Chapter 80 Chapter 80

Ella's POV

"Luca told me you had a panic attack earlier," Leo said resting his hand

on my back later that night.

I was sat brushing my hair in front of the dresser but at his words, I

stopped and only clutched the handle of the brush as my mouth dried.

I looked up at him and forced a smile, "I'm okay now."

"Are you really?” he asked, looking at me through my reflection in the

mirror.

I shrugged, "Everything's going to shit again,” I told him, "And it

overwhelmed me for a moment. I still have the incredible and constant

level of fear that will not leave me until Andrea is dead but I'm coping.”

Leo nodded kissed the top of my head before he took the brush out of

my hand and began gently combing through my hair.

"I can't make you any promises,” he began softly, “I can't guarantee you

that we can defeat him and I can't say that life will ever go back to how

it was. But I can promise you that this entire pack is working tirelessly to

put its everything into making those things happen. We are doing

everything we can and no matter what he throws at us, we will not give

up. Allies all around the country are sending us supplies and men, the

base is being fortified as we speak and the men train through the night.

This pack is no stranger to war, Ells."

"But you've never fought a war against Andrea Martinez," I said, "Your

men are used to battlefields and force against force war. Andrea does

things differently.”

"What do you mean?” he asked.

"He doesn't play fair. Assassination, ambushes, machine guns, planting

bombs-" I listed

"Planting bombs..." Leo repeated under his breath.

"He used to do it all the time. At parties, in cars, in people's homes-"

"Homes..." Leo repeated, suddenly freezing halfway through a stroke of

the hairbrush.

I could hear his heart begin to pound as I looked up to his face. His

eyes were flickering madly as he stared straight down.

"Fuck," he said suddenly dropping the brush and grabbing his phone.

"What?" I asked.

"The commanders. Last week my head five commanders were attacked

in their homes. We thought Martinez was trying to convert them to his

side but we knew he is smarter than that to think that would work.

There was another reason for him to do it and I have a really bad

feeling about what it is,” he said dialling a number.

There was a split second of ignorant bliss before I realised what he was

suggesting and my heart began to pound just as his was.

"You mean-" I began but before I could finish my sentence a crashing,

booming bang sounded throughout the entire forest.

The trees outside shuddered with its sheer force as I felt it's shock

waves tremble through the brick walls of the house, shaking the lights

and creaking the floorboards as it took hold

I brought a shaking hand over my mouth as I slowly got to my feet,

unable to take my eyes off the hell that had been unleashed outside.

As swirling towers of flame rose up the forest became consumed and

the sky ablaze with bright reds and yellows. But as the thick black

plumes of smoke billowed up too, it was masked in a thick haze of ash,

creating a deep blazing orange like a doomsday inferno.

Leo's phone still rang.

But there was no answer.

"He came to our house too," he said in a deep, serious tone, as the

phone went to the voicemail ofeduardo Siciliano, one of the

commanders who had been attacked by Andrea, "We need to get you

and the kids out of here. Now."

But the fire had me in a trance. I couldn't take my eyes off it as the

reality blatantly refused to sink in.

"Ella," he said marching over and grabbing his hand. "It's begun.”

I shook my head in denial, "No."

"My head commanders are probably all dead, there could be a bomb in

this house and we have six children still sleeping in their beds. I need

you to shut off your emotions and help me get you all to safety,” he

said shaking my shoulders, "Come on. You're stronger than this."

With that, I snapped my eyes from the burning forest and nodded as

his phone began to ring.

"Answer it," I said, "You focus on being Alpha. I'll get the kids out of

bed."

He gave me a small encouraging smile before his face straightened

again and het turned to answer his phone whilst I turned to the hallway,

marching to the kids’ bedrooms.

It's begun

We don't have time to be scared.

And I am stronger than this.