Chapter 49
forty-nine
The Attack
*FELIX*
It would be a lie to say I didn’t struggle with my experience of being abducted and tortured two years ago, but now I realize it also helps me keep my cool.
When Dario and I returned home after that traumatic event, Dad set us up with a good therapist, and also worked with us himself, to help us cope with such a situation in case it ever happens again.
As for Maddox, he obviously has nerves of steel, or he would have already attacked. I’d bet handling his father prepared him for keeping his cool in such a tense situation.
Maddox and I both jumped out of the car, and now are standing back-to-back and eyeing the wolves circling us. Only one of them steps forward and shifts to his human form.
“We don’t mean harm,” he says, his voice polite but cold.
I am stunned. Granted, I don’t have Dad or Liam’s experience in handling tough situations or being in a standoff with a group of wolves. Maybe they would have been able to talk themselves out of it, or turn the tide in their favor, but I have no idea what the fuck I am supposed to do.
Smells weird.
What? I briefly focus on Kiran. What do you mean?
The dude’s scent. I know it.
Wait a moment! Are you saying we have met him before?
Maybe. Give me a moment.
We might not have a moment, I point out, my eyes following the unknown guy who keeps looking at Maddox and me, expecting us to.
.. I’m not sure what he is expecting us to do, to be honest. Okay, what can I safely say about this guy?
Obviously, he is a warrior. Judging by his build and his demeanor, and the fact that he is the one who stepped forward. He must be a really strong one.
…Felix!
My father’s voice snaps me out of my observation. Dad?!
Are you in danger?
I am spellbound. Yes, how did you know?
It’s a long story! Try to stall for time. Stay safe! Help is on the way! Can you tell me where exactly you are?
That’s easy. I give him a swift rundown of where Maddox and I are stranded, and how many enemies to expect. I can’t focus on him for too long, though, as the guy in front of us moves slightly, stretching his head and looking at Maddox’s car.
“Are you alone?” he asks, his voice still polite.
Maddox and I exchange a look. I wonder if Maddox is going to say something, but with a short glance, I can tell he is deep in thought, most likely wondering what to do.
“Who wants to know that?” I finally ask.
The guy in front of me just smiles. “Don’t make this too difficult, blondie.”
So much for being polite. I knew his politeness was just an act. He can shove his smile up his ass. I am still surprised by his childish insult, though. “You still haven’t answered my question,” I tell him. “Who wants to know that?”
Kiran stirs in my mind again. I know why his scent is familiar, he growls. He smells like the guys who were following Gwen!
Wait a fucking moment, they are after my mate?! Maybe they thought she would be in the car with me!
My body tenses, my senses suddenly much more on alert. Maybe I could try my gift on them. Trying to calm my nerves, I let Kiran take control, exuding our calming presence. I can see the guy blinking slightly, the tension leaving his shoulders, but he is still standing there in front of me.
Fuck! I am too nervous to make it work. With Maddox’s dad, I felt like I had full control over the situation, but now I can’t seem to calm my mind.
Another wolf suddenly shifts, a broader, angrier guy joining the first one. “Fuck this,” he spits.
“Thomas had clear instructions,” the first one mutters.
“Like I give a fuck,” he growls.
Prepare for an attack, Kiran.
Let them come, he growls. They are after mate. I will show them their place.
I exchange one more glance with Maddox, sudden determination flashing in his eyes, while his expression gets darker. Good to know we are on the same page here.
A tremor goes through the crowd when the second guy suddenly lunges forward. “Josh!” the other one yells, before following suit.
I am prepared, dodging 'Josh’s fist easily. I wonder if they know I am a lycan. Even if they are after Gwen, they might not know much about me yet. They might not even know where she is! Instead, they probably spied on Maddox’s pack until they saw me again.
They must know I have something to do with Gwen; I was the one who protected her from her stalkers after all.
Maddox jumps forward, kicking one of the guys, and rolling over before one of the wolves lunges at him. You ready, Kiran?
Obviously!
I let go of my control, allowing him to take over.
He shifts into our lycan form effortlessly, and it has the desired effect.
The wolves surrounding us clearly startle, but this time I don’t give them enough time to act.
I use the momentum. Kiran charges forward, attacking two wolves at once, while behind me, I can see Maddox shifting.
My training clearly has paid off. I might not be the best warrior of the pack, but Dad made sure I could build on my strengths, mainly my agility and fast movements.
Kiran is not the bulkiest lycan, but he is fast and can move between our enemies without getting hit too much. We are obviously still outnumbered, though. It’s just Maddox and me, against probably twelve wolves. And that’s not all of them. More of them come from the forest, joining the fight.
And the worst part of it is that I can’t even link Maddox to plan a proper strategy.
I just know one thing: I won't let them kill me or imprison me. I have experienced the latter once, and I also nearly died once. No repeat of that! I owe it to Gwen. After all I promised her, I’d return in one piece.
A couple of wolves pile onto me, but Kiran throws himself on his back, rolling over them before jumping up and using an opening to dash past them and towards a strong-looking wolf who is currently battling it out with Maddox.
It must be the angry dude, the one who attacked us first. Definitely a high-ranking wolf!
With a loud growl, Kiran claws his sides, successfully getting him off Maddox. Maddox’s wolf nods at Kiran, immediately jumping behind him to keep his back free from attackers.
Yeah, not sure how much longer we can keep this up. Dad did say that help is on the way, and we are not too far from Silverlake, so maybe-
A loud screeching sound startles all of us for a moment.
Kiran’s eyes wander upwards, spotting a small bird fluttering towards us.
It looks like Tiger. Wait… it is Tiger! Did that tiny bird just make that loud, screeching sound?
I can barely wrap my mind around what Gwen’s pet-bird is doing here when it suddenly swoops downwards, opens its beak, and a long tongue shoots forward, wrapping around one of the wolves who is currently trying to bite Maddox’s back.
Tiger’s beak grows, sharp little teeth appearing before she pulls her tongue, with the wolf wrapped in it, back up, and swallows it!
“Felix!” Another voice yells.
That’s Arden!
A car halts with screeching tires right behind the huge tree trunk.
In the blink of an eye, Aurelia is jumping out of it, shifting and lunging into the group of wolves.
Now, she is a different force to be reckoned with.
She is well-trained and has some insanely powerful gifts, and she is not scared to jump into battle.
Together with Tiger in her monster form, it’s obvious she has the upper hand.
Maddox shifts to his human form. “They are running,” he exclaims.
He is right. The group splits into several directions and runs for their lives. “I will go after them,” Maddox yells.
Arden grabs his arm. “No,” he says shortly. “You are hurt!”
I will follow them. We just need one of them to tell us what they know! Aurelia links me, before taking off with Tiger right behind her.
“Felix,” Arden says. “Aurelia, has it covered. It’s okay.”
It amazes me how cool he is with her putting herself into danger, but then I guess that’s the price of being mated to an alpha.
It’s the same for Marius. He doesn’t like Celine getting into danger, but he also knows she has to.
He has faith in her and her abilities, just like Arden does with Aurelia.
Kiran hands me back control, allowing me to shift back. “Are you okay?” Arden asks, immediately walking over to me.
“Just some scratches,” I reassure him.
Maddox is holding his side, a wound there is bleeding profusely. “You were great, Felix. Thank you. I’d have no chance without you.”
“I’d say we helped each other,” I point out. “Just someone, please tell me if I just imagined Tiger morphing into a wolf-eating creature?”
“No, I saw it too,” Maddox mutters.
“Me too.” Arden stares in the direction Aurelia and Tiger disappeared to before turning his head to his car. There on the car roof, is Titan sitting proud and regal like always, and simply looking at us. “Birds of a feather, I guess,” Arden mutters.
I could swear that Titan frowns at his words, but I might be losing my mind. Who knows?
Arden makes Maddox and me sit down, handing us spare clothes, before he checks on Maddox’s wound. “It’s not too deep,” he says. “But still, someone should definitely stitch you up.”
“Arden, they were following us all along,” I tell him. “Probably from when we left the pack.”
“Right.” Maddox frowns. “They were also expecting someone else in the car.”
“Gwen,” I mutter. “Probably Gwen.”
Arden’s head snaps up. “Damn it,” he huffs. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Felix. I promise you. Elden is already on his way, and let’s hope that Aurelia returns with her prey.”
He is right. Not twenty minutes later, a second car rolls up to us. In it, I not only spot my father but also Gwen, instant warmth filling me when she jumps out of the car and rushes towards me.
Right behind her, I can see Charlie, looking equally worried, as she runs towards Maddox. Well, judging by her panicked expression, it seems like things aren’t too hopeless for him.