Chapter 187

#Chapter 187 – Siege I sigh, quietly considering that nobody told me how boring a siege is.

Alvin and Ian are sitting on the floor. They’ve turned the puzzle upside down and they’re so bored that they’re working on putting it together that way, without any picture to help them. Every few minutes they sigh and look at me, but all I can do is shrug.

There’s a very slight panic inside my chest, of course, to keep me busy. It’s such a strange dichotomy at work here – part of me can’t stand the silence, but the other part knows that when this silence and boredom goes away…violence will take its place.

That when this siege breaks, my father will do everything in his power to kill Victor, who is surely coming up with a plan to get us out of here.

And he could, indeed, succeed. My father is not a stupid man, he hasn’t kept his power throughout these years by chance. Plus, he’s now backed into a corner, and doesn’t have much less to lose. My father will be ruthless in a way that Victor cannot be, not with his children at stake. And me, if he still wants me.

I sigh, then, thinking of all of this, wondering what the hell I can do to help. To do anything to sway the tides of the battle in Victor’s favor, to protect him, to protect us, whom my father will surely use as shields and collateral.

But, despite hours of thinking, I can’t come up with much. My father has quite literally put me in my place, locked me in this room and given me very few resources with which to work.

BOOM.

The quiet of the room is suddenly shattered by a single ear-splitting explosion that shakes the entire house. I almost leap out of my skin when it happens, jumping to my feet and grabbing for my boys, who each shriek and grab one of my hands.

My mother, who was dozing, clutches at her chest in shock and surprise while Emma and Delia likewise jump up. As one, the whole group of us look towards the front of the room, where my father and his men are still bent over their strategy maps.

My father looks towards the direction of the blast and then looks sharply back at me.

Like I did it, or something.

I glare back at him. God, this man. I almost wish I had.

We start to hear things, then – commotion, outside and around the house. Ian pulls out of my hand and runs over to the windows, trying to peer through the cracks and get a better look – but they’re solid. I know he can’t see anything.

The radios my father uses to communicate with his Betas outside of the room start to buzz, bringing in reports from outside. I hear the word “Kensington” and “attack” repeated over and over, but from my place across the room, I can’t quite put together the pieces of what, precisely, is happening.

I sink back down on the couch, then, knowing that the moment is coming nearer. I rest my forehead briefly in my hand and feel Alvin’s little hand on my shoulder, comforting me. I smile at that, as much as I can, but don’t lift my head as I work to manage myself.

I can barely stand this – might not be able to – this sitting here, passively, while Victor battles outside.

While my father makes his plans to destroy him. How the hell am I supposed to just sit here and wait?

It’s absolute torture.

The door opens, then – flying open to admit a Beta, covered in soot and blood –

“Sir – “ the Beta says, whirling to plead something to my father –

“Get out of here!” My father roars at him. “That door was to be breached for no reason –“

“Sir,” the Beta says, his back pressed against the door, blood streaming down his forehead. “We’re completely outnumbered – we need reinforcements –“

“There are no reinforcements,” my father growls and I blink as I hear this, Ian coming to my side.

Apparently it’s true, then – really, the vast majority of my father’s forces, just gone –

The Beta’s eyes flick to the eight men standing at my father’s table – strong, uninjured men, amongst the best-trained in the ranks. My father turns to them as well and growls, looking down at the table for a moment while he considers his options.

“Fine,” he says, finally agreeing. “Go – all of you, go, except Brent,” he says, nodding to the Beta standing directly to his right. The Captain and most trusted of his men.

The men hesitate, but then nod, heading out of the door with the wounded Beta, ready to face whatever they meet there.

My father and his Captain continue to consult for the next few minutes while the noise within the house grows. Ian and Alvin sit at attention next to me, their heads continuing to turn as they hear new noises.

“It was mostly outside before, mama,” Ian whispers to me, his head c****d to the side to better listen.

“But now, it is inside the house. I can tell.”

Alvin nods his agreement, taking my hand. “It is papa. I know it is. I can’t hear him, precisely but…I know it is him.”

I nod as well. It is Victor. I’m sure of it, in my bones. Unlike my father, he wouldn’t send in his Betas alone to do his work for him. He is here, on the front line, waging this battle himself.

The noise comes closer and closer to the room in which we’re locked away. Progressing down the hall, a series of thumps and bangs that put my nerves on edge. My breath sharpens in my chest when I hear the bangs progress past us along the wall, towards the door at the other end of the room, where my father stands in wait.

“Sir,” Brent says, stepping between my father and the door and sliding this gun from the holster at his hip. “To the other side of the room, sir – please –“

“I will not –“ my father says, glaring at his captain and growling.

“Sir,” Brent says, frowning at him seriously. “They will likely open the door with a blast. We can’t risk you standing too close – you will be safest at the other side of the room with your family. I will take the first hit.”

My father considers his words and then nods, crossing the room to stand with the women and children, something I know he will consider the act of a coward. A consideration with which I, frankly, agree.

I don’t get up from my spot on the couch with my boys as the noise by the door grows, as my father stands a little ahead of my mother, who sits in her chair and grips – of all things – the slim neck of her favorite Tiffany lap in her left hand.

I frown at that, wondering what the hell she plans to do. Take it with her when she runs screaming from the room?

A pounding starts at the door – almost like there’s a battering ram. Ian jumps and stands closer to me and I see Delia and Emma quietly take each other’s hands. Alvin, whose hand is already in mine, gives my fingers a little squeeze.

Even though we know who is on the other side – we know it is someone coming to help us – we’re all aware of the danger in this moment.

The room goes quiet, suddenly, as the pounding stops. I almost hold my breath as my eyes dart around the room and back to the door. There’s a mild scratching now, on the outside. What the –

“Get ready –“ Brent says, his voice low and tense, raising his pistol to aim at the door.

I open my mouth, unable to help from asking get ready for what –

But before I can speak, an explosion rocks the room –

Fire, bits of the door exploding inward –

My children scream, and so do I, knocking them back onto the couch and covering their bodies with mine –

Then the sound of gunfire fills the room as Brent screams, shooting at whoever is coming through the door.