The Alpha And His Mate (Silver Hills #1)

Chapter 40

My feet thudded against the dry ground, my breaths coming in pants as I sprinted through the thicket of trees.

The sound. I couldn't get the awful sound of Diana screaming out of my head. There was no chance she would survive. At least her and Victor got to go together. At least they marched to their graves in tandem.

The darkness that closed in around me felt suffocating. I was gasping now, feeling tears borne of panic caress my face.

Please don't let Jax be hurt, I begged whatever gods would listen. Please don't let any of them be hurt.

We had been stupid- so stupid- to summon Ezaryth. Instead of answers we had got spilt blood.

No, I thought. I can't put all the blame on us. Sooner or later he would've crawled his way to Silver Hills. At least we had been one step ahead of him.

After what felt like years of running, I saw a light in the distance. I sped up, heading towards it as it called to me.

As soon as I got close I instantly recognised the familiar building.

My old high school.

Silver Hills High loomed in front of me, drastically different in the dark. The last time I had been inside those walls was prom, when fairy lights were strung against every surface and teenagers moved in flocks.

The emptiness was chilling.

I had never thought about how closely our school bordered the woods, which was especially odd considering we had been warned against it. I didn't really care either; I just needed somewhere to find shelter and think out a plan.

Before I approached the first building, I picked a tough looking stick up from the ground. I doubted they left the doors open in summer so it looked like I would be going through the windows.

I flinched away from the spray of glass that scattered along in the air as my branch made contact with the first window I found. When I eventually scrambled through the makeshift door- getting away with only a few scrapes and cuts- I realised where I was.

My old Bio classroom. Science had never been my strongpoint but Biology had always been my favourite. It had scared me too though, learning how fragile life was.

Life.

I pressed a hand against my stomach and slid down against a cool wall. Every now and then I remembered that I was carrying a child in me. Fear flared up inside me at the thought, a fear I hadn't let consume me whilst I was with Jax.

But for my child, I wouldn't let panic sink me. I would act. Act and save as many lives as I could considering some were already lost for sure.

My hands fumbled clumsily in my jacket pocket for my phone. I pulled it out and desperately hoped I had the number of someone useful on it,

No luck. Apparently, I hadn't thought to ask any of the Masons for contact details. I would have to go with the next best thing.

Angel sounded rather faint when she picked up the phone.

"Percie?" She whispered, her voice fragile enough to be blown away on a stray breeze.

"Angel!" I snapped hastily. "I'm not a ghost! I need your help."

Her tone had changed when she spoke again. "Persephone! Do you know how worried I've been! You do that while 'throwing up blood' thing and then disappear. Next time, you might think to tell me what's going on."

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry," I said in a rush. "Listen, I need you to go to the Masons and tell them something."

"The Masons!" She sounded incredulous. "What would you need from the Masons?"

"Tell them that me and Genevieve were... messing around, but we've run into a problem. We're at the high school and we need them to come pick us up."

I could almost feel her disbelief form the other end of the phone. "You realise how little sense that makes?" She asked.

"Of course I do," I sighed, "but it doesn't change the fact I need them to come and meet me at Silver Hills High."

I heard a pause from the other end of the phone, and then Angel's determined voice. "I'll help you."

I loose a sigh of relief. "You don't realise how much this means to me Angel."

There was more silence. "That's what what friends are for," she replied after a minute.

I could tell the exact minute she hung up because the sense of despair fell over me again.

All I could do was wait for help, slumped against the wall of my biology classroom.

Right there, in that corner, me and Angel sat and messed around during a mitosis experiment, I recalled. Mr Bird looked like he wanted to throttle us.

They were simpler times, more comforting times, that I could think back on whilst I waited.

No clock ticked but I could almost hear the metronome in my head.

Tick.

Diana's probably bled out by now.

Tick.

He's gone for Genevieve next, tearing open her throat with those vampire fangs. She barely has time to scream before the blood gushes out, suffocating her spark.

Tick.

Jax. Jax falls last. And he fights claw and tooth to protect me. To protect our family.

Tick.

But he does fall in the end.

My disturbing daydream was abruptly ended when, after what felt like a hundred years, I heard footsteps along the corridor.

I forced myself up and rushed towards the sound.

Coming down the dark, locker-infested, corridor was Angel. My heart twisted at the sight.

What is she doing here?

Her face was frantic when she reached me, her blonde hair a mess. She grabbed onto my wrists.

"Come on Persephone," she panted. "There's no time. We have to go."

"Go where?" I asked, brow furrowing. "Where are the Masons?"

"They sent me to get you. And they told me everything. We have to go. Quickly."

She tugged at my hand and gazed at me desperately. Confusion flooded through me, but she was right: we needed to be quick.

I let her drag me along the corridor, only trying to stop when I notice that we've passed the exit.

"Angel," I tried to say.

She kept on walking, storming ahead.

For some reason, I couldn't get out of her grip. Fear flooded me again. This wasn't my best friend. Or at least, it wasn't the Angel I knew.

She was taking me to the hall.

I struggled in vain the whole time she was dragging me. And then, finally, we stopped.

Just outside the doors to the hall.

I'd had countless assemblies and school dances in there, but right then it was emanating darkness. I didn't want to go in.

"Angel," I breathed breathlessly. "What is going on?"

It's not Angel who replied, but a voice just as familiar, coming from inside the hall.

"Persephone?" The voice said. "Persephone!"

My blood ran cold. I knew that voice as well as my own.

I could hardly keep the hysterics form my voice. "Mom!" I gasped. "Mom are you in there?"

A few masculine voice answered.

"Why don't you come in and find out?"