Alphas War

Chapter 20

Deep, red blood immediately poured from my neck like a waterfall and I spluttered, choking on the thick, sticky liquid. Rick eyes widened and bugged out their sockets and beside me, Zach rooted himself into the ground and forced himself to stay put.

"Send your men away," I ordered Rick, swaying a little from the amount of blood I had already lost. He continued to stare at me with horror written across his face and I frowned. "Now!" I barked.

He shook away his surprise and laughed softly. "Very clever Ella, but Zach would never let you go any further than that," he said, a frown crossing his face.

This time, I dragged the blade of the knife across my wrist, watching the blood trickle over my hand and patter onto the ground. I bit my lip as hard as I could to stop the scream that built up just behind my lips.

My head began to spin and my vision blurred at the edges but I managed to focus my gaze on Rick. "Send them away!" I growled again. My voice sounded weaker and shakier this time but still, Rick was hesitating.

With all the strength I had left, I raised the knife and met Ricks gaze before plunging it straight into my stomach. I howled out in pain and doubled over, screaming in agony.

"Send them away!" I screamed and this time, he waved his hand, sending the men retreating back a few steps.

I struggled to stay on my feet and stumbled forward a little, glaring at Rick. "Go! Now," he ordered and immediately they vanished into the forest.

Rick held up his hands and nodded with raised brows. "Okay, you win Ella. They're gone but if Zach here goes against me, you will bleed out before someone wins," he told me and I stumbled over into Zachs arms.

Immediately they came around me and I rested my head against his chest, feeling my legs shake under my weight. "Good job we weren't alone either then," Zach snarled, holding me tightly against him while Ricks eyes widened.

On Zach's cue, the heavy thunder of footsteps sounded from the woods around us and Rick began turning in every direction, trying to figure out where they were.

I smiled at sight of fear on his face and watched as my father and brother emerged first from the trees, taking their positions to Ricks left and right. Soon after, Liam and Chris followed so that they blocked his front and back. That was when the rest of my friends, Tyler and the protection wolves from the pack emerged, filling every gap.

Rick was surrounded and I forced myself to stay awake in Zach's arms to watch his brutal end. However, once realisation of his situation washed over his features, he started to laugh, smirking at all the furious faces; all with blazing yellow eyes.

"So who's going to be the one to kill me?" He asked, turning to face my father. "Dean? I know how much you would love to tear me apart for killing Rachel," he taunted but my father only shook his head.

Rick furrowed his brows in confusion and turned to Zach. "Then it has to be you, although that will require you letting Ella go and she looks to be in no state to walk alone."

Again, Zach shook his head and Ricks confusion only increased. "Then who's it going to be? One of these brothers? A friend? Who?" He barked.

Silence followed his question until finally, a small voice spoke up. "Me." Alexia took a step forward, a large blade in her own hand. "I am."

Rick frowned at her, his eyes searching. "Do I know you?"

Lexi nodded. "You did, my name is Alexia," she said, her voice hard and unemotional. She stared up at her father with an intense look in her eye as realisation flooded his face.

"Lexi," he whispered, tears filling his eyes.

A twisted smile crossed Alexia's lips and she raised her hand with the knife. "No, Alexia don't." Rick shook his head. "You're my daughter, you don't really want to hurt me."

Lexi scoffed. "You never should've left us," she snapped before forcing the knife into his chest.

I watched with a dropped jaw and heavy eyes as Ricks knees buckled beneath him and he crumpled to the ground. Blood pooled around his body, staining the ground a deep crimson. I watched Alexia stare for a moment and then fall into Liams arms before finally, my legs gave way and I tumbled into complete darkness.

****

When I awoke, I felt the damp ground beneath me and shivered from the coldness around me before my head fell from heaviness and I drifted off once again.

Again, I awoke and darkness blanketed me. The only light source was the glowing silver ball beaming from the full moon high up in the sky.

I was curled up on the scattered leaves with the steady flow of water trickling down behind me. Thick, warm fur cloaked me and I stretched out before wincing at the pain burning in my abdomen.

I whined aloud and blinked my heavy eyes in hopes of waking myself up. A sea of browns and creams surrounded me and a small smile crossed my face. The air around me was brisk and I snuggled further into Zach and felt him curl around me tightly.

I felt his nose press up against my cheek before his warm tongue poked out and ran along the side of my face. "Hey," I croaked.

A soft bark left his lips and I smiled. In front us, the rest of my friends were in wolf form, play fighting beneath the light of the moon. "I didn't turn," I mumbled, curling up tighter against Zach to protect myself from the cold.

Again, he only responded in a grumble before tucking his chin over my shoulder and lifting his hind legs so that his body cocooned around me, protecting me from every angle.