Prints on our hearts

Chapter Fourteen

        In the morning, Alex woke up early. She sat up to see the children all gone. She sighed a breath of relief, then she noticed Charles gone. Her attention turned to the boat that wasn't there. She shook Alma awake. "Alma they are coming!", she whispered loudly as she looked around wildly. Alma sat up. The first thing she noticed was the large hand bruise on Alex's neck. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Alex what happened?", she asked concerned. Alex shook her head. "That isn't important. We need to go. Now", Alex said as she pulled Alma up and behind her towards the house. They took off towards the house. Just as they broke through the trees to the yard, Alex noticed the new boat at the dock. They slid to a halt. They were here. Alex pushed Alma back into the trees. "Run", Alex mouthed out. Alma could hear voices coming. She turned around and ran off to find cover. Alex straightened herself out. Charles came around the corner of the house. Two men were following close behind. He smiled when he saw Alex. It dawned on Alex that they really didn't have a plan. She was just going to wing it and hope that Alma would catch on or hide. His face lit up and he walked faster to Alex. "Boys, this is Alex. My new queen.", he said with pride. Alex internally cringed as he wrapped his arm around her waist. She had to get back to her closet. The two men looked her over with approval. "She was definitely worth the trip.",one said. The other nodded. A few howls were heard in the distance. Alex tensed and Charles seemed to notice. "Oh don't worry darling, they will answer to you from now on.", he said kissing her neck. She fought the urge to pull away. They turned to some voices. "Charles! We found the bird!", some guy shouted behind them. Alex's heart began to race as she turned to see the one thing she feared most. Alma was bound and gagged. She had clearly been roughed up. Alex's heart ached for her mate. They shoved her down into the dirt. Alex flinched. She looked over to Charles who nodded at one of the men. The man pulled a gun and pointed it right at Alma's head. Alex burst into action and tackled the man. They wrestled for a minute before the gun unexpectedly went off. Charles snatched Alex up to see the man on the ground holding a bleeding wound. While they crouched down to him, Alex sprinted away. More wolves came running from the trees. Alex got into the trees and ran right into a body. They tumbled to the ground. As Alex jumped back up, she noticed it was Amelia. Before she could yell at her, she noticed Jake, Emma, Olive, and Enoch with her also. "We are a family and we will fight with you.", Amelia said firmly. Alex sighed. She needed the help. "Come on now Alex. If you come out then we won't hurt the bird.", Charles shouted. They all carefully looked out the trees to see about eight men standing with Charles. He had a firm grasp on Alma and a gun pointed at her. Alex thought hard on what to do. She glanced at the children and made a decision. She changed forms and stepped out from the trees. Charles smiled. Her raised the gun and crashed it into her head. She fell like a rock. Suddenly, Amelia raced from the trees. She was a full leopard running at them. Before Alex could react, a gunshot rang out and the leopard crumpled into a furry heat. Alex attempted to cry out but odd noises came out instead. Everyone looked at her to see her growing slightly and attempting to speak. She was now twice her size and much stronger. Her voice finally came to her. Something that resembled a loud cry erupted from her. It was a mother's cry of pain. She had a voice. Her voice. Alma weakly looked up from the ground to see her lover snap. "I am going to kill you.", Alex growled out. Everyone's eyes widened in shock. The wolf could speak. Her peculiarity had evolved. Alma attempted to speak but Charles collided his boot into her side. Alex could hear the ribs break. "I did not give you permission bird.", he said down to her. Alex growled. Her ears forward and her cackles risen high. Her lips pulled back into a deep snarl. The men laughed at her. How could she, one wolf, defeat them? Out of nowhere, an army of small clay men ran out from the trees and charged the men. A wall of fire shot out and closed them in as some attempted to flee. Alex saw her chance and took it. She sprang forwards as hard as her legs could. While Charles and his men were distracted by the clay men trying to climb their legs, she pounced onto the man beside Alma. They tumbled to the ground as Alex dove for his throat, he stuck a blade deep in her thigh. She howled in pain and slammed him to the ground. She stood over him with her large paws holding her shoulders down. She locked eyes with Alma who shook her head. She could almost hear Alma shouting in her head. "Don't kill." She had no choice as he reached for the blade again. In a flash, she had her jaws locked around his throat. His cries turned to gurgles as they were drowned out by his blood. The warm metallic liquid filled Alex's mouth. The man stopped struggling beneath her and she dropped him from her mouth. She looked up to see Aaron stomping a man to death. The children charge from the woods and at the remaining men. She turned towards Charles. He smiled and pointed his gun straight at her. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Alma kicked his knees out from under him. He fell and his gun fell away. Alex jumped over Alma and onto him. Her grabbed her throat and slammed her to the ground. She kicked her legs and her rear claws ripping into the flesh on his leg. He groaned in pain and pulled out a knife. He lunged at Alex with it raised high. She lept to the side but the knife caught her. It sliced up her ribs. She howled in pain and bit his arm. He kicked her hard in the ribs. She knew a few broke from the blow. He ripped his arm out and took off running to the dock. The flames had all disappeared as she turned to see all of the older children standing over the dead men. The children ran to Alma as Alex turned to run after Charles. Her leg and side burned and her ribs ached with sharp pains but she ran hard. The boat was beginning to leave the dock as she raced down it. As she reached the end of the dock, she jumped. She soared through air for a second before landing hard in the back of the boat. He kicked it into high gear and turned to face her again. She weakly pulled herself up to face him. She lunged and this time he dodged. He grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the ground. As her vision began to blur, she heard Alma scream for her. He quickly dumped her over the edge and into the water as he sped off. She went limp before remembering Alma's scream for her. The heartbreaking cry she never wanted to hear again. She began to paddle to the surface. She came up under the bridge and could hear Alma's loud crying. She crawled up the shore and to Amelia's motionless body as Alma and the children ran to her. She was bleeding badly and limping hard. As she collapsed against her child, she felt movement. Amelia lifted her head to nudge Alex's Alex weakly wagged her tail as she felt Alma hugged them hard. Alex looked up to Alma's tear filled eyes. "I love you Alex. Please don't leave me.", she begged as she furiously wiped her tears away. Alex softly licked her hand and then everything went dark. Alex could no longer feel anything. What was happening to her?