Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 365

#Chapter 365 – Assault

Ella

As the startled men hurry out of the conference room, Henry turns to Cora and I, looking at us with a grim expression as we stare at him in terror.

“I have made a grave miscalculation,” he informs us with a steady, regretful nod. “I am sorry, girls – I have failed you – ”

“Wha- what?” I gasp, holding my baby tight. “Henry – what are you talking about?”

“It was a trap,” he says, looking towards the door, where we can still hear the banging – increased in pace now – as well as shouts, the beginning of screams –

“A trap?” Cora asks, turning towards the door herself.

“They knew,” he says, and I’m still staring at Henry as he shakes his head. “They must followed us back here after the sewer and then bided their time, waiting for the bulk of our forces – and our most powerful wolves – to leave before they attacked. Damn it!” he shouts, slamming a frustrated hand against the arm of his chair. “I was a fool, to leave you and the child unguarded!”

“Oh my god,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I try to wrack my brain for something – anything to do next –

“Come,” Henry says, pulling himself together and rolling quickly to the corner of the room. There, he points to the edge of the carpet. “Cora,” he orders. “Pull that up.”

Cora does as he says, instantly falling to her knees and digging her hands into the corner of the carpet, getting her fingers beneath and pulling as hard as she can. I can’t help my surprise when I see what is revealed when she pulls enough of it back.

A trap door.

“Open it,” Henry snaps, and Cora does so, lifting the little latch and swinging the door up to reveal a very thin winding staircase that leads down, down, down.

“Go,” Henry orders, not looking to us and nodding towards it.

“Henry,” I protest, shaking my head. ” We can’t leave you.”

Sudden screams start to burst out from the hallway, making me jump. And then my face drops in horror as I hear gunfire as well.

“You will go, Ella,” Henry growls, wrapping his hand around my arm and shoving me towards the passage. “Go down. Keep going. At the bottom is a tunnel, and at the end of it, a car. God willing it is in good repair. You must run as far and as fast as you can.”

Then he takes his phone out of the pocket of his chair and presses it into my hand. “Tell them what happened as soon as you are out. But don’t tell them where you are until you get to a different phone. Who knows – ”

He sighs, and puts his head in his hands, and I can see his shoulders shaking. “There’s not enough time.”

The noise in the hall grows louder and my breath comes faster as I realize what we have to do.

“All right,” I say, nodding to Cora and then swooping down to kiss Henry on the cheek. “Henry, we love you. We’ll – we’ll come back for you.”

“Don’t,” he says, his eyes only on Rafe now, who squalls unhappily in my arms at all the noise. “Take the baby – take yourselves. Get safe girls. I love you too.”

And then Cora and I are moving, my heart wrenching to leave him – to leave him like this –

Cora goes down the twisting stair first and I follow quickly after, reaching out to hand her the phone so that she can light our way and the baby carrier so I can balance Rafe more safely in my arms. After Cora takes these supplies, I turn my face upwards to say a last word to Henry –

But the door snaps shut above me, leaving me in darkness.