Chapter 23: Cause for concern

Chapter 23

~Scottie’s POV~

“I just don’t get why the ceremony has to be so long and boring.”

No one was surprised by Grady’s outburst.

“He’s right and if we’re really gonna have our ceremonies at the same time I shudder to think how long everybody will have to sit around.” Jessie added and Grady nodded.

“I say we get rid of some of the talking…the elder’s got nothing that interesting to say that his speech has to be so long.” Grady continued.

He was sprawled in a couch across the room and munching on some form of candy I’d never seen before.

“We can’t just alter the ceremony babe, there’s a procedure and if it’s not followed to the ‘T’ then we won’t be seen as officially mated.” Thomas explained.

“I’m sure the elders can do something about it though right? I mean they can’t really enjoy standing there for so long, plus this time they’ll have two to consider. Maybe I can get Carson to talk to them.” Laken said, turning his head which was resting in Thomas’s lap to address the rest of us. He was also munching on the strange candy.

“Carson won’t go for it. We have less than a week before the ceremony; he can’t approach the council with a matter like this on such short notice.” Thomas spoke up and Grady rolled his eyes.

“You’d think being the big bad Alpha and Beta that y’all could get things done.” He said rolling his eyes.

“Shut up Grady.” Thomas shot back and I laughed when Grady grabbed the only cushion behind him and poised to throw it in Thomas’ direction. Only, he didn’t get the chance to as the windows to the left of the room shattered, bathing us in shards of glass.

“Get down!” Thomas shouted and I watched in shock as he pulled Laken to the floor and ran the distance to drag Grady to the ground and cover him with his body.

I felt Jessie’s hand clasp my arm and pull me to the floor where she lay covering her head. Not a second later the ground shook from the force of what could only be an explosion.

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~Rivers’ POV~

Adrian had lost his mind.

That had to be the only explanation for what he was doing. I fought against Marcus’ hold screaming at Adrian to think about what he was doing but he ignored me, his entire being focused on Lucas who stood in the hallway; shock written all over his face.

I tried to think back to earlier; to what could have triggered this reaction. He’d seemed fine earlier; if a little grumpy; then he’d disappeared into the sitting room for a few minutes. After he’d asked me where Lucas was and I’d told him he’d seemed pretty fine then too. I just couldn’t understand it.

I also couldn’t even begin to explain the terror that had clutched at my heart at the sight of his gun and I had remained frozen in that spot, my heart pounding in my chest with a vigor I didn’t know it had. I’d finally opened my mouth to ask him what was going on when Marcus had burst through the front door; assessed the situation and grabbed my arm, pulling me behind him in a protective gesture that still had my mind reeling.

That’s when Lucas had exited the bathroom; a towel draped loosely on his waist as he stood in shock staring at the gun his lover had pointed his way.

“Adrian are you insane? Put the gun down.” Marcus tried to reason with him and once again he didn’t react.

“I bet you thought I wouldn’t find out huh?” Adrian’s voice was deadly when he spoke to Lucas whose brows furrowed in confusion.

“I-I don’t understand.” He said and even from here I could hear his heart pounding against his rib cage;

Thump

Thump

Thump

He was afraid…afraid of Adrian…his lover.

“You’ve just been laughing at us right? At how you outsmarted the Corsetti brothers?”

“Adrian I don’t-“

“Don’t you fucking lie to me, I’m sick of it!” Adrian raged and I flinched. “Just tell me one thing.” He took a breath, “Did it mean anything to you?” he asked, his voice harsh.

“Did what mean anything? What are you talking about?” Lucas finally worked up the nerve to shout the words, his gaze flickering from the gun to Adrian’s face and back.

“Us, what we had, did it mean anything to you?” Adrian’s voice cracked on the last word and I could practically feel the pain pouring off him as he said the words.

Lucas looked as confused as I felt but his voice was firm when he answered. “Of course it did, I love you.” He said as if he couldn’t understand why Adrian would think otherwise.

Adrian’s answering chuckle was cold and harsh as it reverberated throughout the hallway.

“Sure you did. You can stop with the lies now, I found your files and all the evidence you have against us.” He said and this time Lucas was shocked into silence, looking at Adrian with wide eyes.

“You should have just given in the evidence when you had the chance.” Adrian spoke softly, “Because there’s no way my brothers are going to jail because you decided to stick your nose where it didn’t belong.” He spat and Marcus stiffened in front of me, his eyes flashing to Lucas.

Lucas swallowed...hard, “Adrian…what you saw…it’s nothing…I swear I wasn’t going to use it against you.”

Adrian scoffed.

“I swear, I only collected it because-“

“Enough! You’re a fucking coward Lucas; you went through all this trouble and now you can’t even own up to what you’ve done!” Adrian blazed. “Do you have any idea how much I loved you? What I would have done for you?” the extent of Adrian’s hurt could be heard in his voice and I shifted uncomfortably as I watched; hating his pain and hating what it was making him do.

“Adrian… please…” Lucas began again, his voice wavering slightly as he spoke.

I watched as Adrian’s expression softened briefly as he looked at Lucas but an instant later it hardened and we were all looking into the eyes of a man I no longer recognized.

The deafening click of the hammer sounded and my heart sped in my chest.

“Adrian don’t! think about what you’re doing!” I shouted, moving to push past Marcus again but his hand tightened almost painfully on my arm.

“I loved you.” Adrian whispered, “I loved you and you betrayed me.”

“Adrian don’t please!” I screamed, fighting against Marcus, trying desperately to get to him before he did something he’d regret.

“Stop it!” Marcus swiveled to face me “Are you trying to get yourself killed, shut up and keep still!” he shouted at me and I froze at his command, going still under his glare.

“Adrian you don’t want to do this, trust me, just put the gun down and listen to reason.” Marcus turned back to Adrian, his voice sounding calm and rational as he said the words but Adrian’s weapon remained trained on Lucas who simply stood there staring silently at his lover as if he’d already accepted his fate.

“I never lied to you about how I feel but you are never going to change and I can’t stand the thought of you hurting anyone else.” Lucas whispered brokenly and it was only then that Adrian’s hand wavered slightly.

Silence.

More silence.

“And even after all this, I can’t even pull the fucking trigger” Adrian spat. His face contorted in disgust as he appraised Lucas, then much to my relief he lowered his weapon.

I exhaled the breath I didn’t even know I had been holding but Marcus’ hand still remained firmly on my arm.

Adrian turned, looking beaten and worn and it was then that everything went to hell. The window facing us shattered and a round of gunfire went off. I screamed when two of the bullets sank into Lucas’ flesh and he crumbled to the floor. Adrian spun around, shouting his name. I watched in shock as he lowered himself onto his knees, crawling over to where Lucas lay unmoving.

It was then that I realized that I was laying on the floor, with Marcus, half on top of me as he shielded me from the spray of bullets. I screamed when something sharp bit into my arm and I felt myself being dragged away from the scene and behind a nearby column.

……………………………………..

~Scottie’s POV~

After what felt like an eternity I pushed up from where I lay. I breathed in fumes I couldn’t readily identify and coughed; my throat and chest burning from the intake.

I could hear Laken gasping but the smoke was so dense I couldn’t see him. I felt Jessie moving beside me and I felt around for her, grabbing her waist when I found it and pulling her up. She coughed, clinging to me as if she couldn’t stand properly and I held her tighter.

“Laken!” I shouted between coughs.

“Fire!” his voice called back and I looked around frantically for Marcus and Grady.

“We gotta get out.” Jessie rasped and I fumbled my way through the room, feeling the heat and smelling only the intense odor of smoke. I felt a pair of strong arms grab me and after what felt like a lifetime we were pushing through the door and falling to the ground outside coughing and gasping for air.

“Laken.”I said when I could finally speak

“Carson went back for him.” Thomas said, his arms wrapped around a coughing Grady.

“What the fuck was that?” I managed; looking around for the first time and what I saw was absolute chaos. There were people running around; women screaming, men working to put out other buildings on fire, and others darting in and out of houses to rescue their comrades from the flames.

“I don’t know…There was an explosion, but that’s not what’s caused the fires.” Thomas said and looked up. I followed his gaze to see Carson carrying Laken from the building.

Laken looked fine, just minor coughs and I sighed in relief.

“We have men putting out the fires, you need to get to my quarters.” Carson told us, “Take Laken with you.” He instructed Thomas then made to leave but Laken grabbed his hand.

“Carson wait! What’s going on?” he questioned but Carson shook his head and pushed Laken gently toward Thomas.

“Get to my quarters; all of you!” he shouted then he was off, lost among the mass of people running around in all the chaos.

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~Marcus’ POV~

I heard Adrian brokenly calling out Lucas’ name as he bent over him. The shooting had finally died down and as I listening I heard screaming and the pounding of feet outside. I ripped the sleeve of my shirt and wrapped it around Rivers’ arm; He’d been cut by the glass.

“Adrian!” I hissed before pushing up to run to his side. He had taken off his shirt and was pressing it into one of Lucas’ chest wounds. I ripped mine off as well and used it to staunch the flow of his other wound.

Lucas’ eyes were open and he watched us without saying a word; his breath was coming in short gasps as he stared at Adrian’s face.

“Stay with me baby.” Adrian begged, running his free hand over Lucas’ forehead; he groaned.

“He can’t stay here; he needs a doctor.” I said.

“We need to get him to Carson’s quarters; that’s the best chance we have at getting the doctor quickly enough.” Rivers spoke and I looked up, spotting him standing in the hall watching us; his eyes wide with fear.

“Get down.” I told him and he ducked, then crawled over to where we kneeled.

I didn’t know when I started caring for him; Hours before I’d made the decision to ignore his very existence but when I’d felt his fear erupt inside  me I had rushed to the house as quickly as my feet could take me; my mind only focused on one thing; his safety.

Now as I looked down at Lucas who would surely die if we didn’t make a move I knew I had another person’s safety to take into consideration; We needed to get out of here for Lucas’ sake as well as for our own because something told me that whoever had fired those shots wasn’t about to stop there.

…………………………………………………..

~Lucas’ POV~

Everything hurt.

I looked up at Adrian whose face was fading in and out. He was saying something but I couldn’t make out what it was over the pounding of my heart.

I tried to open my mouth to ask him to repeat but no words came and when I reached up to touch his face; pain erupted down my side and I groaned, lying perfectly still in the hope that it would subside but it didn’t and I tried calling out to Adrian again to beg him to put me down so the pain would go away but I didn’t know if he heard me.

I felt the tears seep through the corner of my eyes but I couldn’t even reach up to wipe them away.

“Adrian please, it hurts.” I pleaded and he looked down at me; saying something but I couldn’t understand him and after another bout of pain racked my body I plunged into the dark abyss; grateful for the safe haven away from the hurt.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

IF YOU STUCK AROUND THIS LONG THEN YOU'RE A CHAMP!

-DoUbLe.A

unedited.