Chapter 80

Amelie

What is going on? This feels like a nightmare. I'm not asleep. I know that by the silver around my wrist, it burns. I can't reach Inari, but I feel her guarding the babies. We've been exposed to silver too many times now. I guess it makes me lose contact with her now. She's in pain but hanging on. I have to get us out of here but where is here?

How did I get in this SUV? My mind is clearing, and I look around. We are speeding down a dark stretch of highway. I'm in the backseat. I look at the driver in the rearview. All I see is a scar on his face, and it hits me. Tate's Kidnapped me. I feel myself slipping back into a panic attack. I have to try and pull myself out of it. I know I'm about to have a panic attack I have to stay focused. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing. I have to keep calm. This is not just my life now. It's the boys' lives as well. I have to protect my babies. I tug at the rope tied around my wrist just to feel it. The roughness of the rope helps center my mind. I can get out of this.

Maybe I can reason with him. I take a calming breath and muster up all my courage. "Ta…" I can't even say his name clearly. I center my mind again. "Why are you doing this?" I was hoping my words would come out clear and confident, but they were soft and shaky.

"Taking back what's mine." The glare Tate gave me from the rearview was unmistakable.

"You should let me go and just disappear. Gideon won't let you live."

"I'm not scared of him. He can be controlled. The trick is to find out what they care about and take it away." I decide the only way out will be to free my hands. He has them tied together and a silver cuff on one wrist. I need to keep him talking.

"He'll find me, and you know that. He's not going to stop. He has my father and stepfather on his side too. No matter who is backing you, they don't even compare." I keep working the rope. I act oblivious to what they have been doing in the shadows.

"He can search all he wants. I have places all over the country to hide you." His laugh sickens me.

"You don't even love me. We weren't even real mates. Let me go." The rope is digging into my wrist, and it starts bleeding, but I press on.

"You finally figured it out. Took you long enough. It doesn't matter anyway. I will own you again, and those bastards you are carrying will be a tool for my family to get revenge and the power we deserve finally." He's yelling and starts swerving. I got him emotional. It reminds me of what Gideon wanted me to do with Von. Maybe I can do the same thing to Tate.

"Revenge! What are you even talking about? We've never done anything to you or your family?" I get one hand almost free. My blood is soaking the rope and making it slippery. I guess this is how it feels to be caught in a trap and chew your own foot off to get free.

"It's because of you that my mother died! One day I'll kill you myself, you whore. You couldn't get pregnant for ten years and only after a few days mated to that musical head, and you're pregnant. Did you think of me when he fucked you?" He's snarling and yelling; I've never seen him like this.

"The last I heard, Karen survived and ran off with you! I'd rather be with that musical head who knows how to satisfy me than a whiny little mama's boy who can't wipe his own ass!" I'm yelling, but it's to cover up the screams that want to come out as I work off the rope around the wrist with the silver cuff on it.

"You didn't even get to know your mate. Karen is my aunt; she raised me after your father murdered my mother because of you! You're so dense I can make you think I'm your mate again. Just wait. You'll forget all about that barbarian." I stop. How did I not know this? Was I a willing kidnap victim the whole time? Was I tricked so someone could have revenge?

"Who…who was your mother?" I have an idea, but I need to confirm.

"Her name was Jema Rosemary, or you knew her as Jema Green." He glares at me in the rearview, looking for my acknowledgment. I don't show any remorse but disdain for the women who tried to harm my family.

"The bitch who was poisoning Celeste and caused her countless miscarriages and almost killed James. Good riddance she got what she deserved." I'm screaming, seething with rage. All this for someone who killed Alpha children. A murder!

"Don't you dare talk about my mother! It's because of you that she's dead!"

"She tried to murder my brother!"

"Your brother should have never been born! I should have been the next Alpha!"

"HA! You couldn't even run your own photo gallery business, and you want to run a pack! You're a joke!" I know he's blinded with hate and is not paying attention. I have untied my hands and got the cuff off. Inari seems to be comatose for the silver exposer, but I can feel her. I am slowly gathering the seatbelt length in my hand. If my plan works, I will still need to be seat belted in, but I will need to reach the driver's seat in front of me.

"You will be obedient this time. Karen has perfected your dose. Lacy is a perfect mate for Nox now soon; you will be too." I know they are related; I need to play it off.

"How do you know Nox? What have you done to Lacy!" He gives me a half-smirk, the scar tissue from the blow torch not giving way for that half of his face to move much.

"Nox is my cousin. Karen and my mother are his mother's sisters." He looks crazy as he steals glances from the mirror. "Lacy is happy and does what she's told. We will need to increase your dose this time since you have Alpha blood." I quickly pull the hairpin out of my hair when he looks away to the road. I didn't tell Gideon that I melted down the silver blade from the boy's fight. I made this hair stick as a backup weapon. The shaft is coated in silver. I had to make a homemade hazmat suit to make it, but I'm glad I did.

"So it was Nox's mother who got Jema killed. You should be going after her for revenge. What did you give Lacy? Tell me, damn it!" I hold off on my attack. I need to know what he did to me for all those years.

"It's just something Karen put together to keep her dossal and believing that Nox is her mate. It worked on you for years, but then you grew immune to its suggestion. Not to worry, Karen has a special dose just for you." That's it. I've had enough, and I was getting too far away from Gideon.

"I'll have to take a rain check." I jolt forward and stab the hairpin into Tate's right clavicle. I release the gathered seat belt, and I fly backward into the seat.

Tate loses control of the SUV as he's trying to get the hairpin out. He can't get it out and steer at the same time we go headfirst into a tree. All I can do is cover my babies with my body the best I can and hope for the best.

I feel the impact, and my body jolts forward, the seatbelt pulling me back. The second impact throws me around in my seat. Airbags initiate, glass shatters, metal crunches than it's just still. I look up, and I see the results of my decision. The SUV is mangled, Tate is unconcise, and I'm alive.

I can't stop shaking, and I finally feel Inari fully again. The increase of my adrenalin must have given her a boost. "Inari?"

"What happened?"

"Well, long story short, Tate kidnapped us, and I stabbed him with the silver hairpin and caused him to crash."

"OK, I'm not at my full strength, so I will continue focus on healing anything to do with the babies." She’s weak from the silver but we have to keep going together.

I close my eyes and wrap my arms around my belly, and I start crying uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, my babies. Please be OK. Please be OK." I close my eyes and just feel for any movement at all. I am met with a swift kick in the ribs from one of the twins. "Ouch!" I guess they are OK and not happy with being jostled around so much. It's the best kick I've ever felt. I know they will be alright.

"Amelie, we should try to get out of here before Tate's accomplices come looking for us."

"You're right." I undo the seatbelt and try opening the door. It won't budge. I hear a groin from the front seat. He's still alive! I need to get out of here now. I slide across the seat to the other door, and it won't open, but I feel it unlatch.

"Inari, I'm going to try and kick the door open. I'll need a little help."

"I'll give you what I can." I take a deep breath and kick the door with both feet, and it opens. I slowly get out, my endorphins still pumping, and start walking the direct we drove from.

I reach out to Gideon, "Gideon, where are you?"

"I'm coming! I'm running as fast as I can feel you now. I'm not far. Are you hurt? I heard a crash."

"I caused Tate to crash into a tree. I'm OK. The babies are OK. Tate's still in the SUV."

"Our men are right behind me. They will take care of Tate. I'm coming to you."

"Please hurry. I think I'm going to…."