Page 52 of The Baby Contract

"Step on it!"

I caught my neck with my hand, feeling it throb. Micheal and June sparred me occasional worried looks.

"What do you think he gave her?" June whispered, her eyes full of worry. "Maybe we shouldn't go to the train now, maybe we should get Millie some help."

"What help?" Michael sighed. "Look-"

Micheal took one hand off the steering wheel and motioned to the forest. My eyes widened in shock; my body shivered with terror.

The ring from which the smoke had been coming was now lit up with screams and cries. "What the hell- "

Just then, hundreds of wolves ran out of all the entrances, each crying, yelling for their children, and begging for forgiveness while being led by a warrior, who directed them on where to go.

The warriors weren't Eclipse warriors. They were strapped with guns and armor, something Eclipse did not have.

They were the familiar faces of Stormblade.

"Stormblade is here-"I breathed slowly. "He came."

June looked back at me. "He's taking our pack! They are going with him!"

"I can't believe it-" I gulped. "They are following his orders. How are they-"

I slid back into the leather seat. "Boris-" my mind snapped. "Boris' howl."

"They are taking orders from him-"I breathed, calculating it in my head. "Because he's- "

June nodded, her eyes wide as she put together the pieces. "If what Jasper said is true about Orion's whereabouts then- "

"Boris is the new Beta," I paled. "He killed Grey."

Micheal, June, and I sat in silence as the old, retro Camaro grunted at our speed. Micheal clenched his jaw and his knuckles turned white. "So, now he can command them to leave. He can make them all abandon our lands!"

"And to what, strength his army?" he spat. "He already had children with our Luna, and now he wants more!"

"What are you saying, Micheal?" June snapped. "We don't know Stormblade like that. We cannot be certain. Maybe he found out about the ring and determined we would not be fit to be a pack on our own."

"By what?" Micheal threw his hands up off the wheel. "For his advantage? To take every little thing that we have left and make his lands even bigger? We hardly have anything, June-"

"And he has everything!" Micheal's voice cracked. "Now, he will have us. He will take our lands, our culture, our traditions away from us-"

"Who's to know what he will do with us?" Micheal continued. "He will imprison all of us to see if we are fit. We-"

He waved between him and June. "Will be the first to be punished under his rule. We have committed trespassing and-"

"Stop!" I ran my hands down my face. "Please."

June and Micheal stopped, their faces turning from red to pale as they looked back at my state. My hands shook at the realization of Boris' howl.

Michael and June's worries echoed through all their heads. My pack members were being taken by his warriors to Stormblade, the very place I had just escaped from.

Anger rose in my chest. Then, sadness. After that, fear.

But, finally, hope.

"Just-" I whispered sadly. "Just stop the car, Micheal."

Micheal looked at me like I was crazy. "Luna- "he shook his head. "Why? We are going to catch Orion; we are going to kill him!"

"Yeah!" June nodded eagerly. "We are ready to do this Millie, even if it means death. You, your parents-"she gulped down her tears. "They weren't only our Alpha and Luna, they were our friends, our pack mates, our family."

A flash of Elijah's face crossed my mind. His birth and his first cry as he entered this world. His sweet cheeks, his rosy red lips.

I remembered Alph- I mean, Theo- in awe, his wolf's purrs amplified for miles as he took in his beauty. When Elora was born, he was waiting not so patiently to hold her, covering them both in love, care, and protection.

"You can't possibly forgive what he did to you!" Micheal lectured, his voice sounding like a Dad's. "He only used you; he used our Luna for his own benefit!"

June nodded, agreeing. "Not only did he use you-"she cried. "He is now going to own us! He is going to take everything from us!"

"Yeah and-"

"Please," I breathed, touching both of their shoulders. I was vulnerable to their stress, and their worries. "Stop, Micheal."

Micheal blew out a breath and shook his head before having no choice but to follow my orders and stop beside a tree. They both looked back at me, waiting for my direction.

"This is a good thing for the pack," I took a deep breath, my heart clenching in my chest at the words. "We cannot sustain ourselves at this rate. Especially with new leadership, or a Luna without a mate."

They both looked at me with sad, concerned eyes. "This is our chance for a new life, a new start."

Another flash of Elora's baby hands went through my head. "You will teach my children everything they need to know about where they came from. You will teach them our ways of life, our culture."

"But most importantly-"a tear slipped down my cheek as I imagined both Elora and Elijah in their cribs. "You will tell them about their mother."

"No, no- "Micheal reached out to touch me. "What are you saying, Millie? That you will never return?"

A loud voice boomed over the forest as a group of Stormblade's warriors ran through the woods, looking for our pack members.

I looked out the window, finding a couple with their small daughter being helped up into a black SUV. "This is the start of a good life."

"Nova will lead on with strength and our values." I declared, looking proudly at the cloud of black smoke. "She, Boris, and Alpha Stormblade will take care of you all."

"I have no doubt in my mind."

"Now go-" I forced out a small smile as I gripped Micheal and June's hands. "You have been brave and fearless for long enough. Now, go enjoy your new life."

Just as Micheal and June were about to rebuttal, a group of Stormblade's warriors spotted the Camaro, shouting and pointing it out.

"You must go," I ushered, climbing over the console to the driver's seat. "Nova won't let anything happen to you."

Axel's familiar face appeared as Micheal and June got out of the Camaro with their hands up. "Millie!"

"Millie!" Axel screamed, motioning to the other warriors. "We found her!"

"Goddess bless you both," I put my hand on my heart as I locked the doors and stepped on the gas, jerking the car in reverse.

A moment later, I saw the group of warriors take Micheal and June's arms, strip them of their weapons, and in turn, bow their heads to Stormblade rule.

"Millie, wait!" Axel ran past them towards the car. "Millie, please. You have to stop!"

I shifted gears, revving the engine and kicking up dirt from the ground as I whirled the car around towards the rail road tracks.

Axel ran after me, soon in wolf form, but I was able to throw him off and lose him in the forest when another warrior must have called him and ordered him to return.

Right now, the only thing I could think about was killing.

I took turns angrily wiping my cheeks as I gripped the wheel and pressed down the gas to the floor. The car rumbled, the forest whirling by faster than it ever had before.

My neck throbbed again, making me wince in pain. I shook it off, grinding my teeth to keep my mind focused.

The tracks came into sight along with the end of the train.

I blinked as the train croaked along on the tracks, steam blowing out its rusty engine. My heart thumped loudly as my head spun, making the train shift off the tracks and into the grass,

I'm hallucinating.

I gripped the wheel, trying to stay focused. When I did, I saw a few car doors open on the train.

He must be here. He came to Orion.

I reached into the passenger's seat where I found one of the stolen shotguns and loaded it with a shaky hand, occasionally looking up to make sure I wasn't dead.

The shotgun finally clicked, signaling the loaded bullet. That was when I heard him.

"Oh, she is slow." Orion's voice caught my attention from the distance. "He's not killing you, my sweetheart-"

"I am."

I gripped the gun in my hands as I caught up to the sound of the voices. Anticipation and adrenaline built in my chest.

That was Orion and-

Ember's voice.

He was going to kill Theo's mate. To kill Theo.

"Shit!" I slammed my fist on the steering wheel. "Fucking go, car!"

"No!" Theo's deep voice echoed loudly in the forest, causing my vision to clear in a moment, and temporarily relieve my blurry, hallucinatory vision.

I didn't have time to think before putting both hands on the gun, aiming the barrel out the window, and blasting a bullet into Orion's head.

My hands shook as he fell to the ground, lifeless and bloody. That was when I saw Theo.

"No!" Ember fell to the ground by the lifeless Orion. "Who did this? Who- "

Ember sobbed over his body, her tears mixing with his blood. Why was she-?

"Millie Rose!" Theo ran to the broken window, partially climbing out of it. "Millie! Damn it, I'm coming to you, stop!"

"She did this!" Ember screamed, before stomping up being Theo. "That fucking bitch killed him!"

I hadn't even realized I was still hitting the gas until I rammed into the side of the train car, making a loud, screeching noise. I blinked, quickly throwing down the gun and putting my hands back on the wheel.

Axel's wolf appeared in the rearview mirror, followed by a huge pack of Stormblade's wolves. I stepped on it, turning into the dense forest to try and get them off my trail.

"Take her to the dungeon!" Theo's voice boomed in fury and disgust on the train.

Ember wailed loudly as the warriors jumped on the train and handcuffed her on the ground next to the dead Orion.

A tree suddenly appeared in front of me, making my heart jump out of my chest. I swerved, throwing myself into another tree close call.

"Millie!" a familiar voice echoed in the forest. "Millie, please help us!"

"You can save us!" a familiar woman's voice vibrated in the trees. "Come quick!"

It was Mom and Dad.

My eyes scanned the horizon as I listened to their voices echo panicked, and heartbroken in my ears.

"Please, Mille, please!"

"Help us.."

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