The wolf bites my flank only to whimper himself, and we are forced to let the other wolf go. Exhaustion is creeping in, and I know it is a losing battle, but still, we have to try. When I hear a sickening crack followed by a growl so menacing that Lexa jumps, and so does Dad, when I am hit with his aura. Turning, I find Khan snarling and snapping his teeth as he stalks toward us. The wolf behind me takes off, and I back up, wondering if Khan will attack me or my father, yet his eyes are trained on him.
“Elena!” Luke screams, and Lexa looks over her shoulder.
We stagger, and she whimpers as she puts pressure on our back leg. Lexa is so weak and exhausted that I have to take control and force the shift, feeling every bone slip, slide, and break, as I am left naked. My body is drenched in blood, and a good chunk of it is mine. Lexa manages to heal the major wounds, yet I am covered in them, my leg being the worst as a steady stream of blood flows from the gaping wound. Limping, I gasp with each pained step. I feel light-headed, but I make it to the steps when I hear Khan and Dad’s wolf, Dante, rip each other apart. Not bothering to watch, I reach the door and scoop up Luke.
“Where’s Mom?” I ask him as he clutches onto me. I slip on my own blood, hitting the wall and smearing it everywhere as I fight to remain conscious. My vision falters for a second.
“Basement,” he sobs, and I stagger toward it, only to find it padlocked.
Mom is screaming frantically, banging on the door, no doubt because she can hear the fighting, and I guess Luke’s told her. Setting Luke down, I grab the metal vase off the hall stand and start smashing the padlock.
Four swings later, it breaks. The metal dents and my fingers are bleeding from banging them.
“Hurry,” Lexa murmurs and my mother freezes, spotting me while Luke races off.
“Luke!” I screech at him, still hearing the fight outside play out.
Luke returns seconds later with one of my father’s shirts, and my mother helps me slip it on.
“What are you doing here?” she panics, her hands not knowing where to help stem my bleeding.
“We haven’t got time. We need to go now!” I tell her.
Luke races ahead holding the front door open, while my mother, who is a sobbing mess, holds my arm, taking my weight.
“The car!” I tell Luke, pointing to it.
Mom rushes over, opening his door and shoving him in. Her eyes go to Khan and Dante fighting. Falling into the driver’s seat, I twist the key in the ignition and the car starts and my mother climbs into the passenger seat.
“You should have let me drive,” she says, but I put the car in reverse only to hit something. Looking over my shoulder, I see Eli’s car and floor it, pushing his aside and scraping up the side of it. His tires screech as he gives chase. But I floor it, only to skid sideways around the corner.
My mother grabs the door handle, and I barely hang onto the steering wheel, which is slick with my blood, while turning onto the street. I go to hit the accelerator when I see Khan start chasing the car. Lights in the distance can be seen as police block the road, and I am forced to slow down as I look for another way.
Only the moment I do, Khan jumps in front of my car. My eyes widen, and I slam both feet on the brake, the car screeching to a stop, and he jumps onto the hood. He growls menacingly, and I look over my shoulder to Eli’s car blocking me.
Luke is screaming and wailing in the backseat, frightened. My mother seems to be in shock, and I am barely conscious. My head twists from side to side, making everything blurry now that the adrenaline is wearing off, and I am running on fumes. Khan climbs onto the roof of the car. The metal creaks, and the roof becomes crushed beneath his weight when suddenly my door is ripped open.
Eli rips the keys out of the ignition. “He’s not letting you leave the city, Elena. Now get out of the car! I won’t step in if he drags you out.”
I grit my teeth. Eli looks in at Luke and my mother, and his lips part with a gasp.
“I need them out of the city,” I growl when Khan jumps off the roof. Groaning, I toss my leg out, knowing I am not getting away while the car is completely surrounded. Standing up, vertigo hits me, and Eli grabs my arm.
“Louise, you’ll follow us back to the packhouse,” Eli tells her, chucking her the keys. I move to get back in the car, only to be grabbed by a naked Axton, who has shifted back.
“Not you. You’re coming with me!” he growls.
Chapter
Sixty
Elena
Axton wastes no time shoving me into the backseat of Eli’s car before climbing in after me. He growls angrily as I scoot across the seat, moving away from him. Mistaking that as me trying to escape him again, his hand grips my knee with a vise-like grip.
“Don’t!” he snarls, and Lexa shudders within me as his aura smashes against us like a ton of bricks. The trunk lid shuts, and Axton is passed a pair of shorts by Eli. I avert my gaze, allowing him to slip them on while Eli climbs into the car.
“We need to get back to the boys, Elena,” Lexa worries. “He follows us, he will take them.”