Chapter 212: Chapter 212
Elara POV
I am emotional as we drive to the diner in the human city where we will meet Orson, and I do not participate in the conversation. I thought sleeping on Stella’s pillow would have brought me comfort, but it only made it worse. I miss her so much, it physically hurts.
And a part of me wishes Axel had not shared his feelings with me. I was content thinking the Goddess blessed us by giving us a gift. Now I have this gnawing feeling that one of us will die, and it is driving me to tears. I spent the entire night praying that if one of us must die, it will be me. Yes, I will miss Lily. It will be like a part of me has died, but I will sacrifice her if it helps my mates and daughter.
“This is it,” Braden announces as he parks the car. “I don’t think all of us should go inside; it might scare him off.”
“Really?” Mindy pouts. “I was looking forward to a stack of pancakes.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t eat,” Braden chuckles. “Elara will come with me, and the rest of you can come ten minutes later and devour whatever you want.”
“Let’s get this over with,” I say, opening and hopping out.
“Who pissed on your parade?” Braden asks softly as he falls in beside me.
“I miss Stella,” I reply bluntly. “I want this to be over so I can continue with my life.”
“We all want that,” he sighs, draping his arm around my shoulders. “Hang in there, we’ll get through this.”
Braden guides me to a table with two ordinary-looking men. But when I look into their eyes, there is nothing ordinary. They glow with determination and confidence.
“Hi, I’m Elara,” I introduce myself, sitting down.
“Orson and Hodge,” he replies.
A server stops at our table, and we order coffee. I am in no mood to eat.
“I understand you got Isolde out with a bang,” Hodge smirks.
“A bit louder than we anticipated, but it worked,” I smile.
“So, what do you want from us?” Orson cuts to the chase.
“We’re going to destroy the facility,” I admit bluntly. “But we don’t want collateral damage. We need a way to get them out before we blow up everything.”
“That will be easier said than done,” Hodge exhales deeply. “People are kept in various sections.”
“Seriously?” Orson glares at us, and his sudden anger takes me aback. “Where’s the trust?”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, perplexed.
“Are you telling me it’s a coincidence that a group of wolves show up at the exact time we’re meeting?” He hisses, pointing over my shoulder, and I turn around.
“No, it’s not a coincidence,” I laugh, looking at my mates and friends studying the menu. “That’s my mates, and they’re here to eat. In case you don’t know. We’ve been on the run for a long, long time and haven’t had the luxury of dining anywhere.”
“It has nothing to do with trust, and everything with their stomachs,” Braden adds dryly. “Besides, they’re going to help us achieve the impossible.”
“Why isn’t Isolde with them?” Hodge asks suspiciously.
“She wanted to stay at home,” I reply. “Call her and ask if you don’t believe me. She was afraid someone would recognise her.”
“I will,” Hodge replies, taking out his phone, and we patiently wait for him to finish the call. I cannot fault him for not trusting us, but it irks me that they do not, especially since we risked our lives to save her.
“It’s true,” Hodge says to Orson, and puts his phone away.
“So, tell us what we must do to get everyone out,” I say.
Mason POV
I knew Tom and Carlos had a reputation for excellent trackers, but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought they knew anything about technology. They hacked into the city’s surveillance system and followed the Audi. The moment they told me in which direction they went, I knew they were going to Malachi’s.
I was immediately furious. If we can track them, then the Council can, and how dare they endanger my children’s lives?
“They definitely came here,” Tom whispers beside me, where we are hiding behind the trees, looking at Carlos running towards us from the cottage. “But I don’t see the car.”
Scenarios run through my mind. Did they take the kids and flee? Did the Council already find and capture them? Did they go to another place?
“They left,” Carlos says when he joins us. “I found fresh car tracks.”
“Maybe they went to a doctor,” Tom murmurs.
“A doctor?” I frown. “Why would they want a doctor?”
“Because the she-wolf was injured in the explosion,” Carlos replies, looking at me like I am an imbecile.
“She what?” I growl, my anger and anxiety reaching new heights. If something happened to Elara ... I do not even want to think about it.
“Oh, yeah,” Tom grins. “You didn’t see the footage. She was blasted into a wall. I think she might be dead.”
“She’s fucking what?” I growl, grabbing him by the shirt.
“Dude, relax,” Carlos grabs me by the arm. “I got her scent. Fresh and alive. We can still find her and collect the bounty. You’ll get your payday.”
I release Tom and take a step back. My heart is pounding, and I have never been so scared as in these two seconds. Elara cannot die. She is mine; she belongs with me.
“Anyway,” Carlos continues, looking warily at me. “There’s still someone inside. I heard a phone ring, and a woman answered.”
Hope beats through my veins. Maybe my brothers left her here to heal while they continue their crusade to overthrow the Council.
“But I don’t think it’s the she-wolf,” Carlos says, bursting my bubble. “Her scent from the door to the tire tracks is too fresh. She got into that car.”
“Wait here,” I say firmly, and walk to the cottage.
