Dark Shadow (Book 1 in the Original DARKNESS Duology) ✔

Forty: Madilynn's Return

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I could hear my family behind me as I was sprinting down the stairs and out of the house. They were calling in panic for me to stop, but I couldn't! Not when I knew that Carmel was in danger!

I jumped off the porch, stumbling when I landed. Panting, I pushed off my feet and back into a sprint, running the long paths of the pack. The grassy hills were dewy and I slipped a few times but pushed myself back up to hurry. Even if there were pack members staring as I ran past them, I couldn't care. 

The alpha homes were about two yards away when I climbed over the hill. I slipped again on the wet grass but caught myself. 

"Ridge!" I gasped, panting while running past startled pack members. "Ridge!"

I suddenly saw Eden walking with her parents and she went wide-eyed, dropping the large basket of vegetables she had in her arms. She frowned, shoving her dad's hand off her and ran over to me. 

"Gigi! Gigi, are you alright?!" Eden looked me over. She swallowed, apologizing for not seeing me any sooner than now because her parents kept her from leaving the house without them. 

I shook my head, out of breath and gasped in between that I needed to see Ridge! That I needed to warn him! Eden's eyes widened, frowning as she warned that was asking for trouble. She was shaking her head again, urging me to not go to the alpha's house.

I groaned in frustration, yelling at her that I didn't care if it was asking for trouble.

"Everyone is going to be in trouble if I don't warn Ridge about what's coming!"

"What are you talking about?" Eden frowned.

Shaking my head, I ran around her; telling her that I was losing time.

"Gigi! Wait!"

Looking over my shoulder, I spotted my family having caught up and so I had to pick up speed. If they caught up to me, they'd haul me back to the house for sure. I knew they would try to protect me but I couldn't imagine being safe and sound when my pack was walking around with a rage-filled she-wolf coming for them. My determination was to make sure the humans residing in Carmel were evacuated before Madilynn's army showed up.

"Ridge!" I panted out in a scream, running up the steps and slammed my hand on the door over and over. I shouted for Ridge to open up. "Please! Please, Ridge, open up! It's an emergency!"

The door swung open and I stepped back a bit. My heavy panting and wide-eyed look didn't deter Molly any. She pursed her lips, lifting her chin and blocked the doorway. Her brow rose, eyeing me up and down before crossing her arms. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Molly demanded. "You're not allowed anywhere near us alphas."

I swallowed, frowning that it was important and that I needed to speak with Ridge.  

"Ha! Like that's gonna happen!" Molly scoffed, scrunching her nose. "Why would I let my mate anywhere around the likes of you? For all I know, you'll try to steal him from me again!"

I realized Molly was going to make this a lot more difficult for me. She rather stand here and bicker over stupid childish things like a boy when there was so much more important things to worry about! 

When I told her that this was so much more urgent than our issues because of the lives at stake, Molly rolled her eyes, scoffing that her life as Alpha Female was at stake. I frowned, wide-eyed. Molly stuck her nose in the air, warning me that I wasn't going anywhere near Ridge because he was hers again. And that she wasn't going to let me take what she wanted.