Chapter 97

Danny’s POV
*“Danny; demand to see me, Mum and Joanna”* Claudia says to me through a mind link before shutting it down. I move forward; “Michael; I know you are there. Why don’t you show yourself or are you too scared I will let the white wolf out and rip you apart” I call out to him as the two cars stop in front of the entrance.
“You don’t have the white wolf; I know Claudia has her. You forget, I’ve seen her and I will be having some fun with her tonight” I hear Michael’s voice call out from behind a group of guards as he moves forward. “I want to see them” I demand, snarling at him.
“You are not in a position to demand anything from me. I will however, humour you” as I see a guard nod to him from the van behind and walks to the first car.
“Todd” Joanna yells out and all of us let off a growl. The guard is releasing something on Crystal’s arm and then moving to the back to Claudia. He grabs her arm and she shifts to Jesse, jumping out of the car and he bites the guard on the neck, before he runs to the other three men.
I let Mandy come forward in my mind and she shifts in front of everyone, running towards the women also. “Is that an AK-47?” Brett asks either Tim, Rick or both. “We’ll cover for you” Tim calls out and I hear Tim and Rick shooting toward the entrance; as we race over to the ladies. Parker races in front and gets to the men and starts fighting all of them as Jesse, Beatrice and a Crystal’s bear join them. Kingsley and Oliver are running beside us, barricading Amanda.
I hear the explosion as the Todd pushes Joanna away from the car to get away from the flying debris. *“Claudia, are you all ok?”* I ask her, through mind link. *“I’m fine. Crystal’s hurt, we need Mandy now”* she yells at me. *“We’re on our way over”* I tell her as the second car explodes.
I get to Crystal, who has changed back from her bear. She has a piece of steel in her thigh. I shift back “This is going to hurt” I tell her, pulling the steel out of her leg. I let Mandy come forward and she places my hand on her thigh; it starts glowing as it heals.
*“Danny, Michael have people coming out; we’ll hold them off as much as we can”* Tim yells at me. *“Get the ladies back to Leon, Cody and Sariah”* I tell Brett. “Danny, Jason’s been hit” I hear Todd calling over to me and Amanda shifts and runs to where Jason is lying face down on the ground, before shifting back.
“He sheltered me” Joanna says, holding his hand, refusing to leave him as Oliver runs back to the others and helps Brett get Claudia and Mum out. Mandy puts my hands on the burns on his back, moving her way down his legs as he starts moaning. “It’s ok, I’m healing your wounds” Mandy says and Joanna gasps at his wounds being healed.
*“Can you move?”* I ask him, through mind link. “Yeah” he says aloud, sitting up. “Thanks Mandy” he adds, getting up and picking Joanna up and running in the direction Leon, Sariah and Cody.
*“The ladies are all through the porthole, Danny, we need to get back”* Dad says to me through another mind link and I shift back to Amanda as Oliver, Carter, Seth, Kingsley and Vincent all flank around her and I see Seth fling someone into the trees.
“Leon, now” I hear Oliver as Leon moves his hands around in the air and we all run through the porthole together and it closes behind us. “Get him” I hear Jeffrey yell as Brett jumps on one of Michael’s men who came through with us and I shift back.
“NO-ONE LEAVES THE CASTLE TERRITORY” I scream, taking some clothes from Joslyn and putting them on. **“That was fun”** Jesse says, chuckling in my mind. **“When did you come back?” “When you shifted back”** he smirks at me. I head over to Claudia; no it’s Amanda and she walks up to Todd and punches him in the face.
“Whoa, Mandy. What was that for?” Todd snarls at her. “It’s Amanda and it’s for giving Michael the idea of using Chloroform canisters” she spits back at him and Claudia comes forward. “Sorry” Claudia says, before her and Joanna start to giggle.
“Mummy” Kimmy screams and Crystal runs over to her and picks her up. “Have you been a good girl for Uncle Josh?” she says to the little girl, giving her a kiss on the forehead. “Yep; I really like Alex and Tony. They are my new best friends” Kimmy answers and she looks at Joshua and mouths ‘thank you.’
“I’ve missed you” Kimmy says to her mother. “I’ve missed you too” Crystal answers her as Josh takes her and Kimmy into the castle.
“Crystal was telling us what she knows; which isn’t much. Michael and her were not together; although he was telling everyone, they were. Apparently; he was raping her and threatened her family if she objected. He discovered where she was, when she followed Raquel” Claudia tells me, a tear trickling down her face for Crystal.
“Both you and Crystal are safe” I smile, putting my arms around her. “It was easy to get away, because Michael is arrogant. I knew if he wanted to brag about capturing us, he would let us out of the car and Jesse could attack” Claudia explains as Dad comes over to us and gives her a hug.
“I am proud of you, sweetheart. You kept yourself calm in the crisis and came up with a plan to escape” Dad says as Mum comes up behind us
“It’s what you taught me, after the first time I was taken. I need to remain calm and assess the situation. It also helped Crystal didn’t like what was happening and when she told us what was really going on; I knew I had to figure out a way to get her out as well” she answers him, giving both dad and I a smile, as Mum gives Dad a hug.
“The nerve and arrogance of that asshole. How dare he take us? Beatrice wanted to show everyone what will happen to them for thinking they can chain me up” Mum seethes and I can see Beatrice in her eyes.
“How is Joanna and the baby?” I ask Mum, looking over at her as she is yelling at Todd and Jason to let her go. “A bit shaken; we were all together, which helped” she states, giving Claudia another hug.
“Mum; we're fine. You don’t need to knock me out by smothering me” she says in Mum’s chest as Amelia comes out with Sophia and Jasper in her arms.
“Thank you for looking after the babies, Queen Amelia” Dad says, beaming a smile at her. “How many times do I have to tell you; call me Milly and it was the least I could do, under the circumstances. Claudia, you are going to have your hands full” she answers smiling at Claudia and myself.
“What do you mean?” I ask her as she places Sophia down on the ground and she takes four steps before falling on her bottom. “She’s walking? At 6 months; I missed her first steps?” Claudia frowns as she gasps.
“6 months is normal for a pup to walk and you haven’t missed her first steps, because technically these are her first steps. She has been pushing herself up all day. I got a shock, when I sat down on my sofa with a sandwich; which she wanted and she let go of the side of the chair and walked three steps to me, before grabbing hold of my sandwich and falling onto the floor” Amelia explains, giving a small giggle.
“My little Angel is getting so big” I smile, picking Sophia up off the ground, as she has crawled to my feet.
“Like Daddy, always thinking of food” Claudia giggles, coming over to me and giving Sophia a kiss in my arms. “Um; um” Sophia coos, arms outstretched to Claudia. “Oh my God. Did she just say Mum?” Amelia asks, “I thought she was just saying um all day” she adds.
“She’s being saying um for a few weeks; I realised it was Mum a few days ago, when she came to me in her walker saying it” Claudia smiles, looking at me. “I’m trying to get her to say Dad; but she hasn’t yet” I huff and Mum, Amelia, Dad and Oliver all start laughing; “she will, son” Dad chuckles.
“Op, Op” Sophia says, her arms going to Dad. “Gees, she’s saying Pop before she says Dad. It’s getting worse” I snarl and the rest of them start to laugh as Dad takes Sophia from Claudia.