Door:
Locked.
Window:
Locked.
Despite Indianna's increased strength, she couldn't break through either.
"Bloody Greyson," she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.
Indianna groaned loudly and paced around her room. She had to get out. She had to save Brooke and Martha.
She knew she was being selfish, but she couldn't let innocent people die.
Indianna's head snapped towards the door when she heard a click. She frowned as a piece of paper was slid underneath it.
She picked it up immediately and unfolded it.
Go to him now.
I'll get Stacy out.
Stay hidden.
Indianna immediately opened the door and peered out cautiously.
Brandon wasn't the only spy.
Greyson was right. There was a leak in the pack, and they were letting Indianna out.
Indianna kept her thoughts blocked as she quietly walked into the hallway. She listened carefully for anyone nearby.
She could easily hear Greyson talking with Jansen, Harry, Kal and Ace. She guessed they were in his office, nowhere near the front door.
She was tense as she walked through the large house. If she bumped into even one pack member, she would be screwed.
She reached the staircase and couldn't see anyone in sight. Indianna swallowed and held her breath as she descended the stairs, praying that, for once, they wouldn't squeak.
Her heart was thumping when she reached the bottom. She glanced around cautiously before moving towards the front door.
If she could get out undetected, she could save them.
Indianna reached the door and quietly opened it. She stepped onto the porch and glanced over her shoulder.
She listened to Greyson's voice one last time, savouring the moment before shutting the door and running into the woods.
"I did it," Indianna whispered and let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Greyson."
Indianna contemplated shifting, but part of her didn't want to do it without Greyson. She had only ever shifted with him, and it didn't feel right without him by her side.
"I'm so sorry," she mumbled and wiped her eye as a tear escaped. "I have to do this."
Indianna tried to forget about leaving Greyson and focused on her destination.
Where Rogue was.
Home.
Indianna slowed to a walk when she spotted her house and scanned the area. Nothing seemed out of place, but she could feel eyes on her.
As she approached, two men appeared from the woods. Indianna narrowed her eyes at them.
They looked dishevelled and... rogue.
"We're just here to make sure you don't do anything stupid," one of them said. His voice was deep and croaky.
"Like what?"
"Kill him."
Kill Rogue.
Indianna hadn't actually thought of it.
"I'm not going to," she said and stopped beside the path that led to her house. The men were less than two metres away from her.
"Hold your arms out and stand shoulder-width apart," one of the men ordered.
Indianna frowned. She didn't want them anywhere near her.
"Why?"
"Didn't we just cover this?" one of them snapped and took a step towards Indianna. "We've been told to do whatever is necessary to make you comply."
Indianna swallowed and nodded, slowly raising her arms. She tensed as the strangers searched her.
She didn't want anyone but Greyson touching her.
Indianna gasped and jumped back when one of the men ran his hand over her stomach.
"Greyson," she whispered.
She didn't tell him.
"What's the problem?" one of the men asked.
Indianna coughed and shook her head.
"N-Nothing," she stuttered.
The men eyed her curiously but nodded.
"He's in the living room. I'm sure you remember where to go," one of them said.
They both stepped aside to let Indianna through.
She hurried up the path to her house, not wanting to be around the men any longer than necessary. When she stepped inside, she paused and looked around.
It all seemed so familiar, yet so foreign.
The silence was deafening.
Indianna cringed when a floorboard creaked beneath her foot. She closed the door behind her, and her eyes landed on the living-room door.
She gulped.
Rogue was there.
"I do hope you don't plan on standing by the door forever," a voice called.
Indianna tensed.
Rogue.
"Make yourself at home, sweetheart. You're going to be here a while."
Indianna clenched her hands into fists and slowly took a step towards the living-room door. She jumped in fright when it swung open as she reached it.
"Brooke!" Indianna cried.
She rushed into the room and over to Brooke, who was bound and gagged to a chair.
"Oh my gosh, Brooke. Are you okay? Are you hurt? What's he done to you?"
Indianna removed the gag and wrapped her arms around Brooke.
"I'm fine," Brooke whispered. "Harry—how's Harry?"
"Angry," Indianna said simply.
Brooke couldn't help but laugh.
"What a surprise."
"Brandon," Indianna blurted. "How could he do this?"
Brooke looked at Indianna, and tears formed in her eyes.
"I don't know," she said. "I can't believe it."
"Shh, don't cry," Indianna whispered. "I'm going to get you out of here."
"H-How?"
Indianna went silent, and Brooke gasped.
"Indie, no! You traded yourself for me!"
"And Martha," Indianna nodded.
"Are you stupid? How the hell did Greyson agree to this? He didn't, did he?"
Indianna shook her head slowly.
"Brooke, when you get back, you've got to tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I love him. Tell him I'm sorry I didn't listen to him, and tell him I'll always love him. Please make sure he isn't angry with me. I can't live with myself if he's angry at me—"
"I will," Brooke nodded. "I'll tell him how much you love him every day for the rest of my life if I have to."
"Thank you," Indianna whispered. "Also, there's still a spy in the pack. I don't know who, but they let me out. Whatever plans they're making are useless. The spy could be anyone—"
"Indie, what about the..." Brooke's eyes went to Indianna's stomach.
"You can't tell him," Indianna panicked. "I can't cause him any more pain. He's already lost me. He can't lose anything else."
"You're quite the secretive mate, aren't you?"
Indianna gasped and spun around.
Her eyes landed on a figure standing by the door, and she tensed.
"Rogue."
"I prefer Jason," Jason shrugged.
He lowered his hood, revealing dirty-blond hair and her father's glistening green eyes.
Indianna had so many questions. She wanted to say so many things. She wanted to shout and scream, but she couldn't.
"Um..." Indianna struggled to form words. "O-Okay."
Jason smirked and took a step towards her.
"You look absolutely nothing like them," Jason said lowly and scoffed. "Thank God."
"Um, I..." Indianna coughed. "I'm here."
"Yes, I can see that," Jason nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Let Brooke and Martha go."
"Ah, I'm afraid I can't do that," Jason shrugged.
"But I came!" Indianna gasped.
"Yes, thank you for that. It saved me a lot of effort," Jason said. "It would have been a nuisance getting you here unwillingly."
"I wouldn't exactly call this willing," Indianna grumbled.
Jason smirked.
"Come with me, Indianna. Let me show you why I can't let Brooklyn and Martha go."
Indianna glanced back at Brooke.
"Go," Brooke ordered. "Do as he says."
Indianna gulped and stumbled as she followed Jason out of the room and through the house.
She scrunched up her nose when she entered the kitchen and gagged.
"Not pleasant, is it?" Jason called. "It looks worse than it smells."
"What—"
Indianna stumbled to a halt, and her hand flew to her mouth when she looked at the kitchen sink.
"Oh my God."
"Please don't be sick. I don't want to make the smell worse," Jason said.
Indianna looked at him in horror.
"T-That's—"
"Martha," Jason nodded and smiled. "I always had a knack for skinning animals when I was younger. I thought I'd give it a go on people while I had the chance."
"Oh my God," Indianna gasped.
She closed her eyes and forced herself to look away from Martha's severed and mutilated body, which was piled inside the sink.
"The head was a right pain," Jason commented. "I'm sure you'd love to see that—"
"No!" Indianna blurted. "God, no!"
"Shame," Jason tutted. "So, Indianna, you've admired my handiwork, yes? You now know what will happen to Brooklyn and whoever else I can get my hands on if you don't do as I say."
"You're evil," Indianna whispered.
"I'd say committed," Jason corrected.
"Really? To what?"
"Getting what I want," Jason said. "And every day, it's becoming easier to get that."
"What do you want?" Indianna asked. "What do you really want, Jason?"
"Shall we discuss this in a room that doesn't smell like death?" Jason said.
He walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs into Indianna's bedroom. He sat down on the bed and gestured to the space next to him.
"Come on, I don't bite."
Indianna gave him a cold look.
Jason smirked.
"That was one time, I promise. Sit, sweetheart, or I may have to break my promise."
Indianna sighed and sat down beside him, keeping a large gap between them.
"Answer my question."
"You're not in a position to be making demands," Jason tutted. "But if you really want to know, then I'll tell you. I've found my mate. I've found my family, and I think it's time for me to settle down. Don't you think?"
Indianna didn't say anything.
"I quite like this town," Jason nodded. "What I want is to stay here without Greyson and his pack meddling in my business."
Indianna's eyes widened.
"You can't hurt them."
"I don't plan to," Jason said. "They won't be harmed if they listen and do as I say."
"How will you get them to do that?"
"Now, this is where you come in, sweetheart," Jason smiled. "Greyson would do anything for you."
"Not anything," Indianna said quietly.
Jason chuckled.
"Oh, that's where you're wrong, and you know it. He would lay down his life for you," Jason said. "And I'm going to use that."
"You can't..." Indianna didn't even want to say the words. "P-Please, you can't—"
"I want to," Jason said casually. "But I'm afraid I can't."
"Can't?"
"If I want you alive, then he has to live," Jason said, an edge entering his voice.
Indianna let out a sigh of relief.
"Don't look too happy," Jason tutted. "I need him alive, but just barely."
"Please don't hurt him," Indianna begged.
"He'd have no problem hurting me," Jason shrugged.
"You deserve it," Indianna blurted. "You killed people."
"So has Greyson."
"You've hurt me."
"So has Greyson."
"He didn't nearly kill me," Indianna whispered.
"Ah, yes. I do apologise for that. It would have put a right kink in my plans if you had died. Thank you for living, sweetheart."
Indianna looked at Jason with cold eyes.
"No problem," she said sarcastically.
"You're getting feisty," Jason smirked. "I like it. You're coming out of your shell."
"Not for good reasons," Indianna admitted.
"You're angry," Jason nodded. "That's understandable."
"Understandable? You're ruining my life!" Indianna exclaimed. "You're hurting the people I care about!"
"And the people you care about hurt the person I care about," Jason snapped.
"No," Indianna said immediately. "They haven't hurt Stacy."
"While you were there," Jason said. "Your mate realised you were gone. He immediately went to check on Stacy and caught her as she was escaping. He attacked her."
"W-What?"
"She escaped, thanks to some help," Jason said.
"Help? The person who let me out? Who is it?" Indianna demanded.
She jumped in fright as the front door slammed open.
"Why don't you find out?" Jason said.
Indianna rushed out of the room and down the stairs.
Stacy was stumbling into the house. She seemed battered and bruised, but nothing appeared serious.
Indianna's eyes went to the person behind Stacy, and she gasped.
"Mum," she whispered.
Iris stepped into the house, hanging her head in shame.
"You've been working for him!"
"To protect herself," Jason called as he walked up to Indianna. "She only cares about herself."
"Jason!" Stacy gasped.
Relief filled her face.
"I'll be down in one minute, and I'll get you cleaned up," Jason said softly. "I need to do something first."
Indianna tried to react quickly, but it was too late.
Jason lifted a needle towards her neck, and she was unconscious within seconds.