Aislinn woke up in a moving SUV. The sun was blinding even with the dark tinted windows and she had to blink a few times before she was able to focus enough to make out her surroundings. Her head felt thick and fuzzy, her mouth filled with cotton balls. Her thoughts were sluggish as she tried to piece together what had happened. Flinching she moved her head side to side. Ciera was sitting on her right, her head leaning against the window, eyes closed her breathing even and low. Turning her head she was surprised to find Ethan sitting on her other side. He was awake, but he was watching her with a strange expression on his face. He seemed nervous, almost as if he was scared of her.
Aislinn rifled through her memories. She remembered waking up in Kaiden's arms, they went down to the cells to find Richard. Ciera had told them about what she had found out from the Bellator Luna and the accusation of treason against her. Then there had been the most extraordinary night of her life in her mate's arms. Just the thought of his body and lips on hers had her own humming in response, heat flooding her.
What happened after that? She pushed through the cloud of fog.
Something about Pack Silva...
And then it hit her.
Talk about going from calm to livid in 2.7 seconds flat.
She whipped back around to look at the doctor at her side. Taking in her outrage, he paled. The color draining from his face. Lunging across the seat she threw herself at him seeing red. Before she could cause any bodily harm, her attack was cut short. Letting out a growl she looked down to find silver cuffs locked around each of her wrists.
Her commotion was enough to rouse Ciera from her slumber. Her groggy voice filling the silence as Aislinn glared at Ethan who had raised his hands in surrender, his body pressing away from her as far as possible. Smart decision on his part. Aislinn's next plan was to try and reach him with her teeth. She was not in a pleasant mood. "Seriously what does everyone around here have against sleep?" Ciera asked in-between loud yawns.
Stretching out her stiff muscles, her joints and bones popping loudly, she turned enough to finally notice Aislinn. Joy breaking over her face as she shrieked. Making them all of them cringe. "Oh thank god! You're alive!"
A humph sounded from the Passenger seat. From the spike of hatred that filled her upon hearing it, Aislinn recognized it as coming from her former Guardian. Austin's exasperated tone came from the driver's side "I told you a thousand times! We didn't kill her! Honestly Ciera. Why would we be trying to kill her? We're on her side."
"Yeah and I'd believe you dogs why?" Ciera retorted disdainfully. Throwing angry glares at the backs of both of their heads.
Aislinn was quickly recalling why she liked this girl so much.
"I've missed you! I'm so happy we're together again!" Ciera exclaimed cheerily pulling her into a hug. Ignoring the fact that her hands were currently trapped between her knees and bolted to the floor.
Pulling back Aislinn gave her a skeptical look.
"Well okay the circumstances suck and the company is awful, but at least we can hang out again!" Ciera babbled. A goofy grin on her face. Leave it to her to be able to find a silver lining in being drugged and kidnapped by their own pack. Aislinn rolled her eyes.
"Hey that hurts, we aren't that bad." Austin grumbled.
"You drugged us and then locked us in an SUV. After kidnapping us." Ciera deadpanned without bothering to look at him.
"That was Alpha's orders. What did you want us to do Cee?" Austin argued his eyes glancing at them through the rearview mirror. Grimacing when he met the deadly stares coming from the back seat.
"Don't even get me started on that assh*le." Ciera spat. Her voice venomous, her eyes flashing black.
"Calm down!" Richard ordered, his body turning in the seat so he was facing her. "Now Ciera."
"Shove it Richard!" Ciera growled.
"Ciera! That's your Alpha and brother! You can't talk about him like that!" Austin snapped, his eyes hard as he looked at her through the rearview again.
"Watch me." Ciera snapped back.
"You will calm down or you will be removed and placed in the other SUV. I won't have you endangering the Princess or hurting her. You are only here because I allow it." Richard's hard clipped voice broke into their glaring match.
Ciera pulled back as if she had been slapped. Her eyes widening as she stared dumbfounded. It took a few beats before she was able to find her voice. "You think I'm going to hurt her!?" She didn't even wait for a response, her chest puffing out as her eyes narrowed into slits. Aislinn felt a tiny smirk quirk the corners of her mouth. Leaning back she readied herself to enjoy the show. She wasn't disappointed.
"Me? Yes that's right I'm the dangerous one. I'm the one who betrayed her! Lied to her! Manipulated her! Kidnapped and drugged her! I forgot that I am the one who is forcing her to go through her heat without her mate, which may potentially end up killing her mind you. And even if it doesn't will have her in agony for days! Your right, my apologies. It completely slipped my mind that I stole her wolf, locked her away and broke her heart. No you're totally right I am definitely the one who's going to hurt her."
Aislinn felt herself flinch at the reminder of the loss of her wolf. Of everything they had done to her that was probably the worst. She had been trying to ignore the feeling of loss and emptiness but with Ciera's words she was reminded.
She could faintly feel that other part of herself. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't reach her. The connection between them was dead. The flow of strength and energy severed. It left her feeling stunted and caged. She was missing a part of her soul, part of the very fabric of who and what she is. There wasn't supposed to be this division, this separation. Werewolves were meant to live in balance and in harmony with their two natures and forms. A mix of wolf and human. What Richard had done was sever that part of her and block it off. It was a lonely, frightening and alien sensation.
Tuning back in Aislinn realized she had missed the next part of Ciera's rant. The girl was on a roll.
"...hmm? Should we?" She asked her tone now mocking and nauseatingly sweet. Though her eyes were hard when she met the Guardian's dark look head on. "Should we ask 'your Queen' who she really wants around her right now? Do you want to see who SHE'D like to throw out of her car? Who she thinks is a threat to her safety? Maybe we should ask her wolf? Oh wait, we can't because you blocked her! You really want to get into who's a danger around here?" She asked looking between the three men as if she was truly curious to hear their answers. Scoffing when they stayed silent, all of them staring at her, their jaws slack, mouths gaping. "That's what I thought. Remember something Richard, you might be protecting her, but right now I'm the only one who cares about her."
Ciera turned back, her face softening as she slowly looked her over in concern. "How are you?"
In exaggerated slowness Aislinn looked down at her chained wrists.
Ciera winced. "Yeah I hear you. They're dickheads." Nodding her head. "Apparently you're a flight risk." She added, rolling her eyes. Her fingers adding air quotes to the words 'flight risk'.
"Ciera the name calling really isn't necessary." Ethan muttered from Aislinn's other side. The first words he had spoken since she had woken.
"Oh I disagree mutt." Ciera sneered as Aislinn slowly turned to look at the pack doctor.
As her cold glare slid over him a blush began to creep up his neck. His face turning a deep red as his eyes dropped from her and onto the silver of her restraints. "They are for your own protection Luna." He muttered quietly.
Ciera let out a bark of humorless laughter at the words. "Freaking unbelievable." Leaning in closer, she dropped her voice into a fake whisper that was loud enough for everyone to hear. "That's all they keep saying 'it's for her protection. It's for her protection.' Dumbasses." Aislinn smiled as she mimicked the men's deeper voices, the pain from the loss of her wolf easing just a little with the display of comradery and companionship. Noticing, Ciera gave her a wink before her face turned serious.
"So what are we going to do when we get you out of here?"
Aislinn full-on grinned this time, her eyes lighting up at the words they had so often spoken when they were still locked together in a cell.
"Ciera!" Three voices shouted.
"What?" She asked. Looking around innocently. "Did I say something?"
"Your Majesty." Richard's voice was deep and low. Interrupting the internal musings of revenge and escape she had been indulging in. "You have to understand it was the only way. It would have been too dangerous for you to remain. We knew you would never have left on your own. That you would insist at being by your mate's side and trying to fight. We couldn't take the chance of something happening to you again, we almost already lost you once. Your survival is paramount, without you we have no hope."
The words hung in the air, fighting for dominance against the anger that was becoming more and more palpable as Aislinn's rage rose to the surface in full force. Only the tightening of Ciera's arm around her shoulders kept her from trying to lunge forward and rip his throat out. Her voice was cold and deadly when she spoke. "That was not your decision to make."
"It is my duty, my oath to do whatever is necessary to ensure your safety."
"Well then Richard, you have done what you felt was necessary. And now, I will do what I feel is necessary."
They car fell silent after that.
It was a couple of hours later that the pain from the heat became excruciating. Ciera offered what comfort she could, but without Kaiden's presence there wasn't much that could be done to stop the agony. After twenty minutes of her whimpering and sweating in Ciera's arms, Ethan decided to sedate her. She tried to stop him. To fight him off, not caring about the pain, but being chained, blocked and trapped in an SUV there wasn't much she could realistically do as they 'protected' her. Her pleas and curses filled the interior as she was dragged under.
.
.
The vehicles were luxurious and top of the line, and under normal circumstances they would have been relatively comfortable to travel in. Spending eight hours in one chained to the floor and squished in the middle between two bodies, while suffering through hot flashes and searing pain made it a different story. When they pulled up to a hotel around dusk, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
Austin jumped out to check them in. Doors slammed as those in the second car climbed out. The sound of knuckles rapping against the window had Richard climbing out as well. Moving to the back he opened the door and ushered Ethan out. Reaching in, he unlocked the chain from the bolts in the floor, before trying to grab her. Flinching away from him, she leaned further into Ciera.
Letting out a sigh he watched her stare at him challengingly. "I'm trying to help you Your Majesty."
Her unchanging expression was answer enough and his hand fell away. Satisfied she looked pointedly down at the handcuffs still locked around her wrists. He let out another sigh, "The Alpha's orders were very strict Your Highness. The cuffs are supposed to stay on."
Before she could tell him exactly what he could do with his 'orders' Ciera beat her to it. "Seriously you're expecting her to stay handcuffed like a criminal the whole time? What is wrong with you!? Honestly you people have gone off the deep end." A noise of complete disbelief loud and clear.
"Take the handcuffs off." Aislinn ordered.
"I can't do that Your Majesty, but if you get out there is something waiting for you." Richard said his voice turning coaxing. Raising her eyebrow she searched for what he was referring to.
Her heart jumped into her throat when her eyes landed on Olivia. Tears springing forward as she took in the limp body of Kio cradled in her arms. "What did you do to him?" She choked out. Sensing her pain and distress Ciera's arms wound around her, her hand rubbing up and down her back soothingly.
"He is okay Princess, simply sleeping." Her eyes narrowed at Austin's words, that came from somewhere outside the car.
"We had to tranq him for the drive." Olivia explained apologetically.
Her wolf was going nuts. Growling, snapping and throwing herself against the blocks in her mind, trying to get free. Wanting to hurl herself at all of them and rip their throats out. The thought of them sticking a needle into Kio had her frothing at the mouth. That they had the audacity to then try and use him as a bribe as bait, had her murderous.
Tearing her eyes from the sleeping cub, Aislinn looked back to Richard. "He should have been with me." No one answered but they could all hear the silent 'Alpha's orders'. Taking a deep breath she desperately fought to grasp the ends of her fraying control. She reiterated her earlier order. "Take. The Cuffs. Off. Now Richard."
"I'm sorry but I can't do that, Your Highness."
"Then I suggest you find someone who can." She growled her eyes snapping open. Her body had begun to tremble from the force of her anger. If her wolf had been free she would have shifted.
Richard turned to look at Austin who had moved so he was in her line of sight. Catching Richard's questioning gaze he shrugged his shoulders, his head shaking, "Don't look at me, I don't know what to do. If she won't cooperate we'll either have to drag her out or drug her again. And I'm not exactly comfortable with doing either of those options more than absolutely necessary. At some point either she or the Alpha is going to kick our asses for it." His face paling at the thought of Kaiden waking up from his own stupidity.
The silence stretched out before Richard grunted. Turning back to her he tossed a small set of keys. Catching them she focused on unlocking the annoying bracelets, rubbing at her sore wrists as she did. The silver hadn't affected her but they were still uncomfortable and after so many hours her skin was rubbed raw and bruised.
"We are so screwed." Austin muttered as he watched the silver cuffs drop to the floor.
"It was your idea." Richard grumbled back, his eyes staying on her.
"Yeah well, it was the best option. Doesn't mean we aren't still screwed." Austin said.
Shuffling along the seat Aislinn pushed herself up and out the door. As soon as her feet hit the pavement she was surrounded. Leland, Emmett and Hugo's large bodies joining Richard's in encircling her. She rolled her eyes at the wall of backs facing her. Clearing her throat, she looked pointedly at Kio, reaching out her hands. Oliva looked to Richard who gave a reluctant nod before Kio's slack body was being cradled against her chest. A few random tears broke free as she ran her hands over his small fluffy body, pressing kisses to his velvety ears and tiny nose.
Being relieved of her charge, Olivia moved to stand next to Austin. Both of them intently scanning the parking lot and surrounding areas. What exactly they thought they were going to run into in a random Hotel in the middle of nowhere, was a mystery to her. But Aislinn bit her tongue, keeping her thoughts to herself. Not really caring what they did if it meant they were leaving her alone.
Muffled curses sounded as Ciera climbed awkwardly out the SUV, her feet hitting the pavement with a light thud as she jumped down. Stretching her arms over her head she let out a relived groan before muscling her way between two of Aislinn's guards. When Hugo didn't give way quickly enough, Ciera 'accidently' let her heal smash down on his toes. The grunt of pain was met with a very insincere apology. Finally inside the circle of black clad Guardians, Ciera skipped to Aislinn's side linking their arms together. Then winking she motioned with her hand adding on a snarky, "Onward men!" that was met with scowls.
The room was mediocre. Not even close to as nice as their suite in New York had been, but not as bad as the motel where they had found Olivia. The reminder had Aislinn's eyes glancing over at the woman. Their gazes met and there was a flash of understanding and connection that snapped between them as they were both pulled into the past. Then it passed and they both turned away. Aislinn to Ciera who was babbling at her side and Olivia's to the window, taking up a watch of the parking lot.
Leaning her head in close, her mouth next to her ear, Ciera dropped her voice to a whisper. "Ethan looks ready to stick you again." They were all sharing one room for 'security purposes' and Richard and Austin were deep in conversation about rotations and sleeping arrangements. Leland and the others were standing stoically around the perimeter in parade rest. Their eyes alert. Aislinn subtly glanced over her shoulder at the doc. Who indeed looked ready to jump her, he kept tensely looking at his watch before throwing her nervous glances.
"You want to be drugged again?" Ciera asked her voice staying low and soft.
Aislinn made sure her own words couldn't be overheard. "No I've just about had it. I can't think straight, my mind is sluggish, I feel like crap and I can barely hold myself up with all this shit being pumped into me every few hours."
"You'll be in pain." Ciera said. There was no judgement in her words, she was simply stating facts. Making sure Aislinn understood her decision.
"I can handle pain." Aislinn replied calmly.
"I know." Ciera said, sympathy and understanding in the words. "Okay then, time to make a break for it."
She was wearing a shit-eating grin that had Aislinn momentarily worried. However, before she could question her decision Ciera was yanking on her arm. Sprinting across the room towards the bathroom her and Kio in tow.
Richard voice roared behind them. "Grab them!"
A growl sounded a few feet behind them as they raced over the threshold. Spinning around Ciera slammed the door shut, throwing the lock just as a body hit the door. Shaking it from the impact.
"Ciera open this door right now." Came Austin's' strained voice, slightly muffled from the door now standing between them.
Both of them had collapsed to the floor. Laughter bubbling between them. Tears were streaming down Ciera's face and Aislinn was having to fight back her own fit as she struggled to breathe.
"Never!" Ciera screamed back before dissolving into laughter again as a fist began pounding on the door.
"We will break this door down Ciera!" Austin threatened as the pounding continued.
"Go ahead!" Ciera shouted back. Aislinn's laughter came up short as she threw a shocked look in her direction. Ciera smirked back at her. "I'll be sure to let Kady know how you guys broke down the bathroom door where his baby sister and mate were naked inside." She finished calmly her voice no longer shouting.
The pounding stopped abruptly. The girls could literally feel as the men on the other side took a defensive step back at her threat.
"You aren't naked." Austin said. His words were confident but the hesitancy in his voice gave him away.
"Of course we are! It's a bathroom after all! A girl's gotta shower! Now I mean if you don't think the Alpha of all Alpha's, would mind, well then I can gladly let you in. I was just trying to keep you from getting in trouble. Of course I do always keep forgetting that you men know best." Ciera's said her voice turning mockingly sweet.
"We can send Olivia in." A voice said. Aislinn assumed it was one of the other Guardians, she wasn't yet familiar enough with them to pick them out through a door.
Ciera pushed herself up from the floor and moved over to the tub turning on the water. "Sure send Olivia in. I mean we're going to be in the shower but if you want her to try and drag us out, all wet and naked then you go ahead and try that."
Aislinn couldn't help laughing as she imagined their faces at the idea of having to explain to Kaiden why Olivia was sent into a bathroom to wrestle his naked mate and sister out of a shower. Even if they knew it was probably all a bluff, there was that tiny chance they weren't lying and then they would end up dead.
"Ciera just open the door and let me examine the Luna. Make sure she's okay." Ethan's voice said. Obviously he had been tapped in as the next to try and wrangle them into behaving.
"Nope, sorry. No can do." Ciera chirped as she motioned Aislinn over to the filling tub.
"Ciera she's in heat, she needs my help."
"I am actually here you know!" Aislinn shouted. "I know everyone wants to act like I can't think, or make decisions for myself but I actually am able to. Craziest thing I know."
"You heard her!" Ciera added as she tenderly took Kio from her arms and laid him on some towels she had arranged into a little bed by the side of the tub.
"You're going to be in pain if I don't help you Luna."
"I don't want you're help!" Aislinn shouted back even as she flinched, a wave of heat rippling across her body.
"Get in the water." Ciera said.
"Huh?" Aislinn asked her mind blanking as a stab of pain hit her right behind her eye socket.
"Get. In. The. Water." Ciera repeated more slowly.
"Water, why?"
"It's cold, it should help calm some of the heat, soothe the pain too." Ciera replied confidently.
Aislinn eyed her in surprise. A light blush colored her face as she avoided looking in her direction, her words rushing out in explanation. "After the cell I decided I wanted to be more prepared. I didn't want to be so useless again-"
Aislinn interrupted her. "You weren't useless. We are alive, I'm alive, because of you."
Ciera's blush deepened at the words and she had to clear her throat before she could speak. "Yeah well, I felt useless. So I decided to try and learn some skills. I knew I wouldn't be able to learn to fight in a few days, and you were still in the hospital healing so I just kinda started reading medical journals and texts that Ethan loaned me. At first I just wanted to understand what was happening to you, and then what I could've done to help. It kinda just took off from there. I've had A LOT of free time."
Aislinn felt her pride and admiration for the sixteen year old grow. In a rare display Aislinn reached out and drew the girl in for a tight hug.
Pulling back, Aislinn began to strip. The clothes she had pulled on so hastily before everything went so wrong, pooling around her. Turning towards the water Aislinn heard Ciera's gasp as she caught sight of the scars that covered her back. She didn't say anything though, their time together at the hands of her father making the need for an explanation unnecessary. Slipping into the cold water a sigh of relief left her lips as the water surrounded her, easing the heat and pain.
"Better?" Ciera asked.
"Mhmm."
Ciera chuckled as she scratched Kio's head. Leaning back she rested against the wall near Aislinn's head, her legs splaying out in front of her. They sat in comfortable silence for a bit. The reprieve lulling her into a soft doze. Just as she was drifting off completely a knock on the door had them both bolting up.
"What?" Ciera called out.
"You've been in there for an hour." Austin's voice said.
"So?" Ciera asked.
"So? So come out."
"No!" She shouted back, leaning back against the wall and making herself comfortable again, her hand going back to stroking Kio.
"Luna you should really come out." Austin tried again.
Aislinn rolled her eyes. "No! I don't want to."
A growl shook the door.
"They aren't too happy with us." Ciera said cheerily.
"Good. I'm none too pleased with their lot at the moment either." Aislinn growled, a hot flash hitting her with the spike of anger.
"You should calm down. Strong emotions will affect the rate of your heat." Ciera offered gently. Once Aislinn had nodded, she asked more seriously. "So what are we going to do?"
Considering the question Aislinn let out a deep exhale, forcing her cramping muscles to try and relax. Ciera had opened the window and turned off the heater to try and drop the room temperature as much as they could. It was helping for now, but Aislinn knew soon it wouldn't be enough as her body called out for its mate.
"You really want to do this with me?" She asked letting her eyes close and her cheek press to the cool tiles.
"Of course. I'm your sidekick. I'm Robin!" Ciera exclaimed. "Batman is a disaster without Robin. Plus we're sister's now, what's the good of that, if we don't gang up to make my brother's life miserable?"
Aislinn chuckled at her words even as tears welled in her eyes.
"He'll come to his senses Ais." Ciera said softly a hand squeezing her shoulder.
"It won't change what he did though." Aislinn murmured.
"I know." Ciera's voice was as sad and broken as Aislinn felt inside.
"What happened?" She finally asked, hating herself for needing to know. For feeling anything towards him.
Ciera didn't answer right away, and when she did her voice was tentative. "They set off for Pack Silva just after they drugged you. They locked us both in one of the cells downstairs. I don't know how long it took, when they came back down they gave you another shot and then drugged me to. I woke up a couple hours before you and we were already on the road. From what I could get out of them, they waited for Kaiden and the others till first light. When they didn't show up they followed orders and left with us."
"They didn't even try to find them? See if they were okay? Alive?" Aislinn asked horrified, pain exploding as her chest clenched.
"Relax." Ciera coaxed gently, her hand reaching to stroke her hair soothingly. The contact allowing her to settle deeper into the water. "All they would tell me is 'it's the Alpha's orders'. I tried to get them to go back but they just ignored me." She paused her hand still gently stroking her head before she took a deep breath and blurted out. "Kaiden is alive and unharmed. That's all I know"
Aislinn didn't know what she felt at that. It had been the question she had been wanting to ask and yet terrified to have the answer too. With her wolf blocked and her bonds severed she no longer could access the mate bond or even sense if he was dead.
"Honestly! They just don't give up." Ciera huffed when another round of knocking started.
"The wrath of the Alpha King is not something to attract lightly." Aislinn offered indifferently. She wasn't defending their actions, but she could see why they would be compelled to follow the orders of her mate. Raising her voice so she was heard on the other side of the door she called out. "Still naked. Still not coming out!"
"HA! Wrath? You think they should be worried about Kaiden's wrath? Have they not met you?" Ciera asked her eyes shining.
"Apparently they have forgotten."
"Well then I guess we get to remind them what exactly happens when you piss off the Luna Queen."
"Yeah what a Luna ... I don't even have a wolf." Aislinn muttered, a whimper leaving her as the pain in her soul pulsed.
"Sure you do."
Ignoring the scratching and burning it caused, Aislinn cracked one eye to stare at her. Grabbing one of her arms Ciera tugged her hand over the edge of the tub, making her hiss in pain. The entertaining visions of disemboweling her mate that she had been creating evaporating. Just when she was about to yank her arm back her fingers were gently pushed into a fur coat. Not caring about the pain anymore she turned her head both eyes opening.
"You have a wolf Aislinn. Right here, you have Kio and you have me. You aren't alone in this." Ciera whispered, holding her hand against Kio. Aislinn let out a small gasp when the warm body moved under her hand. Water sloshed over the edge as she lunged forward both hands wrapping around the cub. Pulling him to her face burying into his soft coat his tongue lazily licking her face as sobs broke free.
They stayed there all night. Ciera periodically empting and refilling the water to keep it as cold as possible. Around midnight Aislinn's heat hit its peak. Her fever so high she became delirious and it was only Ciera's restraining hands that kept her in the tub and from leaving the hotel in search of her mate. Then came the nausea. For three hours she held her hair and rubbed her back, all the while cursing her brother as Aislinn violently puked her guts out. Even when there was nothing left in her stomach, she continued to painfully dry heave. Bile burning her throat, panicked tears streaming down her face. Anytime someone would even get near the bathroom door, Ciera would start hurling curses and threats in their direction as well.
At one point it got so bad Ciera was forced to open the door. Her face hard and head high she demanded they bring her ice. Before they could react she was slamming the door shut in their faces. Aislinn screamed when she dumped the sheet filled with ice into the bath, covering her burning body. It was both horrendous agony and sweet relief. Around four the worst of it broke and they fell into a light sleep. Resting until Olivia's soft voice let them know they were heading out.
The next two days followed the same way. Each night Austin, Richard and Ethan tried to keep them from locking themselves in the bathroom. Each time Aislinn and Ciera simply started undressing. The first night Aislinn hadn't even had her shirt over her head before Austin was barking at them to 'get the hell in'. The next night Ciera had gotten to the zipper of her pants before Ethan crumbled, throwing his own shirt over her before nearly pushing them into the bathroom and slamming the door himself. The door would only open when Ciera would order more ice.
It was around noon on the fourth day when Aislinn felt the change. She had been dozing lightly when all of a sudden her chest squeezed painfully. Her lungs collapsing as the air was shoved forcefully out. Her hands clawing at her chest, panic rising as her wolf began to go berserk. Ciera noticed first, her shouts filling the interior of the SUV as Aislinn's vision began to fill with black dots, her lungs screaming for oxygen. Her body felt weak and useless. Her wolf faded even deeper into the background. The hole that had been punched in her heart that night grew even bigger. Leaving her feeling alone, floating in an ocean of despair and pain.
The SUV screeched to a stop jerking to the side of the road as doors slammed open, voices and shouts flying.
Then just as suddenly as it had started the tightness began to ease. Loosening slowly from around her heart and lungs. She sucked in a desperate breath of air. Coughing and choking as her chest began rising and falling.
Blinking her vision cleared. Opening her eyes her body froze as she stared into the blue that dominated her every thought, cell and beat of her heart. Lifting her arm she reached for him. Her fingers grazing his face, hope blooming as love filled her. Then her vision snapped back and instead of Kaiden it was Ciera staring down at her, tear tracks on her face, worry and fear in her eyes. Her body laid out on the ground her head resting in her lap.
Aislinn smiled the best she could, still gasping lungful's of air greedily. Her hand was clasped to her chest clutching the empty space where her heart had once resided. It felt like if she let go, if she gave even an inch that black abyss would consume her.
"What the literal f*ck!" Austin demanded. His eyes wild as he looked between her and Ethan; who was checking her over for any wounds. Richard looked just as bad, his face stony but his eyes shining with panic. Olivia and the others stood stiffly in a loose ring around them, hands resting on the weapons strapped to their thighs, backs rigid.
"I don't know I can't find any sign of injury." Ethan muttered.
Aislinn pushed herself up despite the protests. One hand still gripping her chest, she extended the other to Ciera smiling when she helped her stand. Weaker than ever, Aislinn swayed on her feet and if Ciera hadn't slung her arm across her shoulders she would have crumpled to the ground.
"We crossed the territory line." Aislinn rasped out.
Eight pairs of eyes swung to her.
Her voice was weak but she managed enough sarcasm to make even Ciera proud. "Welcome to Argentum Sanguinis. Land of the Royal Pack and homeland of the Corona Lupis."
She was breathing deeply, the scents of her homeland filling her. Her soul in turmoil, spiraling out of control when suddenly a deep voice broke in pulling her from her memories.
"You're quite correct little lady. We stand on the forgotten land of the Silverbloods. Seat of the Crown of the Moon. Those are old words to speak though. Dangerous things to know, and lines to cross. Especially these days. Especially for one so unprotected."
Aislinn's face turned to the tree line, the snapping of a twig letting her eyes pinpoint his location. Standing frozen she watched as he materialized from the thick woods. Power and strength radiating from him, demanding attention. It was only the sight of movement behind him that tore her gaze from him, to where a pace behind a line of growling wolves emerged.