Chapter 126

Ella

The streets were all but empty as we drove through the darkened city. I suppose everyone is still inside

watching the news or waiting for more information to be released about the attack. I understand that we

needed to be off the grid so no one could track us electronically, but I wish I had my phone. I wish I

knew what had happened. I’m impatient to see Sinclair, to hear what happened and make sure he isn’t

wounded.

My wolf is whining in my head, eager to be reunited with her mate. I’ve been trying to avoid thinking

about the danger Sinclair has been facing while I was safe and sound with my guards, but now that the

crisis has passed the possibilities consume me. I’m imagining returning home to find Sinclair covered in

blood, his powerful shoulders crumbling under the weight of the lives he took tonight. He’s going to

need me, and I’m already wondering how I can possibly comfort him when I don’t have the first clue

what it’s like to go to war.

My guards are clearly focused on a very different train of thought. “Something still feels off to me.”

Gabriel grumbles, scanning the deserted streets “f the all clear is ringing, why hasn’t anyone come out

yet?” He mutters, dragging a hand over his face.

“I think it feels off because it was a crazy situation to begin with.” Sean answers.

“There’s never been an attack of this size in living memory.”

“Which is precisely why this is too soon for the danger to have passed.” Gabriel shakes his head.

slowing the car. “I don’t like this. I think we should go back”

Just as the words leave his mouth, the sound of screeching brakes shatters the quiet.

A black SUV with tinted windows skids to a stop in front of us, cutting off our path.

Gabriel slams on the brakes and the car lurches to a violent stop. The guard beside me throws his arm

out to prevent me from slamming into the back of the driver’s seat. His hand catches me in the

sternum, stealing the air from my lungs.

Before anyone can say a word, Gabriel curses and throws the car into reverse. We only make it a few

meters when the vehicle slams to a stop again, this time colliding with a deafening crash. My body is

jolted and jostled, and I whip around to see what we hit. A second SUV is behind us, blocking our

escape route. “Fuck.” Gabriel explodes, “It’s a set up.”

I realize that there are other cars around us, blocking our path. Terror slices through me as

understanding sets in. The battle isn’t over yet. We’ve walked into a trap, and Sinclair isn’t here to

protect me this time. He’s so far away that there’s no chance he might make it back in time to help me.

I have to trust that my guards will keep me safe, even if my pounding heart and the blood rushing in my

ears warns me that this is all going to end very badly.

“Ella, hold on.” Gabriel instructs. “We’re not going to get out of this without a few scrapes.” He forces

his foot down on the accelerator, and the car surges backward at full speed. There’s nowhere to go, so

our only option is to try and push the other car out of the way. It rocks and slides, nearly toppling,

becoming dented and smashed inward as it hops up onto the curb.

The noise is deafening, and I feel like a ragdoll as my body is thrown around wildly, yanked back and

forth by gravity. I’m restrained by my seatbelt and the guard’s arm, but we’ll all fairly helpless to do

anything but try to minimize the damage to our bodies.

Glass shatters somewhere on my left, but I’m still just trying to get my bearings. I’ve never been in a

car crash before, and I’ve heard people say that time slows down in this sort of accident. I wish time

would slow down, everything is happening all at once, and I can’t keep up.

The car behind us is almost out of the way now, but the SUV on our right rams into the passenger side

door, pushing us further away from safety.

Gabriel keeps trying to maneuver the vehicle around to give us an escape route, but the other cars

have us completely surrounded. My head cracks against the window when the car ramming our side

slams into us right as Gabriel attempts to rèverse through the tiny opening between the rear car and

the bollards protecting the footpath from errant vehicles like our own.

My vision goes black for a moment, and the next thing I know, everything is still. My guards are

climbing out of the car and shifting into their wolves, and Gabriel gives me one last order. “

Whatever you do, stay inside, Ella.”

The world around me has gone very fuzzy, and I’m horrified when I look out the window and see how

many wolves are waiting to fight my guards. I count at least three dozen, and part of me is furious that

the Prince chose to send his best fighters here, when the people he hopes to rule are facing an

imminent threat. I know he’s the one who created the threat, but he could at least put on a show and

pretend to care, to help defend the city I feel very nauseous all of a sudden, and it only gets worse

when the fighting begins. I’ve seen more than a little violence in my life, but not like this. Never like this.

Gabriel, Sean and my other guards form a tight circle, their backs to one another as they bare their

fangs and snarl at our attackers.

The Prince’s men shift, and then they’re clashing viciously with my guards. Blood sprays over the

pavement, and I see flesh ripped and torn, bodies tossed onto the street like bags of bones.

There are a couple of sick bags tucked into the seat-back pocket in front of me, and I snatch one up,

emptying the contents of my stomach into the plastic sack. I blink tears from my eyes, unsure whether I

want to close my eyes and hide from the horrific scenes outside my window, or if I should watch.

When I peek outside I’m proud to see that Gabriel wasn’t exaggerating when he told me how fierce he

and his men are. It’s obvious that they truly are Sinclair’s best, because they look entirely unharmed

even though half a dozen wolves already lay dead around them. Of course.. they’re still vastly

outnumbered, and the longer they fight, the more tired they become.

Sean is the first to die. I clasp a hand over my mouth to try and smother my scream when I see the

other wolf rip out his throat. I’ll never forget how his eyes swung to me with regret, even as the light

winked out of them. Sobs burn in my throat, and when the second guard dies, it becomes too much.

I can’t just sit here and let them die for me. I’m the one they want I thìnk desperately. I have to do

something.

If you go out there now you’ll distract them, and then they will die. My wolf responds.

Let them do their jobs!

But they’re completely outnumbered. It’s only Gabriel and two others now. I shake my head stubbornly.

I have to!

They’ll kill us! She reminds me ferociously, they’ll kill the baby.

They’re going to kill us anyway. I argue desperately, undiluted fear writhing in my belly. But my guards

don’t have to die too.

As I look back out the window, I see Gabriel thrown through the air before he lands in a heap near the

back of the car. He tries to get up, then crumples with a groan Six wolves descend on him, and he tries

to rise again, only for his legs to give out. I’m out of the car before I know what I’ve done. Stop!”

The descending wolves turn to look at me, and I hear a warning snarl from Gabriel. If he was in his

human form I’m sure he would be yelling at me to get back in the car, but I can’t make myself do it. “

Leave them be – I’m the one you want.”

I’d like to say I sounded strong or brave in this moment. Instead, I’m speaking through tears with the

hoarse tone of a woman who’s just been violently ill. I’m sure I look as intimidating and powerful as a

door-mouse, with blood seeping down my cheek, and my hands shaking with fear.

One of the wolves who stayed in his human form comes forward with a cruel grin. “I’m glad to see

you’ve come to your senses.” He tells me smugly.

Unfortunately though, we can’t have any witnesses, can we?”

He nods to the wolves by Gabriel, and I scream when they lunge forward and tear their teeth and claws

into his tender belly. Blood and organs spill out of him, and I charge for the wolf who gave the order,

trying to claw his eyes out with every ounce of wrath I possess. He catches me around the waist,

laughing at my rage. I thrash against him, calling him every foul name I can think of, threats and curses

pouring from my tongue.

I’m still wriggling and fighting when they push me into the car, and though I should be trying to escape,

all I want to do is destroy them. “Goddess she’s a pill.” The man in charge mutters, climbing into the car

after me. I Snarl and lunge for him, but he cocks his fist back and brings it down on my head, knocking

me out cold.