Page 32 of Rescuing Red

Chapter 19

Liz

Shuddering as the wind blew smoke in through the shattered glass, Liz led the way out of the deserted building and motioned for the woman to hurry. They’d found the food and medical kit the beta had known about, then searched the surrounding homes before heading back toward the school. The random bags and backpacks they’d grabbed hung over their backs, fronts, and forearms, their weight making Liz’s thighs burn as she ran back toward her nana and mate.

They’d stuffed bags full of things they’d deemed useful, mostly food and medical supplies, but when the last building, a restaurant, had boasted a few long knives, she’d made room in the pack on her front to bring them. All the other bags were a mishmash of items and would need to be sorted if they had time.

Liz coughed and darted into the wrecked school, her stomach curdling and head pounding as she thought about how terrified her nana had to have been. How frightened and inconsolable the children had to be. How distraught the parents were, their expressions forever etched in her mind.

And the way Blaide had taken stock of the situation and taken control.

He acted as though he’d been through much worse, which sent sorrow and worry through her. She sensed the doubts he held, but had no clue how to comfort him, and he was already helping so many people just by keeping a clear head, she would do anything to ease the turmoil in his soul.

She slowed in the hallway so she didn’t bang the bags into the walls and potentially dislodge rubble above, and she cursed under her breath at her stupidity. The stuff could have stayed outside with the gathered survivors. They could be sorting it right now. Liz glanced behind her and saw the other woman hadn’t followed her in, which meant she was thinking more clearly than Liz was.

But her body demanded she reunite with her mate this instant, the throbbing in her skull growing with each step as she sought his strength. She entered the room where they’d started digging when she left and skidded to a stop. As she dropped the bags right in the walkway, she scanned the people and didn’t see her alpha or her nana.

They’d gotten into the basement, if the hole in the floor was any sign. Liz held in a sob of relief when the man kneeling above the hole lifted a youngling from the darkness and passed him to the eager man beside him. Dirty and shaking, the little mite matched the beta male in every way, except for his striking blue eyes, which mirrored those of the woman clutching at them both. They moved to the wall to make room for the next rescue, and when bright red curls popped up from the hole, Liz knew the girl belonged to the couple rushing forward, their coloring the same.

Her heart shot into her throat as she glimpsed the hands surrounding the child’s hips. Long black nails and thick knuckles passed the toddler upward. Blaide’s fingers were easy torecognize, since she’d imprinted them into her mind. She was both relieved and terrified that he was at the entrance to the basement. It meant he was successful in reaching her nana as he’d promised, but he was also in the most dangerous place in the building.

He passed another survivor up, this one a little bigger than the others, and she realized whoever was down there was carefully organizing the order in which they came out, youngest to oldest.

Which meant her nana would probably be the last. Both pride and fear warred in her guts, but as another child emerged from the hole, she caught Blaide’s purr and pushed her angst away. Now was not the time.

As the initial group of parents moved out of the way, Liz passed them bags and asked them to take them to the gathered group across the village center. They nodded, and the partner who wasn’t carrying their child took whichever backpack Liz handed them before rushing down the hallway.

Blaide’s deft hands lifted more children from certain doom, the look of relief on the kids’ faces after they finished blinking away the light streaming in through the hole in the far corner of the ceiling making Liz want to fall down and weep.

Her alpha was a hero. She hadn’t meant to push him into such a fraught situation, but she’d be forever grateful he’d been with her, and so would the others he was helping save.

Delicate hands reached up and latched onto the male lifting people to safety. The second the omega woman’s feet hit the floor, she dove behind the one who’d helped her and tucked herself against the other alpha’s chest, and for a second, he released one hand from the first man’s belt before murmuring to her. She nodded and stepped back, letting him return to anchoring the burly male closest to the hole so he had better balance.

Another small woman rose from below, her lips set in a tight line as she accepted the men’s help. She stumbled away and huddled with a beta man nearby, her shoulders shaking as she sucked in steadying breaths.

Liz stepped forward and rested her hand on the first omega’s shoulder on instinct, needing to offer her support. If the movement also brought her closer to the hole, then what a lucky coincidence.

The woman’s eyes widened as she met Liz’s gaze, a string of recognition flowing between them even though they’d never met before. The disheveled omega smelled of children’s tears and dirt, but the distinct perfume of Liz’s nana clung to her clothes as well.

Liz opened her mouth to say something, but stark white ears rose from the darkness and stole her voice.

Grungy like everyone else, her nana somehow looked more put together than those around her, and Liz’s voice dried up as tears welled in her eyes. She stood like a puppet without a master, staring as her nana wobbled on the edge of the drop despite the hands helping her. She gave a thankful yet worried look up to the alpha closest to the hole before stepping away from the abyss.

Liz’s voice returned as their gazes met.

“Nana!”

Her feet carried her across the distance separating them, relief flooding her as she wrapped her arms around her closest confidant’s waist and gave a gentle squeeze.

“Liz? What are you doing here?!”

Unable to hold herself back, Liz let her tears fall as she responded.

“Mom said you wouldn’t leave, so I had to come get you.”

Surprisingly strong yet thin fingers tweaked her ear.

“No you didn’t, Elizabeth. My soul told me to be here. Fate knew I needed to be here to protect those children.”

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