Chapter eighteen
Carter
Something bad has happened.
The gnawing feeling sat heavily on my chest as we made our way towards the nightclub Astrid and Leon were in. I couldn't recognize it.
It's been there since Intel got to us that the Serpents were planning to attack one of our nightclubs. The feeling only grew stronger when I learned that Astrid and Leon were not in the house.
It was easy to figure out the reason behind the Serpent's sudden and foolish plan. They wanted to attack Astrid when she wasn't surrounded by Shadows. The tiny detail they must have missed was that the nightclub was Shadows fucking property.
“What's the recent update?” I asked Ray without taking my eyes off the road.
I was driving at a very high speed but I couldn't care less. If I didn't get there within to the next five minutes, I was going to lose my mind.
Ray tapped on his earbuds and repeated my question to whoever was on the other end.
“Exit number five is clear. We have the upper hand and have only sustained minimal damage.” Ray responded.
Minimal damage. That sounds promising. If the Serpents were losing the fight, it would be very easy to clear them out or force them into retreat.
I shook my head at the last thought. I would make sure not a single one of them remained alive. They all die today.
We arrived at the club a few minutes later. As Ray had reported, the number of Serpents surrounding the building had thinned out, but I refused to let myself feel any relief just yet.
Ray and I took down three Serpents charging toward the entrance. At that exact moment, Sebastian's car screeched to a halt. He stepped out with his gun drawn and a grim determination plastered across his face.
Of all the things I hated about this mission, Sebastian’s presence topped the list. But I didn’t have a say in the matter. The attack had broken out while we were still in the Council meeting, and since it involved their precious "Heir", there was no way I could stop his involvement.
Other Council members had sent in their men to support us, but of course, fucking Sebastian had to show up in person.
“Are we going in or just standing here chitchatting?” he asked, his tone bland.
I contemplated shooting him right there and claimed he died in the shooting, but there were too many witnesses.
One day, the man will meet his end and it will be in my hands.
I gave him a brief, cold glance before heading towards the now-cleared exit. The sound of gunshots, shattered glasses, and muffled screams grew louder the closer I got.
My grip tightened on my weapon as I pressed my back to the wall beside the door to the main floor. Ray was pressed on the other side of the wall. I listened for any sound but got none.
I gave Ray a subtle nod and he returned it in silent understanding. I swung the door open and slipped inside. The scene I walked into was straight out of a nightmare. For a split second, time froze. Gunfire halted. Bodies paused mid-motion. And in that eerie silence, my world shattered.
Until this moment, I thought my worst nightmare was giving up everything I spent my entire life building to someone else. But that feeling was nothing compared to the sight of my brother leaping in front of Astrid, taking a bullet meant for her.
“Leon!” I screamed but the sound didn't make it past my lips.
I watched as my brother's body fell to the ground, blood gushing from his wound. He'd taken a bullet from her.
From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the shooter trying to flee. Rage and panic surged through me in a violent wave. I raised my gun, ready to put a bullet between the bastard's eyes.
But before I could pull the trigger, a shot rang out. Then another. And another. Astrid was the one firing, and she didn't stop until the gun ran out of bullets.
She stood over Leon, her clothes stained with his blood, eyes blazing as she emptied the gun. Her aim was shitty, but two bullets found their mark. The Serpent crashed to the floor, lifeless.
I didn't let the thought that Astrid had just killed someone settle in me, I sprinted towards Leon's body on the floor. I didn't release the breath I was holding until I heard his painful groan.
He's alive.
A sense of relief washed over me at the thought. The bullet had gone through his stomach. The shooter must have aimed for Astrid's heart before Leon jumped in. Just the thought that we were surrounded by people who wanted to kill her made me snap out of my panic state.
Astrid Wolfe couldn't die. It wasn't even an option. Her death would cause more trouble than it was worth.
“Go, I'll cover you.” Ray said and I nodded.
I lifted Leon's body, making him lean on me and headed towards the exit I came in through. Astrid slowly followed, her posture so stiff I wasn't sure she was breathing. There was no panic in her expression. No fear of what she had become now that she killed someone. Just…coldness. Detachment.
Aside from the concerned look in her eyes whenever she glances at Leon, she didn't show any reaction to everything that just happened.
But I didn't have the time to worry about her now. Not when there was a bullet in my brother and the blood wouldn't stop gushing out. Leon's painful groans only intensified the panic surging in me.
“We're almost there.” I grunted in response.
I led us towards the minivan my men had come in. I always preferred the black minivan for missions due to its abilities to remain hidden. But also, the “emergency” medical kit in it. It comes in handy for moments like this.
The only person in the van was the driver who had orders to stay behind the wheels no matter what.
“To the manor.” I mumbled.
“The manor? We're supposed to go to the hospital. He's bleeding seriously.” Astrid half yelled.
I didn't give her a response as I searched for the kit. My silence only seems to annoy her more. She turned to the driver instead.
“Take us to the hospital.”
He didn't respond to her. I was the leader of this operation. He only took orders from me.
Astrid seemed to figure this out when the driver didn't spare her a glance. She turned to me, eyes blazing with rage.
“He needs surgery to get the bullet out. Take him to the fucking hospital.” she yelled at me.
“And how the fuck do you explain a gunshot to the doctors?” I yelled back.
My brother was shot and bleeding in front of me. The last thing on my mind was explaining the rules of the underworld to her, which includes no hospital and no cops ever. Astrid turned her face away and clutched Leon's hand between hers.
I found the medical kit and began cleaning the blood off his wound. I have to stop the bleeding before it gets worse. Astrid didn't speak to me again.
As soon as we got to the manor, a stretcher was already waiting at the parking lot. Leon was placed on it and taken to the clinic for surgery. Gunshot wounds are pretty normal in our line work so we have expert doctors on standby at all times.
Astrid wanted to go with them but I dragged her back.
“He'll be in there for a while. You don't have to go with them.” I said.
“But I–”
“Go change instead. You look like shit.” I swept my gaze over her, taking in her blood soaked clothes and the emotion clinging to them.
Her eyes flashed either anger but I saw the emotion she tried to hide. Relief. I didn't get to question her on it as she turned on her heels and walked away, her head held high.
And in that moment, I realized she couldn't deny it any more. Astrid Wolfe was one of us now. I hoped she didn't lose her soul in the process.