Chapter 5

Siya’s Point of View

My rage fueled my muscles to the point where I was afraid they might tear apart. My fingers screamed at me to stop pulling at the metal around my waist. But I didn’t. Heard my shoulder pop but carried on.

Even as the smell of blood filled my nose.

Adelia was out there somewhere, getting hurt, no doubt. Stubborn fucking woman. She should have agreed to go with me. None of this would have happened if she had agreed. 

Finally, the sound of metal ripping apart and breaking filled my ears. The body shackle fell to the floor with a clang.

Next came the shackles around my feet. 

They broke easier than the one around my waist. Was made of a thinner metal. But my hands were breaking open and scaring over in record time. 

Phaedra should have fucking waited. The bitch should have known I would need another day or two to get Adelia back home. Not rush in guns blazing.

With my feet free, this only left my hands. I wasn’t going to rip them from my wrists with only one hand. No. I had to break my thumbs.

Fucking great.

Inhaling sharply, I gripped my left thumb first. Braced my muscles. Ripped the finger to the side at a striking angle. Pain lanced up my arm but I bit it back. Slid the shackle free.

Fucking Phaedra and her need to be the best. Fucking Adelia being the daughter of a con man with no regard for his daughter’s life. 

She was mine now. Mine. No one would touch her. Harm her. Fuck all of them. 

When this was all over, she was going back with me. Locked up and sated, where I knew nothing like this could reach her again. 

By the time I broke my right thumb, I was numb to the pain. My bones would readjust and mend themselves. But Adelia couldn’t regrow her fucking head if someone shot it. 

Getting out of the house was easy, considering I had studied the blueprints excessively before coming here. 

The hard part came when I spotted all the people in the front garden, gearing up and handing out orders to the civilians who showed up in throngs. Most of the guards were on high alert, even whilst doing other things.

I skirted the outside of the house, hiding behind every bush I could find. Fighting my way out of here would take too long. Which was time spent worrying that my stubborn fucking mate might murder herself.

When I reached the side of the house, I forced my shift. Forced it to go faster than it ever had before. Pain ripped through me but I was in my wolf form within moments. Dug my paws into the dirt and sprinted out of the packhouse grounds faster than anyone could detect me.

This deep into the town, everything was eerily silent. Except for the occasional family slipping out of homes and shops to take refuge at the pack house, I barely saw anyone.

All of this changed when I got two blocks away from where Adelia had said she had planted bombs. Fucking bombs.

The woman was mad, I could give her that.

The popping of guns sounded louder and louder the closer I got to the edge of the town. How Adelia had gotten here so fast was beyond my reasoning.

All I truly knew was that she was here and they didn't care if they shot her in the process.

Weaving in and out of shadows, I found the first wave of invaders. They were in a stand-off with a group of Adelia's people. Shot without caring. And missed their targets most of the time.

I had to hand it to them. Lover's Quarrel's people were well-trained. Swift on their feet.

But Adelia wasn't here. 

There was another block to go before I ran into the detonation zone. That's where she would be.

Offering herself up as bait was fucking insanity. More than that, it showed me that she had a soft heart. Something that might get her killed one day.

She should have left-

I felt the sting before I saw who had shot me. Gritted my teeth against the pain. Growled deep in my throat as I strutted out from behind a bush I had taken refuge in.

It wasn't one of hers who had fired the shot. It was one of mine. A youngling I was tasked with training. 

He realized his mistake a second too late. Hesitated when he saw the familiar form. And one of Adelia's saw the hesitation and shot. 

Before the body hit the street, I was already off.

Phaedra had sent in fucking children. The first wave was always the one where she tested the bounds and she had sent in fucking children, knowing they would be slaughtered. 

Our fucking children from a pack I loved fiercely.

Spotting Adelia came as naturally as breathing. Like my entire being drew me to her. 

And she sensed me as well. Shifted around on her heels to lock eyes with me across the road. Her eyes flared wide. Knew me instantly in this form.

Her mouth curved upward in a menacing smile. 

"There! Him!" She commanded, pointing her finger at me.

A barrage of bullets pierced the air and I dodged as fast as I could. Was already slowed down by the fact that one of my rookies had shot me. The bullet was making its way out of my body but slowly. Too slowly.

She fucking shot at me! What the fuck! I thought we got somewhere with our little talk. And her not letting them drag me to the cells.

But no. We were back at-

Adelia stepped out behind the car she had taken refuge in. Aimed her gun right at me as she strutted forward. Opened fire but only hit the building and pavement. Close enough that I felt slightly uncomfortable by it.

Standing my ground, I raised my head. Showed her my full height, which was staggering compared to her human form. 

When she reached me, we locked eyes again but the bullets her squad fired went back to the enemy at the front.

"You escaped," She hissed, contempt written across her face. 

I shifted back. Forced it like I had done earlier. Locked my jaw when I felt the wound in my side screaming at me to stop. But I didn't. Locked eyes with hers again.

"Do you have a fucking death wish marching into this? You can get caught in the crossfire, you stupid, arrogant little girl!" I screamed, feeling my face heat up with anger.

Her vivid blue eyes scanned my face with barely contained loathing. 

"This is my pack. What the fuck did you think I was going to do? Bow down before your deranged sister? Let her have you back? Fuck you. Get back to the fucking pack house! Last I checked you were still my prisoner." She seethed back.

Balls. She had some massive fucking balls.

"As you can clearly see, I am no one's fucking prisoner. The only person going anywhere is you. Back to my fucking pack." I lunged for her, barely missing the barrel of her gun. Slammed my shoulder into her stomach, feeling the air rush out of her lungs. 

Adelia yelped with the limited breath she had. Fired once. Twice. But missed each time.

The gun jammed, to her disadvantage and I leapt for the other side of this warzone. Knew that no one from either side would shoot-

But someone did. A loud bang sounded around me. 

I knew the sound well. A sniper rifle. Someone perched on the building furthest away from the fighting but still had it all well within sight. 

"Fuck!" Adelia screamed seconds before I felt my momentum break. Took a step backward from the force.

Adelia went limp above me.

And for the second time since we met, someone fucking shot her. 

My world was promptly engulfed by flaming red.