Melinda

I snatch my mobile phone from my pocket, thankful that Mike had never realised I had it. A friend gave it to me last week after I told them Mike never allowed me to have one. She was worried about me and told me to call if I needed help. I need help now more than I ever have, so I pull up Frankie’s number, praying she’ll answer.

“Mel, is everything okay?” Frankie knows I would only call if I needed help; that’s why she sounds so worried.

Frankie is a member of Silver Paw, the Gamma’s daughter. We met officially a few weeks ago, which is crazy when we’ve both lived here our whole lives. She befriended me, even though I didn’t understand why; no one had ever wanted to be my friend before. Frankie seemed to have a gift for knowing when something was wrong, and she got me to open up easily.

She gave me the phone last week after I confided in Frankie that I needed to get my mum and sister away from here. Frankie wanted to take me straight to Lorcan and Gianna and have me tell them everything.

I begged Frankie not to make me do that, it was too dangerous, and I was planning our escape. She wasn’t happy about it but said she’d keep my secret but not for long. If Mike hurt Mum again, she’d have to tell Lorcan the truth.

I cried because I was so tired and scared of being here. Frankie took pity on me and told me that if I should need help to escape, all I had to do was call. I really need that help right now because we can’t stay here any longer. I cannot wait one more moment!

“No, Frankie, nothing is okay. He did it again, Frankie; he battered my mum so badly I’m scared to check if she’s breathing. She’s not healing at all,” I swallow back my emotions, knowing that I have to be strong for my sister.

“Fuck!” Frankie hisses. “What was his reason this time?”

“Alpha met Jessie and wanted Mum and Mike in his office. Mike flipped out. . . I have to get my mum and sister out of here. Please, Frankie, I wouldn’t ask this if I wasn’t desperate. But you said you’d help me if the time came, and the time is now.”

“Mel, calm down. Where’s Mike now?”

My little sister lays her head on my leg, and I stroke her hair to soothe her. Jessie is so frightened, and I feel terrible that I haven’t gotten her out of here before now.

“He left, said he’d be back later.”

“For Goddess’s sake, this is why I said you needed to go to Lorcan, Mel!”

“Please,” I sniff. Goddess, I feel guilty enough as it is. “Don’t yell at me, Frankie. I know I did the wrong thing, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life.”

“I’m sorry, Mel; I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I know you were just doing your best for your family.”

I nod my head, even though Frankie can’t see me.

“We have to go before he gets home. Please help us, Frankie.”

“I’m on my way, okay? Leave everything behind; you don’t need anything. I have a place to take you where Mike won’t get to you. I’ll be five minutes, be ready.” Frankie cuts the call before I can respond.

“Jessie, I need you to listen to me,” I lift onto my knees while bringing Jessie to her feet. “Get your doll and come straight back. Leave everything else; you won’t need it, just your doll. Do you understand?”

Jessie nods her little head.

That doll is the only thing Jessie owns when it comes to toys. Mum made it for her out of some wool she had lying around. It means the world to my little sister.

“My friend is coming to take us away from here.”

Jessie’s eyes widen with glee. “Really?”

“Yes, really. Now hurry!”

Jessie rushes off to her room, and it’s not two minutes before the front door bursts open. My stomach lurches because I’m scared that Mike has returned. But it’s not Mike; it’s Frankie and one of her dads, Kit, her biological dad and Silver Paw’s Gamma.

Oh, Goddess!

Now that Kit knows what’s happened; it won’t be long before Lorcan does. Kit will have no choice but to report his finding to our Alpha.

Goddess, could things get any worse?

“What the fuck?” Kit hisses while crouching down beside my mother. He checks for a pulse, then, without a word, scoops her up. “Let’s go!”

“Come on, babe. My dad is gonna drive you somewhere safe.”

He is?

I wasn’t expecting that, but I won’t question it, either.

I nod my head.

“Jessie!” She comes running towards me, ragdoll in hand and jumps into my arms.

I slam the door shut behind us, and climb into the back of Kit’s Jeep. I settle Jessie onto my lap and look at Mum, curled up in a ball next to me. My eyes fill with tears that I try to push back so Jessie doesn’t see.

‘Please be okay, Mum; I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose you.’

“Everything will be okay, Mel.”

I look at Frankie and smile slightly.

“Where are you taking us?”

“Greenrock.” Is all Kit says while driving like a madman out of Silver Paw territory.

I don’t know what the future holds for my family, but I know that Mike will never stop hunting us. I had no choice but to do this; I couldn’t let him eventually kill my mother.

Goddess, I don’t even know if Mum will survive what she’s been through. I pray that she can hold on until we get help.

I don’t know the extent of her injuries, but I know she has many broken bones. I can see her arm is busted from here, and her wrist is bent at an odd angle.

Mum’s bleeding heavily from her face, which itself is mashed. I can’t even recognise her right now; her eyes are swollen shut.

How is she going to heal from this?

I hope Greenrock pack have a good doctor who knows what he’s doing.

“What if Mike finds us?”

“He won’t, Jessie,” Kit answers, though Jessie asked me the question. “We’re going to protect you, I promise.”

I smile at Kit through the rearview mirror. That was nice of him to say, promising to protect us. He’s going against his Alpha for us, which means a lot.

I pull Jessie closer to my chest and kiss her head.

Goddess, if I hadn’t told Mike that Alpha Lorcan wanted to see him, along with Mum, Jessie and me, none of this would have happened.

But how did Mike think he’d get away with what he’d done?

Lorcan would have found out, and there would have been hell to pay. Perhaps the crazy bastard planned to tell Lorcan that Mum was attacked, I don’t know. I know Lorcan will still find out what happened, and Mike will pay with his life.

One can hope!