Chapter 144 - We have to go, quick

EMMA

I swallow my screams and bury my face in Nero’s thick fur. I’m pretty sure that I’m pulling clumps of fur from his skin. Nero moves at a rhythmic pace and the wind rushes past my ears. The velocity of speed at which we move through the forest turns my stomach in loops.

Nero eventually slows down his pace after what feels like hours. He sinks to the ground when he stops. I don’t move because I’m frozen. My every muscle is petrified and locked into a permanent state of strain. Nero tries to look behind him, turning his head left and right. I can feel his muscles beneath my fists full of fur.

Nero leans over to one side and my body slides off when gravity pulls me down. I roll off him and fall to the soft ground. I gain movement back in my body and turn to lie flat on my back. The world above me spins around and I close my eyes.

I swallow my nausea back down and place a hand on my turning stomach. My stomach growls in protest. Nero sniffles at my hand and places his heavy paw over my hand. I chuckle and open my eyes when the tumbling in my body settles down. Nero has guilt and worry in his amber eyes.

“I’m fine,” I say and move to sit up. Nero pulls back and I push myself up from the ground. I dust the leaves sticking off my palms. “We have to get to the factory.”

The only thing I see is an endless amount of trees. I take a step forward, but Nero is quick to stop me. He pushes his nose against my shoulder blade and redirects my next step.

I spin around and the factory in the distance enters my vision. “Oh.”

We’re standing at the top of a hill that overlooks the factory. At the foot of the hill are standing two green jeeps in front of the entrance. Stacks of crates are piled behind the jeeps. Carter and Ben are there and are loading the crates into the jeeps one by one.

Nero crawls close over the ground and I hide behind a tree next to him. “They’re already loading up the jeeps,” I whisper.

I perch along the tree to get a look at what’s going on. Another car drives up to the two others and I recognize the car that Dex drives. We usually took it to drive to the different training locations.

I sink lower to the ground and lie beside Nero to get a better look. Nero turns his large head to me and presses his wet nose against the side of my head. I recognize the action and can imagine Hadrian subconsciously kissing my temple.

Dex steps out and walks over to the other two men. His clothes are rumbled and stained with blood. He has cleaned his face, but his hair is a mess. Carter and Ben immediately straighten when they spot Dex.

Ben hands him something from the crate. I can’t hear what Dex is saying as he twists the packet in his hands. But I’m pretty sure that it must be one of the bombs for blowing up the tunnels.

Carter and Dex are talking to each other while Ben inspects the contents of one of the crates. There are not many left.

“We have to stop them,” I say to Nero. He grumbles a low animalistic sound and I gather that it’s in agreement.

I look around the outdoor area of the factory. “I don’t see my brother anywhere,” I say, but something tells me that he’s here. I can feel it.

“Maybe we should split up.” I wonder out loud.

Nero softly growls and there’s a ruffle of leaves. “No, we should not,” Hadrian says beside me two seconds later.

I turn to find Hadrian scowling at me. “Hadrian?” I didn’t even see him shift this time.

His amber eyes are dark and cold. “Remember what happened last time?” He asks and his anger makes me cringe in on myself.

The last time we split up was a few hours before the wedding. Everything went downhill after that. “You’re right, we should probably stop the cars first.”

“No.” His demand might work on most of the population in this world, but frankly, it pisses me off.

“Then what do you suggest?” I whisper-yell to pretend to draw attention.

“You should stay here,” Hadrian says with conviction and for a moment I think that he’s joking. “Actually I should probably get you a few miles further.”

“What? No.”

Hadrian narrows his eyes at me. “I don’t want you anywhere near those cars, Emma.” There is raw aggravation in his voice and through it, I hear his fears.

I sigh when I start to understand why he’s being so stubborn. “I get it, okay.” I place my hand over his chest and feel his energy move around. “I hated when you were in pain. I never want to experience that again.”

I know that touch calms and soothes the bond between us. Our bond is alive and needs reassurance. Our bond is also a needy one and a simple touch creates a desire for more. If I would let our bond guide us then the rest of the world would burn into flames. We wouldn’t even make it past the house.

“But we have to find Lucas and Graciella. And we have to stop those cars.” I press again. I get his fear and I feel it too, but we must do whatever it takes. Time is of the essence here too.

“I will stop those cars,” Hadrian says.

I’m surprised that Hadrian gives in so quickly. “Maybe it would be easier if I do that and you—“

Hadrian shakes his head. “This is non-negotiable.” The hard rule of the future Alpha King shines through.

I nag my lip when uncertainty takes over. “But I don’t have your senses.”

“But you have your mother’s blood.” Hadrian moves a lock behind my ear. “I believe in you.”

Hadrian leans down and closes his eyes. “Just be careful.” He leans his forehead against mine and I can feel his worry reverberating through me. “If something happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“I will.” I lean forward and kiss him. Hadrian is quick to reciprocate. He winds an arm tight around my back and keeps me in place. The kiss is slow and deep. I pour everything I feel in the kiss. Fear, hurt, grief, but most of all love.

It rarely happens that all we do is kiss. Most of the time it leads to—

“Hadrian.” I pull back when I feel something swelling against my stomach.

“I can’t help it.” Hadrian mumbles.

——————————

I’ve run a circuit around the factory dozens of times. I know every bump and gap in the floor. I know every metal rung and every dead end. All except for one part in the factory. Dex has made sure to route the training away from it because he said that it was too dangerous.

Now I wonder if everything he ever told me has been a lie.

The factory is massive and at first sight, abandoned. There’s no life here, except that there is. I place a hand on my solar plexus and feel the warmth coming from that center. Whenever Hadrian is near I can feel the warmth intensify.

I don’t know how my brother knows how to find people. I’ve never understood it, but I try to hone in on that gut feeling. I’m afraid to trust it because I’m pretty sure I was born without it. *How many times have I walked in the wrong direction? How many times have I trusted people when I shouldn’t have?*

Maybe my brother got all the psychic abilities and I got all the healing ones. I certainly wish it was a little more divided now.

The halls echo with every step I take. I keep walking with my hand just below my ribs. For the first two minutes, I let myself wander, but then doubt starts to kick in.

*What am I doing? Meaningless wandering around is not going to find them. This is ridiculous.*

I stop where I’m going and I’m about to turn around. But then in the distance, I hear a faint tapping sound. *Tap, tap, tap.* I listen for a moment, but then the sound gets closer. *Footsteps.*

I move to hide behind a metal pillar that is big enough to hide my frame. Alex comes into view in the empty hall carrying an empty crate. She passes the pillar I’m hiding behind. She doesn't stop and continues to walk away.

I wait until I don’t hear her footsteps anymore. I go in the direction where Alex came from. I follow it to the end and turn the corner when I meet a wall. The hall continues and I can see daylight on the other side.

“Emma?” I hear coming from a dark corner. The voice is unmistakably from Lucas.

“Lucas,” I say as I step into the dark. There are no lights in this part of the factory and the only light is coming from down the hall. In the scarce luminance, I find my brother behind a door with metal bars.

“What are you doing here?” Lucas asks and guides his arms through the bars.

I lean in for an uncomfortable hug. “I came to find you and Graciella.” I look around for a way to get him out. There is a metal lock beneath the door handle.

I pull the door handle down and I’m surprised that it opens. I sigh in relief. For once things go without trouble. “We have to go, quick.”

The door opens with a loud screech and it makes me cringe inward.

Lucas looks at me with grief. “We’re not the only ones locked up.”

“What do you mean?”

Lucas points to the other side of the hall where the light is coming from. There are two entrances in the factory that lead here. “There are barracks on the other side. They have some soldiers locked up and sedated, all female.”

His words are mindboggling. “Are they awake?”

Lucas moves out of the makeshift prison. “Yes, but weak. They cannot shift and the door is plated with silver.”

The sound of approaching footsteps bounces off the walls at the end of the hall and I freeze.

Maybe I spoke too soon.