Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell
Chapter 151 Shipping Convicts
The wind howled through the mountain passes as the ominous storm clouds scudded overhead, the threat of them dumping their heavy load over the convoy below was ever-present as the guards walked in silence at the side of their dangerous cargo.
Each one of them knew the dire threat that they had been charged with keeping subdued, and they were acutely aware of the fate that awaited them if anything went wrong.
The Iron cage rattled over stones and boulders as the heavy guard scanned the dangerous terrain all around them as if expecting a threat to appear at any second.
The Elders of the Royal Enclave had wasted no time in preparing and shipping these convicts off to their final destination.
As soon as the verdicts had been announced, the two female figures, one unrepentant and defiant, the other sobbing and defeated as she clutched her swollen belly protectively, had been unceremoniously hauled away and bundled together in a high-security convoy with other condemned inmates destined for the Containment facility in the desolate
Northern Tips mountain range.
So far, everything had gone smoothly. The individual crates that held the condemned were loaded onto the transport and secured tightly.
The Dragon flew with escorts on either side and the smaller wyverns with riders backed them up from the air in case of any foul play.
The flight from the enclave took roughly an hour and a half and they landed without incident at the outpost that guarded the entrance to the ravine they would have to traverse on foot.
Despite the howling winds that made the mountain ranges unsafe for even the most experienced riders and shifters, their landing was flawless and the crates were safely unloaded onto the secure cages that were fixed on the narrow carts that would be used to make the final part of the journey.
The wind howled relentlessly as they walked, the environmental sounds punctuated by curses and direct verbal threats from the male inmates, and the soft sound of sobbing from one of the cages at the back that contained the only two female prisoners a*s*signed to this convoy.
A sudden gust of icy wind buffeted against the enormous beasts that pulled the carts and they protested loudly as the carts wavered behind them in the strong gusts.
“Come on now, just a little further look… just over the rise and there’s a nice warm stall waiting for you with a huge mound of…” The driver crooned as he attempted to soothe the nervous beasts, but he was rudely interrupted by a loud snort of derision from one of the lead guards.
“You know they can’t f**‘**g understand you… why do you waste your breath on them?” He sneered disdainfully as he turned toward the driver.
It was glaringly obvious that he didn’t want to be here, and wouldn’t have been if it wasn’t for the direct orders from the Enclave itself. Widow’s Ravine was notorious for claiming the lives of unprepared travelers and there were countless tales of escorts that had become complacent having lost their lives as they traveled through this terrain.
“If you think that’s the case then you vastly underestimate the intelligence of these animals, Ser.” The driver said as he narrowed his eyes and leaned over the edge of the rail, spitting down onto the ground below.
The guard wrinkled his nose in disgust and sneered up at the driver.
f****’g hybrid, what would he know?
“Just get the beast moving again. I’d rather be a moving target than a sitting duck.” The guard spat angrily as he warily checked their surroundings again.
The driver glowered at him, desperately wanting to retort angrily against the lead guards prejudice, but he said nothing more and turned back to his animals, attempting to coax them lovingly in the soothing voice that he had used before.
However, no matter what he tried, they simply wouldn’t take another step forward as they stomped the ground in defiance and snorted as they tossed their heads.
The driver narrowed his eyes as a thoughtful look descended over his features and he scanned the terrain ahead with a suspicious gaze.
“Why are they not moving yet, old man.” The guard demanded impatiently, his cold gaze boring into the man before him.
Ignoring the insult and the tone of his words, the driver responded carefully, trying his best not to inflame the simmering tension that seemed to electrify the air around them.
“Listen, these girls know these ranges well and if they’re refusing to move… then that’s because there’s something out there that they don’t want to be near. Getting your knickers in a twist about them coming to a stop isn’t gonna help either. They can sense the stress… hell, even I can sense the unease in you… and that in itself is gonna put them on edge.”
“Don’t make me laugh…” the guard scoffed as he turned to peer ahead at the desolate landscape in front of them. “They’re f***“g animals…”
“As are you and I when we shift, boy.” The driver replied firmly, “You know as well as I do that our senses are heightened in our counterpart’s form… it’s no different for these beasts in front of us. I suggest you firstly calm yourself down and secondly, send a few of the guards ahead to ensure that there’s nothing hidden waiting for us ahead.”
The guard stared at him for a long time, before sighing in defeat. “Fine. At the very least perhaps they’ll follow us if we take the lead.” He grumbled loudly as he shouted back to a couple of men who were positioned along the far edges of the group.
“You there! Form up and sweep the area ahead.” He ordered imperiously with a gesture towards the area he wanted them to scout.
They exchanged a look with each other before begrudgingly agreeing to his order and made their way to the front of the convoy.
The guards and drivers watched with bated breath as the scouts moved ahead and swept the area before stopping and turning to face the convoy, and waving them forward.
“All clear!” They shouted in unison as the guard turned towards the driver with a smirk, ready to gloat at the driver’s superst*ition.
The sudden eruption of manic laughter from the previously silent female prisoner and the sight of the driver’s suddenly pale face as he pointed towards the mountainside with his mouth opening and closing soundlessly stopped the guard in his tracks.
Unexpectedly, the icy fingers of dread worked their way up the guard’s spine as a wave of dread washed over him and he fought against his instincts as he turned to face the direction that the driver was pointing.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion and as soon as he locked eyes with the monstrosity in front of him, all hell seemed to break loose around them.