“Ari, get to the study. Now.” My father’s voice came through the mind-link, sharp and commanding. But beneath it, there was a strain I’d never heard before.
“I’m coming, almost there,” I sent back quickly, my voice tight with urgency.
My pulse quickened as I darted around a corner and down a rarely used side staircase, thankful I didn’t run into anyone.
"Calm down, Ari," I whispered under my breath. "Father will know what to do. He always does."
“Ari, where are you?” My father’s voice cut through again, more urgent this time. “Get to the study! Don’t stop for anything.”
The fear in his voice sent a shiver down my spine, settling deep in my chest like ice.
I reached the study and pushed the door open with trembling hands. It was empty. Panic clawed at my throat as I scanned the room, but then my mother’s voice rang through the mind-link, steady and calm.
“Ari, hurry. Over here.”
I spun toward her voice and saw her standing by the far wall, holding open a hidden panel I hadn’t known existed. Her face was tight with worry, but her movements were swift and confident as she waved me forward.
“Get inside. Now.”
I hesitated, my breath catching. “Mother, I—”
“No time to argue, Ari.” Her voice was sharp, leaving no room for debate. “Lock it from the inside. Stay quiet, no matter what you hear.”
Reluctantly, I climbed into the small, dark compartment. The cold stone pressed against my back as I crouched inside. My hands shook as I slid the massive bolts into place. The heavy air felt suffocating, thick with tension.
I pressed my ear to the door, straining to hear what was happening outside. The silence stretched on, and it felt like time had stopped.
Then, the sound of the study door crashing open shattered the quiet.
My body froze.
Footsteps stomped across the floor, and then I heard him.
“Where is she?” Ciaran’s voice cut through the air like a blade.
My breath hitched. The man I was supposed to marry. The man who had betrayed me.
A crash echoed, followed by my father’s voice. It sounded strained but still defiant.
“She’s gone,” he said firmly.
Ciaran laughed, the sound cruel and mocking. “You really think we believe that?”
My blood turned to ice. "We." The word hung in the air, heavy and damning. This wasn’t just a rogue attack. This was planned.
I bit my lip, fighting back a sob. The realization that my fiancé had orchestrated this betrayal hit me like a punch.
“Ari, stay hidden.” My mother’s voice broke through the mind-link, a desperate plea. I clenched my fists, pressing them to my lips to stifle the sound of my ragged breathing. “Please stay quiet.”
Suddenly, chaos erupted outside. Two sharp gunshots rang out, cutting off my father’s voice. A sickening thud followed as something heavy slammed against the hidden door.
I bit down harder on my lip, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. A dark trickle seeped under the door. The sharp, acrid scent of silver hit my nose, and nausea churned in my stomach.
“Tell me where she is,” Ciaran growled, his voice low and menacing.
There was a pause. Then another gunshot. My mother’s gasp broke through the tense silence, and I clapped a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming.
“I could’ve hit somewhere vital,” Ciaran hissed. His voice dripped with smug satisfaction. “But I didn’t. Not yet. Tell me where she is.”
My mother’s voice pushed through the mind-link, trembling but determined. “Ari, run. Now. There’s an exit behind you.”
I blinked, momentarily confused, and turned. There was another bolt on the back wall.
"Go…" Her voice wavered, and I knew they were her last words to me.
Her desperation jolted me into action. My hands shook as I unlocked the second bolt. It screeched loudly, but I didn’t care.
The panel opened to fresh air, cold and biting against my face.
I stumbled out, realizing I was in the back parking lot.
“Thank you, Goddess,” I whispered, my voice shaking as I sprinted toward the parked cars. My little Audi was where I’d left it this morning, tucked into a far corner.
My hands fumbled with the keys as I threw myself into the driver’s seat. The engine roared to life, and without hesitation, I hit the gas.
As I sped away, another gunshot echoed behind me.
The pack link went eerily quiet.
My breath caught as the truth hit me. My mother was gone.
