CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Ella sat on the couch while Candice handed her a glass of water. Mikael, on the other hand, was already fully clothed beside her. She drank the water and clasped her hands together after putting the glass down.

"So, what really happened?” Blaze asked.

"He may arrive any minute from now. We should prepare,” Ella said nervously. Blaze's forehead creased, and he crossed his arms.

"I already called them, and they are ready to fight any time,” Blaze said. It was the truth; he had called the warriors, and they were already outside waiting for his command while others inspected the borders.

"Lemuel is my grandfather and a leader of the hunters,” Ella confessed. Candice gasped. "He ordered Mikael to kidnap me,” she added.

"What else?” Blaze asked while clenching his hand.

"If I hadn’t escaped, they would have used me to get you,” Ella said and bowed her head. She heard Blaze curse. He rushed to Mikael and grabbed him by the neck.

"You fucker! You are a werewolf. Why did you side with them?” Blaze angrily asked.

"You can’t blame me because he was my savior,” Mikael said while holding Blaze's hands.

"Calm down, Blaze. I'm here, aren't I?” Ella said and pulled her lover away. She gave a small smile to Mikael and hugged Blaze on the waist. His chest was rising and falling in rage.

“Alpha! Hunters were approaching on the border!” one of the warriors said.

"I need you to stay here,” Blaze said and grabbed her shoulders. "Mom, please be with Ella,” he pleaded. Her mother nodded her head. Blaze glared at Mikael again before going out of the pack house.

"Mikael and Tita Candice, I need to get my Mom,” Ella said. Candice heaved a sigh and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She dialed Elisa's number, and when she answered the call, she gave the phone to Ella.

"Hello?” Elisa greeted.

"Mom!” Ella shouted happily.

"My baby!” Elisa was crying on the other line. Ella couldn't help but cry too. Aside from Blaze, she also missed her mother. She didn’t want to leave her alone. "Where are you?” Elisa asked.

"Mom, could you come to Blaze's place? Please, hurry,” Ella said and ended the call. She needed to talk to her.

"Tita, I need to go to Blaze. I don't know what my grandfather could do,” Ella begged and held Candice's hand.

Candice was torn between letting Ella go or locking her in the pack house. Candice totally understood Ella because even she was worried about her son's situation.

"Please! Mikael can protect me,” Ella said again. Candice hugged her and nodded her head. Ella hugged her back and whispered her thanks. "Please tell my mom to go to the forest when she arrives,” she added. Ella glanced at Mikael and saw him seriously looking at her.

"Let's go,” she said.

Blaze and his warriors lined up and saw the hunters emerging one by one from the bushes. His warriors growled menacingly at them.

"Monsters,” a hunter said while Blaze glared at him. The hunter cowered in fear. They were equipped with guns, and Blaze could tell the bullets were made of pure silver, which could harm a werewolf.

"Give my granddaughter back, monster,” Lemuel said.

"You can't take her away from me!” Blaze shouted.

It happened quickly; the fight began. Hunters aimed their guns at the werewolves and shot them. The werewolves attacked and snarled at them. Caleb, leading a small group of his own, bit the hunter in the shoulder. The hunter shouted; he aimed the gun at Caleb, but a wolf bit his hand, which resulted in him dropping the weapon.

Lemuel was fixated on Blaze. He shot everyone who went his way and walked towards Blaze. Blaze transformed into his wolf and quickly attacked Lemuel. He tried biting his sides, but Lemuel dodged him and shot him in the hind legs. Blaze waited for the impact, but nothing came. He saw Mikael's wolf lying on the ground; his forearm was injured.

"Hah! You foolish mutt! I should’ve killed you when I had the chance!” Lemuel said while glaring daggers at Mikael.

"Stop!” Ella yelled in the distance. "Stop this, grandfather!” she pleadingly added.

"Ella, come to my side. You shouldn't go to this monster,” Lemuel said and extended his hand. If Ella grabbed his hand, he would make sure to eliminate the pack. Ella shook her head. It broke her heart seeing bloodied bodies everywhere.

"This is wrong. They did nothing wrong,” Ella said while sobbing.

"Ella! Come to me right now!” Lemuel ordered. Once again, Ella shook her head.

"Come to me, or I'll kill him!” Lemuel shouted and pointed the gun at Blaze's head. Blaze growled; he couldn't attack him because he saw the hunters look at Ella. They might do something to his mate if he attacked carelessly. Ella could feel her heart drop to the ground, seeing the gun in Lemuel's hand.

"Please, no!” Ella begged.

"Then, come to my side right now!” Lemuel said. Ella glanced at Blaze and slowly walked towards her grandfather. Blaze whimpered; he felt helpless. When she was finally near him, Lemuel grabbed her arm.

"Kill them all,” Lemuel said. The fight resumed again.

"Lemuel, stop this!” Elisa's voice boomed around the forest. "Do you want to repeat the same mistake you did to Peter!” she added. Lemuel's forehead creased.

"He left because he couldn't take the way you treated him!” Elisa said. "Don't do it to your grandchild again!” she added. Ella could feel her grandfather's grip on her arm loosen.

"Lemuel! Remember our goal!” one of the hunters said.

Lemuel looked at Ella; he could see his son in her. He smiled because regret filled him. Lemuel was so bent on annihilating the werewolves that he had forgotten about his family. His son, Peter, had left him, and he took it to his heart. When he found Mikael, he felt the need to redeem himself, but it was a failure. He was blinded by the hunters' goal and maltreated him.

“Lemuel!” one of the hunters yelled, killing the werewolf in front of him.

"Go,” he whispered, and Ella ran to Blaze's side. The hunter saw this act. They were expecting that Lemuel was getting soft about his grandchild. He signaled, and one of the hunters, who was holding a gun, shot in Ella's direction. Elisa shouted for the safety of his daughter. Ella closed her eyes, but someone hugged her from behind.

It was Lemuel.