twenty-seven
Xenia
Outside, crouched in the bushes next to the garage, I don’t scream when the hand lands over my mouth, pulling me backwards. I can tell that it’s Wren by his scent.
He whispers in my ear, “We can’t just run into this. There’s over a dozen men.”
There is genuine fear in his voice, and the guilt swallows me. It fills me to the brim with anguish at the realization that this is my fault. Vinny is here because of me.
His goons are on this land, swarming this area.
Because ofme.
We’re currently hidden on the outskirts of the driveway, most of the men from the vehicles have filed into the house. And I know that Luther and Pierce are in there because of the screaming and yelling. I can only hope that Luther and Pierce won’t be hurt because of my mistakes.
Even with his back to us, there’s a man I recognize outside. He’s the closest to where we are hidden. His name is Marcus.He’s one of Vinny’s higher ups and I know that he’ll remember me too. And for some inexplicable reason, I know that he will help me.
As if he has before.
“Stay here, trust me.” I wriggle free of Wren’s arms.
I’m not sure if Wren trusts me, or if it’s shock that allows me to escape his hold, but I slip from the bush and run as fast as my feet will take me towards danger, directly to Marcus.
Marcus turns right before I jump on him, and he manages to catch me, a surprised umph leaving his lips, but he doesn’t react otherwise.
“Thank God, you’re alive.” There is concern in his furrowed brow, and he clutches me to him as if I’m a ghost that will slip through his fingers and disappear.
“I’m alive,” I confirm. “Please, we need to stop him before it’s too late.”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
There’s a loud succession from inside the house. And every fear that I’ve ever lived through and everything that’s ever made me feel like I was going to die compounds into this one singular instance of echoing silence and agonizing terror. And I can only hope that I’m not the reason that the first men who have ever loved me, the first ones who have ever cared about me. The first ones who have ever treated me the way that I actually deserve to be treated…are dead.
In my shock, I watch as Wren picks himself up from hiding and begins sprinting towards his pack mates. I attempt to wriggle out of Marcus’s hold, but he doesn’t let me. Even still, he understands the urgency, and he begins running towards the house too.
“Let the alpha pass!” he barks as we make our way to the house.
And I know with certainty, it is the only reason Wren isn’t gunned down.
These faceless goons are ready for a fight. Vinny did not come for a discussion, he came for war. For blood and destruction.
“Vinny!” I scream as we approach. “Vinny stop this, I’m here!”
We somehow make it to the door first before Wren, and as soon as Marcus pushes it in, there he is.
Vinny.
He takes up the entirety of my view, and I can’t see past him. I can’t tell if my alphas are okay. I can’t discern if he’s shot them and they’re dead lying in their own blood on the ground. Instead, I have to focus on the man who might have done it. The one who came after me.
“You’re alive?” Vinny’s voice cracks as he physically takes me from Marcus. He squeezes me tight as if I am the answer to a question he didn’t know to ask.
But then his nose wrinkles in disgust.
“What have you done? What have they done to you?” Vinny snarls, shaking me.
Wren has made his way into the house now, and Vinny doesn’t stop him as he continues on his mission to his pack mates.
There is a soul crushing whine that fills the space, and I finally muster up the courage to look past Vinny.
