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To my surprise, Nicolai and Joel nod in agreement. Honestly, I can’t blame them, everything Syn says is true. It is dangerous and a huge risk. Right now, we don’t even know for sure that itiswerewolves. For all we know, they could just be feral, in which case there will be no reasoning with them, their minds lost to madness.
“Syn, without me there, the witches will be torn apart.” We all know it’s the grim reality of the situation, and I see it written on their faces. “I’m supposed to bring peace to both groups, so I have to at least try. What’s the worst that could happen? They don’t listen to me?”
“They could attack you, Laelia. You might get hurt. You could die,” Joel replies bluntly, not mincing his words.
Again, all true, but they are not going to change my mind on this.
“I am not going to sit safely closeted away while innocents get hurt, and if you think I would, then you don’t know me at all.”
I see the moment my words hit their mark, Joel’s expression softening. One of the reasons they love me is for my caring heart, and they can’t expect me to just forget my morals when they are needed the most.
Atlas swears and steps forward so he’s in the centre of our little group.
“For fuck’s sake. I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he mutters to himself before raising his head, his expression determined. “Okay, we need to work together to keep everyone safe. We’re all getting out of this alive. No one tries to play the hero, and we stick together. At. All. Times. Got it?” Atlas’s military background is showing as he barks out orders. His end of the bond suddenly feels different, focused somehow, as he slips into the role of general, helping him sharpen his thoughts on what needs to be done. He glances around the group, but I get the distinct feeling he’s talking specifically to me.
If this was a different situation, then I might take offence at the implication that I’d put myself or the others in danger by trying to be heroic, but I know this isn’t the right time.You can’t be offended at something that’s true, my mind points out, and I silently admit that I’ve been known to put myself at risk to help others.
It doesn’t take long for the group to agree, and we make our way to the doors that lead to the main corridor, where I prepare to argue with the guards. They are not going to want to let us pass, but I’m sure I can persuade them to see my reasoning. When I swing the door open, though, I’m met with an empty corridor.
The guards are gone.
This makes our departure much easier, as I don’t have to fight to get them to listen to me, but it makes the hair on my arms stand on end. It’s eerily quiet out here. I won’t let myself think of the reasons why it could be so quiet.
Atlas slips past me, and we share a knowing look that makes me sick with dread. With a quick gesture for us to follow him, we move through the hallway and down the spiralling staircase to the main wing of Haven. Atlas doesn’t tell us to be quiet, we instinctively stay silent and move as soundlessly as we can. We don’t know what we’ll be facing, and approaching our enemy without them knowing will give us the upper hand, something that might help keep us all alive.
The atmosphere is tense, and my instincts are telling me that we’re walking straight into danger. Alarm bells ring in my mind, warning me to turn back, but we keep going. We don’t see anyone until we’re on the main floor, and a female form comes barrelling around a corner, slamming straight into Atlas’s chest.
“Luna!” I call out in surprise, instantly recognising my friend. I’ve never seen her look like such a mess before. Her hair has been hastily scraped back into a messy bun, and her clothes are haphazardly thrown on. It’s the expression of panic written across her face that takes me aback though. Luna is always perky and confident, so seeing her like this is a huge warning sign.
Gripping onto her cousin’s arms, she looks like she’s about to pass out, her body shaking. Torment flickers in her eyes. Whatever she’s seen has traumatised her to the point where she’s almost hysterical. “Laelia, Atlas, I was just coming to find you. We’re—”
“Under attack, we heard,” Joel states matter of factly, his alpha instincts taking over as he tries to take control of the situation. “Tell us what’s going on.”
Joel’s straight talking and clear commands actually seem to help her shake off her distress. Taking a deep breath, she digs her nails into the palms of her hands so she can focus on the pain and keep her mind clear. She nods her head slightly as if giving herself a mental pep talk.
“Werewolves have broken into Haven,” she begins but pauses as she glances at me. “They are demanding to see Laelia.”
Oh shit. All of my fears are coming true. My family wouldn’t have stormed Haven to rescue me. It’s not the way they would handle the situation, and they know I have my mates here with me, which means that someone else has managed not only to find Haven, but break the shields around it and attack the witches to get to me. What do they want with me?
Clearing my throat, I try to keep my voice steady as I ask my next question. “Did they say why they wanted to see me?”
Shaking her head, Luna bites down on her lip as she attempts to come up with suggestions. “We did abduct you. Could they be wanting to check you’re safe? Is this a rescue mission?”
“No,” I say at the same time as my mates, all echoing the same sentiment. There’s no way werewolves would attack Haven just to rescue me. “They were trying to find an excuse to kill me before you guys took me. They are not here to help me.”
Something about hearing those words aloud suddenly makes me feel much more vulnerable. I call Star, and she materialises at my side in a glimmer of starlight. She’s instantly on alert, leaning against my leg as she senses my discomfort. A hand brushes against mine, and I start to flinch away until I feel a familiar tingle that tells me one of my mates is touching me. Looking up, I find Scott watching me, his hand linked in mine.
I have no words to tell him how much I love and appreciate him, or how having him here completes me. Thankfully, I don’t need to vocalise it because he can feel it all through the bond. The others take a step closer, creating a cocoon of bodies around me. Whatever’s about to happen next could change everything, so I make the most of this moment. To my surprise, Luna doesn’t say anything and waits quietly for us to finish, like she knows we need this time together.
We transcend to another level within our bond, communicating through images and emotions alone. It’s the strangest sensation, and if I were asked to explain it aloud, I doubt I could. Now that we’re complete with the addition of Scott, we’re able to sink more deeply into our bond, the six of us connected and thinking as one unit.
In fact, we’re so connected, they all step back simultaneously when we’re ready, revealing Luna. My mind is clear now, and while I still feel fear, I don’t allow it to take over or spiral in my thoughts like it did before.
“We’re ready.”
Luna scans us with wide eyes, and I get the impression she wants to say something, but instead, she bites down on her lip and nods. Spinning on her heel, she turns back the way she came and gestures for us to follow her.
We come across the first body a few minutes later—a male witch who was clearly fleeing. My throat constricts so tightly that for a moment, I can’t breathe, horrified by what I’m seeing. Atlas detaches himself from our group and kneels beside the fallen male. Pressing his hand against the witch’s neck, he feels for a pulse even though it’s clear this man is dead. A vicious leg wound seems to be the only sign of injury, a trail of blood on the floor acting as a grizzly signpost leading from where he had been running.
