The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (80 page)

             
“No. No. No. It can’t be?” I said, shaking my head.

             
“Ella, what’s wrong?” Roman asked, reaching out for me.

             
“He’s here. He found me.” I was shaking and on the verge of hysterics. I knew he was here. I could sense him anywhere. I couldn’t risk it happening again. I would not stand by and watch innocent people get slaughtered. “We have to go. We have to leave now,” I said, pulling on Roman’s arm.

             
“Ella, we’re not going anywhere,” he said, keeping me in my spot.

             
“What is going on?” Cameron asked, sensing my nervousness.

             
“We have to go. We have to get out of here now!” I yelled, hoping they would listen to me.

             
“Ella, I think it’s better if we stay here,” Dixon said.

             
“No we can’t stay here.”

             
“Ella, you’re scaring me,” Riley said.

             
“Why won’t anyone listen to me?” I pleaded.

             
“I think we should get Dean,” Sienna said.

             
“No wait,” Justin said. “She’s right. Someone else is here. I can smell them…it’s different.” I heard a ripping noise and then a low growl letting me know Justin had just switched to his wolf form. Then I heard it again and knew Kenny had changed as well.

             
Roman pushed me behind him protectively. “Stay here,” he said.

             
“No, don’t go.” I grabbed on to him tight. Picking up on my fear he stayed right where he was. We all stayed put as Justin and Kenny made their way to the door to investigate. The only sound was the click of their claws on the linoleum floor. Not a second later Justin let out a growl and took off down the hall, Kenny not far behind him.

             
I couldn’t take it anymore. I pushed past Roman and found my way to the door. I wasn’t going to hide from him. “Ella, what are you doing?” Roman yelled, pulling me back into the room. I spun around defensively and Roman backed up surprised.

             
“Ella!” Dean yelled, coming into the room.

             
“Dean!” I ran over to him. Despite the lack of light I was able to make out where everything and everyone was. “Dean he’s here he’s really here.”

             
“It’s okay. I’m here now,” he said, hugging me tight.

             
I cringed as the fire alarms went off, blaring loudly, and flashing bright red. “We have to go,” I shouted over the sirens. Another alarm went off outside causing a slight case of panic.

             
“What the hell is going on?” Cameron asked.

             
“What are we supposed to do? The fire alarm is going off but so is the alarm for us to stay inside,” Sienna asked confused as the rest of us.

             
Justin came back in the room in human form. “There’s a breach in security. Someone got through the gates. We’re all supposed to stay put until further notice,” he said, joining Riley back on the couch.

             
We did as he said and stayed put and waited. No one said anything. The only thing you could hear was my pounding heart. A few minutes later the sirens stopped and the lights came back to life. “Everyone okay?” Dean asked.

             
I looked around at all my friend’s faces full of mixed emotions. “Riley, your arm,” Dixon said. He was the first to notice the long, exposed cuts that were oozing blood.

             
“Oh, it’s okay…um…Justin accidently cut me when he transformed,” she said softly.

             
“I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?” Justin asked. He looked at her concerned that she was hurt more than she was letting on.

             
“It’s no biggie. Really,” she said smiling sweetly. I managed to pull myself away from Dean and walked over to Riley. I placed my hand over her cuts and healed her arm. Everyone looked at me with astonishment. Riley just smiled and said thank you. I stood up, took one look at her, and fainted.

             
When I opened my eyes the first thing I saw was his piercing, dark blue eyes, his messy black hair that I ached so badly to run my fingers through. He was cradling me in his arms. I thought I was dreaming. I smiled, looking deep into his eyes. I reached up to caress his face. “I missed you,” I said. I pulled his lips to mine wanting the comfort of his kiss.

             
I heard a few collective gasps and then Dean clearing his throat. I pulled away and when my vision cleared, I realized I was kissing Roman not Tristan. I jumped up and pushed him away. Everyone was staring at me wide eyed. “What happened?” I asked startled.

             
“You fainted,” Riley said. I turned back to Roman who was standing there with a stunned look on his face. My cheeks started to turn bright red with embarrassment from confusing Roman with my dead boyfriend Tristan. I didn’t know how to explain it so I tried to pretend it didn’t happen.

             
“Miss Ella,” Gabe called, rushing into the room and saving me from having to explain myself. He always did have impeccable timing.

             
“Gabe, what’s going on?”

             
“I’ll explain it to you later. You and Dean are to come with me.”

             
“But…” I looked at all my friends.

             
“All students are to report to their rooms. The school is on lock down,” Gabe announced. When I still didn’t budge, he leaned in closer, and whispered, “Ella, they will be fine. I promise.”

             
“Ella, go ahead, it’s okay,” Cameron said, reading my worried expression.

             
“Miss Ella, please,” Gabe pleaded, reaching for my hand. He led Dean and me outside where everything was chaotic. There were guardians and wolves running everywhere searching the perimeter. Gabe hurried us along, keeping us close to him. He took us to the teachers’ dorms and upstairs to his room. “Stay here until I come and get you. There will be two guardians outside the door if you need anything,” he told us before he took off.

             
I paced around the room before I decided to peek out the window to watch the mess. “I don’t think you should stand by the window,” Dean said.

             
“What does it matter? He already found me. It’s just a matter of time before he comes for me.”

             
“Ella, don’t say that.”

             
“It’s true. This place was supposed to be like Fort Knox and he still found a way in. He’s smarter than we think Dean.” I turned back to the window. “Maybe I should just give myself up. Give him what he wants.”

             
“Ella no. You are a McCallister and we do not give up. Not without a fight,” he said with conviction.

             
I laughed. “When are you going to learn I’m not like the rest of the family? I’m different. I don’t belong.”

             
“I don’t ever want to hear you say that. You belong to this family just as much as I do. Whether you like it or not you’re stuck with us and we’re not going to let you give up. Yes you’re different, but you’re different for a reason.” He turned me making me face him. “I believe you are destined for greatness. We may not know what that destiny is yet, but I know if anyone can make a change it’s you.”

             
I sighed and gave him a hug. “Thanks Dean, I love you.” I didn’t exactly agree with his little speech, but at the moment I had no fight in me. There was no use in arguing with him. I let him think it was okay when really I wished I had the same self-confidence he did.

             
“I love you too,” he said, pulling away. “Now care to explain to me what that kiss between you and Roman was about?” Clearly a change of subject was what he thought was best.

             
“Uh, yeah…well, I kind of thought he was Tristan,” I said, biting my lip.

             
“You thought he was Tristan?”

             
“Yeah, I guess from all the stress my mind was playing tricks on me. So when I opened my eyes I thought I was seeing Tristan not Roman,” I shrugged, not knowing another explanation.

             
“That makes sense. They do have some similarities. You just better hope Mackenzie doesn’t find out. Jack will seem like a baby cub compared to her,” he said, lying on the couch and turning on the TV like all of this was no big deal.

             
I was too restless to watch TV so I paced around the room until my legs gave in forcing me to lie down on the bed. I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes I had a blanket over me and Gabe was lying on the couch instead of Dean. When I caught a glimpse of Gabe, I had to cover my mouth from laughing out loud. Gabe was twice the size of the small loveseat he was sleeping on. His one leg was dangling over the arm rest while the other was on the floor. I knew he had to be uncomfortable. I got up and decided to let him have his bed back.

             
“Gabe,” I whispered, shaking him softly.

He opened his one eye, glanced at me, and then sprang into action. “What is it?”

“Relax, everything is fine. I just wanted to give you your bed back,” I said, glad to know Gabe was always prepared.

“I’m fine,” he said, rubbing his neck.

“Seriously Gabe?”

“I have to check in with the others anyways. I was just trying to get a couple minutes rest.”

“What time is it?” I asked, not seeing a clock anywhere.

He looked out the window as if the sun would give him his answer. “I believe it’s close to six.”

“In the morning?” He nodded.  “How long was I out?”

“I’m not sure. I checked in sometime after midnight and Dean said you had been asleep for a while.”

“Where is Dean?”

“After things had settled down he was escorted back to his room. We didn’t want to disturb you and thought you needed a good night’s rest. So we let you be.” 

“Well, thank you. I appreciate that,” I said, walking over to the window to look at the morning sun. I was grateful for the peaceful rest. It was the first I had in a long time. “So what happens now?”

“They’re calling in more guardians to double security.”

“Will that even make a difference? How did he get in in the first place?”

“We’re still trying to figure that out,” he said honestly. I knew it was hard for him to admit that. To him that meant he failed and didn’t do his job, but I didn’t believe that. “Miss Ella, you need not worry. I promise I will make sure nothing happens to you.” Gabe was good at his job, but even on good days people made mistakes.

“I want you to know that the guardians they are sending are the best of the best. I can guarantee you, you will be safe with them.”

“What about you? Will you still be my guardian?”

“Of course I will, but this way we’ll have strength in numbers.”

“You know, this is exactly what I didn’t want.” I sighed, wondering if this was how it was going to be until Jack was caught. “Can I go back to my room?”

“Yes, it’s safe now. He won’t try again. Not this soon,” he said and offered to escort me back to my room.

“Can I go myself?” I asked. “You did say it was okay and the sun is up.”

I knew he didn’t want me to, but he let me go alone. I was glad because I didn’t really plan on going to my room. I had to find Aidan, but I wasn’t sure which room was his. I snuck down into the office to see if I could find out what room he was in. When I found the room number, I slipped back upstairs and down the hall to his room.

I wasn’t sure if I should knock or not. I checked the door and it was unlocked. I let myself in. Aidan was asleep. After closer inspection I discovered he was wearing only his boxers. Man, did he have a nice body. I tiptoed my way over to the bed and sat down carefully next to him. I gently brushed a piece of hair off his forehead, causing him to stir. “Ella, is that you?”

“It’s me,” I smiled.

He pulled me into his arms. “I’ve been so worried about you. Are you okay? I couldn’t get to you. They wouldn’t even tell
me
where you were,” he said, a little angry that my whereabouts were even kept secret from him.

“Don’t worry. I’m fine. Better actually, now that I’m here with you.” He slid his hand behind my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. I slipped under the covers and snuggled up next to him. “I can’t stay long. Everyone will be up soon,” I said.

“I know,” he sighed, holding me a little tighter.

“But…while I’m here.” I ran my hands up his chest and behind his neck pulling him in for another kiss.

Things had gotten so hot and heavy we hadn’t realized how much time had passed until there was a knock on the door. We sat up abruptly and Aidan gave me that look again. “You are kidding me, right?” Not again. When he sat there not saying anything, I rolled my eyes, and grabbed my shirt up off the floor. “Does it have to be a closet again?”