One of the men turned to gaze directly at her upon hearing her call out Stella’s name. He looked at her, ‘Miguel,’ the absence of Stella’s father. She recognised that man and felt Layla snarl within her mind as he forcefully closed the door, having successfully placed Stella inside the vehicle. She felt a car, which she had inadvertently run out in front of, graze her right leg, prompting her to cry out in pain as she fell onto the road. Car horns abruptly sounded, and tires screeched in an attempt to prevent collisions with her.
She attempted to rise, faltered, and collapsed while observing the SUV as it began to depart down the street. Brianna observed Stella struggling to escape from the SUV. The child safety locks on the doors had to be engaged, permitting the doors to be opened solely from the exterior as the SUV departed.
She remained unable to rise. There was an issue with her leg, particularly her knee. A woman was now positioned directly in front of her in the centre of the street.
Reprimanding her for her foolishness in darting in front of her.
Brianna seized the woman. “Assist me, my friend has just been abducted,” she shouted at the woman, who displayed utter astonishment before providing assistance. She observed the SUV departing while leaning against the adjacent car, contemplating her next course of action.
“Nolan,” she bellowed with all her might, confident that the man’s hearing would perceive it. The woman clasped her hands over her ears. “Sorry,” Brianna apologised, then manoeuvred around her car, leaning against it to alleviate pressure on her leg.
She was aware that employing Layla to amplify her roar to full wolfen strength would likely harm the humans’ hearing, but she had no alternative; she could not pursue Stella as she was unable to walk. Consequently, sprinting at maximum velocity was unfeasible.
She veered off the road between two parked cars and felt her knee give way under her weight as she attempted to step onto the footpath, crying out in pain, as she not only fell but also landed directly on that knee, nearly screaming in agony. Struggled to contain it. Tears welled in her eyes as pain pierced her. “Layla?”She enquired of her wolf regarding her affliction.
“Knee dislocation,” she heard Layla snarl at her. She also experienced pain from it. She could not heal it independently without first repositioning it.
“I will summon an ambulance,” the woman stated to her.
Disregarded the woman and gazed down the street to ascertain whether Carlos had perceived her. She observed him approaching, sprinting towards her. Logan had been hoisted onto the man’s back to facilitate swifter movement, she conjectured.
“Stella,” she shouted, “Grey SUV, Hertz rental vehicle,” and she gestured towards the direction it had departed.
Observed his eyes widen immediately before his head pivoted as he abruptly halted to survey the road in search of her. He and his wolf could readily detect her in the vehicle if it remained visible. “Go,” she shouted at him as his gaze shifted to her and then returned to the car. It was escaping, yet he was aware of her injury. He was conflicted.
“I’m fine,” she shouted. “Go.” She fixed her gaze on him as his eyes returned to her. “Logan.” She extended her hand towards him, prompting him to leap down and sprint in her direction. Carlos departed abruptly following Stella.
“Mother?”“
“I am fine; I have dislocated my knee. Please locate my phone.” She searched for it, noting it could not be far. “It is down there,” she identified its location and indicated it with her finger. He ran a mere few meters on the footpath to retrieve it. The screen was entirely fractured, yet she could discern that the phone call remained connected to Ryder on the other end.
Stella has just been abducted’, she stated, aware that he remained on the line.
“Brianna, are you well?” We are en route. What is your precise location?”
“Where is Carlos?”She perceived the anger underlying his words and was displeased by his absence, she surmised.
“Affirmative, and in front of my establishment.”
“He and Logan went to procure beverages, as I requested,” she retorted to the man. Her pain was excruciating, and it rapidly influenced her mood. The man was irate regarding Carlos’s absence, despite the fact that he ought to have been concerned about Stella, Carlos’s mate, who had just been abducted from the street.
She observed the woman who remained standing and watching her. “I am well, proceed,” she gestured dismissively.
“It is acceptable; I will not pursue legal action, as it was my own foolish error,” Brianna conveyed through clenched teeth.
“Simply depart,”
“However, I.”
“You are wounded.”
“I have merely dislocated my knee; this occurs frequently, so there is no need for concern.” She gestured dismissively to the woman once more.
“Brianna, where is Nolan located?”. Ryder remained on the line.
“Pursued the vehicle on foot.” “It was Miguel…” she exclaimed as she shifted, and pain radiated through her knee.
“Brianna?”“
“Silence for a moment,” she snarled at him, as she compelled herself to rise from the ground. Inhaled deeply and extensively to soothe herself and attempt to dissipate the pain. She then proceeded to hop down the street to her car. It was merely one distance away. She instructed Logan, “Enter through the back door and proceed all the way inside.”
He complied with instructions while she manoeuvred herself into the car in reverse, struggling to position her leg inside. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath for approximately thirty seconds.
She opened her eyes and considered reinserting it, but was uncertain how to proceed.
“Mother?”She discerned the concern in his voice. “Aunt Stella?””
“Nolan will retrieve her; if not…” she gasped as a surge of pain coursed through her, “That scoundrel Miguel will not escape, dear, and I shall strike him into the next week.” I assure you.
She closed her eyes once more; her knee was in pain. She had never previously dislocated anything in her life. At that moment, she was grateful that she had not. Retrieved her phone from her lap. “Who is conversing with Edie?”She understood that the connection would remain active until their arrival. Alternatively, it was highly improbable regardless.
“Enzo,” was the response.
