Bound By Betrayal

Ch 9 Enlightenment

“We have to leave now!" The owner of the female voice was in a clear panic. The smell of smoke and blood filled the air as screams chorused in the background.

“Go! Leave with your mates and get help, go NOW," was the reply. A voice that was vaguely familiar was finally placed as that of my mothers.

“Let us take her too! We can keep her safe, mom, there's four of us. Please!"

“No Avril, she's too young, she'll slow you down. You're faster without her, you can get to help and back to us before she would even make it to the boundary lines."

"We aren't leaving you, come with us... Please," the voice that I now knew belonged to Avril was pleading.

“The fighting is closer, we're running out of time," the first female voice added.

“Mom, are you sure?" A male voice this time... So far I counted at least four people in the next room. I was still hidden in the dark, clutching my knees to my chest as I listened. The fear in their voices adding to my own distress.

“Your father just contacted me; he agrees that you need to run... We are outnumbered and the warriors are sending his group and another to protect the safe house so Ava and I will be safe there... Go Adam! Take your sister and your mates and run like hell!"

A loud bang shook the house and the sound of a door followed seconds later. My head was pounding with tension and terror. I curled tighter into a ball and pressed my cheek to the floor. My tears had pooled beneath me and they made my face itch, but in a way it was comforting if only because it gave me something else to focus on.

"The armory is gone! Guys we have to go, we're out of time," a new male voice chimed in. I recognized the voices now. It was mommy, my big brother and sister Adam and Avril, and their mates. Even as the familiarity washed over me a new discomfort demanded my senses. A stench had slowly crept into my room. At first I thought I had soiled myself, I instantly felt my cheeks warm in embarrassment. But nothing I had ever done before smelled that bad! My attention turned back to the conversation outside my bedroom.

“I love you both, I mean I love you all," my mom’s voice choked out. “I can't be happier that both my baby's met their mates today and I wish we could celebrate. All I have now is knowing that you will keep each other safe... Run you guys, I'm going to make my way to the safe house with Ava; your dad is in his way to meet us and will make sure we get there. Go!"

“Tell Ava we love her, and to be brave."

"We WILL be back, mom."

The voices faded with these last comments and I heard a door shut and latch behind them. My mom’s sobs were all I heard for a moment before a loud explosion roared in my ears. For a while all I could hear was a ringing in my ears and my head was swimming. It was like I had been spinning in circles with ear plugs in. When the sound came back it was deafening and part of me wished for the silence to return. I felt a cool breeze and realized that my window was broken, that stench from before was everywhere and it made me gag.

I threw up right where I was and began crying out loud for the first time since everything went crazy. All I wanted now was mommy to hold me and make it all stop. She made all my other owies better, why not this one?