Finding Ella

Chapter 3

Run!

Ella's bare feet slipped and slid on the rocks and leaves as she raced through the forest. She could hear the men crashing through the trees behind her.

Oh God they were going to catch her!

"Ella."

Her breath sawed in and out as she tried to run, her lungs burning. She felt like she was trying to run through quicksand, her legs like lead and each step too slow. They were gaining on her; she wasn't going to make it.

"Ella!"

No matter how hard she tried to run, it wasn't fast enough. She could hear them right behind her, their footsteps pounding and their breathing harsh.

Something swiped at the back of her dress, and she screamed.

"ELLA!"

Ella's eyes flew open as she screamed again.

Wolf was leaning over her, his hands on her shoulders as he shook her awake.

Still lost in the terror of the nightmare, Ella gasped and scrambled back to the other side of the bed, slamming against the headboard. Adrenaline flooded her body, her limbs shaking and her heart thundering in her ears.

"Breathe, Ella," murmured Wolf in a low voice. "Just breathe, little one. You're safe."

He stood perfectly still, his hands by his side and his eyes locked on her. "Easy, easy, you're ok. It wasn't real."

He slowly lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed. Ella watched him with terrified eyes from the other side of the bed, keeping her distance.

Wolf made no move to come closer; he just sat quietly watching her. His intense dark eyes were impossible for her to look away from, her gaze fixed on his.

"Breathe. Take a deep breath in and let it out slowly," Wolf ordered in a quiet voice.

Ella felt herself responding to the command, taking a deep breathe in through her nose and letting it out slowly through her mouth.

"Again."

In through her nose, out through her mouth.

In, out.

Without even realising it, Ella slowly matched her breathing to Wolf's, following him.

"Good girl," he murmured, his voice deep and soft.

Ella didn't know why, but his praise made her feel warm. She instinctively seemed to follow his directions, the command in his voice and the look in his eyes making her body move before her brain could even process his words.

Eventually Ella became more aware of her surroundings, noting that the sun had gone down and the bedroom was now lit by a small lamp on the bedside table next to where Wolf sat. The warm glow and the soft colours of the room took away some of the darkness clouding her mind.

She looked towards the door and noted the other four men gathered near the doorway. They were watching her carefully, making no move to come closer and she was grateful for that. She needed space to clear her head and get her body back under control.

"You were having a nightmare; we could hear you screaming from downstairs," Ryder spoke up from across the room. "Can you tell us what it was about?"

Ella shook her head, unable to meet his eyes. She wasn't going to talk about any of it; she just couldn't take the risk. The only person she could trust was herself and it would have to stay that way because more than just her own safety was at stake. She'd made a promise, and that meant keeping her mouth shut until she could figure out how she was going to keep that promise.