Alphas War

Chapter 11

"Rick," I growled, scrunching the scrap of paper in my hand and tossing it into the dirt. My eyes flashed a bright yellow colour as I snarled and stamped it into the ground.

I spun on my heels and marched across the ground back towards the town centre. "Rick?" Chris questioned from behind me. "I thought this wasn't his style?"

"It's not," I snapped, not bothering to turn around and instead, storming ahead of him.

"So... what? He has changed tactics?"

"Yep. He knew fighting wasn't going to work. He needed me alive and I wanted him dead, it wasn't a fair fight," I grumbled, shaking my head.

"Okay?"

"So he has changed the damn game," I hissed. I kicked at the ground, scuffing my trainers before whirling around to face him. "If he has Zach and Liam, he has something to exchange for my alliance."

Realisation flooded Chris' face. "Them in exchange for you," he growled, nodding in understanding while his face twisted into a snarl.

I turned and continued through the town. "Exactly!"

"You're not going to just comply though... are you?" He suddenly asked, instantly at my side. I ignored his questions and barged back into the house. "Ella!"

"What?" I asked, running up the stairs towards our room.

"You aren't going to do what he wants are you?" He repeated, on my tail and I sighed.

I shook my head. "I don't have another choice."

"No way! Zach would never let you do that so I am not going to either!" He yelled, filling the doorway with his large frame.

I turned to glare at him. "I'm not asking for permission Chris," I snapped before putting the phone to my ear. "Where the hell are they?" I yelled as soon as someone picked up.

"I have no idea what you mean," Ricks menacing voice taunted from the other end.

"Save the theatrics, tell me the terms," I demanded.

"I will tell you where they are once you agree to hand yourself over and do everything I ask," he stated simply and I growled.

I opened my mouth to answer but before I could get a sound out, the phone was snatched from my hand and Chris ended the call.

I shot him a look and he frowned. "They would both kill me, I don't even want to think about your father and all your friends." He shuddered and I rolled my eyes.

"He would do it for me," I stated and he hesitated.

"True, and you wouldn't want him to," he countered.

"And that would never stop him! I have had this same argument with him more times than I can count but he will never stop protecting me and I will never stop protecting him so give me the phone before I get really mad." I raised my eyebrows in warning.

"I can't Ella. We will get them back another way, I promise, but I can't let you agree to all Ricks terms and hand yourself over. Zach would never let you," he said, shaking his head.

I snarled at the oldest Thorn brother, fury flowing through my veins. My fangs pressed through my gums and were bared to him and claws sprouted from my fingers.

He backed away while I struggled to regain control of my anger. My mind was filled with worry for Zach and Liam and frustration for Rick.

"I'm sorry," Chris said softly and guilt flooded me.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm not mad at you, I just want them back." I sighed and dropped onto the bed. "Do you have some sort of plan or..?"

He bit his lip and shook his head and I huffed. "I need to call Ryder," I said, holding out my hand for my phone. When he hesitated, I sighed. "Fine, then you call him."

Less than half an hour later, we were all standing around the desk in my office, trying to form some sort of plan. "Don't you think I should call your dad?" Chris asked and I shook my head immediately.

"No way, he will just get angry and waste our time," I grumbled before turning back to my best friend. "Any ideas?"

Ryder shook his head. "Not yet, but we need to know where they are."

"Rick said he would give me the location when I agreed to hand myself over," I told him and he grumbled.

"So why don't you?" Caroline suggested from towards the back of the group. She stepped forward and raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you agree to do whatever he asks and then we all go and attack?"

"He is smart enough to see that coming," I said, shaking my head. "He will have all of his guys there waiting for an attack, I can't risk Zach and Liam being hurt because I went against him."

"We need a distraction then, something to lure away his guys so we can attack," Liv said, shrugging her shoulders as though this was boring her.

"What kind of distraction?" Ryder asked her and again, she shrugged.

"What if I was the distraction?" I suggested, glancing between them. "I offer myself over and then when they think I came alone, you guys attack or get the guys."

"Thats not a distraction! That's bait!" My fathers voice bellowed from the doorway and I turned to see him glaring at me. "And there is absolutely no way!"

I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed. "What are you doing here?"

Out the corner of my eye, I saw Chris take a step backwards and I turned to glare at him. "Sorry-." He held up his hands. "-I know you said not to but... well I figured you might suggest something stupid."

My glare intensified and he shot me a guilty look before I turned back to my father. "If I'm not the distraction then what exactly do you suggest?" I asked him, frowning.

"You do nothing," he stated with a shrug and I snarled, sending powerful waves of dominance crashing over him.

"What!" I roared, snapping my bared teeth at him.

"Don't throw a tantrum like a cub Ella!" He growled right back, only increasing my anger. "I will not allow you to be bait for Rick."

"Well I will not allow him to kill my fiancé and his brother! This is Zach we are talking about, I will do whatever it takes and I do not recommend standing in my way!" I snapped before turning my back to him. "I can distract them... but you guys won't get close without being smelt."

"Blake? What can overpower our scents?" Ryder asked, looking at our smartest friend.

Blake frowned. "Blood," he said and I sighed.

"So we need a fight," I grumbled.

"Not a chance!" My dad snarled and I shot him a glare.

"I don't need your permission!"

"Okay!" Chris stepped between the two of us and held up his hands. "Look, leaving them is not an option and neither is handing Ella over so we need to think of a plan that gets the guys out and keeps El safe and arguing isn't getting us anywhere so knock it off," he demanded, glaring between me and my father until we nodded in agreement.