CHAPTER 257

CHAPTER 257
Mia's POV

The gunfire finally stopped after what felt like hours but was probably only twenty minutes. Through the shattered windows, I could see bodies scattered across the mansion grounds - all of them attackers, thankfully. The brothers and their security team had managed to repel the assault, but the message was clear.

The real rogues found us. They know where we are, and they're not giving up.

"We can't stay here," Xavier said grimly, surveying the damage. "They'll be back, probably with more men."

"Where can we go?" Nathan asked, reloading his weapon. "Everywhere we've been, they've found us."

That's when Liam, who had insisted on fighting despite his injuries, spoke up. "I have a private jet at the airfield twenty minutes from here. I can get you out of the country, take you somewhere safe."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees as all four brothers turned to stare at him.

"Absolutely not," Sean said immediately. "We're not going anywhere with you."

"You don't have much choice," Liam replied calmly. "Unless you have another way out of here that doesn't involve using roads they're probably already watching."

I could see the logic in what he was saying, even if the brothers couldn't. Or wouldn't.

"We'll find our own way," Xavier said coldly.

"Will you?" Liam challenged. "Because from what I just saw, these people have resources, coordination, and intelligence about your movements. How long do you think it'll be before they track you down again?"

He's right, and they know it. But their pride won't let them admit it.

"I think we should go with him," I said quietly, and the silence that followed was deafening.

"Mia-" Nathan started.

"No, listen to me," I interrupted. "We're sitting ducks here. They found us once, they'll find us again. And next time, we might not be so lucky."

"But going with him means showing him exactly where you'll be staying," Xavier pointed out. "That puts your family at risk."

The concern was valid, and it had occurred to me too. Taking Liam to my father's pack would reveal the location to someone who, despite everything, I still had doubts about.

What if this is all an elaborate plan? What if he's been playing me from the beginning?

But looking at the destruction around us, at the evidence of just how determined our enemies were, I realized we didn't have the luxury of perfect options.

"I need to talk to you three," I said, gesturing toward the brothers. "Privately."

We stepped into the hallway, leaving Liam with Rolex and the remaining guards.

"This is insane," Sean said immediately. "You want us to trust our lives to the Alpha of the Shadowmoon Pack?"

"I want us to survive," I replied firmly. "And right now, he's offering us the best chance to do that."

"What if he's working with them?" Nathan asked. "What if this whole attack was staged to make us dependent on him?"

The thought had crossed my mind, but I'd dismissed it. "Then why would he have fought alongside us? Why would he have put himself at risk?"

"To maintain his cover," Xavier suggested.

"Or because he's telling the truth," I countered. "Look, I know you don't trust him. I understand why. But right now, we need to focus on getting to safety, and his jet is our best option."

I could see them struggling with the decision, their protective instincts warring with their practical judgment.

"Even if we agree to this," Xavier said slowly, "we're not going to just hand over the location of your father's pack to him."

"We'll figure that out when we get closer," I said. "Maybe we can have him drop us off somewhere nearby, and we can make our own way from there."

After several more minutes of heated discussion, they finally, reluctantly, agreed.

The drive to the airfield was tense, all of us constantly checking for signs of pursuit. Liam's private jet was sleek and expensive-looking, clearly designed for someone who valued both speed and comfort.

As we boarded, the brothers made their displeasure obvious. They chose seats as far from Liam as possible and glared at him whenever he tried to make conversation.

"So," Liam said, settling into the seat across from me after we'd taken off. "Where exactly are we going?"

"We'll let you know when we need to," Xavier said curtly from across the aisle.

"I'm just trying to file a flight plan," Liam replied mildly. "But if you prefer to keep me guessing..."

"We prefer to keep our destination private until we're sure we can trust you," Nathan said.

"After everything we've been through tonight, you still don't trust me?" Liam asked, and I could hear the hurt in his voice.

"Trust is earned," Sean replied coldly. "And you haven't earned it yet."

I could feel the tension building again, that familiar electricity that always seemed to crackle when these four men were in the same space.

"Can we not do this right now?" I asked tiredly. "We're all exhausted, we're all stressed, and we're all trying to figure out how to stay alive. Can we please just try to get along for a few hours?"

But my request seemed to have the opposite effect. Instead of calming down, they started arguing more openly.

"He's the one who put us in this position in the first place," Xavier said, his voice rising. "If he hadn't kidnapped Mia-"

"If you three hadn't spent months pushing her away, I wouldn't have needed to take desperate measures," Liam shot back.

"Desperate measures?" Rolex laughed harshly. "Is that what you call drugging and kidnapping someone?"

"I call it trying to protect the woman I love from people who were going to get her killed," Liam replied.

"The woman you love?" Sean stood up, his face flushed with anger. "She's not yours to love. She's not yours to protect. She's-"

"ENOUGH!" I shouted, standing up so fast that my seatbelt snapped. "All of you, just STOP!"

The cabin fell silent except for the hum of the jet engines.

"I am so sick of this," I continued, my voice shaking with frustration. "Sick of you all talking about me like I'm some prize to be won instead of a person with her own thoughts and feelings. Sick of the constant fighting and posturing and jealousy."

I looked at each of them in turn, making sure they understood how serious I was.

"From now until we land, nobody speaks unless it's absolutely necessary. I don't want to hear another word about who belongs to whom, or who deserves what, or who made which mistakes. We're going to sit here in silence and focus on staying alive. Do I make myself clear?"

Four heads nodded in unison, all of them looking appropriately chastened.

Finally. Some peace and quiet.