Page 45 of Fated to the Hunters
“You’ve been looking pale lately. Maybe you should go see Killian instead,” her mother suggested.
Scarlett’s first instinct was to fight, but she quickly realised it would be easier to just agree. “Yes, Mother.”
“I will have him come up here in the morning.”
“Thank you, Father.”
She waited—rather impatiently—for everyone to finish their plates. Only then did she clear the table. As she was wiping down the counters and started the dishwasher, Maximilian burst out of his room and stormed to the elevator.
“What happened?”
The doors to the elevator opened and Maxmilian stepped in. “Kurt found one of them.”
The glass she’d been holding dropped to the floor. Scarlett could only stare at the closing elevator doors. Her brain refused to take in his words. It didn’t want to make it her reality, but then she felt it—one of them was nearby.
Somewhere far away, her mother urged her not to move because of the shards surrounding her. Her reality was shattered, just like the glass at her feet. It was one of them. Kurt was bringing one of her mates home. And over the last few weeks she’d listened to him talk about what he wanted to do to them, had heard him say all these awful, painful things her best friend would do to her mates.
Her mother guided her to the couch but that seemed irrelevant to the approaching of her mate. The stronger he became, the more the panic in her rose and the reality of her situation settled in. Speaking softly, her mother tried to get through to her. She was holding her hand, soothingly running her fingers through her hair.
Then, he was as close as she’d felt them when they waited across the road for her. He was here in the building. One of her men was here and would soon feel nothing but pain. Did the other two know? She couldn’t feel them, but they did live two hours away.
Scarlett had to know who it was. When her mother left her to fetch her favourite blanket, Scarlett’s muscles moved of their own accord.
She was out of the room and in the elevator before her mother could discover her missing. On the ground floor, she stepped out and sped down the staircase to the basement. With each step, she could feel him closer, goosebumps rising over every inch of her skin.
She didn’t have to search long. Two of the warriors guarded the door which hid her mate. They tensed as they saw her, and then Maximilian stepped out of the protected room.
“Scarlett, go back upstairs. You shouldn’t be here.”
“I want to see him.” Sheneededto know which one it was.
“You don’t have to.”
“I need to.”
Her brother scrubbed a hand over his face, taking a deep breath. A moment later, he stepped aside and held the door open. With her heart racing so fast that it was painful, she stepped inside. There he was, ropes tied to his wrists being the only thing to support him as he hung from the ceiling.
Vince.
His brown eyes met hers, pupils widening in horror. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips, joining the path from the side of his head and being absorbed by his shirt.
When she opened her mouth, Vince shook his head, but it was barely visible. He found his composure within seconds, without anyone around noticing. He stared at her, stone cold, keeping his promise to safeguard her secret. He didn’t need words totell her. She knew he would take it to his grave if needed, never betraying her again like he had before.
Scarlett turned on her heel and heard the heavy metal door closing behind her. She rushed back up the stairs, noticing that she still couldn’t feel Ezra and Mateo. Maybe they truly didn’t know that Vince had been taken. By the time she made it to the penthouse, her mind was made up.
Her mother swarmed her, but she twisted out of her grip, muttering that she wasn’t feeling well. Once in her room, she closed the door, rushed to her closet, and dropped to her knees. Throwing caution to the wind, she dug out the hidden phone.
They have Vince.
We’re coming.
Don’t come in. I’ll bring him out.
When no one responded, Scarlett grabbed a backpack and stuffed it as full as she could. There was no way of getting Vince out of there without being seen or anyone knowing she was involved. And she didn’t care. Seeing him covered in blood and hanging from the ceiling at the mercy of her rage-filled brother and best friend had been eye-opening.
Scarlett didn’t check the phone again until she was out of her closet. She slung the bag onto her bed, filled with spare clothes and the money she’d been saving up.
We will wait until you call us.
