I listen to Alice’s voicemails:
Ash, Jane just arrived. I didn’t know she knew your address, but since I can’t get in contact with Russell while he’s with Ellie, I wanted to make sure you knew she was here. She said she hadn’t heard from Ellie in a while and wanted to stop by before her flight in a few days. I said that was fine.
I go to the next one.
Ash. I can’t find Sam. Wasn’t he supposed to stay once Russell got here? Or maybe I heard him wrong.
Next one.
Ash, Alice sobs into the phone. He’s gone. I-I…I found him. Jane is still in the house. I’m going to have us hide in the basement. I can’t hear anyone, but I’ll defend her. I’ve been training. I can do this. This can’t end like it did with my father.
That was her last voice message before her text.
The plane lands and I grab my bag and rush to my waiting car. I’ve got a few hours drive until I’m back.
Once I get in and get onto the road, I dial Ellie. The line goes straight to voicemail, so does Alice’s when I try.
I call Russell next, but he doesn’t answer.
My mind is racing, and I’m trying to not think of the worst-case scenario. Everyone’s bonds are still in place except for Sam’s, so I can only hope that they’re okay—at least for now. I dial Sophie.
“Alpha,” she says. “To what do I owe the honor?”
“Sophie, I need you to gather a group of warriors then head to my house.” I pause. “Actually bring warriors, healers, and hunters. They were attacked. Sam’s gone. I’m not sure about anything else.”
She’s silent.
“Sophie,” I say, my nerves shot and my patience gone.
“Sorry.” She comes to. “I’m on it. Is…is Russell okay?”
I grind my teeth. There’s so much unknown to me right now, my wolf form is at the forefront, claws already out and digging into the leather of the wheel.
“I don’t know,” I say through my teeth. “He isn’t dead. His bond is still there. Call me if you make it before me.”
I hang up and keep an eye on all their bonds. The bonds seem to come alive the closer I get.
Ellie’s link is chaotic, with underlining emptiness and pain. And fear. So much fear I almost choke on it. I forget to breathe as I focus on her link growing faint. The icy emptiness I felt in the plane begins again.
A horn honks, snapping me out of my downward spiral. I swivel back into my lane. I speed down the road as fast as I dare with the snow.
Checking Alice’s next, I find her link silent, almost as if she’s sleeping, but it feels different. I try not to think that I may lose them tonight if I’m not fast enough.
My chest is tight as I search for Russell’s and a wave of relief hits me when his emotions—anger, frustration, and pain—come through.
At least he’s conscious.
My phone rings and Foster’s name appears.
“Foster,” I answer.
“I’m on the way to your house.”
“How—do you know what happened?”
“Your place was attacked while Ellie went on a run as a wolf.” I force myself to loosen my grip at the sound of my phone cracking. I knew they got attacked—I felt it. But it makes it more real hearing about it. “Russell followed Ellie and left Sam with Alice. Jane showed up worried about Ellie because she hadn’t heard from her. But Ellie and Russ were gone for hours, mate. Alice called me frantically when she couldn’t get a hold of them or you, and I took my family’s jet that second. Now I can’t even get a hold of her. I don’t know anything else, but I’m almost there. I landed an hour ago.”
“Sam is gone,” I say, my mind going a million miles a minute. I’m frantic and hate being stuck in a car, not able to do anything. Completely useless until I get there.
“And Alice?” Foster asks, his voice shaky.
“She’s still alive from what I can tell. Only Sam so far.”
His relief flares through our pack bond.
“I’ll meet you there soon.” When I reach the part of the freeway that’s been cleared, I hang up and press down on the gas, watching my speedometer crawl up.
When I get to my cabin, I park next to Foster’s car. Getting out, I sniff the air. I scent him, Alice, Jane, and a few other foreign lycans, but their scent is old by a few hours.
Please. I can’t be too late to save them.
Walking past the busted front door, I pause at the threshold. Everything outside looked untouched. Inside is a different story. There are claw marks on the walls and blood everywhere. “Foster, where are you?” I say, knowing if he’s near he’ll be able to hear.
He rushes down the stairs a moment later.
“Ash,” he greets, “there’s no sign of the other lycans. I’ve only been able to check upstairs.”
I nod as we walk further into my home, but freeze when we enter the kitchen—it’s in complete disarray.
Our growls bounce off the walls, our wolves coming to the surface. The foreign lycans’ and Alice’s scent are strong here. Foster’s eyes begin to glow; he’s close to shifting.
“Get your emotions in check. You won’t be able to help in wolf form.”
He blinks, his eyes returning to normal, and nods.
Despite his eyes reverting, blood drips from his palms from his shifted nails digging into his skin. He’s growing frantic, just barely able to contain his shift. We need to find Alice. I’ve never seen him so unhinged, but then again, so am I.
I need to find Ellie. I won’t be able to stay calm until she’s safe in my arms.
“Let’s check the basement,” I say, heading to the basement door, Foster close behind. I open the door and am hit with the smell of blood.
Foster snarls, more wolf than human, and barrels past me and down the stairs. I rush after him and hear his wolf whine from below.
When I reach the landing, I find Alice there, lying on the floor with Foster standing, hovering over her. His arms are completely covered in fur. Alice’s arm and a leg are at odd angles, blood slowly seeping out of a head wound. I close my eyes as another wave of anguish washes over me. I could’ve prevented this. I should’ve had more than just Sam and Russell, but there are so many people I don’t trust right now.
I take a deep breath. We can’t have anyone else die tonight. “We need to save her.”
“We will,” Foster says, his voice sharp and menacing. My gaze snaps to his face and there’s a dark look in his green glowing eyes, his canines already out with fur along his cheek bones. “We’ll save her and kill that bastard,” he growls. Foster kneels next to her and looks over her head wound, carefully brushing strands of hair out of her face with his claws. He leans over, placing his forehead against hers. He closes his eyes and inhales her scent.
One hand shakes as it cradles her face while the other is locked in a fist, knuckles white as he presses it into the ground, blood seeping from his palm.
Looking around, dread seeps in. The basement is trashed, my equipment is destroyed, the weights scattered, the machines broken, but that’s not what makes my chest tight. No, it’s Jane. Not just Jane though, but another lycan lays under heavy machinery not far from her. A foreign one. At first glance, they both look dead. I walk over and place two fingers on Jane’s neck. It’s faint, so very faint, but it’s there—barely.
“No internal bleeding,” Foster says, still next to Alice. “She has a severe concussion, but the gash on her head isn’t as bad as it looks. Her right wrist is shattered, right arm and leg broken, and some cuts and bruises.”
That’s good news. “Come over here, Foster. Jane needs you.”
He strides over, his shift slowly receding back, and presses his forehead to Jane’s while I walk over to the other lycan. I search for a heartbeat, but he’s dead. His neck is broken and a metal bar is through his stomach.
I hold my breath as Foster mutters his findings. “Internal bleeding, concussion, a few broken ribs that caused the bleeding.”
He sit
s up and looks at me. “I need to stay with them and encourage their healing.”
I nod. I’m extra grateful he came back when he did. His special ability might keep them alive until Kathy or another healer can get here. “Call Kathy.”
I grunt and take out my phone and dial Sophie.
“Are you close?” I ask once she answers.
“Ten minutes.”
I growl. I can’t wait ten minutes to go find Ellie. “I’m leaving the house now. Find me in the woods in the back. Follow Ellie’s scent.”
“Ash, you can’t—”
I hang up, refusing to hear the rest. Heading up the stairs, I pause on a step. “Stay here and wait for Kathy or any healers that come with Sophie before following.”
He pins me with a look. “Follow your own advice and wait for back up before you go off and try to be a hero. You’ll end up dead.”
I growl. I know he’s right, but I can’t wait. “I’m going.”
“You’re losing control.”
My nostrils flare and I close my eyes. But even I can tell taking a deep breath won’t push my shift down.
“I can’t wait anymore.” I bound up the rest of the steps, not willing to hear a reply.
Once outside, I let my shift take over and run hard, following Russell’s and Ellie’s trail. Going as fast as I dare while being aware of my surroundings. Pines zip by me, my feet barely touching the ground.
Hearing a voice, I stop in my tracks. “You’re making my life extremely difficult.” My blood boils as I recognize it as Marcus’.
I slowly tread through the trees before crouching down in the bushes. Marcus glares down at Ellie, snarling with tight fists. Ellie is lying in the dirt and snow. Blood and dirt cover her naked body, and seeps into the snow underneath her.
It takes everything in me not to go to her.
“Like…I…care,” Ellie gasps out, her stubbornness to fight shining through. It’s one of the things I love about her. She always amazes me with how much she’s been able to handle.
Dread seeps inside as her heart rate slows down more.
Where the heck is Russell? I look for his pack bond and find that it’s close, but not close enough to see him.
I sniff the air, searching for others beside Marcus. I find them, but the smells are old, it seems like Marcus is the last.
Ellie is the first to spot me. Her eyes widen. There’s a layer of panic in them. Although, what I’m most concerned about is the way the color of her skin and the glow in her eyes are fading.
She’s going to die.
I can’t let that happen. I won’t be able to live without her.
Ash, Foster’s voice enters my head—must mean he shifted. I’m on my way with Sophie and a few other warriors and hunters.
It’s only Marcus, I respond. I’m going to lead him away from Ellie. Get her to Kathy. She’s dying. Send the hunters to find Russell. Send Sophie and the other warriors to me.
On it. She’ll be okay.
I finally pry my eyes away from Ellie. Marcus is standing beside her, leaning over to pick her back up. I can’t let that happen. I can’t let him take her from me.
A growl leaves my throat as I rush out of the brush and leap over Ellie. I collide into Marcus, biting his already damaged shoulder. But too soon, he pries me off and swiftly shifts into his wolf. His wolf is dark brown and huge, bigger than mine, bigger than the last time I saw him. I don’t know how that’s possible since he isn’t a pureblood.
Marcus crouches down. Quickly turning, I run through the trees, hoping he’ll take the chase. He does, and I lead him away from Ellie and Russell.
It’s not long when Foster’s voice is in my mind again. I got her.
A wave of relief rolls through me, but I’m not done here yet.
Sensing Sophie near, I give her quick instructions as a plan forms.
When we’re far enough away and nearing the river, I come to a halt and face him. Instead of stopping, Marcus lunges for me.
I’m expecting it, though. I dodge and nip his side. He yelps out but lands on his paws.
Spitting out the chunk of his fur and flesh, I stalk toward him.
With a snarl, he backs away. He turns but stops short when he sees Sophie and three other wolves blocking his exit. We corral him, filling the spaces around him.
We each take turns swiping as we shrink the circle around him, but he retaliates. All of us are marked with scratches.
But Marcus isn’t as fast as he was last time. I grin, realizing he’s grown tired.
He must have been out here for a while, and my mood suddenly grows solemn at the thought. How much did they have to endure before we got here?
Marcus shifts back into his human form. I let out a growl in warning, but don’t attack.
He laughs. “You got it all wrong.”
My steps falter, and I shift back into human form. “Explain.” I don’t see how I could have possibly gotten it wrong.
“The real enemy you need to be worried about isn’t me.”
I take a deep breath to calm myself. “You killed my parents.”
Marcus’ eyes widen and a laugh bursts from him in disbelief. “You think I was able to kill Buwan and Isla?” He spits some blood onto the ground. “Trust me—it wasn’t me. But I wish it was.”
Red fills my vision as I let my shift take over, but he’s running and shifting simultaneously. I’m picking up speed as I chase him, but just before I’m able to snatch him with my teeth he jumps into the freezing water. I halt just barely in time before plunging in after him.
Scanning the rushing river, I try to catch a glimpse of him under its depths. No one dares to rush in. We may be strong, but water this cold and fast can still drown a lycan.
Ash, Foster’s voice enters my mind.
What’s wrong?
It’s Ellie…we’re losing her.
My knees weaken as ice-cold dread hits me square in the chest. As if I took that dive into the river's icy depths.
Ellie can’t die.
I need her. I need her smile, her laugh, her kindness, and her warm snuggles in the middle of the night. I haven’t had time to show her what she truly means to me. She needs to know she’s cherished. That she’s loved and will always have me. I can’t lose her. I can’t think of what would happen if I do.
I relish the feel of my paws crunching in the snow, picking up speed until it feels like I’m flying. I sense someone following me, but know it’s only Russell as a red-brown wolf. He’s close enough that he’s within reach if I need him, but far enough away to give me a sense of privacy. I’d rather be alone, but I know he’s here for my protection.
Getting lost in my thoughts, I continue running, maneuvering through the snow-covered trees.
I lose track of time as I ponder, but Russell never complains. He just silently follows me from a distance, giving me space.
My parents were murdered.
Someway, somehow. I sense the truth in it. I never thought hard about how they died, and how little I knew, because I didn’t want to think about. But now that I know more about their deaths, I can’t not think about it. They were purebloods, some of the most powerful lycans in the world, and they just died in a car accident? Yeah, that doesn’t seem likely. Nor do their injuries match up.
All those years under Marcus’ rule, and he could’ve very well been the one that murdered them. But how would he not know about me if he did? I was their only child.
Then there’s the whole funeral and my death certificate.
Were my parents hiding me to keep me safe from the very people who killed them?
Nothing is adding up, and I’m even more confused than I was before. Before it was only Marcus, staying away from him and surviving.
Why does he want me so badly? Why won’t he give up? Why does he want my blood?
The answer is just in the back of my mind when Russell’s voice in my head jars me out of my thoughts. I forgot we could talk to each other in this form.
Hold up, Ellie.
I stop in my tracks at the unspoken warning in his voice. What’s wrong?
Do you hear that?
Looking around, I realize how late it’s gotten. It’s not sunny for long during this time of year, but the sun was up when we left. Now it’s practically night, and I hadn’t even noticed. I quirk an ear to listen to our surroundings.
I don’t hear anything.
Exactly, he responds and I realize what he means. It may be winter, but we should at least hear small animals scurrying around or birds flapping their wings. But there’s nothing. Instead, an eerie quiet has settled across the land.
Russell looks around, his eyes scanning the surrounding landscape.
Let’s head back, he says. He nods toward the path and turns.
But that’s when others move in. We’re surrounded. I didn’t even hear the crunch of snow. How did they get so close without us detecting them?
Get back-to-back with me.
I do as he says and turn around until our backs are to each other. Russell growls at them as they move closer. I try not to whimper.
Do you recognize these wolves? I ask Russell.
No. They are not of this pack.
Well, I figured that.
He shoots me a side-eye glare. Then why did you ask?
I thought you might know lycans outside of your pack. If I could roll my wolf eyes at him right now, I would.
I’m going to draw them away. I need you to run as fast as you can back to the house. Sam and Alice are there, have them call for help.
I’m not leaving you here by yourself, I respond. We’re unlikely to win two on six, but you’re even less likely one on six.
Ellie, this isn’t up for discussion.
You're right. I’m not leaving. End of discussion.
He huffs.
The wolves come in waves, each nipping our sides so fast we can’t keep up. At least I can’t keep up. Russell seems to be doing fine with barely a scratch on him. I never trained in my wolf form. This is only the second time I’ve been a wolf.
Ellie, I’ll make a gap in their circle. I want you to run.
I already said—
I’ll be fine, they are untrained. Go and I’ll be right behind you. We’ll run together, but you first.
Saving Ellie (Lycans Book 1) Page 29