STARLETTE
Within seconds, the maid’s yard was almost empty. I knew I had to make a run for it, but I couldn’t leave Bella there. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to her.
“How do I get this rope off?” I panicked as I tried to look for the knot to loosen.
“Starlette. There’s no time; just go. Save yourself.” She said weakly. The fear in her voice was evident, and I wasn’t leaving her alone.
“I’m not leaving you here.”
I found the knot and quickly untied her. I wrapped her arm around my shoulders to support her, as she was too weak to walk on her own.
“Where is your room?” I asked her.
She pointed at a particular door, and we headed towards the room, but when we got there, the room was locked.
“Linda, Sarah, please open the door.” She called on her roommates, but there was no response.
“Please!” I pleaded, banging on the door.
I could hear the rouges drawing near, and fear saturated my whole being. If we didn’t find a place to hide, we’d be dead in minutes.
I furiously banged the door again, hoping they would answer us this time, but there was no response, and I soon realised that no matter how much I banged it, they were never going to open it.
“We need to find another place to hide.” I said anxiously.
“I’ll slow you down. Just leave me here.” Bella cried.
“I’m not leaving you!”
That wasn’t even an option.
With her hand still wrapped around my shoulders, we started walking down the corridor, hoping to find a place to hide.
“Oh. No.” Bella cried. She was the first to notice the two rogues approaching us.
Fear gripped me, and I shook my head repeatedly. “No. No. No.”
We began to recoil as they continued approaching us. The horror in our eyes was so intense as the thought of being killed gripped us.
As we continued to recoil, we stumbled upon a wooden rod, and I immediately picked it up. It was clear that the wooden rod stood no chance against their smithed swords, but I wasn’t going down without a fight.
“You are going to fight us with that? Let’s see you try.” One of the rogues smirked.
I tightened my grip on the rod, sweat rolling down my neck. Exhaling sharply, I charged at them and hit them hard on the stomach at the same time.
“Fuck! Bitch!” One of them groaned. He tried to slay me with the sword, but I dodged and hit him hard on the balls.
He groaned out in pain, losing focus as he tried to nurture the excruciating pain in his balls. The second guy tried to slay me, but I dodged and repeated what I did to his partner.
“You are dead!” The other one, who had regained focus, hissed as he reached to grab me by my arm. I tried to dodge, but I was too slow. Once he secured his grip on me, he flung me across the wall.
I let out a painful screech and tried to get up immediately, but he slammed me against the wall again.
My whole body ached, and I became too weak to even stand on my feet.
“Help! Please!” Lauren’s voice yelled, and I hoisted my head to see her running from a rogue. Suddenly, she tripped and fell face-flat.
Just then, the rouge standing before me gripped my throat and hung me against the wall, with my feet dangling in the air.
He slipped a knife out of his pocket, and the next thing I felt were multiple sharp pains in my stomach.
“Please.” I cried.
“The next one is going to your throat.” He threatened.
“Please!” I pleaded again.
“Say that again.”
“Please. Mercy. I beg for mercy.” I pleaded desperately. Although I knew my pleas were useless because, from all indications, he didn’t seem like he could spare me. But I just had to try. I didn’t want to die. I was scared. Very scared.
His lips spread into a wide smile as he enjoyed watching my misery.
“Please.” I heard Lauren’s faint voice, and I turned my head to the side to see a rogue towering over her with a sword pointed at her.
Is this how we are both going to die?
Maximus’s scent suddenly overwhelmed me, indicating that he was near. I felt a pang of hope, but that hope quickly disappeared when I realised Lauren also needed to be saved. We were both on the brink of death, and he’d have to choose one of us to save. I knew that choice wouldn’t be me.
This was it. I was going to die.
I closed my eyes, anticipating the impact of the knife against my throat. Is this the end? I asked myself, tears trickling down my face. I left my abusive father’s pack only to come and get killed here. Fate was cruel to me.
As I awaited my death, a warm liquid splattered over my body. Blood. And it wasn’t mine.
The grip on my neck loosened, and I almost collapsed to the floor, but a pair of hands supported me. I shot my eyes open to see the rogues head rolling on the floor. My heart dropped to my stomach, and a horrific gasp escaped my lips at the sight.
I looked up to see the person holding me in his hands. I knew it was him even before I looked. His scent was overwhelming.
“Alpha.” I whispered.
He saved me. He chose to save me. I turned to look at Lauren, and a sense of relief met me when I realised she had been saved by Lucius. I hated her, but I didn’t wish her dead.
“Bella.” I whispered, turning to my right to look at her, but my vision blurred. And within seconds, a strange darkness consumed me as I felt myself slowly losing consciousness.