Chapter 65
Xena’s POV
“Ryder!” I screamed, my voice tearing through my throat as pain ripped through my body.
The car had slammed into a tree, and since I hadn’t been wearing my seatbelt, I’d been thrown through the windshield onto the hood. When I slid down, excruciating pain shot through my legs, but I couldn’t focus on that now. Whoever had shot at us could return any minute, and I needed to get Ryder out of here.
Night had fallen, and the wind howled around us, raindrops starting to fall. The only light came from the car’s headlights, which cast eerie shadows across the wreckage. My heart hammered against my ribs, fear and worry tangling inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm. Ryder was about to become my mate–I had to save him.
I forced myself to stand, pausing as agony tore through my legs and lower back. I took several deep breaths, steadying myself before limping toward Ryder. It took three attempts before I finally wrenched the door open. Blood streamed down his arm, the vivid red making my throat tighten. I quickly stripped off my top and used it as a makeshift tourniquet, tying it above his wound. I hobbled to the roadside, found a sturdy branch, and used it to twist the tourniquet tighter, securing it with a hair tie.
My hands trembled as I searched his pockets for his phone. I had to tilt his head back to make the facial recognition work. Thank the Moon Goddess it unlocked, and I
immediately called his father.
“Ryder.” Benedict’s urgent voice came through the speaker.
“It’s X,” I said, struggling to keep my voice steady despite the rage and terror boiling inside me. “We just left the shop and someone drove by shooting at us. Ryder took a bullet to the shoulder. We tried to get away, but he passed out and we crashed. We’re just past the iron bridge. Hurry, I don’t know if they’re coming back.”
“I’m on my way!”
“My dad was heading to your place–I was on the phone with him when we crashed. Call him; I can’t find my phone.”
“Got it. What else do you need?”
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*Ryder needs a doctor, or he’ll lose his arm.” My heart felt like it was being sliced open at the thought of Ryder losing his arm.
Suddenly, I heard a car approaching at high speed, my heart nearly stopping.
‘Shit, I think they’re back. Hurry!” I hung up and tucked his phone into my bra. I draped Ryder’s arm over my shoulder and dragged him from the car, adjusting my grip before hiding him in the bushes by the roadside. I myself retreated into the forest.
I knew I couldn’t carry him far, but at least this would buy us time. Deep inside, a desperate courage burned–I wouldn’t let anyone hurt him, even if it cost me my life.
I heard the car stop, followed by the sound of two or three people getting out, slamming their doors shut.
“Come out and play, pretty girl!” A gun cocked.
I moved deeper into the forest, taking shelter behind a massive tree to observe. Two muscular men with buzzcuts and a slender man in a suit emerged. The buzzcut men approached Ryder’s car with weapons raised, searching for several minutes before noticing blood leading to the bushes. They cautiously moved toward where Ryder was hidden.
“Damn it,” I cursed silently. I had to act. Moving as quietly as possible through the forest, I circled around to their car, approaching the suited man from behind. As I got closer, I caught their stench–Rogues. But this clearly wasn’t random; they were targeting us specifically.
I crept up silently, then lunged, slashing his throat with my claws. Blood sprayed everywhere as I grabbed his gun and aimed it at the Rogues ahead.
“Stop right there, miss!” The two buzzcut Rogues had turned, their guns pointed at me.
“No.” I aimed at the first one.
“No?” The second man, with a long scar across his face, nudged the bushes with his foot. “Your friend’s in here, right?”
My stomach twisted into knots, my heart racing wildly, but I needed to stall. “If I’m going down, I’m taking one of you with me,” I growled. “What do you want?”
Chapter 65
“You.” The second man said. “Put the gun down, and I’ll let your friend go.” He kicked Ryder hard.
I forced myself not to react. Ignoring his demand, I continued stalling. “For who?”
“Cut the crap, bitch. Come with us and you’ll find out.” The first man impatiently pulled a
knife from his waistband, raising it above Ryder. “Counting down. Three… two…” His hand lifted higher.
“NO!” My peripheral vision tracked the knife’s movement. I couldn’t risk it. Slowly, I dropped the gun, kicking it aside and raising my hands.
“Hmph, stupid whore.” The first man sneered and drove the knife down toward Ryder.
“NO! You son of a bitch!” I screamed, my raised hands shaking. Tears welled in my eyes,
threatening to spill over.
The second man seemed uninterested in his partner’s sick game and maintained his expressionless face as he moved toward me, circling to get behind me. My body trembled as I fought to contain my grief, my mind still calculating every possible escape route, though options were dwindling fast.
“I don’t think so.” A familiar roar echoed through the forest. Samuel! That meant my father had arrived.
The Rogue beside me immediately raised his gun toward Samuel’s voice, but he was too late. A bullet tore through his skull, brain matter and blood splattering across my face and clothes. I instinctively bent to retrieve the gun nearby.
But everything happened too fast. Two more gunshots rang out. I felt a massive impact in my chest and was knocked to the ground. Time seemed to freeze as a ringing filled my ears, followed by wolves howling and the sounds of flesh being torn.
I struggled to push myself up, opening my eyes to see Logan’s face appear before me.
“Ryder…” I weakly raised my hand, pointing toward the bushes, but my body was being dragged away.
“Get her to the hospital!” Logan shouted, his voice shaking as he carefully examined my
wound.
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His words jolted me awake. “No! Ryder!” I screamed with every ounce of strength I had
left.
“Where’s my son?” Benedict ran to my side. William and Ulysses followed, along with two
others.
“I hid him… he was stabbed… hurry,” I could no longer hold back my tears, sobbing loudly. “In… in the bushes over there…”
Benedict ran to check. My strength failing, I couldn’t lift my head or hands anymore. I leaned against Logan as Philip dragged a lifeless body into the light. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. Tears streamed down my face onto Logan’s shoulder.
William angrily punched a tree. The pain in my body gradually became more real and specific–my chest hurt terribly. Looking down, I saw I was covered in blood.
“Logan?”
“Don’t move, X. You’ve been shot.” Logan’s trembling voice said.
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