Fiona’s POV
In an instant, the atmosphere changes. The kidnappers wrench the phone away from me, cutting the call short with a menacing motion. Their faces contort into threatening glares as they realize we have reached out for help.
“Shit, I think we have been exposed!” One of them says, his face turning dangerously wild.
“We should just kill her and get done with it.” The other one hisses.
I freeze, fear holding me in a chokehold. I see the kidnapper nearest to me clutch his knife and point it towards me. His eyes tell me he is going to kill me.
God, no. I need to think. I need to save myself.
With great restraint, I calm myself down and focus.
Just as the kidnapper makes the motion to stab me with a knife, I say the first words that come to me.
“I'm a billionaire's wife!” The kidnapper falters at my outburst and slowly, a plan forms in my mind. Gaining courage from his temporary hesitation, I continue.
“My husband is very rich. You guys usually kidnap for money, don't you? Don't worry, I will make sure my husband doesn't call the police. You can ask him for a hefty ransom."
I can see the wheels turning as they think about what I’ve said. I just hope that they are willing to call Micah to try and make some extra money on the side.
“I could use a few extra million.” One of them says to the other.
The other one chuckles, “I’ve never been one to turn down easy money. Let’s get this billionaire here and then take the one we came for and get out of here.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I hope that Micah will come for me. After all that we have been through lately, I’m not sure he will.
The two of them look from me to Rowena and then pick up the phone.
I feel my shoulders lower as they walk over to the other side of the warehouse.
Never in my life have I been so grateful for someone’s greediness.
They take the phone to the other side of the warehouse so we can’t hear the conversation they have with Micah.
A few minutes later, they are back, and judging from their satisfied expressions, it seems that Micah has not revealed his identity as the Lycan Prince.
“Look,” I whisper to Rowena. “I don’t know what kind of trouble you are in, but neither of us wants to go wherever these kidnappers are trying to take you. So, from now on, keep quiet.”
Rowena turns her face away from me, not acknowledging anything I said. That’s fine, as long as she goes along with the plan, we both should be sleeping in our own beds tonight.
A pain blooms in my chest. In her case, she will be sleeping with Micah, having him hold her all night after this ordeal. The thought brings tears to my eyes, but I blink them away. I have to keep my thoughts on the situation at hand.
____________________
As the tension inside the warehouse continues to escalate, I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. Time seems to stretch endlessly, and my hope hangs on a fragile thread as I wait for Micah's arrival. But, as it turns out, help comes sooner than I imagined.
Just as night begins to cloak the outside world in darkness, a familiar figure emerges from the shadows. My breath catches in my throat as I recognize Micah. As the moonlight from the window falls on him, I see him turn my way.
The moment his gaze lands on me, I can't help but be overwhelmed by a flood of emotions.
His eyes track my face, my arms, my legs with a frantic urgency- it is almost as if he is checking to see if I’m okay.
Tears well up in my eyes, and it feels as if someone has lodged something prickly in my throat. At that moment, all I want is to leave everything behind and rush towards him. I yearn to be closer to him, to feel his arms around me, providing safety and warmth.
I long to bury my face in the crook of his neck and inhale his earthy scent, a scent that has always been so comforting and familiar.
In that fleeting second, all the problems and disagreements that have driven a wedge between us fade into insignificance. The fact that I have filed for divorce is momentarily forgotten and all that matters is that, in this moment of life and death, the only person my heart desires is my husband.
I swallow thickly, trying to bring my emotions under control.
Now is not the time to be sentimental.
It is only when I focus on him with a clear head, that I realize something about him seems different, unusual.
I watch in astonishment as Micah draws nearer to where we are, the moonlight casting an eerie glow on his form. And then, in a sudden and astonishing transformation, his entire demeanor changes. His body contorts and expands, powerful muscles rippling beneath his skin as he shifts into his majestic Lycan form.
My eyes widen in awe and disbelief. In this intimidating form, he radiates a commanding presence that compels any onlooker to bow their head in respect.
The kidnappers, who have been momentarily distracted by Rowena's repeating tantrums, now find themselves confronted with an unforeseen adversary. Panic and realization wash over them as they comprehend the gravity of their situation.
But it is too late for them to retreat. Micah's transformation has completed and he is now out for blood. In another second, he is joined by his formidable werewolf army, their eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity.
The kidnappers exchange fearful glances, their bravado replaced by a growing sense of dread. They have underestimated the power of the Lycan Prince, and now their lives are in danger.
Micah wastes no time. With a ferocious roar that echoes through the warehouse, he lunges at the nearest kidnapper, teeth bared and claws extended. The sound of a fierce struggle fills the air, punctuated by growls and snarls as Micah fights with a strength and agility that defies human comprehension.
The kidnappers try to regroup, but they are no match for Micah's fury and the werewolf warriors who stand ready to protect their Prince. The warehouse becomes a battleground, a chaotic melee of violence and desperation.
As the fight rages on, it becomes increasingly apparent that the kidnappers are completely outmatched. They have underestimated the sheer strength of Micah in his Lycan form. Bloodied and battered, they finally realize that they have no hope of defeating him and his warriors.
In a desperate gambit to escape, the kidnappers make a fateful decision. They seize Rowena and me, their grip firm and unyielding. With a final, menacing glare at Micah, they rush toward the attic.
As they reach the attic's open window, in a heart-stopping move, they push both Rowena and me against the edge.
Below me, all I see is a steep drop. I know that werewolves are resilient creatures, and a fall from the fourth floor might not be fatal for someone with an awakened wolf. But I don't have that luxury. My wolf remains dormant within me and I know if I fall, I would die.
Besides me, Rowena is hysterical and wildly thrashing in the kidnappers’ arms. I feel my throat go dry and my body go numb. In a distance, I see Micah rushing out until he is standing directly beneath us, looking up.
His face has lost its color as he looks between Rowena and me. His eyes linger on the way the kidnapper has me by my hair and I can feel the fury on his face.
Or am I wrong? Is it fury on Rowena’s behalf and not mine?
“You better take your men and leave because if I drop them both down now, you will only be able to save one of them. Think hard about who you will save.”
One of the kidnappers taunts Micah and I watch as his fists clench by his side.
I hate that I am so scared as I wonder about the answer as well. Between his wife and the woman he loves, who will he save?
How I wish they were both one and the same but I know they aren’t and my heart breaks as I think about death taking me under.
However, before I can take any action, footsteps sound behind us. Micah’s men have caught up to us in the attic. Terrified of being trapped, the kidnappers make a hasty and reckless decision and let both Rowena and I fall.
The world outside rushes up to meet us, and I feel my stomach drop as we plummet toward the ground. Panic grips my heart, and my thoughts race.
In that frantic moment, one agonizing question consumes my mind: between Rowena and I who would Micah choose to save?
