Chapter 328

Chapter 328 Homesick

Ella

Sobs shook my body and tears blurred my vision as I cradled my chafed wrists, the ropes having left

their brutal imprint.

Each throb was a piercing reminder of the dark ordeal I had just survived. God, why did I take the

subway tonight? Why didn’t I call an Uber, or even call Logan to take me home after the work party?

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there. It wasn’t until my legs felt stiff from sitting on the floor that I realized

that I needed to move.

Pushing through the pain, I rose shakily, the world seeming to tilt and blur around me. My reflection in

the living room mirror showed a woman with smeared mascara, disheveled hair, and eyes haunted by

terror.

The fear in my eyes was jarring, alien. This wasn’t me, or at least, not the me I recognized.

Driven by a need to wash away the evidence of my attack, I shuffled to the bathroom. The sterile lights

bathed the room in a glaring. brightness, making my head throb more acutely. But I focused on the cool

water. streaming from the tap, letting its gentle. cascade rinse the abrasions on my wrists.

The water ran red, merging with the crimson imprints of the rough ropes. Gazing at the pattern it made

as it spiraled down the drain, I felt detached, numb, like I was floating outside of my body and watching

from a distance. The intense pain, not just in my wrists but a deep- seated ache in my skull, snapped

me back to reality.

“You should have fought,” Ema’s voice growled within, fierce and primal. “I was so close to giving you

my power until he pulled out Daisy’s picture. But your fear held you back.”

Maybe Ema was right; maybe I should have fought, and maybe my fear of the masked men did hold

me back.

But the rational part of me, the human side, knew better. It would have been pointless, I responded

internally. Even with my rigorous training, confronting a group of Alphas single- handedly would have

been suicidal.

“This was the best outcome,” I assured both her and myself out loud, “for now, at least. I could be dead

right now, but I’m not.”

My wolf bristled. “We don’t run. We don’t back down. We are not weak.”

Her irritation was palpable, sending a flare of heat across my consciousness. But the reality was stark,

and the stakes were too high. If I challenged them and lost, the repercussions would be catastrophic

not just for me, but for Daisy. I could feel the weight of that responsibility pulling me down, drowning

me.

“Look,” I said, leaning on the bathroom sink. “I know you wanted to fight. But all that matters right now

is that we’re alive, and Daisy stays safe. I need to get out of this city. Now.”

The resolution was there, clear and unwavering.

“You’re letting them win,” my wolf snapped, her voice dripping with contempt. “After everything you’ve

worked for, everything you’ve achieved.. You’ll let a bunch of thugs chase you away?”

Images flashed in my mind-of late nights at the office, of grueling cases, of courtroom victories, of the

respect I was finally garnering in the legal arena. But as potent as those images were, they were

instantly overshadowed by the chilling pictures of Daisy that those men had flaunted. The very thought

made my stomach clench with dread.

“It’s not worth it,” I argued back, my voice choked with emotion. “Not if Daisy’s safety is compromised.

Nothing will ever be worth trading her life for.”

There was a long silence from my wolf. When she finally spoke, her voice was subdued,

understanding. “You’re right. She’s our family. Protecting her is our priority.”

A weary nod was my silent response. I turned off the tap, watching the last tendrils of water snake

down the drain, taking with them the remnants of the ordeal.

I was about to move, about to start this new chapter of fleeing and hiding, but first, I needed to check

on my family.

Picking up my phone, its familiar weight somewhat grounding, I dialed the familiar number. As the dial

tone droned, each ring spiked my anxiety, filling me with a sense of foreboding. I needed to hear their

voices, needed the reassurance that they were safe, untouched by the sinister forces that were now

dogging my every step.

The weight in my chest persisted, every heartbeat a painful reminder of the dangers that lurked in the

shadows. Still, as I waited for Moana to pick up, I willed myself to keep it together. Falling apart wasn’t

an option-not when Daisy’s safety was at stake.

“Hello?” My mother’s voice, always so warm and reassuring, flowed from the other end. “Hey, Mom.” I

tried to infuse my voice with a casualness I didn’t feel. “How’s everything?”

“Everything’s fine, darling,” Moana replied, the hint of concern in her voice unmistakable. “But what’s

this surprise call for? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah. Everything’s fine. Just checking in,” I lied. I couldn’t bring myself to worry her with the truth. “It’s

been a while, that’s all.”

There was a brief pause, filled with unspoken sentiments. “Ella,” my mother’s voice softened, a

mother’s intuition keen as ever, “you’ve always been the strong one, but you don’t always have to be. If

something’s bothering you, remember that you can always talk to me.”

Feeling a lump form in my throat, I quickly diverted the topic. “How’s everyone? Is Daisy doing well in

school?”

Moana chuckled. “Always looking out for her, aren’t you? She’s doing great, a real firecracker that one.

She takes after you.”

Then, with a teasing lilt, she added, “And speaking of firecrackers, have you found any special

someones yet?”

I froze, my mind darting to Logan, the way his lips felt, how our wolves had intertwined. But I wasn’t

ready for that conversation, not yet. Probably not ever. And especially not now, with the weight of the

day’s events still fresh on my mind and on my skin.

“No,” I replied, a little too quickly. “I’m not in a relationship, Mom.”

A knowing silence lingered for a moment. “Alright, honey. But just know, life’s too short to not cherish

the good moments and the good people.”

Swallowing hard, I shifted gears. “Can I talk to Daisy for a sec?”

Moana paused. “Actually,” she said, sounding thoughtful, “she’s not home right now. She went out with

her friends for ice cream a little while ago. But actually, now that I think about it, she was supposed to

be back by now…”

At Moana’s words, I felt my stomach clench. Images of things that those men may have done to my

little sister filled my mind, causing me to grip the bathroom sink to keep myself from keeling over.

“Mom, I-”

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice. “Oh!” Moana said, laughing. “Here she is. Daisy, you’re late! I said

not to stay out past eight o’clock!”

In the background, I could hear Daisy chuckle. “Aww, mom, it’s only eight-thirty. I was hungry, so I got a

second ice cream cone.”

Moana gasped. “A second one! You’re gonna be sick later!” Soon, the sound of my sister’s lively voice

replaced my mother’s, filling me with immense relief. “Ella! How are you?”

“Hey, Daze,” I said, warmth spreading through me at the sound of her voice. “Listen, just a little sisterly

advice, okay? Maybe stay in for a few days. Watch some movies, binge a new show? I hear there’s a

new series that you might like.”

Daisy groaned playfully. “You sound like Mom. I’m not a baby, El! And I’ve got plans with friends. Plus,

school and stuff.”

I wanted to beg her, to tell her about the men in the alley, about the photos they had of her. But I

couldn’t. “I know, just… be careful, okay?”

Daisy laughed. “Always am! Love you, sis!”

“Love you too.” Ending the call, the weight on my chest seemed to multiply tenfold. My resolve

hardened. I had to leave the city. It was the only way to ensure Daisy’s safety.

I started packing, pulling out a suitcase and tossing in essentials. My thoughts were a jumbled mess,

torn between leaving behind my life, the city, and Logan, and the pressing need to protect Daisy.

The sudden buzz of my apartment’s intercom interrupted my whirlwind of emotions. My heart leaped to

my throat. Every fiber of my being screamed danger.

Grabbing a kitchen knife out of the holder, I approached the door cautiously, the day’s events fresh in

my mind.