Targeted

Chapter Eleven

~Adrian~

     Sighing loudly, I run a hand through my hair, ignoring the sinking feeling in my chest. I need to figure something out, fast; I can't lose Arabella, not again.

     "Do you have any ideas, Luke? Anything is helpful." I look up at my old friend, desperation sure to be bright in my eyes. He closes his eyes, rubbing his temples tiredly.

     "The only thing I can think of is using Arabella as bait to get to them, but that's not something any of us are willing to risk." I sigh, nodding in agreement. I won't risk that, ever.

     "I can't do that, I won't let it happen," I say, watching him nod immediately.

     "Of course, I wouldn't let that happen to my wife." I put my hand over my eyes, sighing loudly.

     "I don't know what to do, I can't let him take her, I won't let him take her," I growl, glaring at my desk. Luke sighs.

     "I don't know what we can do besides hide her and the kids somewhere they'd never look." I jerk my head up to look at him with wide eyes, hope starting to fill me.

     "Why didn't you say that earlier? That's brilliant!" I exclaim, a smile taking over my face as I stand and run out of my office. "Thank you, Luke, I owe you!" I yell back as I run down the hall to our room.

     I stop dead in my tracks when I push the door open the door to find the room empty. I cautiously walk into the room, scanning it carefully and find a folded piece of paper laying on my pillow. Anger fills me as the thought of Zach taking Ara and leaving a death note fills my head. Stomping towards the small paper, I rip it open and my heart drops as Arabella's familiar handwriting fills my sight. My heart drops at her words and tears fill my eyes, quickly streaming down my cheeks and onto the paper. I quickly move the paper out of the way as to not damage it anymore, I breathe in rugged, gasping breaths. She can't leave me, she can't just leave. Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I run out of the room, down the stairs, and out the front door, straight to the path I know Zach will be waiting. Maybe I'm not too late, maybe they're still there, maybe I can still save her. My hope quickly dies, though, as I find the path completely empty, no sign of them anymore.

     I drop to my knees, holding my head in my hands as ragged sobs rack through me. Small hands appear on my shoulders and I turn, hoping to find Arabella, but find Ariel instead and even more sadness fills me.

     "Adrian, what's wrong?" She asks, looking over me worriedly. I hand her the paper, unable to speak without sobbing out loud. She looks over the paper and tears fill her own eyes. "Oh dear..." she trails off, looking into the forest as a lone tears trails down her cheek. She hurriedly wipes it away and looks down at me. "Come on, let's get you inside." She hauls me up by my arm, surprising me with her strength, but I don't question it and let her pull me to the castle, all the while staring into the forest, desperately hoping Arabella will come running out into my arms.

     Sitting with Tucker and Sadie in my arms, I watch as Ariel feverishly cleans an already spotless room.

     "Rest, Ariel, you need it," I call out to her, stopping her movements. She sighs, looking over at me, and sits down across from me.

     "I can't help it, I clean when I'm upset. I don't know what else to do." I stand, handing Sadie and Tucker to her.

     "Can you get one of the other girls to help you watch these two for a while? I'm going to get Luke and we're going to get Arabella back," I state, walking to the door with purpose. Running to find Luke, I take him to my office with a few more of my most trusted guards. "Arabella, left, she went to Zach to 'save' us, as she put it. I want her back, I have a feeling I know where she is, but I'll need your help if we're finally going to get rid of these Rebels once and for all." They all agree and we spend the next few hours planning how to get rid of these Rebels forever.

~2 hours later~

     "Are you guys ready for this?" I ask, staring out at my fighters with a grim look. They nod, mirroring my look. I nod back, turning to the forest. "Then let's go." We march into the trees silently, walking the path that Zach took Arabella down just hours ago. My stomach clenches at the thought and I walk faster, careful not to step on any twigs or leaves.

     With my fast pace, we make it to their camp in only an hour, just in time. Arabella's chained to the same tree, surrounded by leering Rebels. I clench my jaw as Zach steps in front of her, running his hand along her cheek. She turns her head to the side, glaring at him harshly.

     "Awe, don't be like that, babe." Zach smirks, placing his hand on the tree by her head. She raises an eyebrow, still glaring.

     "Don't call me that," she hisses. Zach chuckles, smirking.

     "Sorry, babe, but you better get used to it, it's what I'll be calling your for the rest of our lives," he states smugly, making my blood boil. Stepping out of the tree line, I clear my throat loudly, drawing Zach's attention away from Arabella. He laughs, throwing his head back and shaking his head. "Oh, this just keeps getting better. Adrian, what a pleasant surprise!" I narrow my eyes at him, clenching my jaw.

     "Why are you doing this, Zach?" His smile drops and he glares at me.

     "Why? Isn't it obvious? Arabella's mine, she always has been and she always will be. If it weren't for you stupid Selection, I would have met her first and we would be together. But no, of course you had to have some huge competition to find a wife because you couldn't find one on your own. I'm done living in your shadow, I'm here to take what's rightfully mine." I take a step closer to him, opening my mouth to yell but Arabella's laugh cuts me off. We all turn to her, surprised. She shakes her head, trying to contain the giggles escaping her. A smile tugs at my lips at the sight of her smiling, but it falls  when I catch sight of the chains around her.

     "Sorry to interrupt, I just find it funny to watch you guys argue over me, because, you know, I'm married. I'll never love you, Zach, and I don't doubt that I wouldn't love you even if I met you first. I love Adrian, if I'm anyone's, I'm his, just as much as he is mine. There's no point in doing this, no matter what, I will always find my way back to Adrian." I stare at her with wide eyes, love filling me. Zach's face turns red with anger and he glares at her harshly, his hand going to the gun on his hip. Immediately, I pull my own out, aiming it at his forehead.

     "Make one move and I will put a bullet between your eyes." He freezes at my words, but a smirk crosses his face.

     "Why should I be worried? You're outnumbered. It was dumb of you to come alone, I can easily kill you. But I think I may make you watch me kill your beloved wife, it seems she'd rather die than be without you," he spits bitterly at me. I chuckle, the sound bitter and humorless, smirking.

     "Outnumbered? You're the one that's outnumbered here." At my words, all my men come into the clearing, pointing their guns at the Rebels. Zach's smirk falls, replaced with a glare. He raises an eyebrow, slowly turning to me. I keep my gun pointed at his head.

     "I know I'm going to die, I just want to do one last thing." As fast as I've ever seen him move, he pulls his gun out and turns to Arabella, aiming randomly. Just as he pulls the trigger of his gun, I pull mine, hitting him square in the forehead. He goes down immediately, but he didn't miss his target. Arabella cries out in pain and the fighting surrounding me disappears as I focus only on Arabella. Running to her, I fall to my knees on the ground and start to unwind the chains. Throwing them onto the ground, I lay her down, looking for the gunshot, I find it quickly, right in the middle of her stomach. Blood gushes out, quickly forming a puddle underneath her. Starting to panic, I throw my shirt off and press it to the wound, eliciting a cry of pain from her as I put pressure on it.

     "I'm so sorry, baby, you're going to be okay, I promise," I mumble to her, making sure to stop her bleeding. Luke rushes to my side, helping me pick her up and as fast as we can, we make our way out of the forest and to the castle. "Stay with me, baby, please stay with me. I can't lose you," I mumble to her as her eyelids start to droop and she passes out. Picking up our pace, we break through the tree line and sprint through the castle doors, careful not to jostle Arabella as we yell for the doctor. I can't lose her, not again.