Ella traced her fingertip along the buttons of the handheld phone. Appearing as if she may dial the number but never actually going through with it. He watched her struggle to find words, her parched lips opening and closing. They'd been through too much in too short of time, and he questioned how much longer she'd last in the messed up reality they were living. Turning away from her to grab a shirt, he gave her a moment alone to try and render her displaced thoughts.
“Maybe I should call later once we find out more?”
It couldn't have been easy to be her at that moment, and he knew that. “He wants you to call.”
“To say what?” She felt the tears brim her eyes as he took a spot on the bed next to her.
“I'm not sure.” His voice stayed a soft whisper as he tugged at the shirt between his hands. “Just say.. we don't know much.”
“That's awful. You don't know Abigail, calling her is going to give her a heart attack, Braxton. Colten should know this.”
“Your uncle's likely in shock, Daniella.” He gave her a sympathetic look because it would be a one hell of a bad day if something happened to Colten too. “But if something isn't right with him, you're going to regret calling her.”
“Fine.” Ella shot up and punched in the talk button as Grayson barged in, making Braxton shoot to a rather forward and unapproachable stance.
Ella's eyes darted to him but before she could get any words out her mouth, her uncle grabbed her by the arm.
“You need to get out of here--”
“Whoa!” Braxton latched on to her like a leech, stopping Grayson from being able to haul her across the room. No one was taking his mate without a good reason and his permission, he was about done with her uncle's takeover.
“Let her go.” Grayson's voice held a low rumble of a growl. “We don't have time for this.”
Relentless, that was a word Braxton could see fit for his grip on his mate. “What happened now?”
“She needs to leave with the rest of the women.”
“She's not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on!” Braxton's bulging muscles and hot temper flared as the two males stared at one another.
“There's an attack coming, all the women are leaving.”
Braxton let his opinion flare. “That's a stupid idea.”
“I really don't care what you think, kid. Get downstairs, so we can start forming our defense line.” Grayson tugged her, and he lost his grip.
She stumbled to keep up with her uncle's spry pace. “W-what about Colten?”
Grayson mumbling produced nothing more than a questionable answer as a gunshot donated through the hushed halls. Braxton had her on the ground before she could finish her blood-curdling scream that made him almost collapse on top of her.
“Shh, Daniella...”
Her tears pooled along her cheeks from the inevitable dread she had now become subject to, leaving her mate to search frantically her for injury.
“Are you hurt!” He panicked, inspecting her limb for limb concluding his mate was okay. “Daniella!”
Grayson got up and crashed down the stairs. “Put her somewhere safe!”
Braxton gave her another look over; she seemed all intact, aside her horror.
Put her somewhere safe. The words echoed in his head; safe was where others wouldn't be drawn to look for her. It only took him seconds and whiff of the air to haul her to her feet and put her over his shoulder with a place in mind.
He ran down the hall to a back bedroom, the one where Gale still laid dead inside.
Ella shrieked as Braxton cupped her mouth against a wall. “You have to stay here.”
Her eyes went wide as she argued through his hand like fire.
“It smells like death. It'll cover your scent.”
She shook her head, continuing to argue.
“Staying here, Daniella could save you. You're what they want.” He uncovered her mouth.
“Don't leave me,” she whimpered, clinging to his chest.
“Get under the bed.” He instructed, preparing himself to leave her and hope his plan would keep her safe long enough for the invasion to be over.
Ella shook her head. Her stubbornness always seemed to test him at the most inconveniencing of times. “Can't I help you?”
“Are you crazy!” He stepped into her and took her wrist. “Do what I say, for once.”
“I always do what you say.” She snapped her arm from him.
Fighting, right now with her seemed like the most stupid waste of time he'd ever encountered in his life. “This might be more responsibility than you bargained for right now, but get under the bed now, because you're not just endangering yourself but our unborn pup.”
Her big lashes flickered across her emotion swelled eyes. “What?”
“Now please, get under the bed.” Her will to fight broke under the serious tone he took with her.
She dropped to her knees beside the bed of his dead father. “You'll come back, right?”
“Yeah. I will.” He crouched down in front of her and lifted her chin. “But run, if things don't look good.”
She choked. “Don't let my uncle's d-die.”
“I won't.” He kissed her forehead, not being brave enough to seal his lucrative promises with a kiss on the lips. Her ankles were the last he saw as he left her in the bedroom, praying her hiding spot would keep her camouflaged.
He rushed down the stairs into the living room where everyone stood frozen and still. His eyes met Grayson's, and they told him everything he needed to know. It was too late, and then he looked across to the kitchen where his mother was on the floor sobbing and holding a bleeding Mike. That had been the earlier shot, right through the beta's chest.
He stopped, about to turn and run when he was grabbed from behind and shoved face first into a near wall. The dark chuckle from behind him solidified with the blood in his mouth. The house and Crest were being seized.
“Don't move, or I'll kill you.”
He heard the cocking of a gun as Braxton placed his hand under his bleeding nose. “Not much will stop me.”
“These will. You see, I can make it quick.” A metal barrel came in contact with the back of his head. “Or I could send this silver through your heart, it'll leave you crippled until you finally die.”
Braxton's breathing ceased as he registered the disturbing information. He was tossed around to face the image of Colten, slumped over in the corner.
“Just like him.”
His heart in his chest slammed as he tried to formulate a plan. He knew Crest had a silver antidote, but Colten needed it as soon as possible, or it would start to attack his wolf, killing him first and then shutting down his human life.
“So, where is she?”
Braxton kept his mouth shut, focusing on Colten's struggle to breathe.
“I'll make you a deal--”
“I don't do deals.” Braxton growled.
“Little prick, aren't you? Go find her and bring her to me. We'll make them watch her die.” The man from behind Braxton ordered two males across the room into a search for his Luna.
“This is your army?” Braxton barked at him.
“That and my pack that's invaded every inch of your territory.”
Braxton prioritized how much more time he could allow to be wasted, and that was likely about thirty more seconds.
He met the eyes of Grayson once more and made a slight nod to his head.
Grayson shook his head, looking away, but it only angered Braxton, because he didn't understand. This wasn't the time to stand down and accepted defeat; this was when he had to fight with all he had.
Braxton tensed, about to attack when a kick to his stomach left him flat on the floor.
“None of that.”
He rolled on his back with the help of a boot and blinked up at the face of the man that held more scars and hard lines than anyone should. But he didn't scare him. “Screw you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” The gun was raised to be in line with his head. “Her seeing you dead would be sort of amusing.”
“Darcy, why don't you leave the kids out of this? It has nothing to do with them.” Grayson tried to reason with him, but Braxton had no hope for it.
The man's cold eyes lifted to his brother, and he smirked. “Go to hell, Grayson. This has everything to do with them, and you brought it on yourself. You thought you won but news flash, I'll win again. Just like when we were kids.”
“That's your justification for killing innocent lives?”
“Innocent lives!” Darcy began to laugh, tripping over Braxton and stepping on his shoulder as he did. He approached his brother, so they were nose to nose. “I can't wait to see the faces on your Lunas when they see my men coming through their front doors.”
Grayson lost his cool, attacking his brother and taking him down on the ground. The gun in Darcy's hand fired through the ceiling, nearly missing Grayson's cheek.
“Get the gun!”
Braxton clambered, fighting for the pistol that once he grabbed from Darcy's gloved hand, burned him. He cursed, throwing it across the room. The silver grip of the gun had burned and blistered his hand in a matter of seconds.
Grayson had paused long enough to let Darcy get the upper hand. He threw Grayson across the room in a tumble and somersaulted to his feet, grabbing the gun as he did. With a smirk held on his face, he pressed the trigger and sent a shot through Grayson's chest. His mother screamed from the kitchen floor.
“You can't blame me.” Darcy smiled at his brother as Grayson shouted, rolling on his side. “You've always been an okay fighter and I don't have time for that.” He spun around and gave Braxton the same chuffed expression. “Bet that feels good, don't it, son?”
Braxton answered with a snarl as Darcy adjusted the glove around his wrist. “This will kill all that flesh on your hand. I wouldn't suggest grabbing it again.”
The two men rushed into the room, and Darcy's attention turned to them.
“Where is she?” They shook their heads, igniting Darcy's anger. “Find her! She's here!” They left again, muttering yes, sir.
Darcy watched the silent room around him, his smile returning as he stepped up to Colten and nudged him with his foot. “How are you feeling there, Colt?”
Colten raised his chin enough to look him dead in the face and opened his mouth.
“You don't have to speak.” Darcy winked at him. “I know it hurts.”
“W-why do all this?” Colten jitter bottom lip made it almost impossible for him to speak.
“Because I'm bitter!” He sent a shot up through the floor again. “And because you've always just screwed up my plans so for once, I'm screwing up yours.”
Colten swallowed. “You've killed me, so isn't that enough?”
“Not really. You see, you almost stopped Savannah from coming with me--”
“I was right about you all along.”
“I'm not done my story.” Darcy pressed the barrel of the pistol against Colten's forehead, forcing him to look up at him. “And then,” He traced his index finger along the scar that divided his face in two. “That's from you pushing me off that cliff--”
“It should have killed you.” Grayson groaned from across the room.
“Don't make me shoot you again, Gray-gray.” Darcy paused, “Oh yes, anyway, Colten... you went and killed my business partner.”
“I haven't k-killed anyone.” Colten said.
Darcy stared at him, smiling as his head clicked with the new information. “You don't know?”
He started to laugh. “You all are more stupid than I thought!”
Braxton watched him move, noticing he favored his left leg when he walked. He had an old injury, and it made Braxton start to formulate a way to attack him.
“Was always convenient my mate's brother was Alpha of the one pack that had a problem with Oscuro.” Darcy rolled his shoulders. “I only met your little sister because I was setting up the biggest drug running business in this country. You two,” He pointed at Grayson and Colten, “Are the reason I have nothing now!”
Colten coughed. “Mateo Marquez was your business partner?”
“And Charlie Redding was our muse. Always need a human for something. I was going to be the country's biggest Alpha but, no... not when I have two righteous idiots like you two on my case.”
“You deserved it. You are a dick, Darcy.” Grayson rolled onto his back, creating anger in Darcy that sent him forward with the gun again.
“I might be a dick, but I've been waiting for this moment for eighteen years. Any last 'words' for your mate? I'll make sure Chloe gets the message, don't worry.”
Grayson's mouth closed into a grimace.
“Nothing?” Darcy sounded surprised. “Wow, okay.” He cocked the gun and lined it up with Grayson's head. “Can't say it was nice being your brother, Gray.” He shrugged his shoulders, and as he did, Braxton had seen enough. He launched himself on Darcy's shoulders, uncaring of any repercussion.
He snatched the gun out of Darcy's gloved hand and threw it, latching his arm and elbow around Darcy's throat and squeezing. The man gasped, grabbing Braxton's arm and trying to break away.
“How's that feel, asshole?”
A distressed scream from the mouth of his mate made his attention flip. His grip held, but Darcy began to laugh.
"Shut up!" Braxton shouted, adjusting Darcy in his arms, deciding to break his neck. As he got the hold he needed, Ella came tumbling across the floor of the room. Her limp body made his adrenaline peak if they'd hurt her; he knew he'd lose it.
"Ella?" He said in a clear voice, halting his advances on Darcy to wait for a sign of life from his mate.
She moaned, turning on her side as his eyes stared at the fresh blood smeared across her lips.
“Get him off me!” Darcy shouted at his lackeys and Braxton was quickly removed and strung up between the two men.
Darcy recovered, holding himself over his knees as Braxton swung and thrashed.
“Now, where were we?” Darcy gave Ella a glance over and smelled the air. “Uh-oh.” His eyes ignited with excitement. “She's...” He started to laugh. “Well done, I have to say, this makes this whole slaughter a lot more interesting. Should I shoot her in the stomach to start?”
Braxton roared, swinging and breaking one of his arms away.
“Good god!” Darcy shouted at them, “Hold him still!”
The one man took him around the neck and began to choke him.
“He's not all that and a box of chocolates.” Darcy muttered, glancing around the room. “Where's the--”
Darcy swung around to Ella holding the gun at him from the floor.
“Shoot him in the head!” Braxton gasped for breath.
Darcy tilted his head. “How are you holding that?”
Every inch of Ella shook as she adjusted the gun in her hands. If he could, Braxton would have been screaming at her to pull the trigger but their hold on his throat was making his face turn purple, and he felt himself close to passing out.
Darcy chuckled at her. “Give the gun to Daddy, baby girl.” He loomed over her, reaching for the gun.
“You're not my dad!” Ella screamed as she pulled the trigger and sent the bullet through Darcy's head. He fell to the floor as Braxton shifted, now feeling it was safe enough to do so.
He whipped around to face the two lackeys and snarled at them, their faces were the product of fear and surprise as he launched himself on both of them. Killing them wasn't as much fun as killing Darcy would have been, but he was proud his mate had been the one to do it.
“Stop!” Griffin and Peter charged into the room rather heroically and both came to an abrupt halt after that. Cursing, they both stared at the sight in front of them.
Braxton winced, dropping the dead human form to the carpet. They'd need new carpet and painted walls. He shook his random thoughts and shifted back into his human form.
“A little late.” He growled at them.
“Apparently.” Peter said, “Good news is, we've dismantled the entire pack Darcy had set on us.”
He gave his Alpha a concerned glance. “Anyone else in the house?”
“I don't think so but go do a sweep.” Braxton ordered, a bit harsher than he'd meant. Griffin nodded to him and took the left hallway first.
“Mom?”
Azalea slowly got to her feet from the kitchen floor, wiping her tears.
“You know where it is, go get the antidote.”
Azalea nodded at him, hoping his tone would calm her down.
“You're sure it's all dismantled?” Braxton asked Peter once his mother had left.
Peter nodded. “Darcy had a pack of twenty-four. In my opinion, he was a bit advantageous. I can take care of everyone if you want to get some clothes.”
Braxton hadn't put thought into it but decided to take Peter up on it. “Thanks.”
Ella stood behind him, still holding the gun.
“Babe, put the gun down.”
Ella crouched down, dropping it to the floor as her tears and adrenaline wore her thin. She stood straight again, but it didn't last long, and she collapsed forward, fainting. “Ella.” He caught her in a quick scramble. He brushed the bangs back on her forehead and sighed, carrying her out of the room in his arms.