“Here we are,” the social worker said in a horribly fake cheerful voice as she opened the door to a small break room. “We can all have a nice little rest in here. Would you like a snack, Danny?”
He glared back up at her, scowling beneath his tousled blond hair. “No. I wanna go back to Mr. Griff.”
The security guard rolled his eyes, shoving Danny forward. “Get in, kid. An alpha challenge is no place for you.”
John pulled Hayley into the room too, though he had to duck to get through the doorway. Letting go of her arm at last, he shut the door quietly behind the five of them. Catching her eye, he put one finger over his lips.
The social worker and the security guard were still arguing with Danny. John loomed over them, one enormous hand falling onto each of their shoulders.
“My sincere apologies,” he said. With one quick, sharp motion, he banged their heads together.
“John!” Hayley exclaimed in shock, as the social worker and the security guard fell into limp heaps. “What-”
“My oath-brother has charged me with your protection,” John interrupted. He opened the door again, casting a quick glance either way down the corridor before motioning them to follow him. “I will get you to safety. Hurry. He cannot buy us much time.”
Hayley sucked in her breath as she realized Griff’s plan. She grabbed Danny’s hand. “Come on, baby. Sir John’s taking us on an adventure.”
“Is Mr. Griff coming too?” Danny asked hopefully, trotting along at her side. “Is he going to meet us later?”
Hayley couldn’t bring herself to answer him. Somewhere behind them, Griff was fighting for his life, for their lives. Every step away from him felt like a noose tightening around her throat.
I have to get Danny away. But…I can’t leave Griff.
Her head said one thing, and her heart screamed another. She felt as trapped between them as Griff did with his two animals. The conflicting instincts tore at her soul until she couldn’t bear it any longer.
“I can’t,” she burst out, balking in the middle of the street outside the courthouse. “I can’t leave him.”
John sang a low, agonized chord. “We must. You must. He is doing this for you. Do not waste his sacrifice.”
“I won’t.” Dropping to one knee, she took Danny
’s shoulders, looking him straight in the eye. “Danny, you have to go with Sir John now. Do exactly what he says, understand?”
“Are you going back for Mr. Griff?” At her nod, a smile broke through Danny’s worried expression. “Good. The pride is supposed to stick up for the alpha, just like he does for the pride.”
Hayley hugged him, hard. “I will find you. I promise, I’ll find you.”
“And I too swear that you shall,” John said to her, as she released Danny. “I will take your son to safety, and then return for you. There is no stone, no wall, no prison ever built that can withstand my kind. I will keep my oath.”
Hayley staggered as an abrupt, burning pain lanced through her chest. Somehow she knew, knew that it was Griff’s pain that she was feeling. He’d been mortally wounded.
He needed her. Now.
Without another word, she ran back into the building. She’d dressed up for the trial in her nicest shoes, but now the heels hobbled her. She kicked them off carelessly, her feet slipping on the polished floor as she raced down the corridor.
Another lash of agony twisted her guts. The hallways seemed to stretch endlessly before her, like a bad dream. She charged past a couple of confused security guards, heedless of their shouts. Up ahead, she could hear other noises—bestial snarls and shrieks of rage. The sounds of battle drew her like a magnet.
She didn’t know what she could do to help. She didn’t know if there was anything she could do to help. She just knew that she couldn’t leave her mate to die alone.
She burst back into the courtroom, just as an almighty crash rattled the walls. A scene out of a nightmare met her horrified eyes.
The protective barriers that formed the arena had seemed so thick and sturdy, but now two of them were overturned. Griff lay unmoving in the wreckage, broken and bleeding. A wide crimson smear marked his trail, showing where Reiner had thrown him straight through the arena wall.
Witnesses screamed, fleeing higher up the tiered levels of the room as Reiner’s massive golden form leaped through the gap in the barriers. The lion had deep scratch marks on the side of his face, and his eyes were alight with savage rage. His tawny coat was splattered with Griff’s blood. He left red paw prints behind him as he stalked toward his fallen opponent.
Griff stirred a little, struggling to push himself up on broken limbs. Reiner roared at him, lips wrinkling back from his dripping fangs.
Griff raised his head, meeting Reiner’s glare without flinching. Despite his shattered body, he roared back, defiant, undefeated.