Shielding My World

All I needed to do was stay up a little while longer. I had to get further away from Paris. Here in the middle of nowhere, the sun was sinking and visibility on the roadways was becoming less reliable. I was trying to restrain my movements since the pain I was experiencing was becoming terrible. At this point, breathing was becoming difficult. We had to get a motel ASAP.

Ella was sound asleep in the backseat, which I was grateful for. Because she was being awakened every few hours by nightmares, she was actually not getting enough sleep. My eight-year-old daughter's recovery and her safety were the only things that concerned me at the time. Her exquisite face was adorned with bruises that were strikingly purple in hue. Her wrist and arm were shattered, and her pitiful right arm was covered in a brand-new purple cast. I let her down.

Being her mother, it was my responsibility to safeguard and keep her safe, but I failed to do so with addition to having broken wrists and arms and being covered with bruises, my kid has virtually stopped talking. She will only talk to me, and only then when it's absolutely necessary. I'm terrified that her heart and soul are also broken. How do I win my lovely, witty, silly angel back? How do I make all the horrible pictures that haunt her memories disappear?

I catch her sleeping face as I glance in the rearview mirror. Guilt shatters my heart and crushes my spirit. I ought to have done more planning beforehand. We ought to have departed earlier. Thank goodness, a motel is seen as I continue to contemplate the events of the past several days and see the sign for the next exit. Before I passed off, I really needed some sleep and a painkiller. About three in the morning, we started driving.

After gently releasing the car from the ramp, I proceed to the Motel 8 and book a room for the night. The elder woman gives my hand a gentle squeeze and hands me the room key, taking in my appearance rather than asking any questions. I give her a quick grin of gratitude and go back outside.

We unpack and put Ella on the bed before making ourselves comfortable. My vision was being obscured by black patches, and the discomfort was getting worse. Under these circumstances, we could no longer handle this alone. I reached for the nightstand phone and called the only person I knew could be of assistance. All I could hope was that I was close enough.

Answering was the voice on the other end of the line. "Hi"

Memories flashed through my mind at that voice. Is this Janet?....

Sophia, is that you? Oh my god? The voice exclaimed with ecstasy.

"Yes, that is me,." I took a moment to try to clear my thoughts because the fog was beginning to descend. Janet, please assist me. Although it's been a while since we chatted, I need your assistance.

Picking up the other line, Janet urgently called someone named Alex. My mind was racing. I gave her as much information as possible. Highway 120 / Motel 8 Need help, Room 13.

The phone fell out of my grasp, the world went dark, and I gave up, hoping she would arrive.

Janet's Perspective

"Sophia! Please respond to me. Please. I let forth a desperate cry.

I screamed into the phone, and my husband Alex wrapped his arm around me. Three of our pack's warriors dashed into our kitchen a few seconds later. I heard Alex calling our Alpha to alert him of the situation after conveying all the details and orders. While visiting another pack in South Dakota, Alpha Knox preferred to be notified of any emergencies. Although he was not pleased about sending soldiers to aid a human, he granted his blessing after taking Sophia's family into consideration after hearing about her from me all these years.

Sophia, what the heck happened? I was aware that she wouldn't contact me unless she was in serious danger or desperate. I thought I would never hear from my best friend again after she expelled me from her life all those years ago.

My bond with Sophia was unbreakable. We supported one another all the way from kindergarten to college. From the beginning, best pals. As only children and the offspring of single moms, their relationship was established at a young age. My mom remarried and relocated to Japan the following year after her mother passed away during our second year of school. We all had each other.

Unfortunately, we had to part ways after graduation. Sophia moved to LA for graduate school, while I moved to Wyoming for an internship. For the first eight months or so, we continued to communicate via texting, emailing, or by doing anything else.

After that, I met Alex and Brian. I first encountered the universe I currently inhabit when I got to know Alex, my Lovell Pack Beta mate. Within the first month of meeting Alex, I was mated and turned. He was everything to me, and I was devoured by him and this world. Because of everything, the only thing I have ever regretted is losing Sophia.

My friendship with Sophia started to wane because I was so fascinated with learning everything there was to know about being a shifter. I had made new family and friends. encircled by a universe I never imagined existed.

Sophia started to distance herself as well, but I only have myself to blame. Brian devoured her in the same way that my world consumed me. What an asshole the guy was. From the moment I spoke with him, I detested him. Sophia was blind to the fact that he was such a domineering SOB. Our relationship grew more strained as we started to argue.

Ella was born a year after they were married. I flew down to visit her and the new baby in Los Angeles with Alex. It wasn't very excellent. She was thrilled to be a mother, but I could sense that she was not content. Because Brian was such a jerk, Alex had to stop himself from severing his throat.

Sophia and I got into a heated argument during our last walk and challenged her about it since I knew he was assaulting her. She was stuck and had no desire to go. Nobody would think Brian was capable of abusing her. Outside his house, everyone adored him, and he was an FBI agent who enforced the law. He was the golden boy, the best investigator they had, and a hero in his division.

The worst thing I could have done was to inform her that I could not watch helplessly as she insisted on staying with him. She gave me the order to go and never return.

As soon as we arrived back at the house, Alex and I fled. Brian gave us a condescending smile while we hurriedly picked things up. The fool knew he had won. And there was nothing I could do about it. Not at the risk of letting him see our world. Thus, we moved out seven years ago.

After all those years, what in the world has happened to her? Every day I would wonder if I would ever see my sister again, who is my best friend.

One of the warriors' mates, Abby, grabbed the phone out of my hand. The team was loaded into the cars and prepared to travel. According to the scant information we had, she was in Cody, some two hours' drive away. About an hour, by wolf. After making a shift, Alex, two of the warriors, and I left. The cars with the supplies had already been used by the remainder of the team. We had no idea what we would discover. All I could do was hope she was still with us.

Ella's perspective

The door was being pounded. I was afraid because it was dark outside. Has he located us? Mom looked terrible while she slept on the bed.

I was incredibly afraid. I held onto my plush wolf tightly, wishing that the person at the door would leave.

The door opened just in time to find me crawling behind the bed.

Mama, get out of bed. Assist me...

Janet's perspective

Once at the hotel, we changed and changed into our clothes sprinting for the door with the number 13 on it. I knocked and yelled Sophia's name. Open that fucking door, Sophia Come on.

Alex moved me aside with a gentle shove. He smashed the lock on the door by leaning his body against it and entered.

God, oh, my god.

Sophia collapsed into the bed. She did, at least, resemble her. Beside the bed, on the floor, was the phone. After running over to her, the three males flipped her onto her back. I had to force myself not to cry out loud.

How could that scoundrel have hurt her? Her face was crimson and swollen. Her neck and shoulder were bandaged, and one arm was supported by a sling in a cast. Her breathing was faint but steady. It appears that he attempted to murder her.

The men were evaluating her wounds and conversing with Doc Murphy, who was still approximately twenty-five minutes away. I stood there, appreciating the suffering my poor friend had to go through. Her continued existence was astounding. In this state, how in the world did she make it all the way here? While the men carried out their examination, tears streamed down my cheeks.

Dislocated shoulder, broken arm ankle sprain...marks on her forehead...

The list seemed endless. Doc Murphy took charge when the other members of the pack soon arrived. Putting in an IV to deliver fluids and medication in her healthy arm. I began gathering their belongings while the men assisted the Doc. Beside the bed on the floor was a little black wolf. It was then that I saw the small girl's clothes on the chair. ELLA! Where in the world is Ella?

I hurried to look in the closet and bathroom in a panic. This was where she had to be. Ella would not be abandoned by Sophia. Oh oh, what would happen if she was harmed? I was overcome with guilt.

"ELLA! Come on, my love; I know you're around somewhere. You must emerge. I'm Jane, and I'm your mom's buddy. To come grab you both and take you to safety, she phoned me. Ella, please, where are you?

Alex heard me and started looking around the room. The bed was the only other area we failed to check. She dropped to the floor, pulled the bedding, and found Ella resting there. I'm grateful, Jesus.

"Go on, sweetie. I assure you that we are here to assist. Your mother summoned us.

Ella slid out from behind the bed very slowly but avoided getting close to any of us. My mouth dropped open when I realised how much the little girl had been harmed. Growls echoed around the room as the males realised too. Shifters considered children to be extremely valuable, and it was unacceptable for anyone to even consider touching them. The fact that someone had mistreated a woman and a child equally did not sit well with the wolves.

Ella retreated till her back against the wall as her eyes widened in response to the noises. They momentarily drifted to her mother, and tears started to well up. My heart was broken by the poor child and everything she had to go through. I walked up to her and knelt down so that our levels were equal.

"Don't be terrified, Ella. I'm Jane, and I used to be your mother's closest friend. You will now be alright. We'll keep you two safe. She instantly seized the plush wolf that was handed to her and snuggled it into her chest. When you were still a baby, I gave you this wolf. Not older than a few months. We gave him the name Sammy. The fact that he is still alive pleases me.

When Ella realized her wolf's name, she started to cry softly. I reached out, encircling her shoulders gently with my arm before pulling her to my chest. She tensed at first, but after a few minutes she started to loosen up in my arms.

I stroked my hand through Ella's blond hair, soothing her. Sophia was stabilized behind me by the men so that she could return to the pack hospital in the van.

We didn't want to take any chances, so before we returned to Pack Land, we searched every item for tracking devices because her husband was an FBI agent and a sick SOB. This SOB was not supposed to locate us.

"Ella, honey, please take off all of your clothes. You can wear some of my daughter's pyjamas. We must ensure that your father did not conceal anything from you by hiding it in your clothing.

She nodded as I assisted her in changing in the restroom. Since we were unable to alter Sophia's clothes at this time, Paul, one of the warriors, took the time to scan the wolf and Sophia. When a tracking device was discovered in her shoe, it was destroyed right away.

We all loaded up and drove to pack land an hour later. Sophia hasn't woken up yet, and I'm starting to worry. What the devil transpired with them?