Divide and Survive

We make it out of the manor, but it’s not over yet.

The grounds are crawling with mercenaries, well over a dozen trained killers on our tracks. I don’t know what happened to Ash. I don’t know if Elder Hilda remained hidden in the bunker. I don’t know if my aunt is still alive.

I can’t think about that now.

I can’t think about anything right now. My mind is sharp and hollow, my weary muscles acting on pure survival instinct as fear and adrenaline push me past the point of breaking. Will guides me through a back exit of the mansion, and we stagger into the night.

Time has gone too fast as Kade’s men hunt us and too slow as Will recovers. By the time we make it out of the house, his wound has almost completely sealed, and the color has returned to his face. If not for the potion’s magic, he’d be dead several times over by now.

Hand in hand, we rush through the trees, avoiding the main road that leads away from the center of the manor. The estate sprawls for acres on end; we’ll have to run for almost half a bloody mile to reach the gate. And after that…

We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Several cars circle the grounds while others hunt us on foot. Will manages to hobble through the woods, limping every now and then, leaning on me, and stopping whenever we can to catch his breath. But he’s standing. He’s breathing. He’s fighting by my side.

Exhaustion, fear, pain, sorrow, and guilt weigh on us, but we can’t afford to slow down. So, I almost trip over in surprise when Will jolts to a stop.

“Hey, hey, hey, hold on a second,” he says, hands resting on top of his legs as he lets out a ragged breath.

“What? No. Will, we can’t stop now. The mercenaries are gaining on us; you have to keep going.”

I search his expression in the shadows, trying to see if something has happened to him, but he shakes his head and points at something ahead of us.

I spot the flashing blue and red lights of a police car over a hundred yards away. It’s on our path toward the exit.

“Marcus… the detective… he said the authorities had been infiltrated. If Kade has taken control of Wynter City, I doubt cops are here to arrest him,” I tell Will in between panting breaths.

We can waste precious minutes going around the vehicle to avoid being detected. Still, the mercenaries are hot on our tails. Kade’s men will catch us long before we clear the cop car.

But something feels off.

The mercenaries move loudly through the forest, jeering and taunting as they hunt us. But the car is quiet in the distance. There’s no siren. No searchlight.

“What do we do?” Will asks.

Maybe whoever is in that car actually intends to hurt us. Maybe I just want it to be help- I need it to be. Maybe I’m just desperate to believe that we stand a chance. But practicality has never been my strong suit, and my instincts have gotten me this far, for better or for worse.

I chose hope.

“Let’s head towards those lights.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asks, but he’s already reaching for my hand, running towards the danger.

I’m reminded for the millionth time of why I love him so much. As much as he challenges and pushes me, Will trusts me even when he doesn’t understand why. He defends my weaknesses and fights for my mistakes.

Is this a good idea?

Despite the tears streaking my dirty face, the dried blood crusting my fingers entwined with his, and the aching in my lungs with every breath, I smile at him as we run.

“If they start shooting at us, we’ll know it isn’t.’”

There’s a glint in Will’s eyes as we approach the dirt path, nearing the police lights.

“And if it is, you’ll get to say, ‘I told you so,” he says.

I nearly choke on my laughter, not from his teasing but out of sheer relief. We’re close enough to see who’s driving the car, and the sight of Marcus behind the steering wheel gives me enough strength to finish closing the distance between us.

“Jane!” the detective calls out, pointing at something just past us.

I glance over my shoulder at the flashlights behind us as three of Kade’s mercenaries draw nearer.

Will and I barely manage to skid to a stop, slamming into the car door as the detective waves at us to get in.

“Unlock the fucking car, Marcus!”

The door clicks open, and Will and I jump in a moment before Marcus slams on the accelerator, and we take off.

We slide across the back seat and slam into the side as Marcus steers the car into a racecar-worthy circle and starts heading back the way he came in, away from the manor and towards the exit.

“I heard you needed some backup, kiddo,” he says once the tires stop screeching.

“What the hell took you so long, Mr. M?” I clap back, fingers digging into the leather seat as we speed through the darkness.

“Your fiancé took over the whole damned city, so I’ve been a little busy! From what I can gather, he’s got almost fifty trained killers at his command. The Alphas of Wynter City who were most loyal to your father have been assassinated, and the rest are being held hostage, giving Kade control of the most powerful packs across the territory.”

“And the Argents?”

Ash’s people. My people. My Pack.

“Thanks to your tip, those who survived have made it to the safe house.”

Those who survived. Something inside me goes cold at those words.

“Ash is still in the mansion. There’s an underground bunker where a Pack Elder is treating my aunt. We have to help them.”

The detective suddenly flips a switch on the dashboard, and all the car’s lights go out. He veers sharply to the side. Will and I lurch in the back as Marcus pulls off the road and comes to an abrupt stop.

“I’ll go back and help. You two need to get to safety,” Marcus says as he gets out of the car.

“You can’t go back there alone!”

“I’ll go with you,” Will says, his voice low but determined as he opens the rear door. “If Kade gets to them first, he’ll kill them.”

“And what do you think he’ll do to you?” Marcus snaps before I can agree with Will, and my protests go quiet.

“He’s right, Will. I saw how Kade talked about you,” I say softly. “You’re his brother. As long as you’re alive, you threaten his claim to the Blackthorn inheritance.”

“I can fight,” Will insists, rage burning in his bright blue eyes as he recovers more of his strength with every passing minute.

“No, you can drive,” Marcus tells Will. “Take the car and go. Get to the safe house.”

“You can’t seriously expect us to run away while you stay behind,” I growl, fear and frustration coursing through me even as every bone in my body aches for rest.

“That’s exactly what I expect you to do. I’ll stay and help Ash. With any luck, the two of us can join your aunt and the Elder in the bunker under the mansion while you and Will meet with the rest of the Pack. We’ll hide out until it’s safe to come out again.”

Flashlights are growing closer, and there are two other cars appearing in the distance. We’re running out of time.

“But Mr. M, you can’t hide down there on your own. I can’t-” I start.

“You can save us all, kiddo. You still don’t get it, do you?” the detective sighs, not with impatience but with sorrow. “You are the heirs of the most powerful families in the city. The two of you together are worth more than any of us alone. Individually, you and Will are a danger to Kade, but combined… you’re the only ones who can stop him. Don’t you see? If you two are truly fated mates, then you are the rightful Alpha King and Luna Queen of Wynter City. By the will of the Goddess, the other Alphas will bow to you and rally to your cause.”

And I finally understand.

Will and I have to run. We have to leave our friends behind to hide under the manor while we rally the wolves against our enemy. We can fulfill my parents’ hope of uniting the Blackwood and Silver names, not by oath but by choice.

We have to live. We have to go on and keep loving, keep fighting, keep hoping.

Because if we die tonight, the future dies with us.