The memory of his mouth on mine surged up without warning and I flinched.

I pushed away from him so fast I nearly lost my footing again, but his arm snaked out and latched onto mine while his other arm dug into the rocky slope.

He sighed, closing his eyes. "Easy. It’s a steep drop."

I turned my head to look down, but he had already pulled me back to his chest and was sliding down. But our combined weight and momentum were too much and before long, we ended up careening down the slope.

I squeezed my eyes shut, clinging to him.

When we finally stopped, we were at the bottom.

We lay tangled together on soft grass, breathing hard. His hands were locked around me and with stifling horror, I was clutching a fistful of his chest. Rowan’s eyes were wide, staring down at my hand.

’Oh...’

Heat crept up my neck and I pushed myself out of his grip, gliding across the grassy floor. I immediately scrambled to my feet and stared down at him after putting some distance between us.

He slowly got up.

"I’m so sorry. That was—"

"It’s alright." He got to his feet but there was a slightly dazed look on his face.

I had never seen him so surprised before.

I turned away from him and rubbed the hand that had touched his chest against my stomach, embarrassed.

My palm still tingled where they had pressed against his chest.

I was dusting the dirt off my clothes when I finally took in our surroundings.

My eyes widened. We had landed in a very strange place, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen.

The flat ground we stood on was covered in rich, lush greenery. A very thin strip of water, almost like a tiny river, flowed in the very middle of the narrow grassy plane, its surface glittering like scattered diamond stones. The sloped hill we had tumbled down from rose around us on both sides and stretched out in front of us.

The slopes were a shocking mess of rocks at the top that contrasted the slow transition to fresh grass below. I looked up at the space we had fallen out of and suddenly realised just how high up we had been.

I stared all around me, momentarily dazed.

Rowan appeared beside me, holding my bag and his. He looked around, a little surprised.

"I know this valley," he whispered.

Valley? 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

I turned to look at him fully.

He scanned the landscape, his eyes tracing the top of the hills. He rubbed the side of his neck, and his gaze constantly darted to the narrow tunnel above.

"To think that underground city is so close to my territory."

I went stiff with shock before slowly tilting my head to look up at him. "Your territory is close?"

"Well... not necessarily close but it’s the next one over." He absentmindedly looked at the narrow tunnel entrance.

I lightly frowned. "You’re not thinking of invading that place at a later time, are you?"

I sincerely hoped he wasn’t going to do this.

He whirled around to look at me, shaking his head. "No, not at all. I am just fascinated. It’s simply that, I assure you!"

I studied his face for a moment, searching for any hint of deception. But there was only genuine wonder in his expression, the kind of curiosity that came from discovering something unexpected rather than calculating how to exploit it.

I relaxed slightly.

"We should start moving. I know where we can camp and rest." He had already started walking and I fell in step beside him.

A sudden thought came to mind and I stopped in my tracks, disturbed by how that question hadn’t come to me at all till now.

"Violet?" He stopped and turned to look at me.

"The Omegas in your territory..." I hesitated, suddenly unsure how to phrase it. "How are they treated?"

His brows snapped up in surprise, then his features eased and a sad expression flickered within his eyes.

"I think it will be better if you see it for yourself when we arrive." He smiled faintly.

That wasn’t an answer.

I opened my mouth to press further, but he continued before I could.

"I am not one to sustain such prejudice in my territory." His voice was steady and firm. "And as terrible as my father was in many ways, even he did not permit the mistreatment of Omegas. It was one of the few things he did right."

I stared at him, processing his words.

He met my gaze directly. "Which is why I said you would have to see for yourself." He then looked into the distance before returning his attention to me. "You would especially have the chance and freedom to recuperate in my nation safely... and without fear."

I then remembered one of the other reasons I had left Fresna, and especially how other Supreme Alphas and wolves were looking for me. The underground city had taken my mind off all of it. For those strange, suspended days beneath the earth, I had almost forgotten that I was being hunted.

But I was.

And eventually, whoever was chasing me would pick up my trail again.

Rowan’s offer was suddenly far more appealing, and I could likely use some rest. I weighed being around him, even if it was for a while, but surely as a Supreme Alpha he was bound to be very busy.

And...

"The others—"

"They are already there by now. They should be," he quickly spoke up as if reading my mind and I could see the discomfort in his eyes, along with the faint shred of guilt.

I sincerely hoped they were there. It would be nice to see them.

"I would never forgive you if we don’t meet them there," I mumbled dryly as I walked past Rowan.

He looked uncomfortable.