Ella and Cora spun to look at me, their eyes wide. Together, we ran to the window. Cora reached it first, unhooking the latch and throwing it open. She leaned out to scan the ground below, and I followed, my gaze instantly locking onto a horrifying scene.
A man—his figure and face familiar from the past few days—dragged a small girl by the hand. His arm encircled a woman, who struggled weakly against him.
"He's got them," I said grimly, then turned to my sister, my determination hardening. "Tell Sinclair. Stay with the baby."
Cora stared, then gasped. "Ella!" she cried, reaching for me. "Ella, what—"
But I was already turning back to the window. Before I could think, I transformed into my wolf and leaped out.
I heard Cora scream my name, but I was gone, leaping from my window ledge to the one below, and then another, swiftly descending the palace wall. I focused on my jumps, my wolf instincts taking over, but a small part of me was grateful for my wolf's small, nimble size. Sinclair's gigantic wolf, or even Roger's, could never manage these narrow ledges.
My rose-gold wolf quickly scaled the wall and darted towards the ground. The girl screamed as my paws hit the courtyard flagstones. I moved towards the man abducting the woman and girl.
From my periphery, I saw palace guards converging, guns raised, but they hesitated. Xander made it difficult to aim without endangering Sarah and Jessica. Their hesitation deepened when my snarl ripped through the air—a clear claim of ownership.
The guards fell back slightly, likely anticipating their king's displeasure at my taking the lead. But my authority was absolute; this was my fight.
Xander spun at my snarl, looking above me as if expecting a larger wolf. His eyes fell to mine, and he had the audacity to laugh.
"A she-wolf?" he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. He yanked Jessica closer, and Sarah struggled anew, her movements slow. I noticed blood on Sarah's forehead and hair, realizing Xander had hurt her to facilitate his escape.
Despite their struggles and his age, Xander, a strong wolf, was determined to keep his prize.
I growled, prowling closer, my demand clear in my narrowed eyes and bared fangs. He scoffed, starting to turn away. "You cannot touch me, she-wolf," he snarled. "I will rip you to shreds."
A louder snarl tore from me, letting him know my intentions. He spun, then viciously hurled Sarah to the ground, kicking her hard in the ribs. I heard a bone crack as she moaned, shuddering on the ground. I yelped, moving towards her, knowing she was badly injured. But before I could reach her, Xander pressed a knife to Jessica's throat.
"A step closer," he growled, "and I will kill her, she-wolf. You can keep the old one—I have no more use for her. But this one?" He ran a lecherous hand down Jessica's cheek. "I had her bred especially for me. And I will take her."
A growl rumbled in me. From the corner of my eye, I saw the palace guards forming a circle. My muscles tensed; Xander saw his escape waning. But a desperate man on the run would inflict as much damage as possible. His knife was pressed tight against the girl's throat.
I did the only thing I could. I transformed back into my human form and held out my hands placatingly.
"Don't do anything you'll regret, Uncle," I said quietly. "If you give the girl to me now, we will give you a fair trial."
"You have nothing to negotiate with," he said, backing away. Jessica cried out as he pulled her along, reaching for me in a way that twisted my heart with fear. He yanked her hair, making her shriek, but her hands dropped as she went with him. "She is mine, and I will take her. Now, call off your dogs," he growled, gesturing towards the guards.
I hesitated, wishing for Cora's cunning or Sinclair's strength. I didn't know what to do.
I took a step forward, wanting to prevent more distance. His eyes narrowed; his hand tightened on the knife. I raised my hands, shouting an order for the guards to lower their guns. My eyes flashed to Sarah, breathing softly and whimpering. Good, I thought, alive.
I refocused on Xander, who slowly backed away. For every step he took, I took one closer.
"Stop!" he growled, his attention fully on me. "Stop following me, you worthless girl—let me pass—" I realized his focus was entirely on me. My pursuit was so irritating that he hadn't noticed the courtyard's end and the wide stairs beyond. If I could just keep him distracted...
"No," I said softly, wanting his attention, but not pushing him to harm Jessica. "You don't control me, Xander. No matter how much you've tried, I've defied you at every turn."
"You did nothing," he hissed, three steps from the stairs.
"I didn't have to," I murmured, taking a step forward. "I had the right friends—my sister, my mate—"
"Your sister," he spat, laughing. "That human bitch—" He took another step back. Only two steps left... The insult stung, but I pressed on, taking a larger step forward. It was so close; I had to time this right... Xander reacted as hoped, taking a large step back—his next step would land on the edge...