The final challenge is what filled my very being with dread. I knew the moment Rex stepped into the Dome, we'd made the biggest mistake of our life.
*YIELD!* I mind-link Rex.
*Gin, I know you're worried but -*
*No time to explain. Do it NOW!*
An ear splitting shatter echoed around me. The bullet pierced the Dome and missed Rex by an inch. The door was already closed but they both made their way to the door. Indicum got there first, it was locked.
Indicum yelled something while banging against the door. Rex shifted and went barreling toward him. Indicum moved out of the way as Rex rammed the door.
Before I knew what I was doing, I was at the door's entrance. Vulpes was nowhere in sight. Once the bullets started flying, the wolves in the stands scattered like leaves in the wind.
*Turn human!* I tell Rex and he obeys.
Another bullet missed him.
*Get out of here!* Rex shouts through the link. *I love you Regina. Keep our child safe.*
*All pack members converge on my location. Take the sniper out.*
I could see Rex tell Indicum the command I'd given the pack. My hand pressed against the Dome in helplessness. Rex put his hand up to mine briefly before stepping away.
*GO!* He commanded.
We only brought around 30 members but they all were there within minutes. While they searched to stop the shots, Indicum and Rex dodged them in naked human form. They were coming from two sides and I could feel the pack splitting up to search.
I, on the other hand, followed Vulpes' scent to his chambers.
"No, they don't suspect a thing." His voice was barely a whisper but I heard it through the cracked door. "They're locked in the Dome."
I slammed the door open and pounced on Vulpes. The cellphone clattered to the ground and shattered. My hand around his throat had shifted but I hadn't - strange!
"What the fuck is going on here?" Praesul is in control and crushing his windpipe.
He smiles at me. "You'll never find the key. They'll either be killed by the firing squad or by the Dome collapsing. Whichever comes first."
"Where's the key?" Praesul snarls and I can feel her fangs piercing the skin of my lips.
She crushed his throat and gutted him.
*Gross!* I comment as she sifts through his insides for the key. She finds it successfully. *How did you know it would be there?*
*I could smell the metal on his breath.*
*Damn, you are one badass she-wolf.* I say with pride as we're running full speed back to the Dome.
As I make it back, I see both Indicum and Rex laying on the floor. Blood surrounds them.
"No! No, no, no!" I scream as I fumble with the key to unlock the Dome.
The firing has stopped but I smell something foul approaching. I swing the door open and run to Rex. You'd think I've played baseball with how I slid into him, skinning my thigh in the process.
"Basileus!" I sobbed, smoothing his matted hair from his face.
His silver blue eyes looked up at me blankly. I flung myself over his body and sobbed the most body wrenching sob I could muster. Arms engulfed me and I tried to pull away.
"Shhh. I'm okay Gin." Rex kissed my hair and I pulled back in astonishment.
"You son of a -" I punched his arm, hard.
"Ow, watch the pregnancy strength!" He chuckles, sitting up and looking around. "Let's get out of here Indicum."
Indicum stood quickly. "You don't have to tell me twice."
"What the..."
"We will explain later. Run!" Rex grabbed my arm and pulled, hard.
"My pack found one shooter." Indicum said when we slowed by the mansions.
*Alphas, we found three shooters. Two dead and one alive... ish.*
*Bring the shooter to me.* Rex seethes through the connection.
*Yes Alpha.*
"Looks like we've got a live one." Rex mutters to Indicum.
The stench of death finds me again and I convulse, emptying my stomach.
"Are you okay?" Rex grasps my shoulders and holds me upright.
"What's wrong?" Indicum comes a little closer.
"She's pregnant." Rex says as their image blurs.
I heard the cackle of three women before I collapsed. Strong arms held me close as the air rushed past. I could hear my name exhaled from his lips over and over. A mantra. A plea.
Silence fell like a curtain, shielding me from the world. My final thought was of our unborn child.