Chapter 20

Ella POV

My mother was the first to realize what was really happening. She very softly whispered into my ear, "Ella, stay calm. We're being kidnapped."

I stared at her in shock, trying to make sense of her words. When I looked out the window, I could see that she was right. We were being taken north, and it was clear that the driver had no intention of bringing us home.

My heart began to race. I had no idea who could be doing this or what they might aim to gain other than money. After all, kidnapping the Luna and her daughter could only make sense if it was committed for revenge or ransom.

"What are you whispering about?" Amanda asked. She had been acting strangely since the moment we left the dress shop. She didn’t seem phased by the fact that we were going the wrong way. I knew that she must realize it because she was looking out the window most of the time.

I wasn't sure what to say to her. I wasn’t sure how she would react to the situation and I didn’t want her to make things worse.

"There's nothing to worry about," my mother assured her.

Amanda crossed her arms over her chest and turned to look out the window. "Whatever," she muttered moodily.

My first instinct was to call someone for help, either my father or Alexander, but before I could even reach for my phone, the car abruptly veered off the road and came to a sudden stop.

"What the heck?" Amanda demanded.

The driver quickly jumped out of the car, and the doors opened around us. Several other men appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

We were all dragged out of the car and thrown down into the dirt. Amanda started to yell, but my mother told her to shut up. Her behavior made no sense in this situation. Amanda was a coward unless she thought she had the upper hand.

I focused on my breathing and tried to keep myself calm, just as my mother was doing. Our arms were tied behind our backs, and we were blindfolded. It was terrifying, but I knew that if we gave them too much trouble, they would hurt us.

Once we were all tied up and the blindfolds were secured, the men threw us back into the car and got in alongside us. I don't know how much longer we drove after that, but it felt like forever. None of the men said a word during all that time.

Eventually, the car came to a slow stop, and we were dragged out. I didn't say anything or try to resist. I don't think any of us did because I couldn't hear any scuffling or angry words aimed at us. I was pushed down onto a hard wooden chair, and my hands were then tied to it.

"Have you made the call yet?" a gruff male voice asked.

"No, we had to make sure we got him here first," another replied.

"So make the call," the first voice ordered.

I listened closely, wanting to hear as much detail as I could, hoping to piece together what was going on and what we could do about it. I heard one of the men walk off to the side, then the sound of a phone ringing.

After a few seconds, it was answered by a familiar voice.

"Hello?" David said.

My heart went cold at the sound of his voice.

"Alpha Rowan?" the kidnapper asked.

"No, this is David of the Lunar Lake pack. Who is this?"

"That works too," the kidnapper replied. "Listen, we've got your fiancée and her mother."

"What do you mean you have Ella?" David asked.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" the man replied in an irritated voice. "We've kidnapped her, and if you want her back, it's going to cost you."

"How do I know what you're saying is true?" David asked.

"We're sending photos," the kidnapper replied. "You should be receiving them on your cell phone right now."

There was a long pause. "What's your price?" David finally asked.

The kidnapper's voice faded as he walked further away from us. I felt sick to my stomach. The man who I knew was planning my murder was now being asked to save my life.

The only reason I had any hope at all that he might do it was because Amanda was with us. Otherwise, I had no doubt that David would let us die.

How did this happen? The day had been going so well, and it had taken such a drastic turn that it was hard to believe this was real and not just a nightmare. But the ropes digging painfully into my wrists assured me that this was no dream.

My mother was so calm, and I tried to make her proud by staying as calm as I could. It wasn’t easy under these circumstances, but I was sure I was doing better than Amanda. I could hear her heavy, frightened breathing nearby, and I knew she was panicking.

Several minutes passed with almost no sound, then the kidnappers started to speak to each other again.

"I gave him the drop points," one of them said. "He'll be bringing the money."

"And our people are in place?" the one who seemed to be the leader asked.

"They're ready for it," was the reply.

"Good. Then all we have to do is wait," the leader said.

The sound of chairs scraping nearby told me they were sitting down, followed by their quiet chatter and the smell of cigarette smoke.

It seemed they were going to leave us alone as they waited, which was a relief. If David really had agreed to pay the ransom, then maybe we would get out of this unharmed. It was the best-case scenario, really.

But the longer we waited, the more afraid I became, and the more agitated the kidnappers grew.

"What is taking so long?" the leader demanded. "Call our guys at the drop point. I want an update."

"Yes, sir," one of the men said. After a few moments of hushed speaking into the phone, I heard a hand collide heavily with the wooden table. The sound startled me so much that I jumped in my seat.

"He didn't show," the man said, his voice tight with frustration. "That bum stood us up."

"Does he think this is a joke?" the boss asked angrily. The sound of a chair scraping back was followed by the sound of footsteps approaching us. "If that's the case, we'll just have to show him we mean business. A little blood usually does the trick."

“What does that mean?” Amanda asked. There was an odd tone to her voice, like she was honestly curious and not afraid.

“We’ll need to hurt one of you,” the man replied. “That way, he knows not to take us so lightly.”

“Don’t hurt me! Ella is his fiance,” Amanda cried out. “David would be most worried about her!”

I felt a rough hand grip my chin tightly, and then something cold pressed against my cheek. "We'll see how he likes your pretty face after I drag my knife across it," the man sneered.

My heart was hammering, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. "Please don't," I said as calmly as I could. "Hurting me will do nothing to get a reaction from him."

"Is this the part where you try to convince me that you two broke up?" the leader asked sarcastically. "Save your breath, princess."

I felt the blade press into my cheek, and then a wet trickle of blood slid downward. I hissed in pain but did my best not to move, terrified that any sudden motion might cause him to cut me worse.

I clenched my teeth and braced myself, waiting for the slash that seemed inevitable.

"That's enough!" a deep voice boomed from nearby. The entire room fell silent.

There was something familiar about that voice, though I couldn't immediately place it. But I knew for certain that I had heard it before.

"You," the leader said, his tone suddenly uncertain. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same question," the voice replied angrily. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing in my territory?"