Saving Bennett Reid (Book 3)

The Mole (Part 4)

(Bennett)

You would think all of my darkest experiences would have been preparation enough, toughening me to stand firm no matter what life throws at me.

Turns out, I'd been wrong.

No matter how many terrible things I'd witnessed and lived through up until this point, it would never ebb the shock of seeing a loved one gunned down out in public.

The scream that left my mouth could have caused a vocal fold haemorrhage, and possibly rouse the dead, everything else becoming dulled away into a sharp, buzzing frequency sound that rang ever so loudly. I stood rooted to my spot, eyes wide and my heart thundering against my ribcage as something inside me snapped like a rubber band.

It was hard to ignore the shock on my grandfather's face that quickly melted into a pained expression as the envelope he carried, slipped from his grasp and toppled to the ground where he followed a heartbeat later, dropping to the ground faster than I could blink.

Screams erupted around me, the sound of shattering glass still echoing in the recesses of my mind.

Or was it my heart shattering all over again?

I couldn't be sure.

Driven by the need to assess his wounds and ensure the bullet hadn't hit anywhere vital or life-threatening, I sprang into action jolting forward with the intention to get to him. My safety wasn't a priority, nor was seeking out the gunman. But as I started moving around the front of Carter's Silverado, a strong grip pulled me back by the elbow.

I was pull down at the front of the Silverado and tucked against a broad chest, arms covering me and acting as a shield in case I was also a target on the gunman's scope.

It was sniper. There was no doubt about it. I'd barely registered the sound of the bullet zipping through the air, but the clean shot came from a distance away.

"Let go!"

Lunging forward with the intention to crawl over to my grandfather who lay helplessly on the ground, blood pooling around his midsection, I recognized the exit wound all the way at the front of his torso. I didn't need a medical expert to tell me that the sniper's bullet had hit his spine quite possibly damaging a few organs on its way out.

"Bennett!" I was pulled back once more. "Are you crazy?" Carter scolded. I barely paid him mind as tears of frustration had already begun forming, brimming my eyes. I didn't give a damn that the sniper could hit me too. My grandfather was bleeding out less than two feet away from me!

"Let me go! Get off!" I shouted, adrenaline pumping through my veins and sending me into a mad frenzy as I pushed him off. Ignoring the screams and confusion around me, I locked eyes with my grandfather taking note of the silent resignation in his brown eyes.

No!

This can't be it! Tell me he hasn't given up so easily!

My grandfather barely managed a gesture, and my gaze followed to where he was pointing at the envelop that laid near the front tyre of the Silverado. I shook my head, refusing to allow him to give up that easily.

This was the same man who had never once given up on me. He pushed and pushed until he saw that I was getting better. He pushed and shaped me into the elite pack warrior I am today, and if I left him...if I left him to die like this, my conscious would never allow me a moment's rest.

I still had the time to save him. If only I could shrug Carter off and get to my grandfather, I could pull him to safety and out of the open.

Shoving Carter's grip off of my arm, I shut my eyes for a heartbeat sending a desperate plea to the goddess that she watched over us. That she ensured another bullet wasn't fired or that I suffered a bullet wound to the head.