Chapter Seventy-seven

When he got back to the other street, Claire's assistant was standing on her feet again. She was crouched beside one of the bodyguards, trying to wake him up. She shot to her feet when she saw him approach, fear in her eyes.
Killian appraised her properly for the first time, she was in eye-catching red, long red curls which framed a pale but beautiful face.
"Can you tell me what happened?" He approached her to ask.
Rosie eyed the Emissary, she didn't trust him so she said nothing, instead saying, "Could you help me with your phone? I have to report to Alpha Lukas first." She said resolutely.
She would have done that immediately she could and like the attackers had predicted that, they had shot her phone dead.
Killian was at a loss, he hadn't been expecting that response but from the grim look on the werewolf's face, he could tell that she was serious so against his better judgment, he brought out his phone and handed it to her.
He turned around afterward and headed for his car, "If you want to return to the mansion, you better come with me!" He called to her, twirling his car key around a finger. If she wasn't going to tell him, he would just have to find out what happened himself.
Rosie hesitated, glancing down at Tyler who was still out cold on the ground like she couldn't bear to leave him.
"He's going to get blood on my car seats, pretty sure someone will be sent to retrieve him." He added when he noticed her hesitation.
Rosie had no choice but to leave Tyler behind, hurrying after Killian as fast as she could on heels while trying to dial up the mansion. She sat at the passenger side, realizing that she didn’t know Lukas' number by heart.
The road they were on was blocked off by the abandoned car so Killian was forced to go around it much to his displeasure, he didn't want anything to delay him further.
Rosie fiddled with Killian’s phone for a while, only to frown. "You don't have Alpha Lukas' number?"
Killian’s response was an anger-filled snort, "Why would I have that bastard's number?"
Rosie didn't approve of his words but she didn't push, having more important issues to attend to. "His Viceroy's number then."
"I do." Killian answered grudgingly, swerving sharply to take a turn.
This tossed Rosie roughly against the door, making her gasp in shock and scramble to find balance. But she didn’t have the time to scold Killian for driving recklessly, instead searching up Alec’s number to ring him.
His phone rang for a little too long, making Rosie bite her lip in worry. Just before the call cut off, Alec picked.
“I hope you have a good reason for calling so late-” He immediately started to protest without even letting Rosie get a single word in.
“Mr. Al-Alec?” Rosie called tentatively, her panic returning when she heard Alec’s familiar voice.
Alec immediately clammed his lips shut, “Rosie? What’s going on? Why are you with Killian’s phone?”
Rosie could literally hear him sit up, his voice grave and through all that, she still had the presence of mind to note that he had recognized her voice. “I-I…” She stuttered and then forced herself to take a deep breath.
At the pace with which they were moving, they would be at the mansion soon, it would be best for her to relay what had happened before they got there.
“Luna Claire was kidnapped, we were attacked on our way to Lady Vaschell’s dinner party.” She forced herself to say in a steady voice.
She heard Alec curse softly, “Tell me your location, are you hurt?”
Rosie was caught off guard by this but she answered nonetheless, “I’m- I’m fine.” She choked out, remembering how Luna Claire had been willing to protect her at the risk of her own life. “Killian showed up and we’re currently heading to the mansion, we should be there in a few minutes.”
Alec sucked in a sharp breath, “Alright, give me a moment…”
Rosie stared at the phone’s screen as the line went dead, wishing she could have done this earlier, wishing she could have done something to keep the Luna Queen safe.
Beside her, Killian had a grim expression on his face as he listened to the short summary on what had happened. Granted, he had already figured out that much on his own. It wasn’t very difficult to guess that she had been kidnapped when she was clearly being driven away by masked assailants.
But as he drove up to the tall gates the hid Lukas’ mansion, he wondered if he should have reported this to the cops before coming here. Paying a courtesy visit to Lukas wasn’t going to get Claire back. But he was already here and he still needed to punch Lukas, so he might as well just go through with it.
The gates were opened quickly, Killian swerving inside. He barely switched off the car before he was jumping out, uncaring of the armed bodyguards around him who had their weapons out.
A number of them were being sent out, no doubt to retrieve the others that had been wounded but Killian paid them no attention, heading for the front door.
Rosie also got out, only realizing how wobbly her knees were when she came down from Killian's car and tried to take a step.
Alec pushed open the front doors of the mansion and stormed out, his expression dark. He should have gone straight to Lukas to report this but the first thing he did was to contact a private security agency that owed Lukas some favors and asked them to keep a watch on the city’s exits.
Then he had given orders to the bodyguards remaining in the mansion to be on clean up duty, the rest would stay behind to protect the Alpha King’s mansion. The third thing he did was to storm out to check up on Rosie, he would remain strung up until he could see for himself that she was alright.
It was something he couldn’t explain but the moment he had heard her shaky voice, he felt what it was like to get shot in the heart.
The moment he showed up, Killian immediately tried to approach him but he brushed past the Emissary and headed straight for Rosie who was leaning against Killian’s car.
The first thing he saw was the blood smeared on her cheek and it made his heart jerk painfully, and he nearly broke into a run in a bid to cross the space in between them. *‘Had she gotten hurt? Was that the reason she couldn’t stand?’*
Rosie felt the rest of the strength in her legs go out when Alec approached her, tears pricking at her eyes when he caught her. She couldn’t believe she was this weak, Luna Claire had to be in a worse situation that she was in.
“Are you hurt?” Alec’s raspy voice broke through her swarming thoughts, his thumb swiping her cheek.
Rosie was lulled into a trance by this action, tongue-tied by Alec standing so close to her. “I-I’m fine.” She whispered, clutching his shoulders even as he supported her up with a strong arm around her waist.
“Stop fucking flirting and tell your bodyguards to get out of the way, I need to see Lukas.” Killian’s voice interrupted them, breaking through the moment they were having.
Alec didn’t let go of Rosie, turning around to glare at Killian. “I’m afraid that's not possible.”