Chapter 31
Asharp pain in my neck tore me out of sleep. My head was pounding and my mouth was dry.
What the fuck is going on?!
My head lolled to the side, but I couldn't see my pack. Where were they?
When I tried to raise my arm I froze, realizing there was thick rope tying me in place and the sharp prick of something at my throat.
Not just something. A knife.
“What the fuck?” I asked out loud this time, blinking up to see Henry standing over me, pressing the blade into my flesh enough I felt a small drip of blood ooze out of the wound.
I knew our last confrontation was too easy for this psycho. He’d escalated yet again.
"There you are," Henry's voice filled my ears in a creepy, caressing lilt. I swallowed hard, not wanting to move a muscle and make this worse. "Took your sweet time getting home didn't you?"
"What do you want?" I asked, voice firm but still wavering. There was no hiding how fucking terrified I was. “Where’s my pack?”
"What do I want?” he asked, laughing at me. It was a hollow sound. He’d officially lost it. “I just want everything they have. Well… not you. Not anymore. You’re spoiled goods now that you’ve had your heat. I’m not into sloppy seconds. No, I think I’d rather just watch you all burn.”
The manic glint in his eye said that he meant that literally.
“What, no!” I gasped, leaning back but going nowhere. The ropes were too tight, digging painfully into my skin.
“Oh, don’t worry, little omega. I’m going to have a little fun first,” he cooed. It was condescending, dripping in his fake kindness.
"What have you done with them?" I asked, swallowing down the bile rising from his thinly veiled threat.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head. They’re here, just tied up at the moment," he answered. “And gagged so I don’t have to hear their voices.”
He was honestly the worst villain ever. Answering all my questions. Did he really think that I’d go down without a fight?
"Let them go. I'll go with you," I told him. “Whatever you want.”
"It's too late for all that. I wouldn't touch you now if you paid me," he spit out, features twisting in pure disgust.
Good thing the feeling was mutual. Just saying those words had bile rising in my throat.
"Then why are you doing this?" I asked, hoping to stall long enough for someone to come and save us. We had friends coming. We wouldn’t be alone for long. Especially since he didn’t move us.
One look around would have told him we wouldn’t be alone for long. The evidence was right there on the counter.
"Because I can," he said flatly. Henry's voice was void of any emotion. "Revenge, perhaps. Or maybe just because I want to. You got me kicked off the team and embarrassed my sister. This is the least of what you deserve."
I had to bite my tongue and not say everything that I wanted to say. He had the upper hand, for now. I didn't want to push him too far and make this worse. Stalling him was all I could do.
"If you want to hurt them, then punish me," I said, switching gears. Thank you, dark romance books. “Let them live so they know you won.”
If they were anywhere nearby, listening to this, they’d kick my ass for it later.
I didn’t care. As long as they were alive to do it. If this gave them a chance to fight back, to get help, then I had no regrets.
"What?" he asked stupidly. It was almost funny how he looked at me like I was the crazy one.
"You heard me. I deserve it," I answered him. My acting skills were shit but he was too far in his own mind to notice.
"Well, well, the tables have turned, huh?" he said gleefully, getting more smug by the second. "Didn’t think you were the begging type. Do you really think that I'll fall for that now?"
"Fall for what?" I questioned, trying to look as innocent as possible.
"You had your chance," Henry said as he pulled out a light and walked towards my curtains. Without a single hint of hesitation, he set them ablaze. "No one can save you now."
Then he walked out of the front door.
“No!” I screamed, my voice a painful rasp by the end.
This couldn’t be happening.
I watched on in horror as the flames caught on my boho laced curtains, the acrid stench making my eyes burn.
“Help!” I screamed, repeating it over and over until I was coughing as smoke filled the space. Everything burned, from my lungs to my eyes, and that wasn’t even accounting for the growing heat.
My cabin was small enough that the flames caught quickly, spreading from the counters, licking up to the ceiling that was turning black under the growing blaze. As it moved to the island where the meat was resting, I had a brief thought that the meat would be to Jackson’s liking.
Everything was happening in slow motion, as if my brain slowed down to keep me from freaking out.
The flames crept closer, edging toward me as if slithering over the floor. My body was wracked with coughs as my skin started to sting. It didn’t start slow, but flared to life like the flames themselves.
My screams started again, loud and feral, laced in pure agony. My lungs hurt the most and my vision was starting to fade for the second time tonight.
Screams echoed out as loud thuds hit the doors and windows, shaking the already blazing cabin.
“Dani!” I didn’t know who said it, the voice too distorted. All I knew was that someone had found me.
I just hoped it was the right person.
CY
Rough hands yanking me finally helped me fight through my consciousness. My head throbbed, especially my left temple. My eye was swollen and I could barely open it.
What the fuck happened?
I remembered helping set up the patio then going inside. Griff was looking for something but we didn’t make it far when we saw…
Dani.
She fell and so did Jackson. One after the other like morbid dominoes, hitting the floor even though there was nothing in sight.
Then my own eyes rolled back as whatever dropped them, hit me.
Flashing lights and dancing orange heat filled the night, but my mind was too groggy to catch up completely. Even still, my mind worked faster than my body, it seemed.
“Cy! Wake up!” Someone was patting my cheek now, rough. “Get it together, your omega needs you!” This time it was a bark.
As if the command jolted me out of the daze, Holt’s face came into view. He looked relieved when my eyes focused finally.
“There you are. Fuck, I was worried the CO got you,” he said, voice raspier than I remembered.
“What?” I questioned before I saw the blazing cabin behind him. “Dani! Griff! Jackson!” My words burst out of me until I was coughing, my chest and lungs burning fiercely as I fought Holt’s hold.
“Everyone’s out. We got them. Go to the ambulance, Cy, but I need to warn you… Dani was closest to the fire,” he said solemnly.
My eyes widened and I swear I stopped breathing as I stumbled over to the paramedics, trying to figure out if I could feel anyone in the bond.
It was silent. Eerily so.
Ash and two of the EMTs were standing over Griff. He was still out.
Jackson was just now rousing, covered in soot and looking just as disoriented as I first felt.
Then I found Dani.
Oh god. My omega.
Her eyes were closed, her skin bright red and blistered in areas. Her shoes were being pried off and seemed to have started to melt.
Her clothes were a mess, and her hair singed.
But it was the shallow rise and fall of her chest that had a sob breaking free. I dropped to her side, wedging myself between two of the paramedics that were hovering over her.
“Dani! Stay with me, peach. I need you,” I begged, my voice wavering and my vision blurring as the tears hit me. It felt like someone had cracked me wide open and all I had left were visceral, raw emotions.
Fuck, they hurt.
“Dani, please,” I begged again as my forehead hit her arm.
“We’ve got her on oxygen but she has to go in. You need checked, son,” an older paramedic said gently.
“Take me with her. She comes first,” I said, not even looking away. They didn’t fight me on it. They got to work, getting her stretcher into the ambulance. I climbed in with her, knowing damn well that the others would want me to go.
I looked up, eyes seeking out Holt again. He was there, giving me a single nod that said everything we couldn’t.
He’d watch over them. Make sure they were getting help.
As the doors closed, the monitor hooked to Dani started blaring with an alarm. The paramedics were moving, shoving me back as they started chest compressions. I heard vague words tossed around, like heart giving out and throat swelling.
“Dani!” I screamed, but I was frozen in place, forced to watch as they worked hard to save my girl. Every moment stretched on for an eternity, her eyes staying closed, her face almost peaceful now as I sat there helpless.
We reached the hospital, the paramedic climbing on the bed to continue as they wheeled the stretcher out.
I tried to follow but was held back by someone. It was impossible to tell who as my alpha took over.
“Dani! Omega!” My voice was loud and booming in the quiet of the night. Staff were yelling and then something pricked my arm.
The fight drained out of me as they helped me to the ground, darkness sliding over and my screams finally gave out.