2 Ryatt
Orange blazes ruptured through each window down the long hall, hitting us with their pernicious heat. It all descended into chaos around with the sounds of explosions and shattering glass. The windowpanes were blown out, and more fire lit everything up around my manor.
“So much for your place being safe!” Kashmir growled. His bronze skin looked almost golden against the flames as he covered his face with his arm to shield his eyes.
“We knew this was coming,” Franco said, stepping up beside me. Grabbing some of the armor off the statue next to us, he knew his job as a Beta was to protect his Alpha, and mine was to protect our Omega.
In my arms, I refused to put Jericho down.
His curly shag of blond locks was flopping with every step as he looked up at me, using his brown eyes to glare.
He hated being babied, but he kept us glued together as a pack.
Everyone might fall under my mark and command, but we all knew I’d be powerless without our Omega.
“Leia has a van on the way. We just need to get to the hidden tunnel below the manor, and she’ll have a ride for us. ”
My family home burned up in flames all around us, and there was nothing I could do about it. I watched as the fire engulfed the tall drapery that edged the several hall windows on our path. More smoke bombs and grenades were added because this person was out to destroy us, not just our empire.
Knowing this was coming after the attacks against other packs within our circle, I sent my men to a secret location to protect their lives.
Kashmir and Franco did the same thing because we had watched several elites be taken out in the last year.
None of us were sure who orchestrated it, so it was hard to target someone that’d been a ghost. We were all that remained in my fallen home, but now I had to get us out of it before the structure blew from the gas lines.
Slow motion captured my vision, eyeing the breeze that traveled up the flaming maroon drapes.
The floor runner had been imported from India as a gift from Kashmir’s family who were still in power over there, but it was already catching the embers.
Scorched circles began overwhelming it as the fabric ignited.
My eyes found his seething as he studied the same thing.
“Kashmir, help Franco shield us as we run!”
Kashmir pushed back his longer bangs that were usually styled to appear higher class as the heat of the fire glowed against his golden skin.
Franco didn’t have to push his bangs out because his blond hair had been buzzed.
With six of us herded together, we made a larger target, but I wouldn’t lose my pack.
Turning my head to find my twin, he was on the phone, confirming things with our sister.
Once Kayos hung up, and nodded at me, I knew it was time to go.
My twin looked almost exactly like me with our blue eyes and narrowed jaw, but his hair a few shades lighter than my dark brown color.
We had this stance down as a pack, and everyone knew how to form around me to keep Jericho safe.
Turner took his side by the wall to handle anything that might ricochet.
All six of us dashed in a sprint, charging down the lit-up hallway.
Smoke created a desecrating haze in our lungs, but we knew the burn would be short-lived if we made it.
Franco used the shield to handle the shit being thrown in at us, and Kashmir began batting the bombs back out the window to hit the perpetrators doing this to everyone we knew in the inner families.
With four seats in my home, I had to get us out of here.
The only one who wasn’t a chairman was Jericho because Kayos and I shared a seat for our family.
None of our parents agreed with our idea to form a bonding pack under my command, but Kashmir and Franco weren’t born Alphas.
I refused to let their positions be threatened because of it.
Both of their families operated out of Europe and the Middle East to run imports to us on this side of the world.
They supplied the goods we smuggled in to meet our demands.
When they sent their sons to live with my family, it was to push us together for a stronger alliance.
To say all families were happy about the merge to form our pack would be an understatement, and it secured their seats for the inner circle to continue the trade routes without being Alphas.
Kashmir whacked a grenade back out the window, making us pause to see the bodies near the explosion. We were able to make out six within that small radius, telling us they had the numbers to hunt. His sharp gaze swung back to me, knowing we’d have a tail. “Keep going. I’ll stay back!”
Another explosion took out the area behind us, and I knew they were doing this all around my house. Turner let me see his expression too. His was harder to make out with his dark complexion, but I knew what was about to come out of his mouth. “I’ll stay back with him. You guys get to Leia.”
Because of the life we lived running the drug ring in the city, fighting became our second nature, but we had to run today.
The two who could fight didn’t show an ounce of fear because both were that good.
In his tailored black suit, Kashmir straightened his cuffs before moving to the wall where the concealed weapons were located.
He pushed the hidden button that revealed an alcove of guns and knives.
Kayos shoved into my back to keep going, knowing I was wasting our time.
We knew this evil would be coming, but we didn’t expect their hit to be an hour after a different attack.
It left us all scurrying to get our group together, and it was how we ended up in this hall when the seize hit full force.
When we made it to the end of the hall that had the hidden tunnel, I turned to take in the brave men I called my mates.
Turner lit up a cigarette to ease his stress like he had the time to do it.
I hated that we were leaving them to handle this, but we had to get Jericho out.
My nose followed along my Omega’s head, scenting his spiced peppery scent.
I needed it in my memory before separating from him.
Handing him off to my brother, I knew I couldn’t let them do this alone.
Kayos understood what I was asking without words, sharing a conversation with our eyes to give us time.
Our twin bond went deeper than our pack bond.
“What are odds it’s only the six we saw?” Kashmir picked the sniper, pumping it full of bullets like the easiest thing in the world. He was known for his marksman skills by everyone around us.
“Zero percent. I’d say at least triple that number,” Turner responded to him before finding the rifle. When Kashmir saw Turner have the lower quality gun, he forced him to switch because Kashmir had the better aim.
“So nine each, then we run?”
“Nine each.” Turner smiled with his long hair of spiral curls hanging over his eyes. Locking and loading, they positioned by the window and started shooting.
“Make that six each, you dipshits.” I showed them I’d be with the crossbow. Standing next to the burning wall, I hid myself from the opening as I loaded my first arrow.
“Please, like either of you will get the same number as me.” Kashmir fired another shot, doing three more before pulling back in. “I’m already at four, so you little bitches better hurry up.”
Leaving my spot of hiding, I left myself wide open in the empty window for them all to know right where I stood. Shooting the closest target, I took him down right as he pulled the pin on a grenade.
When his body fell, it blew up about five people around him. Smirking without moving from the window, Kashmir glowered. “Show off.”
Snorting, I shook my head and hit the next one coming at us. Whoever sent them knew better than to send a simple squad. My eyes kept seeing more shadows in the lights, telling me we had more than planned. There was no way we’d fight our way out of this one, and I knew they were seeing what I did.
Sweeping back to obscure my frame, I shared a look with the two of them. “We’re going to have about five minutes before this whole place goes up into flames.”
“They need to think we’re in here until then,” Kashmir added. “If they think we blew up, they won’t try to follow the others.”
“So we’re going to play with fire until the clock runs down?” Turner arched his eyebrow. “We have no idea if that’s going to work.”
“They just have to think we’re in the house,” I clued him in on the keywords.
A wicked gleam took over his handsome features. “What are you thinking this time?”
“How many bullets are in the cupboard?” I nodded my head that way.
Turner took off to grab the ammo boxes. He brought them back for us to see we’d have more than enough.
“Let’s let these bastards think we’re going out in a blaze of glory.
They won’t check for our bodies until the fire gets put out. ”
“But we’ll be hidden by then.” Kashmir liked the idea. “I say, we string the bullets on the floor runner completely from one end to the other. They’ll think we’re spread out, and it’ll make them explode at different times.”
“While you do that, I’ll shoot some near the end of the hall. Just run fast because it’s already hot enough to cook them into firing.” Turner took off for us to lay the bullets.
Together, Kashmir and I ran back to where we originally began.
I was throwing some metal armor pieces to land on the rug for the bullets to hit for better sound.
These croons needed to feel like they were under attack, so I’d enhance the sound and not just the flying random bullets.
As I made my mess, Kashmir began setting the bullets inside some of the pieces before tossing random ones everywhere.
We did what would save our skins and took off to Turner’s spot.
Right before we got to him, a bullet sailed through his shoulder.
We watched the splatter of blood follow the exit wound right as he fell back from his squat near the last window.
His tumble put him on his large back, so I hurried to get his giant frame up with mine.
Turner groaned, hating life, but the hit landed high.
As long as someone had a sewing kit or first aid kit, I’d be able to get him recovering.
Unable to stop now, Kashmir covered our backs when we entered the dark tunnel that led to a remote location very few knew about.
He closed the hatch and placed some armor in front of it to mask the entrance.
The tunnel was dark, so my free hand not supporting an oversized Alpha, grabbed my phone for a flashlight.
We only got a few feet in when the rounds in the hall started pinging against the metal.
Once they did, we heard the telling sound of a machine gun.
“Jesus,” Kashmir hissed. “They’re really out for blood.”
“The slaughtering of seven families didn’t tell you that?” I asked him.
“They even killed the kids,” Turner added with a painful groan. “Whoever is after us, they’re not gonna care who they have to go through to find us.”
I knew he meant my sister, so I gave his side a squeeze that I was holding up. “When Kayos called her, we made her swear not to be near us. She promised she had a plan with a protection team, so I’m trusting her. We have no other choice because this enemy has hidden too well.”
“Leia has to conceal herself as well because if we die, she claims your position.” Turner brought up what I already talked to my baby sister about.
“She promised me she’s safe, and she’ll make contact three times a day for me to know.” It bothered me I couldn’t hover over her and protect her, but she was safer away from me.
In silence, we lost our appetite for small talk, so we just made our way down the old shaft.
These were built below Knotty City for smuggling, and my family knew all the routes.
In high school and college, we’d sneak into them to have parties.
Only those I trusted knew about the paths and trails my family established.
“I can’t smell your scent,” Kashmir was right behind me. “The smoke burned the inside of my nose.”
“Hopefully, it’ll clear up when you shower,” I replied. “For now, brace yourself because we’re nearing the exit.”
“It’s quiet,” Turner grumbled. He was never much for words, but he paid attention to the finer details. “I don’t like when things are quiet.”
Making our way out of the secret hatch that led to the cement wall made into a road next to the neighboring river, I took in how it was almost a cement swimming pool, being four lanes across.
No one drove here unless they were city workers, so seeing seven vehicles was alarming.
Kashmir took point with the gun, knowing we needed to find our pack.
Dead bodies lined the sides near some of the cars as one flashed its headlights our way.
Slowly rolling toward us, Kashmir kept the gun aimed at the moving van.
I made sure none of the fallen were our men.
Only cloaked people so far, so we were safe in the assumption this ride came to help us.
Never letting our guard down, we readied for a fight just in case.
The side of the van opened, revealing Kayos with his hand reached out. Helping me get Turner in, he took him to the back as Kashmir and I got in to join the others. Looking around, I made sure my pack was okay. “What happened?”
Franco pointed to the two in the front. “They took out whoever was waiting for us before we came out.”
“Always expect company,” the driver said. He flashed his headlights twice before taking a second to glance back at us. “I’m Raphael, and this is my partner, Lucas. We were sent for retrieval to take you to our safehouse.”
“And what are you doing now?” I watched the other four hidden vans pull out and leave.
“Waiting to be the last one out. Well, one car will remain hidden to get eyes on who comes for the bodies.” He smiled like this was a normal occurrence. “We made sure to bring enough power to not have all of us tailed. You’re welcome.”