Chapter 22

Ella felt all the wind be knocked out of her body as she stood still looking into her father's rage filled eyes. Her heart had packed up it's belongings and abandoned ship a long time ago. Now all that was left was her hollow chest. The wind moved around inside of her, not finding a place to settle.

"Where were you?" Dean asked as his eyes narrowed.

Ella parted her lips. Like her soul her brain was just as empty. There was nothing she could say right now to make anything better.

This was it. This was Ella Dunbar's downfall.

"I went to go see Maksim," Ella confessed.

Dean did not look surprised by her words, "You went to go see that mutt? Even after I told you what would happen if you ever disobeyed me again?"

"Yes,"

"And now you are talking back to me!" As Dean's voice rose, the lights in the house started to turn on one by one. Ruby was the first to come running, followed my Mia and then a worried Piper.

"Look what your daughter has done!" Dean snared again as Ruby eyed Ella's jacket and hat.

"Ella?" she asked. "What is this? Where are you going?"

"No going," Dean explained. "Coming back. She went to go see that monster."

"He's not a monster," Ella said calmly. "He is my mate."

Her family looked at her in shock. Ella was never the type to talk back to her family or to anyone. She was the 'good' daughter.

"Mate?" Dean spit out. "Do you hear yourself, you stupid girl? You mean nothing to them. They will toss you aside when you no longer serve a purpose."

"You're wrong," Ella said, shocking her father even more. "I mean nothing to you."

"Ella!" Ruby scolded her. "Stop this right now! Apologize to your father."

"No."

"You see this, mom," Mia said shaking her head. "This is what they do. They brainwash people."

"How would you know, Mia?" Ella turned her attention to her sister. "Since when are you an expert on werewolves?"

"What the hell is your problem?"

"What the hell is your problem? What the hell are all of your problems? Why do you carry so much hate in you? You are so blinded by this fucked up rage that you don't even see how you are killing me!"

"Killing you?" Dean demanded. "We have done nothing but provide for you your whole life. You had a roof over your head, food on the table, clothes to wear. What more do you want?"

"How about some compassion? Some understanding? Some support?" Ella threw her arms up. "You all have done nothing but blame me for all of your shortcomings for the past few months. I did nothing wrong. Yet, you treated me like the dirt beneath your feet. You are supposed to be my family, my biggest support system. Yet you have hurt me the most!"

"She's gone crazy," Dean shook his head. "That boy did all this."

"Oh yes," Ella laughed bitterly. "Go ahead and blame Maksim. Go ahead and blame me and Maksim for all the wrong in your life. Let me guess, Mia's failure in life is my fault too right? Her stupidity, her arrogance and her narrow mindedness is all my fault!"

Ella felt all the buried anger in her bubble up to the surface of the water. She turned to Mia and shook her head.

"You were supposed to be my sister," Ella said. "Yet you have scared me the most. You are not fit to be a mother. Leo will grow up hating himself if he stays in this house. Helping you keep him was the biggest mistake of my life. I'm sorry, Mia. I'm so sorry Liam hurt you but that chapter is long over. Grow the fuck up, you self centered shallow bitch."

"And you," Ella turned to her mother. "You are the biggest hypocrite I have ever seen. You worked your whole life for the Dorin family. They have been nothing but good to you and not once did you stand up for them. Not once did you mention they are people too with families and children just like us. But why am I expecting that from you? You didn't even stand up for your own daughter."

Ruby's mouth opened in surprise as she listened to her daughter. Dean held her shoulder as he shook in anger.

"Ella, that is enough," he said.

"No." Ella shook her head. "It is enough when I say it is enough."

Everyone in the room stared at the girl as if she was a stranger. They didn't know what to make of her as she slowly swam over the rim of insanity.

"I pity you, papa," Ella said to Dean. "I pity you so much. You think you are the perfect family man and you are better then Owen or Xavier, but in reality you don't even measure up to the feet."

"Ella!" Mia grabbed her sister's arm.

"Don't touch me!" Ella pushed her off. "You think you love your children more than anything in the world but you don't. We never stood a chance next to your hatred for the werewolves. Thank you so much for raising me, but I am not your show monkey. I am not Mia's understudy. Just because she couldn't perform, doesn't mean I have to live my life being your picture perfect daughter for you to show off to the world. I am tired! I am so tired of trying right all the wrong she has done."

"You ungrateful girl," Dean growled in furry. "How dare you? How dare you speak to us in that way?"

"Why? Are you and Mia the only ones allowed to torture in this house? The rest of us are just supposed to lay down our lives and let you run all over us?"

Ella could see her father visually shake with anger. His eyes looked as if they could strangle Ella with their bare hands. Ruby put her hand against his chest to calm him, but Dean was snarling like a wild animal.

Ella knew what was coming. She should have been afraid. She should have been very afraid. But the adrenaline and the anger in her body made her numb to everything else. Suddenly she wanted to push their buttons. She realized all these people surrounding her were strangers. She couldn't feel even an ounce of love for them.

"Get out," Dean finally said after a long pause. "Get out of my house."

There it was. The one thing Ella had been the most terrified of her whole life.

Yet, as she listens to her father scream over and over again for her to get out of his house, the strangest thing happened.

With each of his words, Ella felt her strength rise up in her heart. She felt a pull that begged her to leave. Without a word, Ella grabbed her duffle bag from the closet and grabbed whatever clothes she could find and just stuff it in. She heard Ruby begged Dean to calm down as Mia held Piper back.

"No! Ellie," the little girl cried. "You can't leave!"

"I'm sorry, Pip," Ella said as she rushed around her room and grabbed whatever she could. "If I stay here any longer I am going to drown in their hate."

"Get out!" Dean shouted again. "Go see what the real world holds out there! You will never make it! You stupid ungrateful idiot!"

Ella gave a harsh laugh as she grabbed her wallet with the money she had been saving for college and threw it into her school bag. She strapped her bag on and picked up her duffle bag as she faced her family.

"Dean, stop her!" Ruby said to her husband.

"Let her go," Mia said. "Let her get kicked around in the streets or become that boy's charity case."

"Fuck you, Mia," Ella shook her head. "I would say I hate you but then I would be lying. I pity you. You are such a low life, hooker."

"Ella!" Ruby shouted. "Stop it."

"Fuck you all," Ella pushed past her mom and Mia as she headed for the door.

"Dean!" Ruby said to her husband as she followed Ella down the hall. "Stop her."

Ella stormed past all the framed family pictures on the wall and headed for the door. As her hand touched the cold door knob she paused just for a second and took in a deep breath.

"If you take one step out of this house," Dean's voice spoke from behind her. "I will think you are dead to this family and we are all dead to you."

Ella turned to face her father, "Congratulations. You murdered two of your daughters then."

And with that, she yanked the door open and walked out of her house.

____________________

Clare laid awake in bed as she stared at the shadows of guards walking past her doors. She counted their steps until her mind got lost and she had to start all over again. She felt a strange sense of calm and adrenaline in her system. Somewhere, deep in that mix was a thin thread of anxiety and fear. Suddenly, Clare jumped up in bed.

Ella.

Ella was sitting outside in the snow storm.

Clare didn't understand the strange thought that popped into her head. What did it mean? Why was Ella outside in this weather?

Without missing a beat, Clare opened her mind - link and called to her brother.

Mackey! Mackey!

What's wrong? Maksim sounded alarmed by his sister's sudden urgency. Are you hurt?

No, it's Ella.

Clare, I don't wa-

Ella is sitting outside. You have to go to her!

Clare, she already came to see me. Dad is taking her home. She's fine.

No, no. She's outside.

I'll have the guards check. Go to sleep.

No...Clare said in confusion as her brother shut off his link. She felt frustrated with herself for not being able to say more or explain better. Her mind raced as she thought of what to do.

Eden! Clare called her aunt. Eden! I need your help.

Clare? What's wrong? Are you hurt?

I'm fine.... You need to find Ella.

Ella? Maksim's mate?

Yes, he's being a dick. I can't explain it but I know she needs help. You live close by, you have to help her.

Where is she?

I don't know, I don't know. All I know is that she's outside in the storm.

Close your eyes, Clare, Eden guided her. Think about Ella, let your mind wander.

Clare followed her words. She sat down on her bed and focused on the darkness behind her eyes. She took deep breaths as she let her mind dance through random pictures. They showed her Ella and Maksim. Her family, the snow, a bus stop, the school, a birthday candle, a window.

Bus stop, Clare's eyes snapped open. She's somewhere at a bus stop.

I'm on my way, Eden said.

Clare closed her mind link to Eden and opened it to her father.

Dad?

Yes, princess? Owen asked after a second. Why are you not asleep yet?

Where are you?

I'm driving, sweetheart. I'm almost home.

You have to go back. You have to go back for Ella.

What's wrong?

She....I....she's outside somewhere. She needs someone, dad. Mackey is being a little bitch.

We don't use that kind of language, baby, Owen said slowly. But I'm on my way back to town. Did you tell Maksim?

I tried, but he won't listen. Eden is already looking for her.

Try talking to Maksim again. Scare him if you have to.

Clare quickly jumped out of bed and grabbed her rob. She pulled her doors open, startling the guards outside, and began to run down the hall. She heard the heavy footsteps of the guard follow her as she zoomed down the stairs and burst into the throne room.

"Mackey!" Clare yelled. "Mackey, Ella! Ella.....you have to go now!"

Everyone in the room turned to look at the young princess in shock. Mavi rushed to her daughter and Xavier turned to Maksim.

The look of panic and alarm on Clare's face froze Maksim's heat.

No. He thought as he heard her cry about Ella. No, no, no....this can't be happening.

"Maksim," Mavi looked over her shoulder. "Go."

"I'm coming with you," Clare said as she pulled away from her mother.

"No," Xavier tried to stop her but she was already running after her brother as he raced to the garage.

"Alec?" Xavier looked to the head Queen's guard.

"Already on it, sir," Alec said as he min-linked a unit to follow Maksim and Clare.

"I'll inform the local authorities," Exton said.

"Keep this out of the media," Mavi said to her staff and everyone started to move at once.

________________________

Ella watched the huge chunks of snow fall from the sky as her nose chilled. She couldn't breath from how stuffy she was. In her haste to get out of the house, she forgot to layer up. The cold air made her bones shake as she sat on the wooden bench at the bus stop. The streets were as silent as a ghost town. Every single light in all the windows were turned off as the blanket of snow covered everything in sight.

It was so quiet, Ella could hear herself breathing whenever the howling wind died down for a little while. She couldn't even tell anymore if she was shaking from the cold or from the adrenaline leaving her system. Her mind had bottled up all the panic and anxiety. It was starting to wobble and crack. Ella prayed it would hold for just a while longer as she tried to figure out what to do.

She couldn't stay outside all night. She would die from the cold.

She couldn't return home.

Ella could rent a motel room for a night or two until the storm passed, but the nearest motel was a few miles away. There was, however, a women's shelter across town she had volunteered at a few summers ago. They would be able to find her a place to stay until she could get in contact with Lily and go to her.

Yes, yes that's what she had to do.

Ella got up from her seat and walked out of the little shelter at the bus stop. She carefully avoided the ice on the floor and checked the bust schedule on the chart hanging by the pole. There should be a bus coming in twenty minutes according to the chart, but then Ella remembered the city was on lockdown.

"Shit," she said as she looked around. She had to make the trip on foot.

Ella quickly walked over to her duffle bag and looked to see if she had packed any extra sweater or scarf. She needed to layer up if she was going to make it to the shelter in one piece.

As Ella dug through her bag with frozen fingers, her eyes caught sight of her watch on her wrist. She felt the glass bottle in her shatter with one blow as her anxiety and panic all came pouring out like blank ink on a fresh sheet of paper. Ella's knees began to shake as she collapsed onto the bench and stared at her watch.

It was past midnight. 2 AM to be exact.

It was her birthday. Her 18th birthday.

Ella felt her nonexistent heart shrivel up in pain and fear as she teared up. The events of the night were catching up to her as she realized she was truly alone. For the first time in her life, she was alone. There was no one she could turn to. No family, no mate, no friends.....

Ella began to choke on her tears as her lips began to move.

"Happy birthday to you," she sang quietly in a broken voice. "Happy birthday to....you. Happy birthday.....happy birthday.....happy birthday to.....you."

Ella became overwhelmed by the heartache in her chest. Her mind began to panic as she thought about what she would do now.

Stupid, ungrateful, idiot!

Dean's voice echoed in her mind, amplifying the fear and anger.

You will never make it out there!

Ella pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt numb and pained all at the same time. What was she going to do? What was she going to do?

"Ella!" A woman suddenly yelled over the howling wind. "Ella"!

Ella picked up her head and looked across the street to the stranger waving at her. She grabbed her bag and pulled her belongings closer as the woman ran across the street and came to a stop in front of her.

"Ella Dunbar?" She asked.

"Yes," Ella nodded.

"Hi! I'm Eden. Maksim's aunt. You met my husband, Alec."

Ella didn't know what to say as she stared up at the woman. She was dressed in a heavy winter coat. Her golden blonde hair poked out from under her yellow hate.

"Clare sent me to find you," Eden said.

"She did?" Ella asked in confusion, not understanding what was happening.

"Yes," Eden nodded. "She sensed you were out here. What happened?"

Ella opened her mouth but no words came out. She felt the tears on her face start to freeze up and bit her skin.

"I need to get you out of here," Eden said looking at Ella's state. "You'll freeze here."

As if on cue, a black SUV rolled down the hall and stopped in front of the bus stop. Ella frowned as she watched the car ruin the perfect layer of snow over the road.

"Eden," Owen said as he rolled down the window. "Get her inside, please."

Eden nodded as she put a supportive arm around Ella's shoulder and pulled her up. Ella looked in confusion not understanding what was happening. Along with her body, her mind was frozen too. She didn't know why she was following the stranger into the car.

Owen watched Ella with concern as Eden pulled her bags inside and strapped the girl into the back seat. The cloudiness and confusion in Ella's blue eyes were not a good sign. Eden followed Owen's eyes as her heart sank.

"Do you think...." she started as Owen nodded his head.

"Hypothermia," Owen said as he drove as fast as he could to Eden and Alec's town house. They didn't have time to get Ella to the palace. She needed to be warmed up right away before it was too late.

"Let Mackey know we're headed to your place," Owen told Eden.

"Already did," Eden said as she took off her jacket and put it over Ella. "He's on his way."

"Max...." Ella frozen lips whispered.

"He's coming honey," Eden said. She wished she could share her body heat with the poor girl but Eden didn't have any to share. "Owen, hurry!"

Owen drove carefully through the snow covered streets until they arrived at the town house. He jumped out of the car and picked Ella up into his arms as Eden rushed up the stairs and unlocked the doors.

"Mom!" Arden jumped up from the sofa as Owen and his mother rushed in with Ella.

"Why are you not in bed?" Eden frowned looking at her son.

Arden ignored the question as he watched Owen rush Ella upstairs.

"What happened? Who is that?" the boy asked.

"Mackey's mate," Eden said as she rushed up the stairs. "Arden, sweetheart, don't take after your father and uncle. Treat your mate right. I have high hopes for you. Be dark and moody but not with her."

"Mom, I'm ten." Arden said as he followed the crowd.

Just then, they heard the front door open once more as Maksim's voice boomed throughout the house.

"Ella!" He called to his mate as he looked around in a panic.

"We're up here!" Arden called down to them.

Clare and Maksim rushed up the stairs and followed the sounds of Arden's voice until they arrived at the guest room.

Maksim froze as his eyes landed on Ella being lowered onto the bed. His heart started to stumble and break as he caught sight of how pale her skin was. Her lips were starting to turn colors as her blue eyes dimmed.

"Clare, get me the extra blankets from the closet," Eden said as she began to remove Ella's wet coats. "Owen, turn the heat up."

"That won't be enough," Owen looked at Ella and checked her pulse. "Maksim, she needs to be heated up. You need to share your body heat with her."

Maksim walked into the room and shook his head to see clear past the chaos. He walked up to where Ella sat in bed and Eden removed her scarf and hat. She had no idea what was happening to her. It was like undressing a life size doll.

"Dad..." Maksim looked to his father.

"It's alright, she's going to be fine,"

"You need to hold her against yourself so she can heat up slowly," Eden said as she yanked off Ella's boots. "Ella, honey, I'm going to get you some tea okay."

Ella didn't respond. Her eyes stayed fixed on the window in front of her as her body swayed. She was about to fall off the bed when Maksim lunged forward and caught her in his arms.

A spark of electricity shot through their bodies as Maksim's arms gripped her shoulder and sat her back in bed. Ella's lips parted but no other reaction came out of her.

"Lay her down," Eden said as Clare came in with the blankets.

Maksim followed his instructions and laid Ella down against the pillows. He helped Eden spread the blanket over her body before he began to remove his coat and shoes in a haste.

"We'll be outside," Owen said to his son as he held his hand out for Clare.

"Call me if you need anything," Clare said as she followed her father out.

"I'll bring tea in a few minutes," Eden smoothed Ella's hair back. "Just keep her warm."

"Thank you," Maksim said.

He pulled back the covers as Eden closed the door behind her. His eyes stayed locked on Ella's face as he slipped in next to her and pulled her to his chest. His arms wrapped around her frail body as she shivered. He pressed his warm lips to her forehead and brushed her skin.

Ella didn't make a sound. By instinct her body moved closer to Maksim, seeking the warmth. Her joints and muscles were all locked up as her mind swam in a sea of frozen water.

"Baby," Maksim whispered to her, not knowing if she was hearing any of it. "I'm so sorry."

He buried his face in her neck and heated her skin with his warmth. He hated not seeing the blush on her cheeks. Her pulse was dangerously low. Her cold lips moved as if she was trying to speak but her eyes were far far away.

Maksim felt his insides twist and tear as he watched Ella. what the fuck happened? He had just seen her a few hours ago.....

The image of Ella's baby blue eyes watching him as the doors to the throne room closed played over and over in Maksim's mind that night.

He needed to bring back that light. He had to.  

What was your favorite part and what is next for Ella and Max?