CHAPTER 236: CHAPTER 236 FIGHTING FOR MY MATE

Caroline’s POV

No. I couldn’t let Howard kill Draven. I had to be strong for my children and my mate. The silver bullets burning through my legs and stomach made every movement excruciating, but I refused to give up.

"Rory, do you have any strength left?" I asked my wolf through our weakened connection.

"Barely," Rory replied weakly, her voice faint. "But enough to try. We can’t let him hurt our mate."

I closed my eyes and focused on partially shifting just my hands. My fingernails elongated into claws, and I bit down hard on my lower lip to keep from crying out as the silver coursed through my system,resisting the transformation.

With my heightened hearing, I could still hear Howard forcing Draven toward his office.

Working quickly, I began sawing through the ropes binding my wrists.

Every movement sent waves of agony through my bullet wounds, but I channeled all my fear and love into determination.

"Hold on, Draven," I thought desperately. "Just hold on."

When the ropes finally snapped, I immediately reached for my leg wound. The silver bullet had to come out or I’d never heal properly.

Taking a deep breath, I plunged my fingers into the wound and nearly passed out from the pain.

"Don’t scream," Rory urged. "Howard will hear you."

I knew it. I clenched my jaw, sensing the bullets embedded deep in my flesh.

Blood poured between my fingers as I dug deeper, probing for the bullet.

When I finally felt the hard metal, I gripped it and pulled. The bullet came out with a sickening squelch, and I had to stuff my fist in my mouth to muffle my cry of pain.

I repeated the process with my other leg and then my stomach, each extraction leaving me gasping silently, tears streaming down my face. But with each bullet removed, I could feel Rory growing marginally stronger.

"Mabel," I mind-linked to her where she sat tied up nearby. "I’m going to get you free."

I dragged myself across the floor toward her, my movements clumsy but determined. After I loosened her restraints, she looked at me with shock and fear written all over her face.

"There’s a gun in my bedroom nightstand," I mind-linked to her. "Top drawer. Can you get it without being seen?"

She nodded quickly and slipped away, moving silently up the stairs.

Just then, I sensed another presence and tensed, ready to defend myself.

The pack house security head, Mathias, entered the living room cautiously.

I received his mind-link and immediately connected.

"Luna Caroline, don’t make a sound."

I stared at him in shock.

"Draven ordered everyone to leave. Why are you still here?" I replied, confused and hopeful.

"Alpha Draven alerted me the moment he saw Howard hurt you," Mathias explained, his expression grim. "I must apologize, Luna Caroline. It was my failure that allowed him access to the house."

"I don’t know how he got in, but we’ll solve this. Please, get out of the pack house quietly, without making any sound, and look after the children. My men will protect you. The investigators from the Alpha Council are on their way."

"I won’t leave when Draven’s life is hanging by a thread. Howard is going to kill him." I was desperate.

"I promise you, Luna Caroline, he won’t. But please, I need you all to stay safe. I won’t fail again." Mathias helped me stand up.

"I am the Luna, and you must listen to me. I’m telling you I won’t leave without Draven."

Mathias bowed his head in respect. "I’m sorry, Luna Caroline. I understand."

The nanny Howard had held at gunpoint spoke up in barely a whisper, "Luna Caroline, it was my fault. Howard injected me with something that made my wolf sleep, then put a gun to my head in my car. I’m so sorry."

"Forgive me, I should have let him kill me."

"It wasn’t your fault," I assured her softly. "None of us could have predicted this."

"I need to check on my children," I said, struggling to walk despite the burning pain in my legs and abdomen.

The nanny supported me, and I made my way upstairs to the nursery.

When I pushed open the door, my heart nearly broke at what I saw.

Liam was wide awake, sitting protectively between the cribs of his four younger siblings, his little face tense with worry.

"Mommy?" he whispered when he saw me, his eyes growing huge. "Are there bad people? I heard loud noises."

His innocent eyes dropped to my blood-soaked clothes, and he gasped in horror. "You’re hurt!"

I knelt beside him, ignoring the pain that shot through my healing wounds.

"I’m okay, baby. The bad man hurt me, but I’m already getting better."

I pulled him into my arms, feeling his little body trembling against mine. After his kidnapping experience, I knew this was triggering his trauma all over again.

"Is Daddy okay?" he asked, his voice small and frightened.

"Daddy is very strong," I told him, stroking his hair. "And I’m going to help him. But I need you to stay here and be brave for your brothers and sisters. Can you do that for me?"

He nodded solemnly, and I kissed his forehead.

Mabel appeared at the doorway, the gun from my nightstand in her hand. She handed it to me discreetly.

"Stay with the children," I instructed her and the other nanny. "Keep them safe no matter what happens."

With the gun tucked into the waistband of my pants, hidden beneath my shirt, I made my way back downstairs,each step deliberate despite the lingering pain.

My mind raced with possibilities for saving Draven. The silver was slowly leaving my system, and I could feel my strength returning bit by bit, but I knew I’d be no match for Howard in a direct confrontation.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I heard footsteps at the front door.