The Night Everything Changed

[Eliana’s POV]

Later that evening, I lay in bed, staring at the golden chain that rested against my skin. I still couldn’t believe the events that took place earlier in the day. Despite hoping that Zane shared the same feelings as me, I held no hope that it would be true.

Beaming, I touch my lips as images of that kiss begin to play across my mind.

"Oh gosh," I whisper, covering my face. "I’m sure I’m a blushing fool."

Letting out a sigh, I allow myself to have hopes for the future where I never would have even thought of doing so. Since being brought to Elgin after my mother’s death, my whole life has been planned out for me. But now, for the first time in sixteen years, I felt like maybe there would be a light at the end of my dark tunnel.

"Zane," I sigh, sitting up and making my way toward the tiny, barred window that was my only view of the outside world. "Please don’t make me wait too long."

As the words leave my lips, I stare down at the ground below to find that something is off. Many of my father’s men were manically running toward the forest, where an unseen enemy must have been waiting.

Gasping, I stumble backward, trying to keep my cool while many different scenarios begin to play in my head.

"It’s going to be okay," I murmur, grabbing my door handle. "Father won’t let anything happen."

That’s right, he wouldn’t let anything happen to his own pack. He would handle this, and everything would be fine. Until he took care of matters, I just needed to get to the panic room.

Yanking my door open, I make my way out into the hall, where I can now hear all the commotion that was going on downstairs. This wasn’t good; did this mean that whoever was attacking had already managed to break into the estate?

As this thought hits me, I step on something warm and slippery. Yelping, I try to correct my footing but end up falling.

Hissing in pain, I try to get up but stop as my hand touches the same liquid that my foot had come into contact with.

Frowning, I take in the thick burgundy liquid that I immediately recognize as blood.

Eyes widening, I start to take in my surroundings until I find my nanny, Trinity, laying in a pool of blood.

Unable to quite believe what I’m seeing, I scuttle forward and reach out, touching Trinity’s already cold cheek.

Yanking my hand back, I continue to stare at Trinity’s unmoving figure, taking in her wide, unseeing eyes and her mouth that hangs slack as if she were saying something before her end. Continuing down, I finally see the large gash in her neck and feel all the contents of my meager dinner threatening to come back up.

Gagging, I tear my gaze away while fighting the tears that want to come and crawl toward the banister beside me to see just how gruesome the scene down below is. When my eyes take in all the bodies that scatter the floor with their bodies and limbs ripped to shreds, I regret my decision and move back.

"No," I whisper, trying to decide exactly what to do next. "How?"

"CHECK UPSTAIRS FOR ANY STRAGGLERS!" A deep voice booms, sending my heart into somersaults. "DON’T LET ANYONE ESCAPE!"

Realizing that my time was up, I jump up and run toward my father’s study, where the entrance to the secret exit from this place was located. As I move, I can smell gun powder and gas from below.

They were most certainly going to burn this place to the ground so that Elgin was erased from the map, but why? Who had my father infuriated so much to push them to do such a thing? I didn’t know, and I didn’t dare take too long to find out.

When I manage to reach my father’s study, the sound of heavy footfalls reaches my ears. They're close—too close—and I needed to move quicker.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Ignoring the command, I yank the door open and stumble inside. Jumping up, I rush forward just in time to see a large man with glowing red eyes grinning at me.

"I spy with my little eye," he chuckles, kicking the door down and making his way forward. "A pretty little poppet."

Instantly, my blood turns to ice as I stare up at the man as two others come to join him.

"It would be a pity to kill such a pretty little thing," he chuckles, reaching out and grabbing the collar of my shirt. "I think there’s somewhere else that you would be much better for."

Before I can react, someone is hitting the back of my neck, and the world around me grows dark.

As I fade in and out of consciousness, I realize that I’m in the trunk of a car being taken to goddess knew where. Was this how things were going to end for me? Being taken away after my entire pack was killed? I needed to do something, but every time I tried to claw my way out of the darkness, I found myself slipping deeper into it.

It was only when ice cold water slapped against my face that my eyes finally flew open to find that I was in a small cell with many other women.

"About time you woke up," the man from before chuckles. "Madam Ophilia should be here any moment."

"Madam Ophilia?" I repeat, continuing to take in my surroundings.

Everywhere I looked, there were cages, and in those cages were not only women but also men. Most seemed to be my age or older. They all wore rags and looked like they had endured quite a bit.

"Is this the new batch?"

Snapping my gaze ahead, I watch as a large woman with striking green eyes and long braided black hair dressed in a blood-red kimono with white flowers scattered about it makes her way towards the center of the room we’re in.

Just from her appearance and dress, I immediately understand who this woman is and what it is that she does. Everyone in Elgin knew about the Tumescere House, especially if they weren’t of higher rank in our world. Most who were deemed useless were sent there and sold off to help keep the pack's numbers up.

"My, why do all of these prospects look so dreary?" Madam Ophilia pouts, continuing to take everyone in. "Are you trying to make a fool of me?"

"No, ma'am," my captor responds, lowering his head. "If you aren’t satisfied with any of these, I’ll send them…"

"No," she snaps, cutting him off. "I think I’ve found one that could be promising."

As she speaks, she makes her way to my cage and fixes her large green gaze on mine. Beaming, she reaches in and attempts to touch my cheek as I jerk farther away.

"Oh, she has some guts too. Come open this cage!"

Obeying her command, my captor moves forward and quickly opens my cage so that Madam Ophilia can step in.

"Now, now, don’t be afraid," she purrs, kneeling in front of me as I fight the urge to put more distance between us. "Oh, you are quite beautiful."

A hiss of shock escapes me as her clawed hand grabs my chin so that she can move my head this way and that to examine my features further.

"I’ll take this one," she claps, releasing me. "Bring her to me by tomorrow; otherwise, I’ll cut your finder's fee in half."