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I reach the living area and press my back to the wall, trying to stay hidden in the stairwell as the girls flood in from the main club. I spot Holly next to Missy, and I look around for security. Only the beta remains here, Madame Samara nowhere in sight.
It gives me the bravado to show myself. He’s only one man, and he’s not even an alpha. I have a fighting chance if he confronts me, especially if Holly’s by my side.
I wave my hand. “Holly! Holly, we have to go!”
Holly’s eyes widen as she turns to me, realizing that I said her real name out loud. It’s too late for me to play it off otherwise, so I rush to close the distance to her. The beta hollers my name, telling me to go back to my room. I ignore him and meet Holly, the other girls just standing around, looking confused and scared by everything.
“Your dad is here. We have to leave. I don’t know what’s going on, but this is our only chance.” I lock my fingers through Holly’s and tug her.
I spot the beta moving in my peripheral vision, and I swing my arm out with my stiletto, smacking him across the head. He growls and stumbles, damn lucky that I missed hitting him with the point of the heel. It’s enough to get him to slow down, though, and that’s all we need. The backdoor is now unguarded.
“Run!” I scream, dragging Holly with me until she picks up her pace. She kicks off her heels, and together we shove open the backdoor, the world engulfing us in bright light, the sunshine blurring my vision.
I run, swinging my arm in front of me until I can see properly, my eyes adjusting to the light. I cling onto Holly’s hand, ensuring she stays next to me. I spot a couple of guys running from other buildings, and I ignore them, not letting them slow me down. I’m not afraid of them shooting me or anything. But they will chase me. I can already sense it.
“If they catch us, fight like hell. Do whatever you can. Hit them in all the soft spots, remember.” My voice cracks as I say the words, my heart pounding in my ears. I’m more scared than I’ve ever been in my life, yet the fear isn’t even for myself. It’s for Holly. I didn’t expect I’d ever feel like this for another omega, but Holly is my family now. I won’t let her brothers down. We’re both a priority to them, but I know how to handle myself outside a palace. I know how to deal with the shit of this life. I’m terrified to even think about what will happen to Holly if her father finds her. What will happen to Wilder, Desmond, Arsenio, and Enzo if he finds out. Everything will be ruined. Everything they’ve worked for will be destroyed. All because they fell in love with me.
I don’t want to be the cause of their destruction. How could I ever live with myself?
It’s the thought that gives me the strength to push forward, staring down the first man who gets in our way. I don’t slow. I don’t falter. I run as fast as I can with Holly, and we stretch our arms out, putting space between us. We use the sheer force of our fear and our bodies to knock the guy onto his back. Holly kicks him in the balls, and I grab her, forcing her to run. This isn’t about getting these guys to stop. This is about getting out. She could seriously hurt someone if she wants to, but we don’t have time.
“All exits will be blocked. I think we need to find somewhere we can climb the fucking wall.” I lick my lips, my mouth dry from my heavy breathing and exhaustion.
“Look.” Holly points down one of the small drives, leading to a parking lot on the perimeter right next to the wall. A couple of cars sit parked against it, and one of them just might be high enough for us to climb over with each other’s help.
Hope rises in me.
“Hurry!” We can do this. I know we can do this. I pull Holly, and we run, our bare feet slapping against the ground.
“Stop them!” a man yells from somewhere behind us.
“They won’t get far.” Another man’s voice booms through the air. “They’re surrounded.”
I can’t stop myself from looking over my shoulder. It’s then that I realize they’re not talking about us. They don’t even see us. The second my eyes lock onto the back of Wilder’s head as he aims a gun at another man, I can’t stop from screaming out his name. Relief floods through me. They’re here. I can’t believe they’re here.
Wilder spins, aiming his gun at the two men. Opening and closing my mouth, I watch as they train their weapons on him. They come to a standoff, neither of them shooting.
“Come on, Kinsey. We have to go. They’ll find us.” Holly drags me, not letting me risk my life to run in Wilder’s direction, despite him being so close. And she’s right. What am I going to do? Stand in the middle of a gunfight and hope for the best? No. I need to trust that Wilder knows what he’s doing.
I need to take care of me and Holly first. It’s what he’d want.
Ignoring the ache in my chest, I run beside Holly in the direction of the compound wall. If we can just get out, we can find somewhere to hide. Many betas would help us find our packs, and for once, I’m glad to not be impersonating a beta.
We reach the small lot of parked cars, and I climb onto the trunk and help Holly up. From here, we get a better view of the world around us. Wilder remains frozen, aiming his gun. I shield my eyes from the sun, peering around. I know his brothers won’t be far.
But where are they?
Shit.
A loud pop rings through the air, startling me. I whip my attention back to Wilder, expecting to see either him or the guys surrounding him shot. I release a breath, my heart threatening to spill free. It didn’t come from any of them.
“Fuck, let me help you up first.” I climb onto the sedan’s roof with Holly, managing to see just over the block wall.
I startle at the sound of another gunshot, and pieces of concrete sprinkle through the air. What the actual fuck? Someone just shot at me. Holly grabs me and pulls me down as another pop deafens me. I don’t understand. Why are they shooting at me?
“We need to go somewhere else. Maybe we can hide until your brothers find us.” Adrenaline courses through me, keeping me from losing my shit. My body numbs, the sensation of jumping from the roof of the car not even fazing my bare feet. I help Holly from the roof, and we take shelter as another bullet hits the ground and ricochets beside us.
A man sticks his head up from the other side of the wall, standing on something, peering into the compound. I don’t recognize him. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but now I’m more terrified than ever.
