2 Goodbye

Valarie pushed open the door to Baron Smith's office, and they found him pacing back and forth with tense shoulders and a worried expression. The usually composed leader of the Crimson Pack seemed deeply in fear. The room barely had any light, and the curtains were drawn to block out everything that was happening outside.

As soon as Baron saw Adeline, he rushed over to her, pulling her into a tight hug. "Where have you been?" he asked, letting out soft breaths of relief. "I looked all over the building for you but couldn't find you."

Adeline pulled back slightly, clutching her forehead when a splitting headache suddenly hit her. She walked over to one of the leather chairs in the office and sank into it, looking up at her father with wide, confused eyes. "I was painting earlier. Then I heard gunshots. What is happening, Dad?" She let out a groan, rubbing her forehead to ease the pain.

Baron sighed heavily as he walked over to her, gently pulling her up from the chair. "The pack is under attack by the Blue Moon Pack.”

Adeline nodded. She already knew that, but why all of a sudden? She knew they had no enemies, so why would they be under attack?

"Isn't there something you can do about it, Father? Members of our pack are dying out there!"

Baron pinched the bridge of his nose, a look of shame and frustration crossing his face. Hesitantly, he shook his head. "There's nothing much I can do, Adeline. The attack caught us completely by surprise. Most of our defenses have already fallen."

He turned to Valerie, giving her a small nod. "The pack house's front gate is swarmed with the attackers. Take Adeline and follow the exit in the garden. It’s the only way out. I will stay here and hold back anyone who approaches."

Valarie nodded, reaching out for Adeline's arm. “Let's go, Miss Adeline. We can't waste any more time.”

Adeline pulled her wrist from Valerie's grip, shaking her head defiantly. "I'm not going anywhere. I can't just leave you here, Dad. They will kill you."

Baron placed a hand on her shoulder, cupping her cheek with the other. His voice became thick as tears began to form in his eyes. "I know it's hard for you, but you have to go. If the attackers get here, there’s nothing you can do. We’ll all end up dead."

Baron had already lost his wife. So far, Adeline was the only one he had left, and he didn't want to lose her, too. And besides, she needed to live to keep the Crimson Pack's name alive.

He removed a necklace from around his neck, which was a simple pendant that he had always worn, and placed it around Adeline's neck. "If I don’t make it out of here alive, you’ll always have this to remember me by.” He sniffled and wiped the tear that was falling from his face.

Adeline shook her head as tears began streaming down her cheeks, too. She hugged her father tightly, unwilling to let go. “No, Dad. I told you, I'm not going anywhere, so take this necklace back. How am I supposed to continue living if anything happens to you?”

Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching the office. It sounded like just one person, but it was enough to send a jolt of fear through them all.

Baron quickly pulled Adeline behind the door, motioning for Valerie to join them. They crouched in the shadows with their hearts pounding in their chests as the footsteps grew louder, indicating that whoever it was was close.

The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. Baron tightened his grip on the small dagger he had hidden in his coat, ready to defend his daughter while Adeline’s breath caught in her throat as she watched her father prepare to fight.

The intruder paused, scanning the room, unaware of the three hiding just behind the door.

Adeline covered her mouth, almost letting out a gasp when she noticed the glint of metal—a gun in his hand. There was no way her father was going to win with just a dagger.

Baron moved slowly from behind before lunging at the intruder. The man stumbled backward, surprised but not unprepared. He raised the gun, aiming it at Baron, and Adeline's heart dropped.

Valarie, not waiting to see what would happen, grabbed Adeline's arm and pulled her towards the door. "We have to go, now!"

As they fled the office, a loud gunshot rang out, and Adeline clenched her heart, knowing what it likely meant.

The intruder pushed open the door to Baron Smith’s office a few seconds later and stumbled out with a smear of blood on his clothes. He glanced down the corridor and saw his comrades rushing into the mansion with their weapons drawn and their eyes scanning for targets.

“There!” he shouted, pointing towards the direction that led to the mansion's back door. “They definitely went that way!” The men nodded and sprinted towards the path.

Meanwhile, Valerie and Adeline finally burst into the garden, their breath ragged as they headed towards the secret exit.

“Here,” Valarie said, stopping in front of one of the walls in the garden. She pushed a specific area of the wall, and a small portion shifted with a soft click, revealing a hidden, narrow passageway that stretched ahead.

Valarie turned to Adeline, but before she could utter a sound, a gunshot cracked through the air. The bullet struck Valarie in the head, and she collapsed instantly, her eyes rolling back as she fell to the ground with a lifeless thud.

Adeline froze, horror and disbelief gripping her as she watched Valerie die in front of her. A scream tore from her throat, but she quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. She turned in the direction of the shot and saw Andrew standing at the far edge of the garden with a gun in his hand.

Andrew leveled the gun at her, ready to fire again. Without hesitation, another shot rang out, but luckily, the bullet pierced through her arm instead. She screamed before running into the narrow hallway.

She sprinted down the passage, gripping her arm in pain. The passageway was tight, barely wide enough for her, but it was the only way she would escape.

Behind her, Andrew cursed in frustration, his smirk replaced by a scowl of annoyance. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath, stomping his foot on the ground in irritation. "It would’ve been a double kill."

As Adeline continued to run, she eventually reached the end of the passageway where a heavy wooden door blocked her path. She pushed it open and stepped into the night outside of the Crimson Pack’s walls, where a small forest stretched ahead

Adeline paused for a moment to catch her breath, not paying attention to the wound yet. She knew she had to keep moving. With one last look back towards the wall that surrounded the pack house, Adeline turned and ran into the forest.