Shadows of Dawn

Chapter 10

I leave Landon in the hallway as I rush up the stairs to my room.

'Get Leo, everyone and their mates and tell them we're leaving. Landon just threatened Leo and I am not going to test ride his patience.' I mind link Sawyer.

'Is everything okay? Are you hurt?' Sawyer says.

'I'm fine but just tell everyone we're leaving.'

I mute the mind link as I walk into my room. I quickly go around the room picking up Leo and I's things. Not even bothering to fold the clothes back up, I throw everything into the suitcases and head out the door. I walk down the hall and see Sawyer and Leo coming up the stairs. Sawyer scans his eyes up and down my frame before going to his room.

"Sawyer I can take Leo to the car," I suggest while walking towards him.

"No. He's staying with me," he says in a rough voice. Sawyer has always been protective but I have never seen the look he has in his eyes at this moment...

I rush down the stairs, passing by other wolves on my way to the car. Walking out the door I'm met with Rowan leaning up against the doorframe of the common area.

He gives me a soft smile, but when he sees the state I'm in his expression turns concerned. "Hey, Aeralyn. Where are you heading? Is something wrong?"

"Thank you Rowan for allowing my pack and I to stay in your home, but something came up and we need to head back," I say as I walk out the front door.

"Oh, that's not good. I hope everything is alright and I hope to see you next year-" his phone rings. His whole expression changes as he looks at the caller ID and his eyes widen slightly. He gives me a quick 'goodbye' as he rushes off to answer the call.

I give a nod as I open the trunk of the car. Sawyer, Leo, and the rest of my pack are coming out the door as I close the trunk.

"Good morning everyone, I'm sorry to pull you away from your festivities but something has come up and I think it's time for us to leave. For every one new coming with us, welcome to the pack I hope the best for you and your new mates," I state, trying to make my voice sound less tense, "Ok everyone start piling into the cars, I'll give the go-ahead when everyone's good."

They all disperse to the different cars and I look to Sawyer who is already working on strapping Leo into his car seat.

He fumbles with the seatbelt as he tries to click it into the seat, grumbling something under his breath. I take it out of his hand and put it in.

I look at him and touch his shoulder. "You ok, Beta?" I ask

He huffs. "I just want to get on the road and get home before I go kill this guy," he grumbled.

I let out a breathy laugh before walking over to my side of the car. I open the door but it gets slammed shut by a hand. I look up, close my eyes, and let out a breath before turning around to face him.

"You aren't leaving," he snarls.

I roll my tongue on the inside of my cheek before speaking. "Oh but I am. You are the one who threatened my boy, that's where I draw the line," I say as I jab my finger on his chest.

We stand there staring at each other. I'm just waiting for him to say some stupid remark so I can just punch him

But he doesn't.

He removes his hand from the car door and backs up from me. I turn away from Landon and start heading to the first car in the line. When I get within arm's length I pat my hand on the hood of the car. The car starts to pull out of the long driveway, the other cars following. I stand in the middle of the driveway as I watch the last of the cars pull onto the road. Walking back to my car I feel this massive wave of dread roll over me. Opening the door and slide into the car, looking over at Sawyer I nod to him to drive, not paying any mind to Landon outside the car. Once we drove out of view of the house I slump down into my seat.

"You okay?" Leo asks me from the backseat, startling me a bit.

I turn towards the back seat and smile at him. "Yeah, buddy I'm okay. Just play on your tablet for a little while," I say before turning back to face the road, my smile now gone.

We sit in silence for the first 30 minutes of the drive just the sound of the running car and the low bass of the music playing on the radio being there. The rest of the pack is out of sight, the road empty. We pull-up to a cross-road and we stopped before going straight onto the road that would lead to our pack territory.

As the car rolls across the intersection everything happens so fast. One minute we're driving and the next we're being hit off the road by a van.

I try to put up a force field around the car but I can't focus. I jerk forward and hit my head on the dashboard of the car before flopping back into my seat. The car comes to a stop upside down. I look around with droopy eyes as I try to make sense of the situation. Through my throbbing head, I look to the backseat at Leo. My magic was able to focus on him.

I look over to Sawyer and he's pretty roughed up. He has some glass shards in his shoulder and torso, might have a concussion but other than that he looks fine other than the fact he's passed out. I on the other hand am not. Impaling my stomach is a large piece of scrap metal. I groan out in pain as I try to move out of my seat but I can't.

"Lyn, why are we upside down?" Leo says, his voice trembling.

I try to cover my wound, not wanting him to see it. "It's ok Leo. We're gonna be fine," I try to make my voice sound less strained but I say the last part with a groan.

I hear someone walking outside, coming from the driver's side of the car. I look out the shattered windshield and get a glimpse of black boots. The figure crouches down and my heart stops.

Standing right there is Dr.Smith. I'm speechless as he gives me a sinister smile.

"Hello Project 2578. You have caused so much trouble. We have been looking everywhere for you and 3292. You've had your fun but it's time to come back now," he says before straightening up and walking towards Leo's side of the car.

He pries the door open with a crowbar and takes Leo out of his car seat. Leo screams and kicks, trying to get away. I reach out my hand for him to grab but he's already being pulled away.

"No! Please don't take him, he's only a child. Please!" I yell as I watch my only family be taken away.

Smiths walks off and I hear him open and close a car door. He returns to my line of sight. I have tears streaming down my face as I try to get out of the car. He comes to my side of the car and opens the door before pulling me out. The movement has the metal scrape impaling me to shift causing me to scream. He throws me over his shoulder and starts to walk to a van down the road.

"Sir there's another vehicle coming down the road, we need to leave, now," a guy, perhaps a guard, says frantically.

At this Smith places me on the ground and crouches down to whisper in my ear. "Don't think you're getting off the hook. We will get you too, one way or another," he says, "dead or alive." He pulls out a pocket knife and slashes it across my thigh. I scream out in pain as the blood seeps from the wound. He quickly gets up and runs over to the van before driving off down the road, taking Leo with them.

The pain in my leg and stomach is no match to the pain in my heart. I couldn't care less if I die right now because Smith has Leo. I look as the car gets farther and farther away, thinking of all the cruel and awful things Smith could do to him. The road rumbles and I can sense a car coming from behind me. My vision starts going dark, I'm slipping. I guess this is the end. Maybe it's better this way. A single tear glides down my cheek as I go under.