Chapter Twelve

I knew I should have taken care of the tracks we've left behind. But we were all too focused on getting the medicines and then helping Carly to even give it a second thought. But I was now regretting that decision as I looked at the three army trucks heading our way.

-No wonder the wolves had fled.-

The trucks would be a freaking nightmare to take care of. With some of our members sick, we couldn't take the risk of moving them. And with this snow, it wouldn't take long for our trusty truck to give up on us. The others looked at me for my decision. And I could feel everything spin around me as I tried to think of a solution that would be best for all of us.

"Do you think we could move them?" I asked Carly.

She shook her head. "They could barely stand. I'm afraid to think about what would happen to them if we move them,"

I clenched my fists as I turned to look at the trucks once more. Thanks to the threes and the snow, we had roughly ten minutes before they could reach us.

"I'm afraid to think about what would happen to us if they get us!" Jack cried.

I released a deep breath. "I want you all to know no one will blame you if you want to run away now,"

They all stared at me as if they couldn't believe the words that left my mouth. All of them stood straight around me and put an arm on top of each other's shoulder. And one by one, told me they would stand with me.

Everything seemed to stop spinning around me as I looked around the faces of the people whose lives would depend on the decision I would make. It was a huge responsibility for someone who just turned 18. But it all fell to me when I decided to save them the first time. And at the moment, I needed to make another decision that would either save or kill us.

"Griffin," I called and everyone turned quiet as they listened. "I know you haven't tried it before but I need you to call forth that invisible force of yours to protect the main cabin,"

Griffin turned pale at what I said. "Pa—pardon?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"I know it's a long shot but if we were to face them we can't leave the cabin unprotected. Now, I need you to tell me you can do it,"

`I—" his voice broke. "I'll try,"

"No. I need you to do it!" I said firmly and he nodded,

"I'll do it,"

I let out a breath. "Good," then I turned to Jack. "I know you haven't made friends with the ice. But this is the right time to do so,"

Jack nodded—his face full of determination. Then I turned to his brother and told them to guard Jack until he could control the ice. If he managed to, he'll be the one to guard Griffin. But they both failed. . . Well, I don't want to think about that reality.

Lily was to stay inside to assist Carly because I needed Coleen's fire ability outside. Her fire would come in handy. Zoi, whose ability we haven't yet witnessed, volunteered to fight outside. During our mandatory sparring, I've seen his undeniable talent for hand-to-hand combat. So, I was confident he would be a great help. Drew would try to get as close as he could to the trucks to destroy their electronics. Steven, with his blinding light, would distract anyone away from Drew.

With five on the offense, we weren't confident we would be able to protect everyone. But—when I turned to look at all of them, I could see the determination firing their eyes.

-Determination to protect what we love.-

We exit the cabin and nodded at the others. They would be the last line of defense if my team failed to do its job. We jogged down the middle of the camp to take the fight as far away as we could from the cabin. Since the wolves were probably waiting around, we couldn't risk going inside the woods.

Finally, the first of the trucks emerge from the woods. Shortly after it, two more appeared. And my heart stopped beating at the sight of our enemy. Two dozen or more soldiers came out from each truck. All were holding a gun that looked like a blaster, a weapon effective for close and far range shooting.

They spread out and when a group came close to the cabin, Steven opened his light and blinded them as a warning not to take another step closer. The warning worked and they retreated a few steps. But we were still surrounded. The five of us were the only thing separating the cabin from these blood-thirsty killers.

Our little haven—the place we worked hard to keep safe was infiltrated just like that.

And as if that wasn't enough, the crowd from the middle separated to reveal a man—probably the one in charge. And I felt my world stopped spinning as my breathing hardened and I found myself unable to support my form. I fell to the snow as tears started to blur my eyes.

The sweet sounds of the birds singing have long stopped when they felt the threat in the vicinity; leaving everything in a deafening silence. There was nothing I see except for the man that was making his way towards me like he was just walking in a park.

I had not moved.

Even though I could feel my friends shaking me, their words of pleas for me to wake up from my hypnotized state fell on deaf ears.

Zoi knelt down beside me and asked me what was wrong but I couldn't find my voice. I couldn't focus on anything else but to stare at the emerging man. He towered over his soldiers, radiating power and command on his every move. His hair was a faded blond and his blue eyes the same one that looked at me since I was young.

Someone who I thought I would never see again.

"Papa?" I whispered.

I could feel the shock everyone had at that one word, I felt their hesitation and confusion but I couldn't find it in me to elaborate or even explain. But through it all, I could still feel they got my back.

"You've grown so well, Kitty," He greeted with that warm smile of him using the nickname he gave me.

"But—but you're dead," I answered. "You. . . you died. . . years ago?"

He laughed. And it rang it my ears. It was the same voice that would laugh at even the lamest joke I made. The laugh that was so infectious. But there was nothing infectious about it now. All I heard was malice in his voice.

"I'm far from dead, Kitty,"

"|Why are you doing this?" I cried as tears streamed down my face.

"Reins should die!" he answered as he stopped a few meters away from his soldier and a few paces from us. But I knew his soldiers had his back. "There's no place for the likes of you in this world!"

My heart shattered at his cold words. It shattered beyond repair. I swear I heard the pieces fell to a dark pit. "But—mama was one of us. She was a Rein, too,"

He gave me a sinister smile that sent shivers down my spine. "Who do you think killed her?"

With nothing but anger controlling me, I jumped up with a shriek even before anyone could notice my actions. I landed on my dad and we both rolled to the snow. His soldiers followed our movements but they couldn't dare to shoot in fear of hitting him.

The other soldiers have moved on my friends and the sound of war dominated the air.

My dad tried to push me off of him but I held on tight as I fought with him over his gun. None was willing to lose. Fury clouded my eyes and all I could see was blood. I couldn't believe the man I have trusted the most was the one who'd betrayed me the hardest.

With a shriek, I took his gun away from him, and as I pointed the cold metal to his forehead. Fear was obvious in his eyes and I couldn't find the humanity in me. All there was at the moment was a monster that wanted revenge.

But when I looked in his eyes, I saw all the good memories I had with him and I hesitated. That one mistake almost cost me my life when I felt a sharp pain in my side. My hand flew to it and I could feel my palm soak with something I know was not water.