Chapter 70: Desperate Escape

Chapter 70: Desperate Escape
I was lying on the soft bed. That's when I realized I had briefly lost consciousness. I felt the pain enveloping my body again.

"Calm down, Miss Cosette."

I heard the servant's voice. I tried to get up, but she gently pushed me back down.

"My... my baby."

"The baby is fine. So I beg you, calm down and rest."

All I can see was a blurred image of the lady servant. My body seemed to be pulling me to lie down and close my eyes.

"I need to talk to Grandpa..."

"Miss Cosette, right now you need to rest more. It will be bad for the baby if this continues."

I weakly fell back on the bed. I tightly held the bed sheet because I couldn't do anything.

"Miss Cosette, rest now."

Again, I felt the pain and exhaustion numbing my body. A chaos was brewing, but silence became my lullaby.

I wanted to wake up. I tried to fight the pain and exhaustion, but my eyes slowly closed. I felt the blanket touching my skin.

"It's better if you don't witness everything."

\--

A noise woke me up. I quickly sat up. I was disoriented for a moment. My vision struggled to adjust to the dark surroundings.

I got out of bed. I felt the pain in my stomach again. The room was quiet, but I knew something was wrong. I heard the noise that woke me up again. A sharp, nerve-wracking sound. I felt cold.

Gunfire. The sound of gunfire.

I went to the window. I pulled back the thick curtain covering it. My eyes widened at what I saw. Fire torches lit up the dark surroundings, from the edge of the woods to around the mansion. People were shouting. Part of the woods was being consumed by fire.

I stepped back from what I was seeing, especially when I made out familiar figures and fast movements. Hybrids. They are here.

I went to the door of my room. I tried to open it. It remained locked. No. I need to get out.

I heard a series of gunshots. I could hear the faint sound of hurried footsteps below. No. I tried to unlock the door for the nth time. Tell me what is happening!

I went back to the window to see what was happening below. It was too dark to recognize the people, but I knew, I felt, he was here.

Suddenly, the door of my room opened. I turned around and saw Yuan.

I gasped. "Yuan."

"Let's go."

He pulled me out of the room. "What's happening?"

"You need to get out while everything is still chaotic."

We finally got out of the room. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I heard the commotion and shouting downstairs. Almost all of Grandpa's men were outside the mansion.

"Where are we going?"

We hurried down the stairs.

"You won't be safe in this place."

"But Aslan... I need to see him."

Yuan suddenly turned to me. From the light of the hallway, I noticed his condition. The left side of his body was bloody.

"Yuan..."

We heard several more gunshots.

"Out there is a warzone, Cosette," he pointed outside. "You either find a safe place or be stuck in the middle of a bloodbath."

I stared at him. Every word he said was like a knife stabbing my chest.

"But the warriors... Aslan..."

Yuan took a deep breath and let it out. He seemed panicked by our situation.

"Cosette, you need to accept that after tonight, some won't be coming back."

I tried to pull my hand away from him. I shook my head.

"Many were hurt on the Elwood side, as well as in our family. And I won't let you be one of the casualties."

"Aslan will come for me... If he doesn't see me..."

"The alpha is out there fighting for his life, and you should too!"

I became rigid. "What?"

Yuan cursed under his breath. He seemed to want to take back the words he had said.

"Aslan... he's okay, isn't he?"

"Cosette..."

Suddenly, we heard people running, along with a shout.

"The alpha has fallen!"

My ears seemed to ring. My heart stopped beating.

"Cosette, most of them were already injured before they even stepped here."

Yuan continued to speak, but I couldn't hear anything other than the pounding of my chest, a noise that slowly covered all other sounds.

"Let me go."

I didn't recognize my voice in the words I said.

"Yuan, let me go."

My cousin stared at me. Confusion spread across his mind, but neither of us moved when we heard footsteps approaching our direction. From the end of the hallway, three guards saw us.

"Shit," Yuan said.

Even the guards were surprised. They immediately approached us.

"You can't take Miss Cosette out."

Yuan pulled me behind him.

"This is an emergency situation, and I have the power as the second in position."

"But we need to follow your Grandpa's orders," the older of the guards replied.

Yuan held my hand tightly. He didn't want to face his own men, but he had to make a decision.

"Then you have to face me."

The guards stopped.

"Yuan..." I said.

Yuan squeezed my hand. He leaned slightly towards me. "When I let go of you, run," he said quietly.

"But..."

The guards blocked our path. Yuan stepped closer. I slowly felt his hands loosen.

"Yuan..."

Everything happened too fast. His hand completely let go.

"Run."

I couldn't move. Yuan punched one of the guards, causing him to fall and create a gap in the barrier.

"Cosette, run!"

I hesitated to leave Yuan, especially when I saw the other two guards attacking.

"Run!"

I stared at Yuan. I was confused, scared, until I finally looked away and ran. One of the guards tried to stop me, but Yuan quickly pulled out the gun hanging from his waist and shot him in the leg.

I ran away, my eyes blurred with tears. Before getting too far, I glanced back at Yuan. In the middle of the chaos, I saw him looking at me and smiling.

"Leave this place."

I wiped my tears and nodded. Because in a span of few meetings, I know I have a family that truly cares for my well being and happiness. And I just hope that Yuan would be fine after this. Because I know he would be a great leader of this clan someday.

"Thank you."