Chapter 60

Elena

Luke screams and bangs on the windows, yet we are having a hard enough time keeping our eyes on our opponents as it is, when we crash through the porch and into the garden bed below.

My father doesn’t play fair. Not only does he stand back and watch his warriors try tearing us to shreds, he then joins the battle when Lexa’s already taken down two of them. Teeth and claws tear into us. My back leg feels dislocated when one grabs the same back leg, and another wolf grabs our front paw. My father’s teeth sink into Lexa’s underbelly, and she rips a chunk of his ear off.

Spinning, she slashes her claws into the one dragging us back by our leg, only to whimper as the other wolf tears at her neck, making her focus go back to him. My father mostly stands by, taking chunks of us when he can get in between the other two when Lexa bites into the gray wolf’s tummy. His shriek of pain is loud as I feel her teeth rip into the tender flesh as she shakes her head viciously, hoping to spill his guts onto the ground just as my father rips into us.

The wolf bites my flank only to whimper himself, and we are forced to let the other wolf go. Exhaustion is creeping in, and I know it is a losing battle, but still, we have to try. When I hear a sickening crack followed by a growl so menacing that Lexa jumps, and so does Dad, when I am hit with his aura. Turning, I find Khan snarling and snapping his teeth as he stalks toward us. The wolf behind me takes off, and I back up, wondering if Khan will attack me or my father, yet his eyes are trained on him.

“Elena!” Luke screams, and Lexa looks over her shoulder.

We stagger, and she whimpers as she puts pressure on our back leg. Lexa is so weak and exhausted that I have to take control and force the shift, feeling every bone slip, slide, and break, as I am left naked. My body is drenched in blood, and a good chunk of it is mine. Lexa manages to heal the major wounds, yet I am covered in them, my leg being the worst as a steady stream of blood flows from the gaping wound. Limping, I gasp with each pained step. I feel light-headed, but I make it to the steps when I hear Khan and Dad’s wolf, Dante, rip each other apart. Not bothering to watch, I reach the door and scoop up Luke.

“Where’s Mom?” I ask him as he clutches onto me. I slip on my own blood, hitting the wall and smearing it everywhere as I fight to remain conscious. My vision falters for a second.

“Basement,” he sobs, and I stagger toward it, only to find it padlocked.

Mom is screaming frantically, banging on the door, no doubt because she can hear the fighting, and I guess Luke’s told her. Setting Luke down, I grab the metal vase off the hall stand and start smashing the padlock.

Four swings later, it breaks. The metal dents and my fingers are bleeding from banging them.

“Hurry,” Lexa murmurs and my mother freezes, spotting me while Luke races off.

“Luke!” I screech at him, still hearing the fight outside play out.

Luke returns seconds later with one of my father’s shirts, and my mother helps me slip it on.

“What are you doing here?” she panics, her hands not knowing where to help stem my bleeding.

“We haven’t got time. We need to go now!” I tell her.

Luke races ahead holding the front door open, while my mother, who is a sobbing mess, holds my arm, taking my weight.

“The car!” I tell Luke, pointing to it.

Mom rushes over, opening his door and shoving him in. Her eyes go to Khan and Dante fighting. Falling into the driver’s seat, I twist the key in the ignition and the car starts and my mother climbs into the passenger seat.

“You should have let me drive,” she says, but I put the car in reverse only to hit something. Looking over my shoulder, I see Eli’s car and floor it, pushing his aside and scraping up the side of it. His tires screech as he gives chase. But I floor it, only to skid sideways around the corner.

My mother grabs the door handle, and I barely hang onto the steering wheel, which is slick with my blood, while turning onto the street. I go to hit the accelerator when I see Khan start chasing the car. Lights in the distance can be seen as police block the road, and I am forced to slow down as I look for another way.

Only the moment I do, Khan jumps in front of my car. My eyes widen, and I slam both feet on the brake, the car screeching to a stop, and he jumps onto the hood. He growls menacingly, and I look over my shoulder to Eli’s car blocking me.

Luke is screaming and wailing in the backseat, frightened. My mother seems to be in shock, and I am barely conscious. My head twists from side to side, making everything blurry now that the adrenaline is wearing off, and I am running on fumes. Khan climbs onto the roof of the car. The metal creaks, and the roof becomes crushed beneath his weight when suddenly my door is ripped open.

Eli rips the keys out of the ignition. “He’s not letting you leave the city, Elena. Now get out of the car! I won’t step in if he drags you out.”

I grit my teeth. Eli looks in at Luke and my mother, and his lips part with a gasp.

“I need them out of the city,” I growl when Khan jumps off the roof. Groaning, I toss my leg out, knowing I am not getting away while the car is completely surrounded. Standing up, vertigo hits me, and Eli grabs my arm.

“Louise, you’ll follow us back to the packhouse,” Eli tells her, chucking her the keys. I move to get back in the car, only to be grabbed by a naked Axton, who has shifted back.

“Not you. You’re coming with me!” he growls.