Chapter 25 #2
Bryan’s on his feet, twisting toward the front of the lodge, shoving his phone into his pocket. There’s only one man standing there in the moonlight with his hammer, glancing outside.
“Where the fuck’s Chris?” Bryan demands.
The muscle guy shakes his head. “I swear he was just there seconds ago. Now he’s gone, and I think he just screamed.”
“Go and fucking check on him,” Bryan barks, and the man marches outside, lifting his weapon.
Then Bryan’s at my side, snatching me by an arm, drawing me to my feet.
“Looks like it’s time we left, and I’m not leaving your side until you make the call, understand?
” His fingers dig into my arm, his other hand still grasping his blade.
He drags me, and I stumble alongside him, terror punching in my chest. Outside, the muscle man stands at the other end of the driveway, shrouded by night, both hands clutching the sledgehammer, shadows crowding around him. “Something’s not right, man.”
Bryan’s hauling me toward the sedan parked farther from the house. “Move!” he growls at me.
In that same heartbeat, I glance back just as the muscle man is yanked backward into the darkness of the trees.
I shudder at the sight.
Bryan rushes us, and I’m half running as he keeps frantically looking over his shoulder. The sound of a scuffle erupts from the darkness, and in seconds, the man falls face-first to the ground and doesn’t move.
Oh, shit! Yet hope is digging at my insides that these are my Alphas coming for me.
Bryan’s pulling me closer to this car, calling out, “I’ll fucking cut her if you come near us. You hear me? I’m not scared to spill blood.”
Nothing happens, and my heart slams against my rib cage. I scan the night when two figures emerge from the woods across the driveway from us. I shudder, studying their faces, needing to know who it is.
Bryan’s grip tightens, and he shoves me in front of him, his chest to my back, the blade at my throat. “You fuckers, keep your distance.”
I whimper.
The men step forward beneath the gleam of moonlight, those familiar faces revealing themselves. Grayson and Wolf. I almost start crying. Relief crashes through me at seeing them. Wolf winks at me, and I choke on a breath, desperate to run to them.
“Where’s the third fucker?” Bryan sneers.
“Called in sick. It’s only us here,” Grayson snaps, arms dangling at his sides, shadows dancing under his eyes. Wolf glares in our direction.
“Fucking liar.” Bryan’s arm around me cinches in. “You think I’m a damn idiot?”
“Yes,” Wolf states loudly. “Now, how about you let Lucy go?”
“Nah, she’s coming with me, and you two can go fuck yourselves. If she behaves, she’ll be fine. But if you approach, I’ll cut her deep. Understand?”
Both Alphas lift their hands in the air and step back. Wait, what? My heart crashes. No…
Bryan shoves me, and we’re at the car, while I throw desperate stares to my Alphas.
Whatever they’re up to, they’d better do it fast because this is cutting it close.
Bryan rips open the driver’s-side door, then starts pushing me inside.
“Get the fuck in and climb over to the passenger side.” He still has that blade pointed in my direction, his gaze alternating between the men and me.
I scramble over the middle console, the car so dark I can barely see anything. The inside light, I realize, isn’t turning on. Bryan throws himself in and shuts the door, locking us in a split second.
My breaths are rushing because I’m stuck in here with a sharp knife pointed at me, while my Alphas are out there, only staring at us. “What are you doing?” I scream out at them.
“Shut up,” Bryan barks. He starts the engine, and we roll forward, gravel crunching under the tires.
Panic breaks me. I’m shaking, tears pushing forward because I don’t understand what’s going on.
“Just don’t pull any stunts, and you’ll survive,” he groans at me while I put my seat belt on, terrified.
We’re driving away, my stomach plummeting.
Suddenly, movement from behind me grabs my attention. I twist my head just as a huge figure lifts himself up from the back seat, covered in darkness. He’s gripping the handle of an axe just beneath the metal head, and my heart dives into my throat.
Before I can take a breath, he delivers the blunt end right into the side of Bryan’s head. Blood spurts out from his brow.
I scream just as moonlight illuminates Roman’s face.
But Bryan slumps sideways, wrenching the wheel with him, swerving us toward the trees. “Fuck!” Roman yells. “Pull the emergency brake.”
I lunge for it with two hands, hauling it up, my pulse racing. The car groans, and the tires screech as we fishtail before coming to a complete stop. I lurch forward, my heart crashing into my ribs, then I’m thrown back into my seat.
Sucking in air, I hold the door with a death grip. “What the fuck!”
“Lucy, are you okay?” Roman cries out from the back, already scrambling out of the car and coming to my side, ripping open my door.
He unbuckles my seat belt and carries me out of the car before setting me down on my feet. “Roman, oh my God!” I cling to him, tears falling, never wanting to be alone again. “I didn’t think you’d all come back for me.”
Wolf and Grayson surround me in seconds, hugging me, kissing me.
“I thought you both were letting him take me.” I choke out the words. “And I was so mad at you.”
Wolf lifts my chin to face him. “You really think we’d be capable of letting you go?”
I shrug. “I was panicked and scared out of my mind.”
He hugs me, and I melt against him as Grayson whispers how brave I was. Except I felt anything but strong. All three of them are kissing my head and my face. “You’re not getting rid of us,” Grayson says.
Every part of me is still shaking, but instead of fear, it’s from the relief and love that I’m feeling. “I love you three so much,” I blurt out without thinking.
The men just stare at me, almost shocked, and I’m suddenly thinking I’ve overshared. “Oh, I want to hear that again,” Roman murmurs. “I love you so much.”
“I love you even more,” Wolf butts in, making me giggle.
And Grayson kisses my nose. “I love you, Lucy. You’re everything to us.” And for those few moments, we’re locked in each other’s arms. This feels like the most important moment of my life, even though I’m still shaking from being kidnapped.
“Should I even ask how you all got back to me?”
“Long story,” Wolf mutters with a sly grin. “But we should get going.”
“Agreed,” Roman states, taking my hand. “I’ve got something to show you in the car parked around the back.” He lifts his gaze to Grayson and Wolf. “You two drive the car with that dickhead before he bleeds to death. Take him in, as he’ll need stitches. We’ll see you there.”
Wolf groans under his breath.
“What’s going on?” I’m being led around the back of the lodge by Roman. The night feels surreal, while that tingling sensation from my heat reminds me that I’m not free from its grasp.
We turn the corner, and instantly I spot a blue sedan. “Hey, that’s Ethan’s car. He’s back?”
“I wanted you to know that we weren’t going crazy the other day when we thought we saw Ethan. It was him.” Roman approaches the car and pops open the trunk. And inside I find Ethan, curled up on his side, not moving.
“Oh, fuck, is he…?” My voice wobbles.
“He’s not dead, Lucy, just passed out from drinking too much.” Right then, Ethan snorts like a beast.
I shake my head as Roman shuts the trunk, saying, “Let’s get going. Your grandmother needs us.”
“Grandma! Shit, Bryan said someone’s with her who can hurt her.” And those words alone scare me half to death. I rush into the passenger seat, Roman diving in behind the wheel. “Go, go, go!” I say, tugging on my seat belt, terrified we’re going to be too late.