On The Run

Chapter Nineteen- Back to Hell

      Alex was hellbent on leaving when we make it to the states and when he makes sure that I was safe. He was right, his mind would slowly fading. His wolf would lose his sanity, he would. There wasn't anything anybody could do to stop that.
      Once me made it to the house that Max had set up for us, I noticed just how close to the pack-lands it actually is. The alpha knows we are here. Apparently a good friend of Max. Doesn't quite sit well with me, but I don't have anywhere else to go.
    Elena and the others were here once we arrived. As well as our things, they were being unloaded from a van. I pull my phone out of my pocket and check the time. It was four. Alex rubs my arm and walks passed me inside. I follow behind him and smile as I greet everyone.
    Mya hugged me and then ran down the hallway, "I call dibs on the biggest bedroom!" She squeals.
    "Like hell you do!" Alex grumbles, chasing after her.
    "It's only fair! I'm the youngest!!" She squeals back at him, standing in front of a bedroom door. Her arms and legs outstretched preventing him from entering.
     "I don't give a shit, I'm the oldest."
     "How is it my fault you're old? You're going to die soon anyway!"
    He scoffed at her in disbelief, "I'm not that old, you little brat!"
    She grinned, "Fooled me, what are you like fifty?"
    He squinted his eyes at her, "I'm in my thirties, you shit." He grabbed her by her face.
    I took that as my time to intervene. "Alex, no grabbing Mya by her face. You two better knock it off."
    "He started it." She mumbled, sticking her tongue out at him. Still protecting her room.
    "How about you give Alex the bedroom and pick whatever other room you do like? Since you'll be in my room or Kody's most of the time." I smiled at her.
    She seemed to think about it for a moment before she nodded. "Fine, you can have it." She mumbled and moved out of the way.
   Alex shook his head and walked into the room, shutting the door roughly. She jumped and moved closer to me. "Did I do something wrong?" She mumbled quietly, holding my arm.
    I could see it in his eyes. His change of mood had nothing to do with me or Mya. He's hurting and he's scared. I walk her back into the living room. "No, he's dealing with a lot right now. I think he just needs some time to himself."
   She plops down onto the couch, "Is he angry with me?"
   I smile and shake my head at her, "No, i promise he isn't. Alex was a beta, he just lost that title today. So it's weighing on him, and he's worried about my safety. He'll be okay."
   She looked at the floor and leaned forward, "Is Kane going to find us here?" She asked with a strong look of fear in her eyes.
   I smile softly and kneel in front of her, rubbing her cheek softly. "I won't let him hurt you, any of you. You got that? We'll be safe here, and even if he comes I swear to you that I will do everything I can to make sure that I will protect-"
   "Why won't you let us protect you? You never hesitate to throw yourself under the fucking bus!" Mya said angrily, yanking away from me.
   I kept my loving smile as I looked at her, "It's my job to protect you."
    "No, it isn't! I'm not a child! Stop treating me like I am one! I hate him, I hate him for what he's done to you! I'll kill him!" Tears were forming fast in her eyes and just as quickly wetting her reddened cheeks.
   I wiped them away as they came, "I'm okay. I know you're not a child, Mya. But-"
   "There is no but, Paisley. Since the day I met you, you never hesitated to protect me. I was bought to be a breeder, but you protected me from that. I don't know how, and I don't even know why you ever gave a damn about me. But you always looked out for me, no matter the consequences that came down on you. And you still treated me the same. Never ignored me, never yelled at me. You always used that stupid smile. And I hate it because it makes me feel safe, but I know we are anything but safe. So why? Why can't we protect you for once."
   I let my smile slowly fade as I stood up and brushed her hair out of her face. "Kane would kill you before you even had the chance to blink. He won't kill me. Ace wouldn't go against his brother, but he wouldn't just sit by and let Kane kill me."
   "Ace wouldn't stop him before he rips your head off of your body." Violet cut in.
   "Ace was going to pick me, but before he had the chance to Kane came after me. Ace is the one who nursed me back to health after Kane.. Ace is more calm and collected than Kane. Less violent. He's never put his hands on me before. Ace has actually saved my ass a few times. He wouldn't fight Kane, but he would stop Kane from actually killing me." I went on.
   "What makes you so sure of that though? Are you really willing to risk that?" Violet asked, rubbing Elana's side.
   Kody and I shared a look, he nodded with a look of sadness in his eyes. "Something happened about two years ago. Kody was in a lot of shit with Kane. Kane was pissed, livid. Kody was caught going through personal things of Kane's looking for a weak spot. I told Kody it was a horrible idea, but he did it behind my back anyway. Kane caught him in the act. I won't go into detail since I don't know all of the details and I don't want to just..-"
    "Kane had me tortured, by himself and other men of his. Andre, Kane's beta, and Ace were with Paisley. And she didn't know anything. Andre let it slip to her what was happening. Kane was going to kill me. And I was just about dead when Paisley got to me. She found me while Kane was in the middle of ripping me to pieces with a barbed wire whip. I've got some pretty scars from it. But before Andre or Ace could get her out of there, she went after Kane. Shifted and attacked him in her wolf form. Before Paisley could even touch him he had already shifted and charged on her. It was a losing fight. His full anger was on her now and he was killing her. He had completely lost control of his wolf. It took fourteen of Ace's strongest wolves, not including Andre and Ace, to get Kane off of her. Andre stayed behind with Kane to cool him off while Ace rushed her to the pack hospital. It was bad. No one thought Paisley was going to pull through. If Ace wouldn't have called in his wolves or even gotten involved, she'd be dead. Kane couldn't have stopped himself." Kody explained and Elana held a look of sadness.
    "Ace won't let him kill me. I've created a sort of bond with him. We've spent a lot of time together. He cares about me, and I'll admit that I care about him too. But even I know that he won't go against his brother in war. But he will save me from ending up dead. Ace doesn't care about anyone outside of me or his family." I explained.
    "We're not just going to let you give yourself up, I won't let you. I will die before he gets his hands on you." Elana stated strongly.
    I smiled at her. I know what I have to do, but I can't tell them. I have to go back to Kane, try to convince him not to come after them. I don't know if I can but I have to try. He would kill everyone. Something is definitely going on back at the pack. I feel it. I can't feel anything direct, but I can feel that something is wrong. I need to get in touch with Ace as fast as I can.
      "Let's talk about this later, okay? I'm starving." I grinned and Mya cheered.
    "Can we have some pizza? Or some ice cream? Cake!" She cheered happily, I could hear her stomach rumbling.
   I laughed and kissed her head, "Yeah I'll order some pizza."
   "I can go and pick up some snacks, we can go grocery shopping tomorrow." Elana says and Violet nods.
    I look up the nearest pizza place and call. They answer in about a minute. I proceed to tell them I need six pizzas; two supreme, two meat lovers, and two pepperoni. Along with six bottles of soda. "It'll be about twenty minutes." I say as I finally hang up the phone.
   Elana and Violet left in the car already, I look at Kody. "I'm going to talk to Alex, do you two mind getting some stuff unpacked until the food gets here?"
   They nod and head off while I make my way to Alex's room. I knock on the door and receiving a grumble before telling me to come in. I open the door and spot Alex sprawled out on the bed. "Gonna stay in bed for the rest of your life?" I chuckled at him.
    "Might as well, shit I could use the rest."
    "You have a new life, so do something with it. Go get a job. Don't be a lazy potato."
    Alex unburied his face from his arms and turns to look at me. "You're going back, aren't you?" He asked.
    I was surprised. Alex was always good at reading people. I smile softly, lowering my voice. "I have to, Alex. Please don't tell them."
   He shrugged his shoulders and rolled onto his back, "I won't stop you. You're grown now, I'm not your damn keeper anymore. But I will say it's a stupid idea. This is your chance to get away and you're throwing it away out of fear."
   I chuckled, "He will find me. I have no doubt about it. I wouldn't be surprised if he already knows where I am. You know Kane, you've heard of what he's capable of. He will kill everyone. At least if I go back to him, maybe I can convince him to leave everyone alone."
    "Or he kills you. Like you just told them out there, Ace won't fight his brother for you. And you know damn well if push came to shove, Kane will kill you and there isn't a damn thing Ace can actually do to stop it."
    I smile at him, "If I have to take the fall, then so be it. I got what I wanted, so even if I do end up dead. At least I can die a little happy. My friends are out of there and out of Kane's hand. I got to see Elana and the others again. Soren, Jax, Jay, Violet. And even if it didn't last, I did find my mate. After believing for awhile that I didn't have a mate and that it was fate that put me in the hands of Kane."
    "You could be happy and you're throwing that away too. I seen the way you looked at Soren. You want to be with him." He said, staring at me.
    Sadness filled me as I thought about Soren. "I do. Soren makes me feel safe, loved and appreciated. He makes me feel good. But he's not who I am supposed to be with. I am with Kane, and unless Kane dies he is the only one I can be with. He's all that I know."
    Alex shook his head, "You're still an idiot I see. Why are you so willing to go back to that piece of shit?"
   I leaned my back against the headboard, "Things aren't always bad there. Trust me they have their hell days, their purgatory days, and their straight up please fucking kill me days. But there are tolerable days. Kane goes away a lot, or he's busy with other women or whatever the hell he does. Days where Ace comes and steals me away and takes me out. Those are okay days. Days that I can at least breathe. I find myself holding my breath a lot on the bad days, but on those okay days where it's easier to breathe. Finally taking that breath after all the time you had been holding your breath, it feels good. I don't feel good here. I'm still holding my breath because I know what's going to happen. Kane will come. And if he gets here and I chose not to leave. It will be a blood bath. At least some days I can breathe when I'm there."
    "What makes you so sure your friends aren't going to run after you again?" He asked with a questioning look.
   "That's where I was hoping you would help me out. We didn't always butt heads back then. I know you've changed. You looked out for me. And now I'm asking you to look after them for me. Live for them, keep your sanity not only for me or yourself, but for them too. They're good people. I want you to live your life, the life you couldn't when you were a beta." I said softly, touching his arm. "Find someone to love. I know you lost your mate. But that doesn't mean you can't find someone to be with. I want you to look for those things."
    "Look, princess, I won't be finding anyone. I'm lucky if I could even score some ass these days."
    I laughed and punched his arm, "I'm serious, try."
   "Alright, alright." He chuckled.
   "Thank you."
   "When are you leaving?" He asks, his face going back to serious.
   "Later tonight, when everyone is asleep. I need you to convince them not to come after me. Tell them whatever you have to, make them hate me if you have to." I whisper.
    Before either of us could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Elana poked her head in with a grin. "Food is here, come on before everything is gone."
   I smiled and nodded, "Come on, you're eating so stop moping and get your ass up."
   Alex grumbled and sat up, "pain in my ass." He said as he stood up and walked out of the door. I laughed and followed behind him. Everyone had their plates and were already munching down on their slices of pizza. I grabbed a paper plate and handed it to Alex before I grabbed my own. Grabbing a couple slices of meat lovers pizza.
   Elana poured me a cup of Pepsi as I sat down next to her on the couch. She smiled at me softly and I smiled back. "I really missed you, Leyley." She said softly.
   I nudge her gently, "I missed you too. More than you could possibly know."
   She smiled and took a bite of her pizza. I looked at Alex as he already scarfed down his slice of pizza and was already grabbing another.
    Everyone ate and talked with each other. I did more listening than anything else. We all shared stories and tried our hardest to stay away from bad ones. It was a good talk, everyone got to know each other or the people who do know each other spent time catching up. Everyone seemed to be adjusting just fine.
    I needed this talk, these laughs. I needed to have this with them. I could tell Mya felt safe and comfortable here. Normally she would be shy or mean towards anyone she didn't feel safe with. But she was very talkative with everyone. She even sat next to Alex who teased her the entire time. And she would tease him back. I'm glad they were getting along.
    The night had ended too fast. Everyone one by one started retiring to bed. Leaving me and Alex the only ones awake. He flicked a piece of pizza crust at me. "So?" He says.
    "Yeah, I know. It's just.."
    "Take your time, do you need me to drive you to the airport?" He asks softly.
   I nod and stand up, "Thank you, Alex."
   "Don't need to thank me, if anything I feel guilty as hell. I'm pretty much offering you a ride to hell." He said as he stood up from the ground.
   I smile and grab a few things from the boxes that the movers had brought in. I packed some clothes and a few other items. Heading to the door. Alex follows me out of the front door, closing it softly behind him.
    I blow out a breath before i get into the passenger seat of the car. We buckle up and that's it. We are heading to the airport. It was about forty minutes. It was mostly silent except for the occasional conversation that arose.
    Soon enough we pulled up to the airport and he parked by the door. I grabbed my bag from the backseat and got out. Alex walked around the car to me. Leaning on the door.
    "Are you going to be alright?" He asks, staring at my face as if he were trying to find his own answer.
    I smile softly and touch his shoulder, "I'll be okay, are you?"
    "Yeah, your friends aren't too bad I guess."
    I laugh as I'm hit with an overwhelming amount of sadness. "Talk to Emile for me. I won't have any access to communicate with anyone."
   He nods and wraps me in a hug. "You be careful, alright? If you need help and you find a way to reach me. My number is still the same as it's always been. I kept it the same in case if you needed someone when you left."
    I kiss his cheek, "thank you, Alex. I have to go now."
   He nods and let's me go. "Well get your ass moving then."
   I smile and head into the airport, I left the cards I had gotten from Max and just took the cash. It wasn't a whole lot but it would be enough for me to get to where I needed to go.
    I talk with the stewardess who looks as if she didn't want to be here. The plane I need is leaving now. I clutch my bag and practically run through baggage check. They stare at me questioning but don't try to stop me. I couldn't afford missing this flight. The next one doesn't leave until tomorrow night.
    I make it to the plane just as they called for last boarding. I handed them my ticket and they walked me through. Closing the doors behind me.
    Once I sit down in my seat, they prepare for takeoff.