HUNTED

As soon as those words were shouted out by Aila's bodyguard, she was instantly pulled into young Aila's body and looking through her eyes as the world around her materialised completely. Dam Dam ran back to Aila and grabbed her hand, instantly pulling her forwards as her guard ran behind them. Five more guards arrived, two of them being Dam Dam's guards; they circled the children protectively, leading them back inside the mansion.

Aila and Dam Dam ducked after hearing gunshots firing nearby; the guards looked around before urging them forwards once more. Aila's heart pounded in her chest, and she squeezed tightly onto Dam Dam's hand. The pack was under attack; she hoped her parents were okay. They had never been attacked at home before. Whoever they were, they were persistent, and it scared her. What were they after?

The group rushed up the stairs and towards her parent's bedroom. There Aila broke free from Dam Dam's grasp and ran straight into her mother's open arms. Alexandra was so radiant as she beamed down at her daughter, the relief apparent on her stunning features. Aila clung onto her before pulling back, panic-stricken searching for her father.

Titan clasped his hand atop his wife's shoulder, squeezing as he gazed into her eyes, "Take them to the library. That's an order, Lexa," He said sternly, yet his gruff voice was full of warmth. "They are after you and Aila."

"Come with us," Her mother whispered, though her face betrayed how she already knew his answer.

"The pack needs protecting," Titan kissed her quickly before reaching down and picking Aila up, squeezing her to the point she could not breathe. But she did not mind; instead, she squeezed as hard as she could, listening to the pounding of his heart, and feeling the warmth and love from his embrace.

Her father pulled back and peered at her face. His green-brown eyes are full of concern as he looked at her. "I need you to be a good girl and follow orders. Do you think you can do that for me?" He asked her, though there was a slight edge of authority in his voice, which Malia immediately bowed to. Whether he was her father or not, he was her Alpha first. His tone showed the severity of the situation, and so Aila nodded her head in response.

"Be brave, be strong," Titan kissed her head and placed her on the ground. Her father gestured for Dam Dam to come forwards, and the young prince bowed his head in respect. Aila stared at him, wanting to stay in his arms, but she felt the urgency and tension in the atmosphere and stayed put.

"Take care of her. Do not leave her side and protect her no matter what," Titan clasped his hand on Dam Dam's shoulder, staring at him with an intensity that could make others break into a sweat.

"You can count on me," Dam Dam nodded his head.

Titan squeezed his shoulder, "I know I can, son." He dropped his hand and turned away and added, "I have alerted your pack. They are on their way."

With that last statement, Titan rushed past them and jumped down from the balcony. Aila felt a sudden pang in her chest; what if something goes wrong? No, no, she shook her head. Her dad was the strongest man she knew; even others raved about his strength. Nobody could take him on! With her mind set, she reached out to her mum's hand and looked up at her, "Why are we going to the library?" She asked curiously.

Alexandra smiled gently at her as she started to lead the way. The guards rushed ahead while the Luna held onto the two children's hands. "It is the safest place for us to be, darling," Her mother responded. Her voice was gentle and soothing, but Aila could see the worry behind her eyes.

Aila blinked as her hand fell out of her mother's grasp. She whipped her head back and watched as Alexandra's eyes filled with tears, and she brought her hands up to her mouth, covering a sob. "Titan!?"

"Mumma!" Aila clung onto her legs, "Don't cry, what's wrong!?"

"Luna! They've made it into the packhouse!"

Gunshots rang inside the house. Aila could hear their footsteps rushing up the stairs from where they stood, and she clung to her mother even more. Her eyes met Dam Dam's, who was still waiting for his wolf, so he could only observe how everyone else reacted. His lips pressed together at the frightened look on Aila's face, and he looked up to the Luna for guidance.

More pack members arrived, some covered in wounds but not injured enough, unable to protect them. Alexandra wiped her eyes swiftly and turned her back on the way they were going, pulling the children once again with her. Aila clambered after her as Alexandra spoke over her shoulder to everyone. "We will go back to my room. And exit the grounds via the right side of the woods."

Alexandra swung open the door and raced toward the balcony, pulling Aila with her. Just as she reached down to pick Aila up, a gunshot went off, and blood splattered across Aila's head.

"Get down!" A guard from behind yelled at the kids.

But Aila, who could not be seen because of the balcony wall's height, stared up at her mother, who was bleeding from her chest. Alexandra bent down and covered Aila and Dam Dam's heads, staggering forwards in a crouch until they were back in the room.

"Lexa, they're on this floor.." One of the women warriors whispered.

Dam Dam reached out and clasped Aila's hand. She did not realise how much she was trembling until she saw her hand shaking. Her eyes met Dam Dam's briefly before looking at her mother's wound once more. It wasn't healing. Why wasn't it healing?!

"I think.. I think it's made from silver?" Malia whispered in her mind, her voice was shaking, but she tried to stay strong for Aila. She could hear her wolf's thoughts at trying to remain calm to help Aila through such a horrific event. Aila's forehead creased, and a tear fell from her eye as she looked up at her mother's tear-stained face; she looked lost until her head whipped to the side after more gunshots went off.

"Titan!"

Aila's father had jumped up onto the balcony, his tanned body on show, but what was truly scary to little Aila were the many wounds covering his body. Blood was trickling out of bullet holes, and he collapsed into her mother's outstretched hands. Dam Dam pulled Aila away as her mother clasped onto his hands and closed her eyes. Aila blinked her eyes in shock as she seemed to be watching magic flow from her mother's hands and into her fathers.

"No! They're coming. There's no time. Take the kids, Lexa," Titan unclasped her hands, stopping the spell and caressed Alexandra's face, staring lovingly into her eyes. "Get away from here, my love."

Aila realised her father was saying a final goodbye. He was…dying. She ripped her body out of Dam Dam's hold and rushed to her dad's side. 

"Dad… Daaad, you can't leave us.." Aila began to sob; her arms were around his neck, her hair falling atop his bloodied chest.

"Shhh, it's okay.. The Moon Goddess will guide me to somewhere nice.." He whispered gently. "My girls," He pulled his wife and daughter into him, kissing both their heads with the last of his energy, "I love you.. dearly.." He sputtered, and his arms slid away from them, and Aila pulled back, staring into her dad's eyes, tears falling from her face and onto his.

Aila could not hear anything else but saw her vision go blurry, and she felt disorientated as she was pulled away and carried back towards the balcony, but bullets flew past her head, and she was taken back inside. Aila squeezed her eyes shut after seeing her dad's body still on the ground, she did not realise she was sobbing so loudly until a hand was clasped over it, and she was placed back on the ground.

"Aila!" Malia sobbed, "We.. we need to be quiet.." Her wolf sniffled, "They're coming.."

"There's too many of them!" Aila heard another pack member shout.

"Stay in here, do NOT come out. No matter what! Damon.. remember what I told you," Her mother's panic-stricken face was all Aila could see. She kissed her on the forehead and brushed her hair away, "So beautiful." And with those last words, she disappeared, and Aila was pulled back into Dam Dam's arms. She struggled against him, ready to break free and go after her mother, but he held onto her tightly.

"Aila.. Come on. I know it's hard not doing anything, but your mum said to stay here. Follow her orders, please," Dam Dam's desperate plea in her ear was what made her slump down. It was then she realised they were in the walk-in wardrobe.

Her head dropped down, and she slowly sunk to the floor. Dam Dam, too, slid down with her, his arm around her shoulders now comfortingly, with his guard up as he rubbed her shoulder gently. She felt cold; even with Dam Dam's heat, she couldn't shake off the feeling that her mother was next to go. Aila looked at her friend. Were they next?

He seemed to know what she was thinking and shook his head, "We'll be fine. I've got you," Dam Dam whispered and squeezed her shoulder. Aila gulped and nodded her head. That's right, they had each other.

The pair jumped on the spot as more gunshots went off, this time from inside the room. Aila rushed towards the doors too quickly for Dam Dam to grab hold of her. But she stopped in front of them just in time for the prince to catch up to her, he grabbed her and shook his head, yet she still slid the door open. There was only a gap wide enough for them to look through.

Bodies were lying on the ground, and men dressed in black holding guns fled the scene, leaving two people in the room. Her mother, who looked even worse than before with blood trickling down her stomach, and a man with slicked-back blonde hair.