Page 53 of The Baby Contract

"Help us, Millie!"

My head pounded as their familiar voices echoed through my head. I gripped the wheel, watching the forest pass by in a blur. The loud roar of the train's clicking engine vibrated throughout my body.

"Mom?" I whispered, my chest rising and falling as fast as my heartbeat. "Dad?"

I stepped on the gas, making the engine roar with a new integrity. "I'm coming, Mom! Dad!"

A loud howl echoed throw my head and vibrated even closer on my tail. My vision twisted as the forest became thick.

The pack house came into view as I swerved through the trees, the lonesome, dark house which I once called my home-grew upkeep while I was gone.

"Millie-" Nova's voice played in my mind. "Where have you been?"

Nova?

"Nova!" I screamed, slamming on the brakes and jumping out of the rusty Camaro. "Nova! Where are you?"

I stumbled to the door, reaching out for the rusty handle. "You need to come quick, Millie! The house is on fire!"

"Fire-"I stumbled into the empty house. "Where is everyone?"

"Nova?" I panicked, running down the stairs to the basement. "Where's the pack? Where did everyone go?"

Nova was quiet. Her voice silenced.

"Damn it, answer me!"

Nothing.

A wave of heat washed over my face when I opened the familiar door to the maid's quarters. The bunk beds were in shambles, our pictures, and most prized possessions being burned to ash.

"Fuck!" I gasped, looking at Nova's bed. "Nova! The house is on fire, you have to get out of here!"

That's when I heard Nova's sobs. They were faint and helpless.

I grabbed onto the last bit of hot wood that was once our bunk bed. On the floor below, our maid uniforms burnt to a crisp in a red-hot flame.

I looked under the bed, only to find it empty.

"What the-"

Nova's screeching cry brought me to a halting stop. It made my ears bleed, and my heart jump out of my chest.

I watched as I saw Nova, in her old maid uniform, hit by a piece of falling debris. "No!" I screamed, tears running down my face. "Nova, no!"

I collapsed by her bloody, torn body, shaking her uncontrollably. "You can't die, you can't die! You are all I have left!"

Nova's body shook slightly, her hair, usually combed to perfection as part of her maid uniform, now caught in the flame, her long dirty blonde hair lit with embers.

Her body became cold and lifeless as her sweet glowing eyes rolled back in her head, once full of life, now dead.

"No!" I wallowed, shaking her petite, hunger-ridden body. "You can't die! You are my best friend! No!"

I rolled Nova on her back, her body limp. I acted fast, placing my hands on her bare chest and pressing down, hopeful of restarting her nonexistent heartbeat. "Wake up, dammit!"

A loud, booming laugh echoed in the sea of chaos. "What a pathetic excuse for a Luna," Orion pushed open the creaking basement door. "Letting her people die-"

"Die?" I roared, jumping to my feet. "I did everything to keep them alive under your rule! Under your tyranny!" I growled, feeling my fur come to the surface. "You took away everything from this pack!"

My fist swung for Orion's smug one, only to find it hollow and invisible. "You can't hit me, can you sweetheart?"

What?

I glanced down at my hands, finding them red with fresh burns. "How did you-"

"Don't worry, sweet Millie- "Orion floated to sit on a piece of burnt-up bunk bed. "You will soon join your beloved friend, and together, your deaths will be my greatest revenge on the Stormblade pack."

"What are you talking about-"

"Millie!" Mom's voice rang in urgency. "Run, run away!"

I blinked, looking around the room for her voice. When I looked back, I found Nova, now buried under a part of the house's collapsed roof.

"You- "I growled, my jaw aching with a new sensation as I turned towards Orion. "Y-"

He was gone.

My body burned as the flames closed in on the basement. I ran as another part of the ceiling collapsed by my feet. "Nov-"

I looked back, not wanting to leave her, not like this. She didn't deserve to die this way. To be buried in such a way.

A loud, piercing wail pulled me from the thoughts of Nova's dead body. "Elijah-"

I ran up the croaking steps, the first one breaking and falling as I stepped onto it. I watched as the wood fell to the floor below, creeping up the walls. With each step, the wood faltered, making the staircase crumble.

"Oh, Elijah-" Ember's voice soothed. "Don't cry, baby. Mommy's here."

I slammed my body through the door to the bedroom, finding two unbothered, quiet sleeping babies. "Millie-" Ember smiled sweetly as she rocked my baby boy in her arms. "What are you doing here?"

Ember's skinny finger stroked Elijah's tear-stained cheeks. "You are upsetting my children, Millie Rose."

"You're children?" I panted in fury. "They are mine! They are my pups!"

Elijah cried in Ember's arms. "Here you go, sweetie." She soothed, shoving a pacifier in his mouth. "Theo?"

"Yes, my love-" Theo came out of the bathroom, now changed into a form-fitting button-down shirt and pair of black pants. His hair was perfectly combed, in a slight wave. He looked perfect, strong, and untouched.

Theo put his muscular arm around Ember's shoulder, his eyes not once sparing me a glance but instead straight over his mate's shoulder to stare lovingly at our son in his mate's arms.

"What's wrong, Ember?" he ignored me, stroking her arm. "I can sense your distress."

Elora started whining as soon as she saw her Daddy. "Hello, pretty girl." He beamed, bending down to pick her up from her bassinet. She was wrapped lovingly in a pink swaddle, a large bow on her head.

"She's here, Theo." She seethed under her breath, careful not to upset Elijah. "I thought you killed her."

That was when Theo stood up straight, our daughter in his big strong arms. His body was sculpted to perfection, every muscle strong and mighty. He looked sexy, carefree, handsome...

Theo's eyes locked with mine right away, softening his body. His eyes were warm before turning black and cold.

I shivered, taking a step back, scared at the killer, and frightening look he had in his eyes. It was full of hatred of disgust. "Orion told me he was going to take care of the surrogate-"

"But, I suppose I was a fool to trust him," his canines grew over his lips. "He can't fight for his life, let alone kill this little girl."

Little girl?

"You won't kill me-"I shoved my hand through the door, ripping off a piece of wood with my newfound strength. "Elijah and Elora are mine."

Theo and Ember exchanged a glance before breaking out in a taunting laugh. "Listen, Molly-" Theo stepped forward, tilting his head sideways. "Nothing belongs to you anymore. The babies are mine and your pathetic little pack is mine too."

"What?" I stepped back, my chest rising and falling in panic. "Th-"

"That's right, maid-" Theo growled, looking back at his mate for approval, which she gave him immediately, purrs of seduction ringing loudly from her chest. "Did you not notice that your pack house was empty?"

"They have come with us-"Theo raised his head high in pride. "They are a part of Stormblade now and have no ties to this poor, little excuse for a pack."

"No-"I panted. "You won't take them!"

"I didn't take them," he smirked, lightly bouncing our daughter. "They willingly came. They all know they have no future here. This pack is nothing but a piece of old crap."

"They jumped at the opportunity for a good life at Stormblade."

"Michael and June?"

"They left with us," Ember chimed in. "They have joined our warriors. They are elated to be able to be in a pack with advanced weaponry. They are progressing well in their training."

A phone vibrated in Theo's pocket. "One moment, mate," Theo looked back at Ember. "It's Boris."

"Boris-" I jumped. "Boris won't let you kill me. Aspen-"

Theo rolled his eyes before putting the phone up to his ear. "What's up, man?"

"Yeah, yeah-" Theo laughed slightly. "I know I told Aspen we would go out tonight. I'll be back in a little bit. I just have something to take care of really quick."

Boris' voice mumbled through the phone. Theo broke out into a bellowing laugh in response to something he said. "Sounds like my sister."

"Aspen-" I jumped forward, my shirt getting caught in the door. Ember looked at me in disgust as I ripped a hole in my old, ratty shirt.

"Nothing much, "Theo scanned me with disgust in his eyes. "Millie is here. Alive, unfortunately. You know Orion can never finish a job- "

I held onto hope that Boris would say something, to stop him. But, instead, Theo laughed again at something he said. "She is, isn't she? I wish this bitch would just die already."

"Okay, I have to go," Theo concluded.

"Wait!" I called out in disbelief and horror. "Boris! Please, you have to help me! Please!"

"What was that?" Theo repeated into the phone. "Nothing. It was just the surrogate being loud."

They laughed again, Ember's smirk growing by the minute. Theo ended the call, throwing his phone back in his pocket. "Let's get this over with-"he said, putting Elora back in her bassinet. "Aspen is waiting for me to take her to the movies."

"Oh, you are taking her tonight?" Ember asked.

"Yes," Theo smiled. "Don't worry, my mom and Dad are going to come and stay with you to help with the pups."

"Now," Theo cracked his neck maliciously before going to the other side of the room and grabbing a knife. "Time for you to die-"

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I ran out of the room, to find that the stairs were gone, all destroyed by the flames. "Shit!"

I looked back, to find Theo behind me, tossing the knife between his hands. Without a second thought, I jumped off the ledge, my body crashing down on the hot floor.

I scrambled to my feet, quickly darting through the house, only to find each entrance burned to flames, making it unbearable to enter.

"No-" I whimpered. "Mom, Dad!"

"Millie!" Theo's voice rang through my head. His voice was horse and desperate as it came closer. "Millie, where are you?"

I ran faster, his voice becoming closer again. My body shook, a familiar feeling rising in my chest, so helplessly wanting to free herself.

I stumbled over a piece of debris, collapsing hard onto the ground. I tried to move, only to find my leg trapped under a large piece of structural, burning hot, metal.

"No!" I cried, trying to pry my leg free. "No!"

I tried helplessly to free my leg until it was no use. It was twice the size of me, and I was weak.

It was over.

"No-"I howled sadly, my wolf whimpering inside my chest. "No..."

"Shit!" Theo's voice rang next to me. I felt him fall to his knees beside me. It was time, I was going to die.

Then, I felt relief. The metal bar lifted off of me, providing instant relief. I blinked as the world blurred around me.

I saw Theo, his clothes now changed to the one of a warrior, his skin worried and pale, his skin burnt with red like mine. How did he change that fast?

His large howl made the whole house vibrate as he let out a whine of distress from his wolf. I saw a flash of him taking the hot metal in his hands and throwing it across the room in fury.

"Millie, baby-"he cried, his hand grabbing my jaw and turning me over. "It's okay, everything is okay now."

I struggled to keep my eyes open as I looked around the pack house, watching as pictures fell to the ground, my memories, my pack.

"Keep your eyes open, damn it!" Theo yelled, lightly slapping my face in a desperate attempt to keep me awake. "You can't die, Millie! I won't let you leave me!"

Theo's salty tear drop fell on my cheek. I blinked, trying to see him, but I couldn't. I was weak and tired.

"Doctor Rowan!" Theo's voice cracked. His voice mumbled in my ears like I was underneath a big wave. "Mil-"

"Need help-"

Loud sirens buzzed through my head, making me groan slightly at the loud noise. "I know, it's loud-" Theo soothed, his large hands slipping under my body and lifting me off the ground. His large hand pressed my head to his chest.

Soothing purrs came from deep inside of him, his wolf's desperate attempt to soothe me.

I soon felt myself being placed on something warm, then poked, and lifted. More voices gathered around me now, their shadows showing themselves to me through my eyelids.

"Alpha, we are going to need to-" a large slam came. "we can't-"

"I don't give a shit what you do!" Theo cried loudly, his hand squeezing mine, reminding me that he was still there. "Save my mate!"

"Alpha-" a familiar voice rang, as I felt more poking. "She's been poisoned."

"Poisoned? That son of a-"

"She is going to die, Alpha- "the voice croaked sadly. "she's hallucinating already. It's taking its effect."

I felt Theo's warm hands on each side of my face. "No!"

"Fine if there is nothing that you can do, I will take the poison out myself."

That's when I felt Theo move my lifeless head followed by a huge pair of canines piercing my skin. I gasped slightly at the pain.

"Alpha, you will kill yourself if you do that!"

Theo sucked on my neck hard. "I won't live without Millie-" he gasped, before plunging his teeth back into my neck. "I've lived without her long enough."

"I love her- "

"If she dies, so do I."

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